Sophie & Eli

movie night

2012-02-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

Journey 2: the mysterious island
Today we had a good time with cousins and then Joey wanted to take us to a movie. Journey 2 had great reviews so we quickly decided to go! Eli and I were in it for the cokes and popcorn more than anything, but it ended up being a great movie! Eli covered his eyes in some parts of the movie but there was nothing scary. Great choice Joey!

Once we got home we came up to the office & the kids have been reading their highlights magazines. We look forward to a fun day with Mo and Adrienne tomorrow. They are coming to Conway to see the kids and take Kristen to lunch.

a great blessing

2012-02-19T13:10:00.000-08:00

I'm enjoying the afternoon alone. I've enjoyed catching up on laundry, cooking new recipes, and planning my week. I was reading Simple Homeschool when I came across several great links. The following link, http://www.positivethinkingtips.org/notes-on-homeschooling/, has been such a blessing. It reiterates the reasons that I chose to home school & reading it today gave me confidence to follow God's leading in my life.

great day!

2012-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

The broad path is heavily traveled, but if you choose the narrow path there may be times when you won’t see anyone else but Jesus. (Matthew 7:13-14) –Joyce

Today has been a great day! I got a bit of prep work done for the week ahead and then got to see a few of my favorite people! We went to Russellville to see my Granny Joy and Papa Hank! They are the sweetest grandparents and it makes my day to see my Papa's face when we arrive for a visit! He has been so excited about my kids and loved on them all of their lives. He loves Eli's outgoing personality- always something to say & Sophie's compassionate heart loving and adoring Granny Joy. Such special times!

Then I got to see my sister who is a best friend of mine. She and her family have always been at the top of the list and make us so happy when we get to hang out. We ate dinner together and swapped kids for the night.

On the way home I bought a few school supplies to get my office turned into a classroom & I can't wait to surprise Sophie! She will appreciate every little detail!

so happy

2012-02-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

We are so happy that God blessed us with the opportunity to home school Sophie. We haven't seen her so happy in a long time. She wakes up early like she used to & she loves to help in every way possible. She is very happy with the change.

Today she went to her closest friend's house for the day. She was so excited to go play! I took Eli to pick up a friend to play with while Sophie was gone. He and Dillon had so much fun together. They really enjoyed each other's company and every time Eli did not want to do something that Dillon suggested, Dillon politely said, okay and did what Eli wanted to do. I had to intervene a few times and make sure that Dillon was getting a turn playing the hunting game, etc. But those boys had a great time together! After we dropped Dillon off we went to get Sophie and I was glad to have both kids at home with me!

Sophie was excited to receive her new home school books today! She couldn't wait to go through each and every one! She read one story to me. Then she read a story to Eli. Eli really enjoyed it! Now I am trying to read through the teacher guide & make a plan! We start the videos on Tuesday! There are 170 lessons that take about 3 hours each. I hope to start from the beginning and go through them all quickly. I really hope to finish two lessons per day, but don't want to get burned out right away. So we'll see. Some days we'll do more than others. It is February 17th today and I hope to make it through the whole 3rd grade by September 1, 2012. Joey and I agree that Sophie's probably not been taught some of this stuff and we want her to start out with the easier lessons and gradually get used to the process as we build confidence in ourselves day by day. As opposed to starting mid-year in an advanced curriculum that is brand new to us all. So that is the plan. (26 weeks x 7 days = 182 lessons - one week of snow skiing) Good thing I'm blessed with an unbelievably smart little student!

Anyway, I'm so excited to get started!

Eli has been very supportive. He did not want to be home schooled. We love where his is right not and we granted his wish to stay! Although, the night before Sophie's 1st day of home school he told his daddy that he probably did not make the right choice. I haven't heard anything since. All I know is that he is one social little dude & I better be ready to talk if I'm gonna keep him home for school!

Tonight we couldn't resist. We broke out the art book that came with the a beka curriculum. It has a president's day project and sophie blew it out of the water! We now have our first decorations for the new classroom/office! And Eli enjoyed another project that taught us to draw airplanes. We topped it off with some new acrylic paints to jazz 'em up a bit & we are ready to hang these master pieces!

We finished the night off with some ice cream from Moo Moo's. YUM!

Compassion

2012-02-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

I think it's neat that Sophie's best friend's parents recognized her gift of Compassion. Her teacher also thought that was her gift and gave her the award for Compassion. Now I see it in her each and every day and it melts my heart. She is a precious, loving child of God.

Today Nana was going to visit Papa Hank and Granny Joy & I knew that Sophie would be a blessing when she showered them with compassion and love. So she is spending the day with them both.

This morning Sophie came into my room at 5:45 excited to start her day of home school. It makes my heart happy as I tell her to climb into bed and snuggle with us until the alarm sounds at a more reasonable hour;-)

So she got ready and we took Eli to school. Then we did book work until it was time to meet Nana on her way to Russellville. Nana sent a picture of Sophie loving on Nanny Joy today. Nanny Joy smiles when Sophie sits by her chair. It reminds me of the love that Granny Joy gave me when I was little. She was always there by my side waiting to play with me or create a craft of some kind. I love Granny Joy so much and I'm so thankful that Sophie can go hang out with her today and bring a smile to her face!

so excited!

2012-02-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

February 15th, 2012 is the big day! Sophie woke up at 6:30 and jumped in bed with us. She said that she was too excited to sleep! She jumped in the shower and was ready to go! She asked Joey if she could ride to work with him. What a blessing is all that I can say! Eli was at school on time. And we made it to work by 8:15.

She learned a bible verse on the way to work and she now knows it by heart. She is so proud of herself. She wrote it on daddy's board in his office: The Lord is my shephard, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

It was a special day! We used borrowed books & I made copies of the worksheets that had been filled out by the previous owner, whited out the answers and copied them again. Sophie & I enjoyed reading the lessons together. I was so thankful to read the Christian material. Each lesson is tied in with scripture and God's plan for our lives. The science lesson was all about the nervous system and how we are perfectly made by God. The history lesson was about Christopher Columbus, his character, and how you can not force people to worship God. We also read about Thomas Edison & his childhood. Sophie liked learning & I was surprised at how well she remembered everything we read & easily filled in each and every answer correctly. She is blessed with her gift of reading comprehension. She did everything easily and only got frustrated a teeny bit b/c she was learning completely different things at her other school.

We stayed at the office all day. Sophie learned typing on the computer program along with national geographic as a treat for working so efficiently.

It was a great day! Her one request was to go to the library but we did not make it in time.

I love that girl!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

2012-02-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

This is the scripture that gets me through times when I'm focusing on something that I really want. I really want to sell my home right now and I'm focusing on God and remembering each and every day that he has a perfect plan. It's already unfolding and I love to see him work b/c his plan is always 10 times better than mine!

a great day!

2012-02-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

Today was full of excitement! Spent exploring homeschooling possibilities, bought new land to build on, and gave eli his 7th b-day gift which arrived early!

Eli was thrilled with his 4-wheeler! He saved his b-day money and any other money that he came by each and every year in order to buy this! That boy does not like to spend money! He reminds me of myself when I was young.

Joey called me at lunch today and asked me to go view some land that we looked at this summer. It is the land that made me put the For Sale sign in my yard. Today we bought it and pray that our house will sell so we can build soon. We have a second showing scheduled tomorrow and I've fasted and prayed that the house will sell in God's perfect timing.

I searched this afternoon for information on home schooling. I found the AR laws for home schooling online. Here is a valuable website: Homeschooling.about.com. This link offers a wealth of information. It gives a printable version of the Notice of Intent and Waver forms that need to be notarized and personally delivered to the super intendant of the school district before December 15th or April 15th of each year. This site also lists Home School Laws for AR along with the State Mandated Testing dates. I was a bit sad reading these dates b/c I realized that it would be best for Sophie to stay in public school and take the test. It is too little time to withdraw from school, order curriculum and sign up for State Mandated Testing before giving notice to test on March 9th and taking the actual test on April 6th. Although, Sophie was a bit sad to prolong the new adventure, I think she is going to enjoy the end of the year with close friends.

Tonight Sophie & I went to Literacy Night at Wooster while Joey took Eli to baseball practice in Conway. Sophie was so excited to go perform in the Wax Museum! This is the third grade's presentation and it was awesome! Reminded me of my days in art school watching performance artists. Tonight each child held a picture of their president's face in front of the child's face. They held their hand out in front of them as if it were a button. When you pushed the colored sticker on the child's hand the child would tell fact that they had learned about the president chosen. Then they would ask you to "Who Am I?" It was very fun and Sophie had a blast. She was so excited all night!

This is Sophie's artwork & writing that was chosen to place on the outside wall of the Wax Museum

Below are Eli's pieces of work done on George Washington's home at Mt. Vernon

The work on the right side says, "Did you know I wore a wig?"

Well, Joey is putting the 4-wheeler together and I need to clean the house and have it ready to show at 10 am tomorrow. I have my work cut out for me!

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

2012-02-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

When God says all, he means ALL! I have to remind myself of that! I feel like I've had a calling for so long and just now am I doing something about it. Do you ever feel like that?

I've been praying about homeschooling since I had children. I've always known that I want to raise my children "in the way of the Lord." I've always tried to fill my home with things that glorify the Lord and keep everything else out. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Well, why would I want to send my children somewhere all day, every day, if God was not allowed? The #1 answer is because I was scared. Do I have what it takes to teach my children everything they need to know to have an excellent education? The answer is NO. But I know someone who does. His name is God.

So after a long life of knowing that God will provide every need I am finally deciding that it is time to surrender to my calling and homeschool my children. I've felt God leading me to homeschool Sophie since last year. I feel like she would flourish with one on one time at home each and every day. So this is where I will begin. I pray that God will quickly show me the way. I need to know what he wants me to do & guide me through each and every step of the way....

Which curriculum to choose?
How to start mid February?
Where to buy curriculum?
How to take Sophie out of Public school mid year?
Did I mention that I am not an "educated" teacher?
Did I mention that I like to know everything before I do anything?
Did I mention that I have a job... we have a brand new business that I'm a part of... our house is for sell and we plan to build very soon... but God says it's already in the plan. So I take a deep breath. I give it over to him time after time. I focus my thoughts on God. Look at all that he has done. Look at all the blessing he has given me.

Now I'm ready! Please join me for the adventure!

Few and Far Between

2012-01-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we've been busy at the office & I have not posted daily like I hoped to. Maybe I can post from my phone b/c that is where all of my pictures are kept. Oh well, some day!

The new year has come and we are enjoying every minute of it! Talk about great fun, Sophie and Eli are at that age where everything is so much fun! They help with everything and understand all that goes on around them. BOTH of them understand. SO many time things are flashing on the tv and I don't notice but I know Eli notices b/c he tells me what was said and then discusses it with me. Sophie also notices and remembers every little detail, but I don't realize it until later when she brings it up in conversation. I'm always amazed!

Well, something has come up and I need to get going! We are off to see the Globetrotters perform tonight! It's Dax's b-day celebration so right now I am heading to lunch at school with Holli & the boys!

