Three Way Birthday Party

Three Way Birthday Party

October 29, 2011

 

I learned that with having all my children in the fall within two weeks of each other it is just easier to have the family birthday party all together. We don’t go “all out” like we used to on their party, just a simple cake and gifts with family. We do take them and do something special for them on their actual birthday but for the family to come over we one have one simple party. We usually just serve hotdogs and nachos so that it is quick and easy and a homemade cake. My cakes may not be as pretty as the store bought ones, but I promise they taste better!

 

 

Adam has been so excited all week about the party!

 

Austin turned 16 October 12th. So we start out with 16 candles. So Aust gets to blow them out first. He takes the slow steady approach.

 

Anna turns 11 November 14th. We remove five candles and relight them for Anna. One quick swoop she blew them out.

 

 

Adam turned 9 October 30th. We take away two more candles and relight for the last time. Adam blew them out just as fast as Anna.

 

Now their favorite part, GIFTS!

 

We bought them Nerf Dart Tag guns and shirts. It has the little bullets that have Velcro tips that sticks to the shirts so you know when you are hit. They love playing outside with the Nerf guns but usually get into an argument about who shot who and someone (the teenager) refusing to be shot! So we decided this was the best way to solve that problem.



After gifts were open and cake was eaten I sent them outside with glow bracelets to play while the adults sat around and visited. I don’t allow them to take their toys out of the package until the guests have left because I feel like they should have the right to be the first ones to play with their toys. So once everyone went home, the kids got to really check out all their stuff and since it was our “weekend” they had two whole days to play with it all without having to do school! Good Times!

THE END

Austin’s “bar Mitzvah”

Austin’s “Bar Mitzvah”
October 15, 2011

Turning 16 is a pretty big deal. I wanted to do something for Austin to honor this “rite of passage.” We had all heard of a Bar Mitzvah from TV and so I looked into it a bit more. The word “Bar” means “son of” and “Mitzvah” means “commandments”. Now I am not big on following rituals and traditions from any culture but I kind of just took the idea and went my own way with it. In a nut shell, for Jews this is the celebration of a Jewish boy becoming a man and therefore responsible to keep God’s law and he is no longer under the covering of his parents spiritually. This usually happens around 12-13 years old. I would not have thought of my child as a man at 12-13 but at 16, I do. Austin is a very wise and responsible young man. I am extremely proud of who he has become and I do consider him mature enough to start making decisions for himself. What better way to tell him that… throw him a party!

I wanted him to be clueless to the fact that the party had anything to do with him. Just so happens this year Feast of Tabernacles fell on his birthday week.  I just had him thinking everyone was coming over to join in the feast day with us. His birthday is the 12th but Saturday worked out better for everyone to be able to make it.

 

We barbequed and all ate our fill outside by our “Sukkot”, then while I had Austin taking in some of the leftovers, I snuck his gifts out.

Rope Safety Test–Failed

Rope Safety Test – Failed

September 26, 2011

The kids wanted to play outside in the nice fall weather. They wandered off to the pasture where Stewart had attempted to build a tree house a few months ago. He abandoned the idea when a storm came through and messed up the frame work. Adam had a bright idea to tie two loops on a rope and pull himself up with it to sit on the board. From what I can understand you was suppose to do this with two people one holding and pulling and the other with their foot in the loop being pulled up.

Anna being the big sister felt the need to test the rope before letting Adam on it. She put her foot in the loop and grabbed the other loop with her hand trying to balance her weight on it.

South Toledo Bend State Park

 

South Toledo Bend State Park

September 5, 2011

 

Wanting to have a change in scenery we headed to Louisiana.

The state park is probably about an hour drive from our house but the idea to go to a different state seemed to excite the kids.

Moody Gardens

 

Moody Gardens

September 2, 2011

 

A lady from church  was so kind to give us the free tickets to Moody Gardens that she had gotten from a radio station because she was unable to go. There was seven tickets so we decided to take along my sister and her kids who have never been. We drove the two hours it takes to get there and one of the coolest parts of the trip is getting to ride the ferry from Crystal Beach to Galveston Island.

 

While we were waiting to board the ferry (along with all the other cars) we started messing with the seagulls that were nearby. We tossed a crumb of a pop tart we had, out the window to a lone seagull that was wandering by. Unfortunately we forgot about the fact that seagulls hunt in packs so in a matter of seconds we had a flock of seagulls swarming our car. I am sure the man ahead of us who had just got out of his car for a quick smoke sure did not appreciate that very much…oops!

Fishing Fun

Fishing Fun

August 21, 2011

We had such a good time fishing a couple weeks ago we had to do it again. This time we invited Matt to come along! We went back to the spot where the fishing were biting so good last time in hopes to have the same outcome.

