The Big First Grader, Liam

Now that you are in First Grade you seem to have aged and matured. You are adjusting to First Grade and all the new homework with ease. I am very proud of you! Thank you for being a good example for Beau. Please remember to have kind hands and kind words!

I love how in this picture we can see the 2 teeth missing that match up on the same side! You are just growing up too fast!

You can be very silly. I can't tell if you have Dad's humor or Austin's. I think it might be a good mix of both!

Yep you are a Silly One!

I love how the you said if someone likes you they will tell you "You are flaming Hot" in this shirt! You are 7 going on 22!

I'm proud to be your Mom! I love you so much! I love your tender heart! I love how sweet you are! I love that you love to read! I look forward to what God has for you! I know you want to be a hero of some kind...most of the time you say Fire Fighter.

I think it's funny this is your current favorite shirt and you want to be a Fire Fighter!

Beau has become the Ham!

Beau is sillier every day! At times it’s cute and other times he can drive me crazy. I’m hoping dinner time doesn’t end up as Beau comedy time. I keep talking to him about calming down and eating at the table. I wonder if he is doing the same thing at school. I hope not.







Every day he is excited to get to the bus stop. But when the bus comes he wants a kiss or two and for a moment I see the flash of uhoh I’m leaving mom again. I smile and remind him to have kind hands and kind words and he is back to his bubbly self and up the stairs on the bus. Today he quickly got into his seat and started waving at me…waving and waving and making funny faces! I have a feeling we are going to have to come up with some comedy time for him to get out all his silliness from the day.


TaaaDAAA! I Love You Beau! One of the many things I love about you is that you are happy most of the time!

God has great plans for you! I look forward to seeing what gifts and talents he has given you! I'm so thankful I get to be your Mom!

Bring on Fall!

This summer has been one of the hottest and stickiest summers in a long time. I’m ready for Fall! I’m looking forward to the leafs changing colors. I’m looking forward to playing in the backyard more. The weekend in the mountains was a sweet preview of weather to come. I missed Handsome greatly but I’m glad he got to spend time with his mom and brother over the weekend. I’m looking forward to another trip up there. Next time I think I will lay down some rules before we go and make a schedule. I think if the little boys know all the fun things planned they will have an easier time. They enjoyed seeing the sunset and sunrise! I plan on watching many more with them. I know we will see lots of sunrises at the bus stop…maybe we will watch a couple sunsets on the front porch.

I’m doing a fantasy football league this year! My first one! I’m looking forward to it. It would be Wonderful to win! It would be great to beat the boys! LOL!!

This year seems to be going by much faster. I guess that means I’m getting old!

Runner for Panthers

This morning waiting on the front porch before we walked to the bus stop I asked Beau what he wanted to be when he grows up. He has said Rock Star for the last 5 years. Today was different.
Beau “a runner.”
Hhhmmm….okay I’ll ask. “A Runner?”
Beau “ Yes for the Panthers.”
I said “you mean a receiver?”
Beau “ No Mom, a running back for the Panthers. But I only want to wear the away”
Hhhmmm….”Away?”
Beau “The away uniform is cool, but not the other one”

LOL! I love how he thinks he will be able to wear the away uniform to the home games! LOL!!

I have already bought him a couple birthday gifts...all Rock Star things. UGH!! Oh well. Maybe a "Runner for the Panthers" will be a phase?

Giving Back

This year is the first year all of our boys are in school. In the past we have made a point to work with Austin on ways to give back. Either with friends, someone in need or even just joining in a sevice project. The little boys understand keeping their clothes in good shape so that we can pass them on to others. But this year I would like to find a way for our boys to give back together. Robert is from a country in need. I think coming here has highlighted how far behind they are. So far for me what sticks out the most is the fact they don't have hot water very often so they only shower once a week! WoW. I use hot water 90% of the time. How do you wash dishes and really get them clean if the water isn't hot? I wash our whites, towels and bedding in hot water. I melt the day away in a super hot soak in the tub. Unlike our homes they don't have hot water heaters in their homes. They depend on the goverment to provide hot water. I would like to ship over a hot water heater...not sure they would know what to do with it but I think it would change their lives. I'm not able to do that so I want to help open Roberts eyes to the changes here he can take home with him. Giving is one of them. So I'm praying for a program or a situation that all the boys can do together. I'm wondering if there is someone in need of yard work in our area???

