these are the days to remember...

big round eyes,
a little pout,
first smiles and belly laughs,
wrinkles on a newborns back.

edible toes---round and small,
a leftover tear,
a sideways grin,
curls resting on bare shoulders.

thoughtful expressions,
the drama of it all,
bare feet,
funny little ears.

the way they stand,
the way they smile,
wonder in the tiniest of things.
simple pleasures and grace. . .

every moment is a gift--
childhood a time to savor. . .
these are the days to remember.

This water gun was fun at first,

seemed like a great idea something fun for summer.

I'm starting to regret buying it.

More bugs!!! Crickets

Look at this handsome little man.

Jordon B.

Our little cousin

Aunt Brenda and Pepper Ray

these are the days to remember.

Who Knew...

Ok, so if you haven't heard already. I made the news.

Last Thursday afternoon was probably the scariest day of my life. It happened in a second, I took my eyes off of her and never imagined what I saw. I stepped away to visit my dad parked two stalls away from me, while looking back saw a man sitting in my car... I'm sure youv'e all heard the rest of this story, I ran over to the drivers window, looking inside I had the thought "Is this really my car?" Sure was and an undescribable fear crippled me. I did the only thing I thought to do and held on to the handle as he tried to get away. Deep down I knew that I wasn't letting go and that everything would be alright. The car stopped, the man stepped out and I could breathe. I had my little one back... safe. Sure I could go on and on about what I saw, how I felt and what I did or didn't do, but I won't. What I will say is that from the moment I pulled in there that day, the thought came over me to "not" get out of the car. It wasn't loud but it was clear. I felt it and looking back now knew it was from God. Why didn't I listen? It's the question I have now. The spirit was trying to tell me something, to warn me, and for whatever reason I didn't listen. Do I need something else like this to happen before I'll listen? I hope not, I pray not. But I can tell you... I am listening now.

That little boy...

My birthday was last Friday and I was feeling gloomy and sad a little. Chris hadn't jumped all over the "celebration" that I was expecting to have. Strange thing was I knew about it and no one else seemed to. So, after sulking till eleven I pulled Bailey aside and asked him to help inform his dad that it was indeed my big day and that he was to not let him in on the fact that I needed his help to remind him. Minutes after he told him, Chris sprung down the stairs saying in a relaxed tone "Hmm... hun, I think Bailey has a ball game today and walked near the fridge looking at the schedule on the door saying out loud "What is the date today?" I knowing then what he was doing tried not to smile and watched how this was going to play out. Not that I needed to be surprised every year but in my spoiled little mind that day I felt neglected. He said "Happy Day" and I was cured of the "Blue Birthday Blues"... at least I thought I was.

Chris got really sick later on and spent the rest of the day in bed.

I took the boys to their ball game and while sitting on the bench slightly complaining to another mom about how crappy the day felt a woman stood up next to me and shouted out, " That boys been hit!" A ten year old boy trying to cross the busy street on his bicycle had just been ran over by a passing car. I jumped to my feet, bolted down to the scene and stood over this lifeless little man. Others rushed to help and standing next to me was the young man who hit him. Stunned by what was going on I felt helpless. He layed there in a pool of blood, broken bones and near death according to the three doctors on site. All I could do was imagine my ten year old laying there and it rattled me over and over. "How could I be so selfish?", worrying only about myself. I was changed forever in that moment. The boys mother ran across the street screaming "He's my baby, He's my baby!!" How devastating it was for their family. I rushed to her side and held her. The boy was flown to Primary Children's Hospital.


I gathered up my boys, drove home and couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. "I want to be more like the Savior" I thought. Thinking less about myself and really focusing on the need to help others. Life has a way of spinning you around so that you can see what is most important to see.

That night, I wrapped my arms around my sweetheart, snuggled the kids and forgot all about myself. My birthday was beautiful. I had every gift that I could ever need. This moved me, it changed me... and I hope forever.

Mothers Cookies

She loves cookies, you know those yummy, buttery, crunchy shortbread kind. The ones that crumble all over and stick when they get wet. I love them too!

Slippery, Slimey, Ssssnake~~~~

Look at that creature... How can it be fun??? Can I tell you just how much Bailey and McClain love him, enough to make him a household pet...

These two kill me! They love EVERYTHING that slithers and slides, has eight or eighty legs, smells like poo and lives in the dirt. I'm telling you I have more homemade huts with popsicle sticks glued together, glass jars with grass and twigs stuffed full, you can't even imagine the shrine of "creature castles" we have at our house. Sad thing is I have a hard time getting rid of them too:(

Seriously, this would freak me out!
He loves it!

Chris hates snakes! He has nightmares about them. Seriously while riding through the orchards on the four wheeler he'll lift up his feet the whole way through fearing one will jump out at him.

On this day he called from the top of the peach section and told me to bring the boys up to see the snake he'd spotted for them. When I got there he was sitting in the truck and got a kick out of Bailey and McClain trying to catch it bare handed.

Our rules are that after a two or three day stay at our place, our creepy, crawly, slippery, slimey guests must leave and the boys say good-bye.