Of course right off the bat Stewart catches the first little perch. He gets as excited as the kids do!

Vine Bird nests

 

Vine Bird Nests

August 31, 2011

I was looking at some crafting sights the other day on Facebook and came across how to make decorative twine balls. Well I am big on needing something to be functional to even bother with it and on top of that we have a love for nature so we improvised and came up with making Vine Bird Nests.

 

 

First you drag the kids out of the pool… or at least I had too! Then you give them a balloon and some non-poisonous vines.  I was worried to death they would grab some poison ivy and start working with it! That would NOT have been good!

Summer Fun

 

 

Summer Fun

August 8, 2011

 

We were headed back to Martin Dies Jr. State Park, this time to take advantage of the fishing without a license in the state parks! I wasn’t all that into fishing so I told them let’s first hike and geocaching the Wildlife Trail then go fishing later.

 

 

Austin was dubbed “pack horse” for today.

A Day at the Beach House

A Day at the Beach House

August 13, 2011

“Why don’t you guys load up and come to the beach with us tomorrow. I could use some help fixing a fence and the kids can go to the water slide.” my father-in-law requested. And that is just what we did.

The kids love the water slide. Making their first trek up the hill, Adam is can’t seem to get up there fast enough!

Geocaching and Gator watching

Geocaching and Gator Watching

(caution contains geocaching spoilers)

June 13, 2011

 

Anna’s boyfriend Matt has been asking about going hiking with us for some time now so even though it was HOT in the middle of June in East Texas, we decided to get up early and go hike the Island Trail at Martin Dies Jr. State Park and to add a bit of excitement to it, we wanted to geocache as well.

 

 

The sun was up and brightly shining in the eyes of my little hiker cachers this morning! They were excited none the less!

The Husband Clan Geocaching

The Husband Clan’s Geocaching

June 8, 2011

We have taken up a new hobby, Geocaching! For those who don’t know what it is, this is how it is described on the box of my new Magellan eXplorist GC GPS:

“Geocaching is a high-tech version of the game “hide and seek”, where adventure seekers use GPS technology to hide and find physical objects, solve location-based puzzles, and share experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people of all ages and promotes a strong sense of community and support for the environment”

One video I watched on Geocaching a lady said “ It is a way to get nerds out into the wilderness.” I thought that fit me pretty good, even though my kids are undecided if I am a nerd or a geek.

Basically (in the simplest form) what you do is get at least a basic free membership to www.geocaching.com and put in your address to look up the nearest cache and either send it to your GPS or get the iPhone app (the app logs the caches for you.) Then drive in your car and just follow the directions until you get close, hop out and look for a cache. Sign the log book, trade trinkets if able, and log it onto the Geocaching web site and poof you found your first cache.

 

I was officially labeled the “The Nag-a-gator”, now to explain this: I have control of the iPhone or GPS and tell them where to try to look. Of course, I am suppose to be “the navigator” but a bad pronunciation and a little humor from my husband, I am now “The Nag-a-gator.”

February Arctic Cold Front

February Arctic Cold Front

February 2, 2011

I don’t know what woke me up but I woke up just a little before the alarm clock went off. I looked at the storm tracker on my computer to see where the storm was because it was suppose to get bad. I could see it was getting close. I was not looking forward to driving to Stewart’s doctor appointment in the nasty rainy cold weather. I looked out my window the wind was whipping the trees around. I tell everyone it is time to get up.

All of a sudden I hear a tree fall. I thought, “Yep it must have been the one that suck in the ground the other day.” I looked and it was. I tell Stewart, “There went that tree!” Stewart got dressed and went to look out side. The sound of the wind was very unsettling. I had no idea the winds was going to be bad. I normally do not stay in our trailer during bad storms with high winds. I remembered that I prayed last night for protection during our drive to town but I did not pray for protection over our house.

I tell the kids to get in the hall and sit down. I was going into my room to look at the weather on the computer again when I heard a loud shuddering sound. I cringed and my heart sank because I knew it was part of our cover roof. Stewart was standing looking out the back door at the same time, all of a sudden the tin from the chicken house came flying toward the house. He slammed the door shut and hollered at me, “There went the chickens roof!” I grab my Bible and set in the floor with the kids and begin to pray. Stewart went and looked out the front door, “Oh my gosh! our roof came off!” He came to where I was sitting with the kids, praying, “Honey, the roof came off!” ….“ I know I heard it when it happened.” I said, then resumed praying.

The rain was pouring by now and the thunder was rolling. I get up from praying and went and looked on the weather radar on the computer again. I see a break forming in the storm line. I knew it would soon be over. With only a steady rain falling and no more huge wind gusts I went to take a picture of our damage, while Stewart called to check on my parents. A 24 foot section of our cover roof came off from the middle of our trailer and landed against the tree line, miraculously missing the volleyball net. My mom did not even know the winds had been bad and was shocked to hear about our roof.