First Day of Senior Year!!

I can't believe Austin is now a Senior! I can still see him at he age of 5 sitting next to me in the car. His legs just reaching the end of the seat. Now he towers over me and is in his last year of high school.

Austin waiting for the school bus! He was getting annoyed with me taking so many pictures. Why doesn't he know that I won't always be able to take pictures...he is going to be gone to college next year..well I'll always have holidays and summer breaks.

I'm so proud of You, Austin!!! I love you and I'm excited to see how God is going to use you!

First Day of School!

Yesterday was the first day of school! Beau's first day of Kindergarten!! Liam's first day in First grade!! Beau was so excited he had his shoes and backpack on 30 minutes early! They rode the bus and had a Wonderful Day! They both had green days and told us all about the "1" child in their class that almost didn't have a green day! LOL!!

Beau wants to know why they even have plain milk...no one wants that!

I'm looking forward to today's stories from school! The house is just not the same without them. I'm excited for them, this school year will be wonderful and full of new things. I also miss them madly

Robert is Here

Beau, Austin, Liam and Robert

Robert got here yesterday. We have skyped his parents. He has already unpacked and is settling in.

Robert is Coming!

Tomorrow Robert gets here. We are all excited to meet him in person! His room is almost ready...I'll finish that up tonight. I'm looking forward to all we learn from and with Robert. I'm excited to take him to Church with us. It's always fun to see the expressions on the exchange student faces when they go to Church with us.

Praying for Robert and his adventure here. I'm praying for his family and friends back home. I hope he enjoys our family and area.

I've been thinking about doing a blog just about hosting...several people have suggested I do one.

End of Summer

It's still hot...Very hot! But school starts next week. I'm going to miss my boys. This is the first year all 3 of them are going to school. I can't believe this is going to be Austin's last year in high school. It seems like just yesterday he was 5 years old and riding next to me in the car with his feet barely reaching the end of the seat.

Next week begins the 6am wake ups and standing at the bus stop with the other kids....then the 2:45pm waiting by the door for my little men to get off the bus. I get to wave at the driver daily! I'm so thankful they let me stay here with the kids and just wave to let them know I'm here and the kids are safe.

Robert, our next exchange student, is coming Friday!! I'm sure he is going to be worn out by the time he gets here. We are all getting excited to meet him and get to know him. I wish he could go to the school welcome day but it's tomorrow. I think we will take him up to the school on Friday and show him where his classes are. I wonder if he will want to do cross country with Austin. I wonder how he is going to react to the dogs. Poor Corps! It seems like everyone is afraid of him.

Looking back over the summer it was a good one. We had a lot of fun with the exchange students. We have been playing more board game and getting organized. I have really enjoyed watching the backyard bloom this year. Each year is better than the year before! We made some wonderful memories this summer. I look forward to this school year and all it holds.

Flowers of 2011

One of my new butterfly bushes! I'm really enjoying all the butterflies!
I love the color of the new bush

My butterfly bush from last year! It's "pink" but looks very purple to me!

The neighbor's crape myrtle...it's right behind my butterfly bush.

I love my rose bushes. I'm going to cut them all back this fall.

Another one of my rose bushes.

Yes, I love red roses

I got a pink bush for a gift. I'm thinking about moving it.

One of my new hydrangea plants. They don't ususally bloom their first year...it must love where it is!

This winter when I miss all my flowers I'm going to look back at the flower post I did and enjoy them!