It's Friday! Happy B-day Drake!!!

2011-08-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Today is a gorgeous day! We are excited b/c it's Drake's b-day and he is coming to Conway to celebrate with us! The guys are going to swim and eat at Fuji Japanese Steakhouse. The girls are not invited and we are going to have our own fun.

Yesterday was a good day. Mo headed home to make food for her church's womens event, Rock this House. Sophie missed her so much when she went to bed last night. Sophie usually sleeps in the room with Mo and they tell bedtime stories every night. Sophie loves it!

I picked the kids up for school and we went home and ate cupcakes. The cupcake store here in town brought by samples for us to try. The kids and I always watch cupcake wars and so we had a cupcake judging contest. When we did this we split each cupcake into 3 pieces and judged them on texture, taste, and appearance. Eli liked the plain vanilla cupcake with sprinkles. There were also chocolate balls. Sophie and I liked those best! They always wondered what chocolate ganoche icing was and they do not like it!

Sophie had soccer practice yesterday. It has been so hot having practice from 4:30 to 6 that a couple of girls have to take a break during practice. Sophie has really hustled! She really controls the ball well and is working on shooting when she has it in front of the goal. She is really fast and gets to the ball first a lot of the time. I'm very proud of her. Everyone has signed up for the league now and there are 9 new girls. So the girls that have played together in the past are staying together. They are 9 & 10 year olds. And the new girls will play together. They are 8 & 9 year olds. They will all practice together and we are so thankful for their coach taking them! He is great!

Eli went to baseball practice with Joey. Sophie was so hot that she wanted to go home after soccer. But the boys got to practice on the Hendrix field. I would have liked to see. Eli and Dax jumped in the pool to cool off after practice. Then Eli came in to take his shower and get his homework done.

Sophie and I watched DVR's of Kate plus 8. We've watched it since the beginning and this is the last season. It makes me so thankful for our family. God has blessed us in so many ways!

2011-08-24T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day! Mo came down Monday night to help with the kids while Joey and I worked at the office late night. We woke up and ate cinnamin roles and then took the kids to school and Mo dropped me by work. It was a blessing to have her here b/c Joey's truck was in the shop all day. Joey's truck got fixed - back windshield was hit by a rock & broken into tiny little pieces- and the windshield was replaced. After school Mo picked up the kids and I got to go home to get them ready for ball practice. Sophie has soccer from 4:30 to 6 every T/TH and Eli has baseball from 6 to 7:30 every T/TH. It's a busy night. Mo and I enjoyed watching Sophie play soccer. She has gotten really great at controling the ball. She even scored on 2 on 2! We are waiting to hear if they are going to split up the girls team or not. Joey met me at practice to get Eli and take him to his practice. Sophie, Mo, and me went home to relax and eat dinner while the boys practiced. Sophie and I watched cupcake wars and I ate cereal. Sophie ate a pizza lunchable. We also had a delicious pineapple that we cut into pieces. So yummy! When Joey and Eli arrived at home Dax and ELi ran out to the pool and went for a swim with Joey. Then they ate dinner and we put them in bed. Joey and I went to bed too. It was a long day.

This morning we woke to the sound of thunder. It was a great morning to sleep in. We woke at 7:07 and rushed to get the kids to school. We made it there early and headed to work. Today Mo came to the office to help us get organized. It's been a great day! I can't wait to spend some time with Sophie & Eli doing nothing but playing tonight! Wednesday is our lazy night to relax and I love it!

2011-08-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day! The kids woke up and got dressed quickly for school. The traffic was backed up while waiting to be dropped off at the door of the school. I was thinking about driving safely when I feel a kiss on my cheek. My baby boy give the sweetest kisses! Makes my day. Then I get another sweet kiss from S! I let them out of the car and they walk in school side by side. I'll always remember how sweet S is to make sure her brother makes it to class with the care that Mommy would have given her when I walked her in each day. So sweet.

I worked til 3 when I was excited to pick them up from school. They always wish I were there earlier but I explain that I have been - I was just waiting in the car line. When S got in the car she said that the only fun thing today was reading a book. Eli asks, what about recess?

When we get home they play. I make eli cereal and S ate cookies and grapes. Then I tell her to call Mo. Mo surprises her by telling her that she is on her way to see us. It makes S so happy. We watched tv until she arrived! Then we ate dinner together.

Joey and I needed to come work late. So we got the kids ready for bed. I love it b/c they want me to tuck them in at night. I tucked Eli & Emmy in tight. He fell right to sleep. S came and cuddled with Daddy for 5 minutes and it made her day special! Daddy loves to cuddle S! Then she went to bed w/Mo telling stories and talking until they fall asleep. She tells me that she loves it when Mo is here!

sunday, monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday

2011-08-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

A new week has begun! We started by going to church on Sunday! The kids were excited to be back at kidlife! They have fun with their friends worshipping God! After worship is over we always go pick up the kids and eli is usually playing video games with all the guys. The girls usually paint their nails.

After church we met the Allisons for lunch. Then we headed home to relax and get ready for a movie. Sophie has been waiting all summer to see Spy Kids. So we met friends and rode to the movies together. I'll never forget walking out of the bathroom with Sophie. I had put my 3D glasses on with her 3D glasses and she laughed. Then we both wore our 3D glasses out into the lobby to order food. She got tickled. Dax chose the top row of the theatre. So we had a cozy spot to cuddle, eat popcorn, and watch the movie. The movie was excellent! This was the best family movie.

Then we headed home. Dax stayed to play. I fed the kids dinner and then we had company for brownies and ice cream. The kids enjoyed swimming until bedtime.

After showers and a night time snack we tucked the kids in bed. I told Eli that he had to sleep alone b/c Emmy's hair is making his allergies worse. But she was already snuggled at the end of his bed and he insisted that she stay there. So she did.

how cool!

2011-08-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Look at Eli's new baseball uniform! They are so fun! I can't wait to watch him play on the pitching machine this year! There are lots of neat families playing on our team and it's gonna be great. I'm so excited!

I hear the kids playing in the playroom. S is trying to play sword fighting with eli's special wooden bat. I hear eli tell her not to use it b/c it's special. So S says that it's signed by Eli and he can give it to his special fan when he is a famous pro baseball player. Now the subject has changed.... So fun to hear them talking!

lazy days!!!

2011-08-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

I love this day! I have friends who get dressed first thing in the morning EVERY day but I'm one who appreciates a good ole' lazy day!!! PJ's 'til noon type of girl! And today is the perfect day! Joey is gone to write business out of town. The kids are playing and I'm cleaning the house. NO good reason to get all dressed up today!

So we ate breakfast when we all woke around 8:45 am. Eli and I eat fruit loops side by side each morning while S has plain chocolate chip waffles from the mircrowave. After eating I cleaned the dishes and reminded Eli that he needs to wipe up the puddles of milk that he spilled in the leather barstool and on the table. He replies, "mom, I'm not a girl". Of course, I told him how disrespectful the comment was, but realize that I have raised him with old fashioned standards. I know that he has crossed a line with this comment which reaps consequences. At the same time I want him to value a wife and mother who chooses to put her family as her #1 priority. So the comment brings a smile to my face.

I've started working full time now. I love it! But the kids have soccer and baseball which take up all of our time and the house work has been forgotten. Life is too good to worry about little things like that. #don'tsweatthesmallstuff So today is the day my washing machine will run nonstop. I'm wearing a new nike outfit and I get the bleach pen out to save one of Joey's old white shirts. NOT a great idea. Bleach pen splatters and new nike shirt is thrown into the machine as quickly as possible to be saved. PLEASE don't let there be bleach spots on my favorite nike shirt.... please!

The kids have new apps on their ipods so they are happy campers. They play and read books and play on their ipods in between. Sophie is such an amazing artist. From day 1 she could pick up a crayon and make a recognizable image. I never knew this was so unusual until I compared her to other little ones her age. Yesterday I found a Playdough Play-along App. The kids love it! They've spent hours creating little things with all of the playdough that they have. We took pics and sent them to show Daddy.

Now Dax, our "third child by choice", has arrived to play. So I uploaded all of the apps onto my iphone so he could play too. They all three locked themselves in my room and are laying on the bed playing their separate phones side by side. So fun! Little do they know my laundry piles are in my bathroom so I'll be busting up the party soon.

Kit just brought Mc Donald's kids meals by and the kids enjoyed their Happy Meals! Eli's favorite restraunt is Mc Donald's b/c of their nuggets. After lunch the ipods need to be charged so they are headed to the clean playroom. sigh. playrooms aren't supposed to be clean.

school days, school days...

2011-08-15T11:34:00.000-07:00

We've been busy, busy working and getting ready for school. Sophie is at a fun age and she loves to shop. So we went for a girl's day to buy her some new shoes and accessories to get ready for school. First we headed to find some cowgirl boots to ride her horse. She wanted pink boots but they didn't have any in her size. So we found some pretty brown boots that are perfect! They are a tiny bit big so we bought some thick socks and they fit perfect. She loves them. No matter what outfit she has on she puts her thick socks on and wears her boots around the house. We also found our favorite jeans at the boot store. We got Alex a pair for her b-day last year so I was excited to buy Sophie a pair for school. S always likes to have clothes like her cousin alex.

Then we headed over to shop at the commons. We wanted to find some new shorts and shoes. She was excited to buy some cute silver flip flops that I was trying on. She tried on the size 6 in womens and they fit. They look precious on her!

After we shopped at several other stores we got hungry so Sophie chose to eat at Chickfila. We sat outside and listened to everyone place their order at the drive through. It sounded like the #1 and #5 are their most popular meals. Lots of milkshakes being ordered this summer!

RaiN dRoPs aRe FaLLiNg!!!

2011-08-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

This has been a record breaking HOT summer! Praise God for the Rain today! This is the second day of rain and we are so thankful!

texas longhorns...

2011-08-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well, the kids went to play w/Dax. It's one of their favorite things to do. I was working when the power went out all through town. I left work to take the mail and then headed over to get the kids. The power was out at the house so we took Holli & Dax to meet Mo for dinner in Conway. We ate at Moe's. The kids now love a taco and burrito at Moe's. They ate one cookie that came with their meal. Then we had to head over to Great American Cookie to get Holli a piece of cookie cake w/icing on top. She loves it! That is when Dax saw the Texas Longhorn cookie in the cookie case & he had to have it! I think he loved it b/c it was the only sports cookie in the case. But Eli has been raised in a family where you don't like any team other than the Razorbacks so you never choose a Longhorn cookie. It didn't matter to Dax- he ate it w/in a few seconds. The Longhorn cookie was gone before Eli & Sophie's cookies were handed to them. It was hilarious. The evidence that Dax enjoyed a Longhorn cookie was gone. Sophie got a Panther Paw cookie and Eli got a UCA bear paw cookie. Eli is so funny. He completely likes certain teams with all his heart or he does NOT like that team with ALL his heart. No compromise/Complete loyalty. There is nothing you can do about it. He does not like Panthers b/c there was a team named the Panthers in t-ball that he competed against. Now that Eli is in school and the school mascot is a Panther Eli still does not have anything to do with a Panther. Maybe time will change... But I now found my favorite desert in town. Great American Cookie has a chocolate brownie cookie that is the best thing I have ever eaten. Amazing! I bought three of them and a snickerdoodle. I ate three of the four cookies. I wish I could have another today! I aslo noticed that they have a marble slab there at Great American Cookie. I think we'll have to head over there when we visit Nana & Papa!