My sister Brenda called to check on us and offered to come help if we needed anything, I love my family. I posted this picture on Facebook and told what had happened. Our good friend Pete posted that if we needed help putting it back on just to let him know. I am truly thankful to have a friend who is willing to help at the drop of a hat, a true sign of a Christian brother. I wrote back that I would call if we did.

The roof leaked a small puddle in the kids bathroom and on Austin’s bed and we put a pan under the drip and we noticed a leak stain in the living room. Thankfully it is all small stuff that can be easily fixed.

Since the worst of it was over I knew we would go ahead and go to his appointment. We left the kids at my moms and headed toward town. After the appointment, we borrowed my sister’s trailer and went to get tin to put back on the roof. The temperature dropped fast and had already reached the freezing mark. After getting the kids, and getting bundled up, Stewart and Austin got busy fixing the roof with Anna as a helper.  Adam and I kept the hot chocolate refills coming to my little workers. Adam was the official tester of the coco, he had to make sure it was good and warm.

Austin and Stewart got up on the roof and in no time had it fixed. Stewart always has amazed me at how fast he can work.

Anna was the official “go-fer”, making her mother a nervous wreck climbing on the ladder.

At just around $200 we are back under a non-leaking roof. I thank GOD our damages was minor and that no one else sustain damages that I know of. Like I told the kids, we took the hit this time and that is ok because GOD provided us with the money to be able to fix it and the capable men (and little girl) that could to do the work. We are blessed.

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Black-cats and Wigwams

Black-cats and Wigwams

January 1, 2011

 

Stewart often tells me a story from his childhood about playing at his creek and taking firecrackers and sending them down the creek on little leaf “boats”. He tells how he would blow up anthills and “houses” of twigs. So of course he has to pass this tradition down to our kids. What better way to spend New Years Day than putting explosives in the hands of children.

Adam was excited that the firecracker blew the dirt out of a hole he dug. Then he stuck one inside the wall of the dirt pit and watched the dirt fly.

 

Anna was a bit more timid. She would approach from one way, chicken out and have to try it from a different way. She finally decided to let daddy light them but she would place them where she wanted them. She (with dad’s help) blew up a leaf “boat” that was floating in the water in the wheelbarrow.

 

Austin had no problem lighting his own, he just did not like the loudness of them when they went off, so he would try to cover his ears while popping them. I have to agree, the loud popping can be very unnerving.

He blew up part of the “Swiss Family Robinson” house they built a while back.

After I had enough stress worrying about them popping the Black-cats they meandered to the back of our property where there are trees and brush to play in.

A few days ago Adam had made his very own “club house” back there. Adams design was good, but just a little cramped, so dad decided to improve it a little.

Stewart and the two little ones got busy making what he called “Wigwams.” They worked at propping up tree limbs and sticks, making a slanted wall and adding pine straw to the top for a roof. Adam used a ‘Y’ shaped limb as a “gun” to defend his territory. Kelev, our Australian Shepherd, seemed to enjoy the “wigwam” just as much as the kids, or maybe he was just enjoying the kids.

 

Anna, however, is not so sure about the roof. Looks like it might leak a bit. Adam also is checking it all out, making sure dad did it right.

 

After constructing the smaller one for Anna, Stewart decided he needed to make a big one that they could all fit in.

Adam found a tree limb that had a vine grown into it. The look of it reminded me of the serpent rod Moses had in the Bible that would heal anyone bitten by a snake if they would look at it.

There is just something beautiful about the glow on my kids faces when they are making memories with daddy.

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

November 25, 2010



"Faith makes things possible, not easy"



Thanksgiving most years are held at my house, mainly do to the size factor. Not that my house is big, just bigger than theirs. It always stresses me out because I have so much to do to get ready. I try to deep clean the house, paying special attention to the frig so we will have enough room for the left overs. I also like to decorate. My sister "BL" usually helps me clean and decorate.

This year my kids helped me. They did an awesome job. If not for their help, I would not have been able to pull it off.

"BL"s schedule was too busy, so it was left to me, and crazy me decided to go a little more elaborate than usually and brought out the "good dishes" instead of paper plates.

She did cook part of the meal, and my sister "BD" and my mom brought some desserts, but I swear I still was busy cooking for two days. Mainly due to the fact that my wonderful husband thinks I am super woman and kept adding to the menu. "Hunny, how 'bout cook a pot of dumplins.... Hey, we need cornbread if we are having dumplins..... can you whip up a cheese cake, well you should do two.... Oh, and can you make the chocolate pie thing you make....ohhhh I like the rolls that rise, how about do some of those..." So you see what would have been a easy menu of the basics: turkey, stuffing, peas, potatoes, broccoli and cheese casserole and brown and serve rolls; grew drastically by the time hubby was done.