After the great cookies we headed home and the kids wanted to play at Dax's house until baseball practice began. Eli went to ball practice. It was his second practice with the batting machine. The first practice he was shocked. This practice he hit the ball! Joey was very proud!

Sophie came home and hung out with me while the boys played ball. We received a costume catalog in the mail and Sophie was enthralled! She spent at least an hour & half looking it over. The costumes are gorgeous! She would look amazing in them! We also watched cupcake wars and then Beauty & The Beast. She loved Beauty & The Beast. We only caught the end of the movie so S asked why he was turned into a beast. We'll have to watch the movie from the beginning now. I will always remember Sophie as a 1 year old at Disney World watching Beauty & the Beast performance in her diaper b/c it was so extremely hot. She loved it! She stood still to watch the whole show! I can't wait to take her back some day!

Quick Getaway

2011-08-09T07:10:00.000-07:00

When we got home from our trip we found the Royals tickets on our doorstep. The kids have enjoyed playing with their new gear!

Eli & Dax on the way to Silver Dollar City- so excited!

Eli playing shuffle board for the first time!

We planned a trip to KC with friends and soon realized that we wouldn't have much time to drive there and back. So Joey surprised us with a quick trip to Branson! It was just what we needed!

We left Friday evening and ate dinner at my favorite place along the way- Nature's Mill. Then we headed to our resort for the weekend. We found lots to do in the activity center. Sophie heard the noise of a ping pong table and was excited to play! Then Dax and his family arrived. We played b-ball and some other games then put the kids swimsuits on and had a great time watching them swim. Holli and I headed over to the Nike store to get a few things. Then we picked up the crew and headed out to find a late night treat! We wound up snacking in the room and hanging out.

Saturday morning we rose early. Ate breakfast at Mc Donalds and headed to SDC. We rode roller coasters and ran through a hail storm. Then we headed back to the room around 6pm to get ready for dinner. We ended up at the Landing for food and shopping. It started to storm again so we headed back to the room for a good night's sleep.

Sunday morning we woke to a knock on the door. It was Dax delivering donuts! YUMMO! We quickly got dressed and packed to head back for more fun at SDC! Today would be the day that Eli rode his first upside down rollercoaster! We are so proud of him! After we tuckered out at SDC we headed over to Tanglewood outlets for a bit of shopping. School starts next week and the kids need a few t-shirts. Then we ate papa john's pizza and road go-carts. We ended with the kids riding their own go-carts which was the funniest thing I've ever seen. Eli got a slow go-cart and did everything possible to keep other from passing him. I'll never forget him looking back while he was driving to keep everyone behind him. He bumped everyone he could and then spun someone into the wall when he tried to pass ELi. Eli threw his arms up and got upset as if he had nothing to do with the situation. By now he was so upset that he wasn't looking forward and he ran full speed into the tires. He was frustrated to say the least. ;)

So we headed home and had to stop for TCBY on the way. What a great vacation!

2011-08-05T11:20:00.001-07:00

videos on her ipod touch

2011-08-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I came home to dinner cooked in the crockpot & Mo telling me how much the kids were enjoying it. Homemade rolls, corn, greenbeans, broccoli for me, mashed potatoes & mesquite chicken! Love it! The kids enjoyed two plates full! Then Eli was still hungry so he ate two granola bars. Kit came by to get Dax's bike and took Eli to play. So Sophie and I put new games on her ipod touch. She enjoyed playing Monkey Preschool w/Mo. When Joey got home he finished dinner and then we took Sophie & Mo for a treat at Sweet Berry. Sophie was showing me her own videos on her ipod touch that she made on our 18 hr. drive to CO this year. She was being silly singing to the music. So Sophie and I made a few of our own. It was so funny. She is a little giggle box. Eli came home and played with Daddy a bit and then we all went to bed.

I sit at work today scheduling what we have to do before school starts in 14 days. So sad the summer flew by so quickly. We were so busy starting the new business and getting the house ready to sell. I'm excited to spend a long weekend with them celebrating summer. Every minute will count!

something sweet....

2011-08-03T12:28:00.000-07:00

Monday was a great day! We woke up nice and early to take Sophie to her riding lesson. She rode from 6:30 to 9. She made a new friend that she met at her lesson. She actually goes to school with Sophie and will be in the 4th grade this year. Sophie enjoyed riding with her. Eli & Dax hung out & watched while Sophie rode. They hoped to see Sophie do tricks;-) LOL! The sun started getting warm around 9 am and we headed to the house. Sophie and the boys got ready and we went to pick up W in Conway. We had a great time eating chicken nuggets and playing at Chik-fil-a. Then we headed back to the house to swim. I really enjoyed playing with the kids in the pool. The kids were evenly matched so we had a swim race. Sophie's team won by an arm's length. We also played football. Eli loves to try to block Dax or have Dax block him while we play catch with the football. The more dramactic a catch the better. The boys enjoy jumping to block the pass. Sophie enjoyed diving down to play with little cars under the water while dax, eli, and W did their best jumps off the diving board. Eli enjoyed doing back flips off the board. I don't have any idea where the child learned to do that but he is really good. I have a feeling Tricky Ricky or Mr. Kit have something to do with it. Holli came to get the boys around 4 and the girls played while I worked on pics for the new integrity website. Then we went to Conway for dinner and to buy school supplies. Sophie was so excited to buy her school supplies. It was really nice to have the girls there to buy the supplies for Sophie while I bought them for Eli. It made a boring chore into something memorable. I'll never forget how excited they were to read the list, find the product, and mark it off. Sophie has enjoyed going through her supplies ever since. After we got all that we needed we went to check out and the girls found something sweet to eat on the way home. We dropped W off at her house and headed home. We picked Eli up on the way and met Daddy at home. It was now 9pm - Joey had worked til then and he was excited to see the kids and me!

The kids slept late Tuesday since they stayed up late playing with daddy the night before. I enjoyed the morning and rushed to get them to their dentist appt.s in Conway. It's always a joy to see Dr. Havard. We've been blessed with perfect reports when we visit. Nothing to take for granted. I always enjoy watching Sophie & Eli go into the room with their hygenists bc as soon as they get in there and lay down with the sun glasses and head phones on we loose them to the tv screen on the ceiling. The only problem is that Eli doesn't pay attention to what is going on in the real world and the hygenist has to remind him that is her hand in his mouth and not to bite down on it. It takes no time before they get a treat from the treasure chest and we're done! This time eli realized that they put flouride on his teethe and he remembered that they told him he can't chew gum for a day. So he was whining about wanting gum. Knowing that was said last visit. I didn't remember that so Eli got gum and his flouride treatment might not last long. Oh well. He is convincing. Now I remember that he was right about no gum for the day but that's okay.

So we headed home for a quick lunch and then up to the office to meet Mo so I could make my website conference call. Mo came and took the kids with her and I worked for the afternoon. We're excited b/c our new website domain was established. Now I just need pics of our family for the homepage.

The kids had a great afternoon. Eli's new teacher called to tell us that he would be in her class and it was exactly who he wanted. He was so excited! She is the sweetest! Sophie had Mrs. G in the first grade and we told her that we hoped Eli would get in her class. She said that she was excited to see his name on the list. Mrs. G is great with little boys! She just had her second baby boy this year!

I got home last night and enjoyed watching Sophie go through her school supplies and rearrange them over and over. Each pencil has a colorful grippee with a contrasting color cap eraser. She really wants a new school box in blue since the one from last year is pink. She picked out her polka dot messenger bag and lunch box to order from pottery barn teen. I ordered it today and she will be so surprised when it arrives!

Joey and I went to see Zookeepers while Mo stayed with the kids. They played in the garage while it rained a bit. They also played a game of LIFE on their ipod touch. It was fun watching them play the game w/out a gameboard like I did when I was a kid. It's better for them b/c no one can cheat or change the rules. The game just does everything for you. When we returned home from the movie Joey & I were so excited to play with the kids. We stayed up late and put them to bed. Sophie always sleeps in the room w/Mo which means that Eli is all alone. Eli likes when Sophie sleeps in her room b/c they are connected by a bathroom and keep each other company. So we solved the problem by putting Emmy to sleep on Eli's bed which makes Eli the happiest boy ever! I have to put a baby gate up in the doorway but she stays on the bed facing the hallway all night. When I peek down the hall in the middle of the night I can see her looking at me - keeping watch over Eli through the night. We thank God for our little Emmy!

lazy weekend....

2011-08-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

I love nothing more than a lazy weekend after a long work week! Joey got back to town Friday at 5 and we went to mom's to get the kids. We were excited to see them! We took Gabby and Drake to meet Tonia and Sophie went home with her. We brought eli home and played catch before bed. We woke up Saturday morning and got some housework done. Joey went to work for a while and Eli & I swam. Then we went to meet Joey at work & got a sonic blast. We headed to Russellville for a life appt. The kids stayed with Rick while T & I got a pedicure. It was great! Rick took the kids swimming while we were gone. Then we all ate at CJ's and hung out. We love spending time with them!

Sunday morning we woke up late and rushed to get to church. It turned out to be a fun but busy day. We got to eat lunch with the allison's. Eli had been wanting to play with his buddies for a long time. So he got to go to their house for the afternoon. And Sophie went to Gracie's b-day party. It was a great party. Joey and I picked up eli and took him over to stay with Raegan while we went to see the horses. Dax swam with eli and raegan. Sophie played with bayli. And Joey and I got to go on a long trail ride! We got Sara and Troubadour ready and Bayli's friend, Bayli, Donny, Melissa, & Braxton joined us for a trail ride. It was adventurous. We rode the toughest trail ride I've been on so far. I'll never forget coming back through the water in a muddy section where the horses started sinking and would jump to make it to the other side and get back up to dry land. I made it across the way and as soon as I was safe I heard Joey & Troubs splash into the water and then I reluctantly turned to see if Joey was still on the horse when Troubs & Joey jumped about 4 ft into the air onto a rock to get out of the water. It could have been a great seen on a movie- so funny. Joey always puts polish on troubs' feet to keep the moisture in and Melissa enjoyed teasing him that Troubs didnt' want to get his toenails wet. Sara's always such a graceful delicate thing & here comes troubs jumping through the air. So funny. I'll never forget the sound of water splashing as if they were jumping in the river. I'm so thankful our horses did so well considering we don't ride but once a week. My goal is to ride more.

This morning I woke Sophie, Eli, & Dax at 6 am to go to S's riding lesson. She did not like getting out of bed. But it's been a great day! She rode in the gorgeous cool weather for 2.5 hours and got done just in time to avoid the heat. Then we went to conway and picked up her friend. I took them all to eat at chickfila and now we are relaxing before we swim. I sure have enjoyed my special day with the kids!

I love these little ones! Sophie is so excited about getting her school supplies. So we are going to go shopping tonight after we swim. Good times! Maybe S will make shopping for school supplies a lil more fun!

the biggest smile ever....

2011-07-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

What a relaxing day at the office. It's Friday and the office is quiet. Joey is gone to a life appointment & Jackie is taking her life test! I'm praying for her lots today! Praise God she is going to pass! Anyway, I'm sitting here working in peace & quiet. The parking lot is almost empty since it's Friday afternoon. I've been sitting here thinking about all the fun summer weekends bring. I've been missing out on long summer days with the kids. Joey used to get off work and meet us for horse back riding or family baseball games. Now he is working nonstop and we miss him so much! But I know it's worth it! God has blessed us in so many ways!

Mom got the kids yesterday and they got to play with their cousins which is a big treat! There is no one who ranks higher than cousins in this family. Isn't that special! And they all know that Nana is going to spoil them rotten when they are in her care. She took them to play in Conway and brought them back just in time for Soccer practice. Sophie and Eli were hoping that Gabby & Drake could stay for practice but I knew that 2.5 hrs in the heat wouldn't end up being much fun for G & D. So Sophie went to say goodbye. As she was giving Gabby the new secret handshake that she learned from a friend in soccer camp Gabby was excited to play along and Gabby had the biggest smile ever which made me so happy to see. Gabby & Sophie are 6 weeks apart in age. Gabby came to the hospital to wait for Sophie as soon as her Momma got the call that I was in Labor. They've been closest friends since.

After we went to the last night of soccer camp & recieved our soccer jersey's we headed back to Conway. Sophie wanted to stay with Nana and Papa. We ate Moe's on the way there and it was so nice that both kids have finally found a meal they enjoy! S & E don't like to eat out. PBJ and ham are just great at home. So we enjoyed a burrito and headed over to hang out with the family. Drake begged Eli to stay and he would have if we had brought his special blanket. ELi has slept with a sports blanket since he was a year old and he has to have it when he stays the night somewhere. So Joey and I were happy to have Eli go home to stay the night at our house. We all fell asleep cuddling in our bed. Good times!

This morning ELi & I slept until 9am. Then Nana came to get him and took them to Moo Moo's for ice cream at 10:30 am. She said that Eli even got a chocolate ice cream to take home for later. Now they are swimming at the house and I can't wait til Joey returns so I can see them when I get home!

thank you for signing me up for camp....

2011-07-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

After staying at home for 8 years with my precious children I appreciate a compliment when I hear one. Sophie and Eli have been in camp every night this week. It has been extremely HOT & a lot of work! Sophie has been the only 8 year old girl in a group of 8-13 year olds. Most of them are boys. She has blocked their kicks even if it means taking a hard ball in the thigh to keep the other team from making a goal. I'm so proud of her. She has really put herself out there and I am so thankful for her confidence & hard work. Last night she came to get a drink at break and simply said, "thank you for signing me up for camp." How Sweet! That is all she had to say to make my whole day! I did not really want to sit out in the 100 degree weather for 2.5 hours each night this week, but I actually enjoyed it once I got there. And that one little comment made every minute worth it! I keep telling Sophie some day soon she will be the 13 year old who controls the situation! (Hoping that she will remember how it feels to be the 8 year old who is being told where to go and what to do while wanting a piece of the action.)

Eli has been down at the other end of the field having a great time with his new friends. The coaches love him and he says he doesn't want to play soccer. He just went to camp so that he can keep up with Sophie. I continue to see what a good boy he is. Always listening to his coach and being respectful. Last night the little kids had to wait 1 hr until the big kids were done with practice. Eli was playing with little boys in the dirt. I told him that he shouldn't play in the dirt if he wants to go eat ice cream afterwards. He sat there and watched them play in the dirt. He watched them fill bottles with dirt and throw them in the air. All the time standing back and making sure not to get in the way. Such a good boy. Praise God.

(Sophie with her new soccer shoes. The first night of practice she wore the shoes we bought in the spring which were a size 3. These are a 4.5! No wonder her toes hurt last night!)

Well, Monday is the 1 month anniversary of Integrity Insurance. And boy has it been a busy month of nonstop work. Little time for rest and fun. I miss my time with Joey and the kids. I've struggled with leaving the kids during the day knowing that they would rather be with their grandparents than anyone. I think I miss them more than they miss me. Joey has been working till late at night. So I've enjoyed being the one who comes home for dinner and they get excited to sit by me. School is starting in 2 weeks and I hope that I can continue helping at the office while I get to spend some special time with the kids before they start school. I love them!

Soccer Camp

2011-07-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

This week S & E are attending their first camp! Soccer Camp! The heat is intense which makes it a bit harder than normal. Eli's age group meets from 5:30 to 7 and Sophie meets from 5:30 to 8. It was a great work out. We haven't been out and about playing with friends in a while since we opened Integrity so it was nice to have time specified to playing soccer. Sophie is in the older age group of 8-13 year olds. She did a great job getting in there with the big kids & being aggressive. She was the only 8 year old girl in the camp. There are two 4th grade girls in her group that she hopes to get to know. They are best friends and go to her school. This is a new ballgame for her so we are very proud that she is working so hard. It's been long and hot, but she's going to be prepared by working hard this year! Eli is in the 5-7 year olds and loves it. The coach knew Eli's name within the first ten minutes and I was so proud of Eli's excellent behavior. He listened well and tried his best to learn! His buddy is in his group and they had a great time playing on the playground after practice.

We love to play ball at Mo's house!

2011-07-25T11:57:00.000-07:00

Friday was Joey's 36th birthday and it was busy to say the least! I arrived at work around 10 am hoping Joey could meet his budy for a fun lunch to celebrate. But that didn't go so well. As soon as they ordered their food something came up and Joey had to rush back to the office to sign paperwork. We were busy so Mo took Taylor and the kids to Ash Flat where we planned to meet them later that evening. Cody arrived at the office and Joey worked late to prepare for the meeting in Ash Flat. They finally got everything done around 8 and we headed to Conway to grab a sandwich before driving to Ash Flat. The kids were asleep when we got there so we went to bed. Joey and Cody woke early Sat. morning to meet Spencer at the golf tournament. They played all day and came in 3rd place! Joey won a cool cap! In the meantime the kids and I played baseball with Taylor. We also got out the art supplies and the kids created impressions of leaves and splattered paint like Jackson Polluck. Joey called around 4 and we headed to Hermondo's for some pizza! This is the same pizza place that Joey used to eat at when his Papa treated him for scoring home runs in t-ball. Good times! Cody taught the kids to make napkin airplanes and they flew them around the restaurant. I've never seen a napkin plane fly so well. Then the pizza's were ready and we all dug in! They were hot! We named the supreme pizza "bumpy pizza" b/c it had an odd appearance. After dinner we headed back to Mo's and packed the car to go home. Eli talked Joey and Cody into a quick game of ball before we headed to greenbrier. Cody showed us how he could hit with Eli's bat. I quickly left outfield in fear of an injury. Then Eli, Cody, Joey, and I headed home. Sophie was very excited to stay two more nights with Mo. The trip home was eventful & costly, but we won't go into that. Cody bought a lottery ticket hoping to make win some money to pay for the speeding ticket. Oh well.

Sunday was a beautiful overcast day. Eli and I went out and sat by the pool. It was thundering so we didn't swim. I weeded the flower bed and he sprayed weed killer for me. Then we played catch in the front yard. Joey took us to Conway for dinner and we bought Eli a new baseball game to play on the PlayStation. Then we headed over to ride the horses for a short while before dark. Eli rode on Troubadour with Joey and we had a good time.

This morning Mo and Sophie came home and brought donuts. Joey and I are working. We hope to get our website ready for our meeting tomorrow morning at 7 am. We are creating www.integrityinsurancegroupinc.com for lack of a shorter domaine name that doesn't already exsist.

Tonight is the first night of Sophie & Eli's soccer camp. I can't wait to watch!

To the BEST Daddy in the World....

2011-07-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday!!!!

S & E slept late this morning so Eli called Joey to leave a b-day message for Daddy at work.

Celebrate all week long!

2011-07-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

In this family we do birthdays up right! We celebrate ALL WEEK LONG! So good friends came to the house and picked us up in their new car & drove Joey & I to Little Rock for dinner. We went to Copelands and had some of our favorite foods! Then we returned home to Mo and a house full of kids! On the way home we stopped at Krispy Creme & got donuts to celebrate. No one at our house can turn down a good donut! We also gave Joey his b-day gifts. He got some new jeans, vintage Razorback polo shirt, & some stuff we've been wanting for trail rides on the horses. I was surprised b/c the clothes fit perfectly & Joey is going to keep them! I'm so excited!

A New Stage in Life...

2011-07-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

As life changes I find time to reflect on the past & realize how special this blog is to me. It reminds me of the days when life was full of sippy cups & nap times. Now we are getting prepared for the 1st & 3rd grade. Our days are full of baseball tournaments, soccer games, horseback riding, & swimming with friends.

Eli & friend playing Wii

Sophie & ELi in Track & Field Day!

Sophie & Daddy time= SILLY

I have gone from full-time Mommy to part-time photographer & now full-time insurance agent. I have been blessed with a family business where I can now spend my days helping my husband while S & E are in school. Joey and I are so thankful for Mo and Nana who entertain S & E throughout the summer days. S & E are having a summer full of FUN with cousins & friends. Which is the only place they would rather be than sitting right by my side!

Sophie & friend play dress up with Nana!

One of Sophie's favorite things to do!

Eli & Daddy play catch every night before bedtime.

Eli's favorite part of the day!

Sophie takes Daddy out to a movie!

Daddy made tie-died pancakes for breakfast when the Adkins stayed the night

Our family business

First Bible School Experience

Eli's team won the All-Star Tournament

Trip to Branson with Nana

Now that S & E enjoy doing their own thing I am able to commit to uploading memories in the blog so that next year and the year to follow we will look back and enjoy the little things that fill our days with joy & laughter.

Riding Alone...

2009-02-20T12:01:00.000-08:00

This happened when Mommy wasn't watching...

Riding Lessons

2009-01-24T11:05:00.000-08:00

Sophie loves horses and here she is! Not quite ready to ride alone- but wanting to do it all on her own! Daddy says she can have a horse- we'll see about that.

Salt Lake City, Utah

2009-01-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

Daddy got to go on a special ski trip and we miss him so much! He sent this photo from his phone... he says it is absolutely gorgeous!

Christmas 2008

2009-01-03T20:08:00.001-08:00

We had an amazing Christmas this year. It came and went faster than ever before. We barely got our tree up before it was time to take it down again. Now I realize why some people start decorating early in the year!

Sophie and Eli were excited about Christmas! Celebrating their Savior's birth means a lot to them! They prepared a program at school but the weather was too bad and it had to be postponed. Sophie said she was upset because they worked so hard to prepare for the program.