These pictures are before all the food was finished and brought.

I also had to call everyone and get their "thankful" list.

Each year we put up my tree poster I bought for schooling and list all the things we are thankful for that year on the leaves. I use dry erase on the adults and permanent markers on the larger leaves for the kids, so they can have a keep sake. I like this tradition, but it is kinda crazy trying to remind everyone to get me their list so I can write it all on the tree in time for Thanksgiving day.

"BL" was a bit late because she had to go to her in-laws first, which kinda threw off my groove and things did not go as planned, kids (and grampa) was grumpy so I prayed and served them the dumplins while they waited for "BL" to arrive. So we didn't get to pray as a family, and we almost forgot to read the thankful things, but all in all it turned out a good Thanksgiving.

Everyone was fat and happy by the end of the meal. "BL" had to leave to go to the deer lease and Grampa was wanting to leave to watch his football game but the rest of us stayed and played the game "Apples to Apples" and laughed and joked and had a great time. We sat and talked about GOD and I told them how Historically speaking the first Thanksgiving was probably more of a Feast of Tabernacles from what my studies have told me.

This year I am thankful for (this is what my "leaves" said):

GOD's perfect will working in my life,

a loving and understanding husband,

obedient children with morals and values,

knowledge, wisdom, and understanding,

Stewart and my weight loss,

our nature walks,

my classroom/office,

and my animals.

I am thankful for my family and for my life.

"My Daddy" Happy Veteran's Day

"My Daddy"

(a poem)

My dad was in the army

Way before there was me,

But they taught him stuff

And in turn he taught me.

Obey you elders,

Show them respect,

Do as you are told,

An image you reflect.

Silence in the woods,

What tracks do you see?

Stay close, don’t get lost.

Make sure to follow me.

Pull back the bow,

So it don’t hit your arm.

Careful with the gun,

Do others no harm.

Bait the hook with a worm.

Tie a knot just this way.

When there is work to do,

Make sure you don’t play

Don’t trust people,

They will hurt you for sure.

Boys want to take,

And leave you impure

Don’t you start a fight,

But if the fight comes to you,

Make sure they are the ones

Who can't do what you do.

Crying is for sissies

don’t you shed a tear.

Never show weakness

or the least bit of fear.

Pine cones have a nut

You can live off the land.

Throw the knife by its tip

With a steady hand.

Don’t take what’s not yours.

Trespassing is a crime.

Work a honest day

If only for a dime.

Keep the tools clean

Each one has a place.

I knew he meant business

By the look on his face.

Computers are the future.

Learn all you can from me.

Reading teaches all things

With endless possibility.

If you’re going to drive

Know how to work them too.

The oil, the tire, the plugs

The broken brake shoe.

In pain, shrug it off.

Tell a joke, when scared.

Know when you are listened to

And when they no longer care.

Life happens.

Things die.

People hurt you.

People lie.

At camp, we were safe.

Dad had a gun.

Anyone come up

He could put them on the run.

He knows karate

Boxed above his class

Anyone hurt us

He’d knock them to the grass.

Daddy taught me plenty.

He could be really hard.

But he is who I thank

For being on guard.

A bit tuff on us girls

But that was OK.

He made me into

This woman today.

I thank my daddy

For being willing to fight

For my country, My freedom

And my liberty and rights.

 

(certain identities hidden by request)

Tri-Birthday Party

Happy Birthday Austin, and Anna, and Adam

OK so this may be the "lazy and cheap" way to do a birthday party but it works for us! My kids birthdays are two weeks apart, starting in the middle of October ending in the middle of November. My solution is have a party on the middle birthday and throw it for all three, only a small party and only family.

 It saves so much time and money by only having to buy food and cake and decorations for one party. Also  it is nice to only have one gathering with the family since Thanksgiving is in November too. Aside from the tri-party, on or around the actual date of the birth of each child we cooked them a big breakfast of their choice, take them out to the movies or someplace special, and out to eat and shopping to spend their birthday money, and I cook them a dessert that they choose. It is still easier for me to do it this way rather than a traditional "party per kid" way.

They all seem very happy with this idea and they all had a great birthday this year. I have some awesome kids. They were all patient and took turns blowing out their candles and opening presents. The way we do the candle blowing is I start out the cake with the fifteen candles needed this year for my oldest Austin, then I remove five and relight, and then remove two more and relight so each kids gets Happy Birthday sang to them and all get to blow out candles. Stewart cooked some burgers on the grill and we had cake, then the cousins all played and the adults set around and chatted till it was time to leave. A successful party for 2010!