One of their favorite things this year was celebrating Christmas with the Fulgham Family in Branson. Mo took us all to see the Dixie Stampede. Sophie loves horses so she was amazed! Eli enjoyed it b/c of all of the horse racing and fun activities. The man with the fire juggling was the best part! Saturday we had a blast shopping with Adrienne and going to Silver Dollar City with the family. Sunday morning we woke to a home made breakfast!

Then we celebrated with the Ekenseair Family! Ella was too cute opening her gifts! Sophie enjoyed playing with Ella's paper dolls. Michael and Joey spent the whole night trying to figure out how to put Eli's motorcycle together. When they finally got it together, Eli said, "it stays together if you hold it like this." Oh, we had carry out and I ordered it from the wrong restaurant. It was not what we are used to eating, but we ate it up!

We went to church at 2pm for New Life's Candle Light Service on Christmas Eve. Then we went to see the Jacobs that evening! Christmas morning was so special opening gifts at home! Then we went to the Papa and Nana's for lunch!

3 Years Old

2009-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Well, as the new year comes and goes Eli realizes that his 4th birthday will be here before we know it! Talk of birthday cake is his favorite subject right now! He's been talking about his 4th birthday party for months. Now it is time to plan...

Tonight he was getting ready for Daddy to rock him to sleep and decided that he needed a bedtime snack. He ate 2 huge pieces of Old Chicago pizza already. Now he requested a 3rd slice. Of course, Mommy had to eat a slice too! As we ate we chatted about his favorite things. He knows exactly how he feels about things! You don't have to ask him twice...

Eli's FAVORITES at 3 years old:

Favorite Food: Pizza

Favorite Clothes: Pajamas

Favorite Toy: Mud

Favorite Candy: Sucker

Favorite Person: Daddy

And So On!!!

Well, that sums it up! He's a cutie and we are looking forward to another great year!!!

Sophie Lost Her First Tooth!

2009-01-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

Finally! The tooth dangled for 8 weeks. There is a post about it from the first of November where we figured out it was loose! I waited and waited for the tooth to fall out. It wiggled and wiggled. But those of you who know Soph realize that there was no discussion of pulling that tooth! Friends frequently offered. Anyway, I sent her to Mo's and within 12 hours it came out! Aunt Jamie was so kind to remove it from it's last root before Sophie swallowed the tooth. Mommy and Daddy were so sad. Anyway, I can't believe my baby has lost her first tooth! How exciting! But it reminds me of how grown up she is and how time flies. Praise God I've gotten to be with her every day this far! Well, she needs me now!

2008-12-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

The Past...

2008-12-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

I was viewing little Miss Ella's blog and she had the cutest photos from the past. So I got inspired and thought I would post a few of my favorite photos from past holidays. I don't realize how my babies have grown until I look back and see how little they really were!

It's Time!

2008-12-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

Whew! We've been busy, busy, busy! Now it is time to go celebrate Fulgham Christmas '08 in Branson! We are so excited to get out of town!

Thanks to a precious friend we finally got a few Christmas decorations up in the house!!! We are so excited! The kids are enjoying the holidays more than ever!

2008-11-03T09:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T18:43:00.001-08:00

This was a big day! Sophie and Eli were dressed for their school parade by 8am! Sophie was a waitress and Eli was a builder. Both, huge helper's in the community!

Sophie was excited to celebrate with her school parade. Mommy and Daddy were so proud of her! She walked around the gym in front of a full set of bleachers! She walked up on stage by herself when they announced her to the crowd and she even waved! What a big girl!

Eli also paraded around the gym in front of everyone. To our surprise, the large group of people watching made Eli a bit uncomfortable, so Mommy paraded too! Mommy just enjoyed it, realizing this is her baby and may be her last year to hold someone's hand in the parade! When Eli waited in line to be introduced to the crowd, he started panicking b/c he needed to use the bathroom. It was a "good try" but he was able to get through the parade without any accidents. After some reassurance, he walked up on stage and looked nervous until he spotted Mommy taking his picture, and then he waved to Mommy with the biggest grin ever! What a Cutie Pie!

Mommy and Daddy waited for Sophie and Eli after the parade. Sophie shocked Daddy when she ran past a guy friend and gave him a big hug. Daddy got a little jealous!

That evening Sophie and Eli were so excited to go visit friends and trick-or-treat! Sophie saw her friends right when we drove into the neighborhood and wanted to leave with them. Then we passed Eli's friend's house and he jumped out of the car to leave with his friends. Mommy got a bit dissappointed. Don't they still want to be with Mommy and Daddy for a few more years? I thought they might stick around til they were 7 or so.... Well, this year I insisted. We all went to see the Ekenseair's and got our stuff together before heading out to get candy! One last year, we all walked the neighborhood together. We got to walk with Madison, Dax, Nichole, and Macie! We got to see Ella and Ruby too! We had a big night! We ended the night by visiting Nana and Papa!

Sophie said it was the best night she has ever had. She said it was the most fun ever! That made our day!

Happiest with Daddy

2008-11-02T18:19:00.000-08:00

Well, this picture sums it up! Eli is happiest with Daddy. He wants Daddy all the time- if Daddy is around, he is happy. If not, OH NO! Praise God for the amazing Daddy he has given Sophie & Eli!

Halloween!

2008-10-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

The kids are looking forward to an exciting day full of fun this Friday! They have a Community Helper Parade at school and they get to go home as soon as they are done! What fun! Eli is going to be the cutest little "Builder" around. And Sophie is going to be the cutest "waitress" that has ever taken your order! After school we are going to dress up in our Halloween Costumes and visit friends! We are looking forward to a night full of fun!

A Good Bill of Health!

2008-10-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

Praise God for our healthy children! Eli wasn't feeling well last week. We took him in to be checked out and they said that he had a high sugar level. We took him back the next day to be checked again and they told us he is perfectly healthy! Praise God! We are so thankful!

Since then he has been struggling with a fever virus. Sleepless nights are tough, but we're so thankful that it will be gone soon! Our baby boy is already feeling a bit better today!

The Tooth

2008-10-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

Well, Sophie has waited for a long time! She realized at 3 1/2 years old that she will loose a tooth one day and she's warned Mommy that her tooth was loose ever since. I believe she learned this on an episode of Caillou. Since then, Madison and Gabby have lost two teeth. Sophie has longed to loose a tooth. We got to see Madison Friday, and she showed us how she lost a tooth last week! Sophie was in awe! Tonight we were eating apples! Sophie has been telling me that her bottom tooth hurts. I reached down once again to see if it would wiggle. And to my surprise, it did! Some day soon! Sophie might be missing a tooth! How exciting!!!

An Old Friend

2008-10-25T11:58:00.001-07:00

We got to see Madison Friday and we were so excited!

2008-10-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

School Conferences

2008-10-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

This week has been a blast! Sophie and Eli were out of school Tuesday and Wednesday for Parent Teacher Conferences! We made the most of our time at home. Sophie and Eli were invited to go to the Zoo and lots of other things, but they just wanted to stay home and play! This is what they like to do best! Monday night Daddy rented "Heidi" and we all enjoyed the precious movie late that night while eating lots of popcorn! Then Sophie and Eli snuggled with us until they fell asleep. Tuesday morning we all got to sleep in a while. Then we played around and until we had to get ready for gymnastics class. Sophie was excited to see her friend Denver. Sophie and Eli got ready for the day by taking a huge bubble bath just like the one on "Game Day"! They were covered in bubbles! We went to gym and met our friends. Sophie and Denver went out for a smoothie after class. Then Denver joined Eli and Sophie at the park to play. That night Daddy came home and we all had a good time. We made brownies for a treat. Wednesday morning we woke up and got ready to go to Teacher Conferences. Daddy came along since it was Sophie's first report for kindergarten. When we arrived the teacher told us what a Joy Sophie is and that she is excelling in class. Then we went to meet with Eli's teacher and she told us that Eli was doing everything like he should. She showed him his sheet with all SMILEY stickers and told him that she is very proud of him. What a blessing! I cherished hearing that my children were so well behaved, and praise God for this blessing! I thank God for the amazing teachers and christian environment that he has given us. We are so blessed. Then Daddy took us to Papa Don's for lunch. We ate the best burgers we've had in a while. Then we headed home and took a nap. The kids woke up ready to play. We ate dinner and Daddy took us on a four wheeler ride in the woods! Mommy drove and didn't get stuck! Scout ran along and is covered in mud! I think he enjoyed it most!

Cheerleading

2008-10-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

Sophie cheered in her first CCS football game on Friday night. She was 5 years old! She was so nervous going to the game. We kept telling her that she would love it just like she did the parade. Right when we got to the game Mrs. Lindsey greeted us and her daughter took Sophie by the hand and took her to play with all of her friends. Alley is Mrs. Lindsey's daughter and Sophie adores her. Alley is a 1st grader. She and her friends were all cheering at halftime with Sophie!

They called for the girls to practice at 2nd quarter. Mommy took video of Sophie practicing with all of the older girls. Then they went out on the field and cheered. We've never seen Sophie have so much fun! I am so thankful that I found my video camera and recorded this priceless performance. Every time the cheers were done they girls would yell to show spirit and Sophie would raise one arm and kick the opposite leg to the side and pivit her hips and yell!!!

It made my day! SOOOOOOOOOO PRICELESS!!!

Bikes

2008-10-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Daddy took the time to take the training wheels off of the kids bikes last week. Eli hopped on his little bike and took off! Within 3 times up the driveway he was able to ride by himself. He could turn and stop by the end of the afternoon.

Sophie had been congested all weekend and wasn't feeling well. It was hard for her when bike riding came so easily to Eli. But Tuesday afternoon she was feeling great! Nana let us borrow a bigger bike that fit Sophie perfectly and Sophie took off! She had it down! She was so cute all bundled up in her knee pads, elbow pads, helmet, and bike gloves. She was ready to ride! She figured it out! By Thursday she was riding all by herself. She can start and stop and turn all on her own! She even dodges ELi and our Lab Puppy very well! It's like riding on an obstacle course the whole time!

Sophie & Friends

2008-10-10T12:47:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Boy!

2008-10-10T12:37:00.000-07:00

Labor Day Weekend!

2008-10-09T13:26:00.001-07:00

GO HOGS!

2008-10-09T09:12:00.001-07:00

Karin Fulgham Photography Holiday Special!

2008-09-13T19:10:00.001-07:00

POOL!

2008-08-22T12:21:00.001-07:00

Yes! The pool is finally done and the SUN came out to play today! The lil ones had a blast. They've waited all summer to jump into that pool! It is finally ready and who says it's going to rain all day?

The kids were a bit intimidated by all of the frogs at first. Yes, FROGS! I warned you!!! I didn't know there would be so many of them. They were all in the deep. Then we got in and the less fortunate ones floated to the shallow. Praise God for our beach gear- we have plenty of crab catching nets and they worked perfectly. Yes, Sophie and Eli had a big time scooping up the floating frogs and dumping them on the mud. Yes, MUD. We have concrete and mud now. Due to all the rain. We are hoping the dirt will dry up ASAP so we can move it around and throw some sod. We had plans for a flowerbed, but who cares about that. Now that we can finally swim, we'll cut in the beds and worry about filling them with plants later. Lounge chairs would be nice. Who would know it's hard to find some affordable lounge chairs in August. Of Course, I'm only looking at discount stores. If you know of any, give me a call. I've learned that the sales must start on 4th of July.

Anyway, we're happy! We can swim! The kids are napping now and hope to swim again! WHAT FUN!!!

Eli's First Day of Preschool!

2008-08-22T09:41:00.001-07:00

What a day! Eli and Sophie got to go to school! Eli had a blast once he met Noah in the parking lot at the school! He ran right into his class and sat at his seat next to Noah. It was a big day and he knew it! He was excited to start on a foam tractor puzzle!

And Sophie was ready to go to class too. She kept telling Eli how much fun it is to go to school! What a great day!

Sophie's First Day of Kindergarten!

2008-08-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Praise God! I'm thanking him all the day long! Today was such an amazing blessing! Sophie woke up so excited to go to school this morning! She was thrilled to put her new uniform on. When I woke her this morning she was disappointed b/c she said she wanted to surprise me by getting all dressed by herself. So I helped her and we got her dressed together. Daddy had an early meeting that couldn't be missed, so he went and got donuts and treats for breakfast! He is going to take her to school tomorrow morning to make up for missing today.

When we got to school we finally found a parking spot. The lot was full b/c there were so many parents there! The classroom was full of cameras and video recorders! So I wasn't the only mom snapping photos. We walked Sophie in to her class and she hugged her friend, Savannah. They were excited to be together. THey sit next to each other. Then she put up her snack, sat down, and started reading her book. Big Girl. I stood in the corner to take a picture. Then I waved and she gave a grin and a look like it was time for Mommy to go. That is when the tears wanted to fall!

No, I'm thrilled that it was a great day! When I picked her up she got in the car and told me that she wishes she could stay all day. Her teacher told me that she was a joy and followed directions and did everything perfectly. Sophie said she has the greatest teacher- that she is better than her old teachers, which is saying SOMETHING! Praise God! What answered prayers! THanks for all the prayers!

FLASHBACK

2008-08-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

In midst of all the rain, I thought I would add a few fun SUMMER PHOTOS! Sophie and Eli enjoyed a slip-n-slide, sports kiddie pool, and big blue pool! We made lots of mud in the yard!

Last Day of Summer!

2008-08-20T09:05:00.001-07:00

What an exciting last day of Summer! Last night we enjoyed watching the pool installers work very late installing the pool liner. Poor Guys! They knew it would rain the rest of the week and put in a long nights work just to get it done for us! Plus they need to move on to the next job. Who knew the rain in August would be so often? It's nice and cool! But not good for the pool business. Anyway, the pool has been filling up all night! So SAD for the little frogies. They are learning the hard way. I've had to deal with them in the dog's water- but the pool is going to be worse! We'll have plenty of racers for Toad Suck Daze next year!

TOday we woke to the rain! The kids in their pj's playing and getting our clothes and backpacks ready for tomorrow! Sophie's first day of school! Eli starts Friday! But Mommy is dreading the early bedtime and alarm clock most. If we can get some kind of schedule going, we'll be ready!

The kids have been playing today. Riding scooters in the garage, racing around the house, drawing pictures, and reading books!

Meet the Teacher

2008-08-19T17:04:00.000-07:00

Today was an exciting day! Sophie and Eli got to meet their teachers. We took Eli into his classroom first. He ran right in and found two "dump trucks" that made him and his friend Noah happy! His teacher gave him sports stickers to decorate his folder and offered them a plate full of chocolate chip cookies. When we left Eli was sent home with a goodie bag full of magic dough, stickers, and candy. His mind was made up! When he got in the car he told me, "I Love My Teacher! We need to invite her to Christmas to meet Scout."

Sophie also enjoyed meeting her teacher. Her teacher told her that she remembered seeing her as a one year old. That blond head of hair was hard not to notice. Sophie was excited to know several children in her class and enjoyed playing with the toys.

Everyone is asking Sophie what she thinks about going to kindergarten. It seems like she is wondering what the big deal is all about. She went to this school last year and it's about the same this year. She asked if she'll get to do the worksheets and if it's going to be the same as last year. I didn't know how to answer, and she said that it will be GOOD if the worksheets are like they were last year. She enjoyed the worksheets.

This morning I wasn't feeling great and I threw on a pair of jeans just in time to leave for school. After sophie got all dressed up and fixed her hair, she looked at me and asked if that was what I was wearing. I said I could change, and she said it was okay. I told her that I didn't mind dressing up if she wanted me to. How funny. All my fights to have her look presentable and now she tells me to change clothes. At least she said it nicely!!!

The Last Cement Truck

2008-08-18T12:03:00.000-07:00

Well, we've finally made it! Lots of prayers answered, we got our final cement truck to pour the last pieces of concrete around the pool today! And it was a gorgeous morning to do it! Eli and Sophie woke early waiting to watch the truck. The whole family is in awe of the pool installation process. The amazing part is that the whole pool would have only take two weeks to install had it not been for the unusual August rain. The slope on the floor of the pool was poured one day and it started unexpectedly raining soon after. So the poor workers had to jackhammer the concrete up and repoor that part. Then, the last week of small showers held off the concrete sidewalk for several days. The boss finally chose a time to poor anyway, and it was bright all morning until the cement truck showed up- then it instantly started to poor. So, today, all went well! We have a gorgeous sidewalk around the edge of the pool and we are thankful for our concrete! Now they will clean out the pool and start filling it with water! Here are a few photos of the kids enjoying the concrete truck! Who needs to start school when you can learn about Pool Installation?

Tonight Joey and I get to go to Parent Orientation at CCS. Today we went up to the school and saw a couple of old friends! One was Sophie's favorite teacher! She hugged her for minutes, and minutes at a time! Such a special bond! Then, we went to buy school supplies. Who knew they were so expensive? So specific. We had to make a trip to Coleman Office Supply. Those pencil grips better be good!

Tomorrow is the day that Sophie and Eli get to go meet their teachers and visit their classroooms! Then we start school on Thursday! We are getting excited!

Sophie & Eli

2008-08-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

What a summer! We've gotten settled into our new home. We are used to Greenbrier. We love being so close to Daddy and getting to see him so much more than ever before! Life has changed so much.

Sophie turned 5 at the beginning of the summer! She and Eli went to Rosemary Beach and helped Mommy and Daddy celebrate their 10 year anniversary! They made it so special! Long bike rides, and hours at the beach and pool. Sophie learned to swim! We'll never forget the determination she had to teach herself to swim. Eli was as happy as could be where ever he was. Just enjoying the trip! Lots of time with Daddy!

When we returned home, Daddy surprised us all by buying an inground pool. We've waited with much anticipation for it's installation and it looks like it will be done this week. Just in time for a back-to-school party! Good thing Sophie and Eli will only be going to school a few hours a day! They are going half-days at CCS.

Sophie is going to start kindergarten this Thursday! It's so exciting! Mommy is okay since we are blessed to go half days! It's not such a hard change all at once. And Eli starts his preschool this Friday! His friend Noah is going to be in his class.

Eli is all boy. Still enjoying his daily four wheeler rides with Daddy. He loves Daddy more than life! He is a mess- so sensative, but pushing his limits in every situation. He is a joy to be around. He wants to be surrounded by his guy friends at all times.

Sophie is all girl. She loves to swim and play babydolls. She is a very quick learner who is self-motivated. So pleasing yet only satisfied if it is done her way. Sophie loves her friends and is content to stay at home entertaining herself and her baby brother with her imaginary games.

Sophie and Eli have played all summer. Amazing Mommy and Daddy at how well they entertain themselves and each other. Their minds at work all day long making up story's and playing pretend. We enjoy hearing them respond to one another.

Nothing makes Mommy and Daddy happier than Sophie and Eli. They are the joy in our lives. We live to share their memories. They are our passion in life. It is amazing to live life through their eyes!

We praise God daily for our babies. We never knew that we would be blessed with a little girl and a little boy. It is so amazing to see their differences although they look so much alike. He says every cute little word with the same dialect like she did at his age. What an amazing life! Praise God!

2008-07-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Pop-A-Wheelee!

2008-07-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

Dax came to ride four wheelers tonight and Eli had a big time!!!

More Pictures...

2008-07-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

As if Mommy didn't take too many photos already, now she got a real camera. It's gonna be bad for Sophie and Eli! We've decided that Mommy loves photography so much that she now taking pictures professionally. So Eli and Sophie were so sweet to help Mommy practice today! Here are a few of the photos... unedited. Thanks Sophie and Eli! You are always so precious.

Summer Days!

2008-07-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

Another great week is going by! The kids are having a blast at Papa and Nana's house! They are staying the night with their cousins. They went in the boat and played at the park! We are trying to enjoy the rest of the summer before it gets away from us!

In the Dog House!

2008-07-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

We love our little Scout! He is such a joy! So sweet and cuddly. He loves to chew on a Pigs Ear and he is content! We got him a new house. He has yet to use it, but Sophie and Eli have enjoyed it!

Dance Contest!

2008-07-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

We headed to Aunt Tonna and Trickie Rickie's new house for a dance contest! The house is beautiful and perfect for entertaining!!! Sophie is amazing with the hula-hoop! She makes it seam like a breeze the way she shakes those hips! Alex had it going on too! In the end, Gabby kept it going and it was a scream to watch! So CUTE! She's a Hottie! Brown Eyed Girl! Life is a Highway! Bubbly! We danced to them all!

Going to church!

2008-07-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Sophie and Eli got all dressed up for church! Sophie made mommy so happy when she chose to wear the green dress that has hung in her closet for years! It looked beautiful! We were excited to get ready for church on Saturday night! We are visiting New Life and the kids love it! We are praying that God will guide us to the perfect church family where we can be blessed and be a blessing!

Annie!

2008-07-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

TOMORROW! TOMORROW! I'LL LOVE YA TOMORROW!

What a day! We traveled to Russellville to see Annie! Sophie had a bawl! Sitting with her cousins and friends made her happy!

Sophie and Eli both had the time of their lives getting to stay the night with Aunt Tonna! Daddy tried hard to get Eli to go home with us, but he stayed with Drake! Gabby wanted to use his sippee cup, but he couldn't let her because his germs would still be on the cup. Oh well! Daddy and Mommy made it through the night without them and were glad to get them home!

Happy 58th Anniversary!!!

2008-07-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

Papa and Granny Joy had an amazing anniversary party! We are so blessed by their love and dedication to each other, God, and us! We had such a good time at Uncle John's house eating and swimming! Sophie has impressed us all with her swimming! She can jump off the diving board and swim to the ladder. We are so proud of her. Eli loves to swim too!

He's HERE!

2008-06-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

Scout made his way to Greenbrier! His brother lives down the street from us, so they brought him to us. He is just as lazy and cuddly as Gunner was! He is even more handsome! We are so excited! He has slept most of his life so far! He goes potty in the grass when we put him there. No accidents all night. It was very stormy lastnight and that means it is very loud at our house! So we kept him in the bed with us most of the night. I got him up and put him in his crate around 3am just so he will get used to it. He did great! He cried for a couple of minutes and then slept on! He woke expectedly at 6am- something about puppies and 6am. But that is fine with me- I've had some wake earlier! So we went outside and he used the bathroom!

He is so cute- timid- checking everything out. We built him a fence and planned to put him outside right away. Until we put him in the fence and he walked right thru the pickets. HAHA! Nana knew he would! It will only take a week or two and he'll grow out of that! So we went and got a huge crate! He needs to be crate trained anyway! He went all night without going potty! So that was a pleasant surprise. So far, he has been so easy!

We can't wait for Sophie and Eli to arrive home with Mo! THey are coming today! We are going to surprise them all with our sweet bundle of fur!!!

FINALLY!

2008-06-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. You know it's killing me!!! My Internet isn't working from home so I had to come to the office to post!

The kids are doing great! We went to gymnastics again this week. Sophie said it was her best day ever! So that made Mommy happy, considering she didn't want to go. Eli always loves his class. He is actually too young for the class he is attending. The class for his age got canceled so they said that he could try the older class. He does very well. But someone apparently tried to tell him bad words in class and he wasn't going to have it! Whew! I can just see through the window, without being able to hear what is being said. He was upset and made sure to tell the teacher what was going on! We noticed that he learned a new "saying" last week and I guess we now know who taught it! Mommy thought Eli was about to start fighting!

Eli and Sophie are counting down the days to pick up Scout, the new puppy! Daddy needs to finish the fence. Every time someone asks Eli about the puppy he says, "I need to tell Daddy something." Eli wants to name the dog something different and that is what he always whispers to Daddy. But Daddy got the dog and he named it. I told Eli that he can get his own dog when he is old enough. Then he can choose from all of his well-thought name choices to name his own dog.

Sophie and Eli had a great time playing with their cousin Gabby this week! She came to stay a couple of nights. She is full of energy and very entertaining. This is the first time ever that Eli chose to hang out with the big kids as opposed to Mommy and Daddy. The time has come. He layed by the girls to go to sleep instead of being rocked by Daddy. He also did everything on his own. I guess he is growing up. We miss Gabby Girl!

Papa Howard and Paula also came to visit. Sophie had a bawl reading to them and entertaining. Eli wanted to go on four wheeler rides. Papa Howard is an electrician so the kids loved playing with all of his flashlights! Sophie and Eli were also excited to eat dinner with Brennan and Landon when they stopped on their way home from their vacation. They looked too cute all tan with their shaggy hair.

Mo called today and the kids decided to go stay with her for a while. Mommy and Daddy have a busy week ahead and want to get caught up on some work while the kids are gone. We drove them to meet Mo and Kristen and Taylor came along for the ride. Sophie and Eli were putting on a show! So excited to be with their cousins!!!

Jump!

2008-06-05T12:35:00.001-07:00

Today Sophie and Eli got to go swimming with friends! They had a blast. Eli usually likes to get in the water a short while and then plays on the side of the pool. Not today! Noah was swimming, so Eli was swimming too! They had so much fun. Alexis even gave them a ride on the big float! They enjoyed that! At the end of the afternoon Sophie and Eli watched Alexis doing tricks on the diving board! So Sophie and Eli took turns jumping off the diving board too! They had so much fun! What a day!

Tomorrow we get to meet friends at the zoo for more excitement! I hope the weather stays beautiful like it is today!

Summer Activities

2008-06-04T07:09:00.000-07:00

Summer has begun and we are enjoying every minute! Sophie and Eli have finally learned to sleep late in the mornings. And Mommy does too! We've been swimming with friends and playing at home.

This week Daddy met us for dinner one night. Then we went to two different karate classes here in Greenbrier. Those small children doing all of their routines were very impressive.

Last night Sophie and Eli attended their first gymnastics class! Sophie has two good friends in her class and she smiled the whole time! Her teacher is the same girl that taught her class at Conway Christian. She ended up on the tall ballance beam for the first time!

Eli really enjoyed his class too! He had a friend from Greenbrier in his class and he ran right in and told the teacher his name and all about his hurt toe. Then, he tried very hard to do exactly what was expected of him. When he had trouble, he turned to the teacher and yelled, "I need help!" How cute!

Well, the kids want to play so we'll be on our way!

2008-06-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Scout

2008-06-02T11:06:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, we have had a big year in Greenbrier! About a year ago we decided that we would sell the house in Conway and move into a temporary home to make sure we liked living in Greenbrier. So we did. We absolutely loved being close to Daddy! We saw him so much more than we used to and we were all very blessed by our move.

We thought we would stay in that temporary home for a few years and enjoy life without much upkeep. But the whole time we drove around looking for our dream land to build our future home. In the meantime I thought that we had made it through the diapers and bottles and life was getting easier so I bought a dog to join the family. I wanted a small house dog that would cuddle and play with the kids. So, to Joey's disapproval, I surprised the kids with a West Highland Terrier on Christmas. From the first day we got her she chased the kids nipping them repeatedly. Eli hung in there trying to play with her, but it was not enjoyable. She got a bit better and we had her close to being potty trained when Joey and I unexpectedly found our dream home that we quickly purchased while the interest rates were at a low. We moved into the new house February 28th and the snow fell on moving day. Then several weeks of rain followed that washed away the dirt that filled the yard. It was not the best place for a puppy that wasn't potty trained, so I soon found Lexi a new home. I've since missed the pup more than I had realized but her new owners are in love with her more than I was. There was no getting that pup back. Her name is now Roxy, and she has a friend just her size that is named Lexi. We receive precious pictures of her enjoying her new life on a regular basis.

Well, my longing for a special four legged family member remains. I realized that we don't need an indoor dog. Joey and I had an amazing dog before we had kids and Joey says that is the only dog he would ever want again. It was a gorgeous yellow lab who we brought home as a puppy. Well, now uncle JoJo has a black lab and the kids absolutely adore her. They agree that a lab puppy is the breed they enjoy. So now that our yard has grass we are ready to make a home for a new family member.

Let me introduce you all to Scout. A gorgeous yellow lab that will come home to us on June 14th. He is precious! He is big and lazy just like our old lab was as a newborn. You can't help but stroke his luxuriously soft fur and appreciate his relaxed personality. We pray that he will grow to be a precious family member like our old Gunner. I am the one that loves to have a dog, but I was pleased to see Joey fall in love with Scout at first sight! I pray that he will be the wonderful addition to the family that I've been longing for. So please pray for us as we welcome Scout into our family. There are obviously many obstacles to overcome while raising a puppy, and we can't wait to begin our journey with Scout!

Priceless!

2008-05-28T12:38:00.001-07:00

Sophie turned 5 years old on Memorial Day! She had a sleepover party to celebrate! A few friends came for cake and sandwhiches and left the little ones with us for the night!

It was amazing! The girls were precious! The party couldn't have been better. It was definitely a gift from God! During craft projects I heard Sophie telling her friends that this was the best party ever and that she never wanted it to end! How sweet. Then the other little girls talked of how they are going to have a sleepover too! They were so excited to be big girls spending the night away from home. They had to tell their parents to leave. And then they were full of smiles right up til the time they fell asleep. They couldn't imagine what a joy they were! Such a blessing.

I got a kick out of the actual birthday celebration. This year I didn't stress about anything. I cleaned the house before we left town for our 10 day vacation. Then I unpacked the car myself when I returned home. Joey did the yard work, which was a huge accomplishment. The next day was the party. So we decided to to get cupcakes and cookies at Wal-mart. Big step for us. We usually want something homemade or pre-ordered for the special occasion. Good thing we didn't waste effort on that. When we lit the candle on the birthday cake I made it a point to offer the kids cupcakes too since one child had food allergies and could only eat the cupcakes her mother had brought. The cupcakes were made by my friend and looked precious. They had lipstick and purse toppers that were so cute you would have thought I had handpicked them myself. Well, the kids grabbed the egg-free cupcakes and gobbled them down before running out the door to play. That thrilled me and I later realized that I never even cut into the birthday cake. How funny. I learned a big lesson! It was such a blessing I didn't stress over a special cake. From now on, cupcakes will be served! (Thanks to Alice)

Sophie is so big! She loves her new ipod that is full of all of her favorite songs. She walks around singing out loud. We've began our summer homework. We learned that the average child can forget up to 30% of what they have learned school during the summer. So Sophie is enjoying working on school work each morning. We'll see how long that lasts! And Eli has surprised me with all of the knowledge I didn't know he had. He can identify every letter of the alphabet and his numbers through 10. I don't know if that is average or not, but I'm very proud! So he is reciting the memory verses and working his own worksheets too! He is excited to be taught and works hard to please the teacher unlike some who may be a bit more stubborn at times! :)

The weather is gorgeous today. We played outside and jumped on the trampoline. Our new photos from Florida got posted on the web and we are excited to order them! Well, the kids are napping, so I better get to relaxing!

10 Years!

2008-05-24T09:11:00.001-07:00

We finally made it! We've been looking forward to our 10 year anniversary for a long time! Well, here it is! Happy 10 years! Every year Joey and I have our picture taken at one of our favorite spots in Florida. Praise God, it's been the best years of our lives!

Fun!

2008-05-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

Sophie and Eli have had more fun than ever at the beach this year! Sophie is figuring out how to swim! She's never had lessons and just does it her way! She wants to stay in the pool all day long! Eli likes to watch from the steps! He enjoys wading around. His favorite thing is to play in the sand on the beach!

Eli was sitting by Daddy at the pool today. They were talking to a little girl. Eli said, "Cool! What you been doing?" to the little girl! I guess that was his first pick-up line!

Tonight we plan to meet Macie to ride go-carts! The kids are so excited!

Visit our Website

2008-05-18T19:40:00.000-07:00

As you know, I take a million photos! It is much easier to upload onto my other website. Please check out our webpage at

www.kodakgallery.com/fulgham

2008-05-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

The Beach

2008-05-18T06:16:00.001-07:00

We woke to another day of beautiful weather! We look forward to seeing what the day unfolds. We enjoyed dinner at Olives lastnight and took a bike ride around the neighborhood. There were tents and a gorgeous wedding party on one of the lawns. This would be an amazing place to get married. We found several swimming pools- all infinity and gorgeous! Joey and Eli went to the beach late lastnight while Sophie and me played American girl.

Well, we're going to find some breakfast!

Rosemary Beach

2008-05-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

We made it to Rosemary beach and we've found paradise! The Fulgham's hope to be here every May from now on! What they say is true, it is amazing!

The shores are full of waves and sea shells live we've never seen! The streets are lined with gorgeous archetecture! Every nook and cranny has a beautiful bench, manicured flowerbed with unusual plants, and the softest grass you've ever stood on. It's great!

Our house is quite a treasure too! We dream of having something just like it! Just enough room for everything, but not a bit of detail forgotten!

We are having a blast! Well, the kids are coming in for more sunscreen! We are covering these white bodies!!!

Jackson, MS

2008-05-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! We had a wonderful night sleep! Daddy woke us at 7 am and we were on our way! We enjoyed chocolate muffins, fruit loops and bagels for breakfast! Daddy had great help carrying the luggage to the car! Then we were on our way! We got about an hour down the road on Empty and Daddy decided we better turn around to go back to the last gas station to get gas. We made it to the gas station! I think we had gotten 460 miles on one tank of gas!

Now we are snacking on Nemo treats and watching Thomas the Train! Joey is trying to approve his new billboard design, if they'll send us the file. You'll have to watch for him when you drive to Greenbrier! His 10 ft. head will be plastered to the billboard! And yes, Karin took the photo! Oh, we got the proof...

See you soon!

Karin

We're OFF!!!

2008-05-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

We are on our way to Florida! After an hour or two Eli was asking when we would be at the beach. But we've never had a better trip in the car! Eli and Sophie are so grown up! They've talked and watched movies and had a great time! What a blessing. I even drove to Memphis while Joey read a book. The whole way to Memphis he was asking me about my dreams and goals while he read the book that inspired him.

We ate at the Spaghetti Warehouse. It was great! The bar-b-que festival is going on every year when we are driving through, so the traffic was a bit slow. But it was worth the wait! The food was great and Eli loved the video games! Now we are on our way to Jackson! Just a couple of hours and we'll be to the hotel.

We plan to sink our toes in the sand tomorrow afternoon!

We are having so much fun! It's been such an easy trip compared to years past. The first trip we took with Eli was when he was 2 months old. Sophie was 1 yr. So this trip is a breeze! But we do miss our friends. The Ekenseairs are with us every year. We aren't going to know what to do without dinner plans! And Nichole is usually telling us all the scoop to make the time pass in the car! We wish she were here to enjoy the peace and quiet. She would be shocked. Sophie and Eli are so excited to know that Macie, Cole, and Trey will join us in a couple of days! Can't wait!

Well, we'll arrive in Jackson to stay the night around 8:30! Good night!

Vacation!!!

2008-05-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

Well, it's our favorite time of year! We start planning it in the Fall of the year before, thanks to our friend Niki. Now it's a tradition! We tried so hard to make it our anniversary trip w/out the kids, since it is our 10 year anniversary. We even tried to consider going to Hawaii. But, NO, we couldn't imagine being anywhere else the middle of May! So, Florida, here we come! Kids and all! We are packing up and getting so excited! The Florida Express leaves Thursday!!!

Yesterday Sophie told me that she wished I would have chosen to go to Hawaii. She has heard Joey talk of how he had always planned to go to Hawaii on our 10 year anniversary. I asked her why she would want me to go there. She said that it is b/c she wants to go to Hawaii. I had to break the news to her that she would have been staying home if I had chosen that trip. She said, Oh that is b/c it cost one hundred and one dollars to go there. I said, yes, that is right!

Last night Joey said, we are crazy. We had a week planned to go alone without the kids! He knows he had told my Mom that we were taking the kids before I had even made up my mind. He would be miserable walking around Watercolor w/out the kids. Can you imagine us getting ice cream alone every day- we would have been crying. Oh, it would have been miserable! You have to know us! We couldn't be happier with our decision to take the "two loves of our lives!" One day not so long ago we were afraid we'd never have those babies. What miracles God has given us!

Well, we are getting ready! We actually had the van maintenanced and cleaned! Whew! We are planning ahead! I have the kids bags and my bags packed! We have bought snacks and extra swimsuits. All we need is for Daddy to get off of work on time Thursday! Every year we plan to leave early Thursday! Daddy heads out to work, planning to get home early. I always have the car packed myself, last year we mounted the bags on top thanks to help from Cole and Trey, and we usually wait outside for an hour or two. Then Daddy gets home, throws his clothes in his bag, and adds it to the pile. It's hard to leave 20 rent houses and an insurance agency for an 11 day vacation! But, this is the only time he really takes off each year and we are looking forward to it!

So tomorrow will be Sophie's last day of preschool! When we return she will turn 5 and go to kindergarten next year! Tomorrow her school is having a beach party. How appropriate! She'll take a beach towel and flip flops and get to have a fun day! They'll get us in the mood for sunshine!

We'll see you all with lots of new photos when we return! Actually, our computer will work everywhere so I have no excuse not to update with beach photos frequently! (Actually, Joey reminded me to pack the computer so that he could work on his "business plan" while we are in Florida- WHATEVER!)

What a weekend!

2008-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sophie, Eli, and Joey made my weekend so special! First, Sophie and Eli helped me shop for the perfect gift for Mo! We went to every store looking for a certain gift. Then we ended up with a special bag full of goodies for her cruise! Sophie and Eli made her beautiful pictures too!

Sunday morning I woke to breakfast in bed! I brought it into the kitchen to join the family. Joey bought a griddle that I've been wanting and he surprised us all by making pancakes, eggs, and fresh fruit. Now we know! Joey can cook! We all got a kick out of Sophie's awareness that Mommy's plate was prettier than hers. Next time Daddy will be sure to use our finest china for ALL the girls! We also got ROSES! Sophie loves flowers as much as Mommy. Mommy got a beautiful card from Daddy with a spa giftcard and a special note! Mo also gave me a card that was so special.

After church we headed to Little Rock and took Mo to a special lunch! It was delicious! We got to see one of my old highschool friends. She got a kick out of how cute Eli was and how much Soph reminded her of me! Then we took Mo to the Fresh Market where we bought lots of goodies!

Mommy's favorite part of the day was taking the kids across the street to see the new puppies! They were sooooooooo cute! Wish we had a fence! Then we played on the trampoline. I love wrestling and pretending to be a horse or a puppy. It was so much fun!

I love you Sophie and Eli! Thanks for the best Mother's Day Ever!

Toad Suck Daze!

2008-05-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

Tuesday!

2008-05-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Sophie is counting down- 4 more days of school! She gets out early b/c we are leaving next Thursday to vacation in Florida! 9 days til we head to the beach! We are so excited! We get to celebrate our 10th anniversary this year! And we are celebrating Sophie's 5th birthday! What fun!

Today has been a nice day, other than all of the mosquito bites! Sophie and Eli have been playing outside and they are covered with mosquito bites, despite the layers of bug spray! THey are sweet like Mommy! I've never seen anyone get more bites than me, until Soph and Eli came along. All of this gorgeous greenery to thank for that!

We had a morning full of fun playing on the swing set and trampoline. Sophie and Eli can still fit in the little playhouse too. Daddy came home at 2 and we road to Conway with him. We got some deer corn on the way home and a weed eater that we need to use badly! We also got a new top to the trampoline! So many projects!

I told Mrs. Cochran that I would send treats for Soph's b-day to school. Sophie didn't want me too, but after mentioning that we wouldn't make a big deal out of it, Soph wants me to bring them tomorrow! She is so excited about turning 5! She came up with her own idea to make sleeping bag invitations for her b-day party. We'll see if that is available on the Internet- sounds like a good project for Aunt Jamie!

Well, I guess I'll try once again to upload all of my photos. I've been trying hrs at a time and it fails to go thru. We'll see if it will work today!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-05-04T20:11:00.001-07:00

Weekend at Ash Flat

2008-05-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

Sophie and Eli were thrilled to meet Taylor and Mo Friday afternoon! They ran and greeted them with hugs. They were excited to go stay the weekend with Mo!

Sophie and Eli said that they got to play with Adrienne and then go to Papa Howard's house. Sophie said that she sat on Papa Howard's horse. She still wonders if that horse has had a baby.

Today Mommy met JoJo for church. So Daddy went to pick the kids up in Heber. When Mommy returned from church, they were in the neighbors backyard eating hotdogs and celebrating someone's birthday! What fun!

Daddy got out swingset and trampoline to our house this weekend! We are so excited! Mommy made Sophie a new dress that she actually loves. Unfortunately it is a bit too small, so we'll have to make a new one! We're just excited that she likes it! She did let me take a few photos of her wearing the dress, so I'll post them soon!

Today Sophie and ELi had a blast at Toad Suck Days! They ate Tropical Snow, Cotton Candy, and bar-b-que! Then we had fun racing toads! Sophie announced that her Toad's name was Speedy and Eli's was named Lightening. Yes, Mommy did hold the toad this year. We held it until the appropriate time and then it didn't move one inch. Not one hop, then it was over and the frog hopped the wrong way. Sophie was about to cry b/c she knew her frog not only performed badly, it didn't perform at all. Then she heard that she got a ribbon and it was okay! We have lots of photos to show!

Finally Friday!

2008-05-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! Sophie and Eli have had an exciting week! Nana and Papa checked Sophie out of school early Wed. afternoon and brought her to Greenbrier! We played ball and relaxed all evening. Eli had his t-ball out and kept hitting it and running around the yard kicking up dust. He loved watching his feet in the dirt. He got really great at hitting the ball over and over. It was precious. He even slid on the dirt in slow motion like a real ball player a few times.

Yesterday we went to see some of their favorite people in Russellville!!! They had a blast! We met Nana and Gabby at Papa Hank and Nanny Joy's house. Papa road all three kids on the lawn mower, in the trailer, and on the four wheeler. Eli asked Papa to ride him again and Mommy told him to let Papa Hank rest. A few minutes later, Eli came and asked Papa why he was so tired. Papa Hank took his "que" and asked Eli if he knew where the four wheelers were. Eli led the way and away they went.

Sophie and Gabby had a blast playing and pretending together! One would play the piano and the other would sing. Then they would swing and giggle!

Nana threw the ball and the kids tried to hit it. Sophie hit it every time. Last night Sophie told Mommy that Nana is better at throwing the ball, but that it's okay. Mommy said, Yes.

Thursday night JoJo and Macey came to play. We went and got some of our lawn furniture and toys from the old house. We hope to get the rest this weekend.

We woke up this morning and took Sophie to school. We didn't have her favorite snacks ready, so Mommy and Eli took her lunch. We were late b/c her lunch time changed at the new school, but she got to eat with us anyway. She enjoyed sitting on Mommy's lap! We got to eat with the 1st graders and Sophie's friend, McKenzie, was sitting right by us. She finally recognized Sophie and couldn't believe how much she had grown since she saw her last year!

Eli and Mommy went to the fabric store. We tried for at least an hour to figure out what we needed to make Sophie's dress. Eli found lots of sports ribbon and buttons that he was proud of!

Now we are packing to go to Ash Flat! The kids get to spend the weekend at Mo's house!!! They can't wait to see Taylor! How fun! Well, we better get Soph and head North!

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

Check out my Slide Show!

2008-04-28T12:26:00.001-07:00

Eli at Play!

2008-04-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

As a Mom, I don't quite understand, but a little dirt and a few cars keep a boy happy...

Sophia

2008-04-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

Sophia is growing up on us! We enrolled her for kindergarten in the fall and Mommy is so glad that she gets to go half day. She turns 5 this summer and we can't believe it! Her three closest friends have turned 5 this month and it is really hitting home that she'll be 5 too! It seems like yesterday when she was 21 months old holding her new baby brother and we thought she was such a big girl! Little did we know!

Sophie went to a wedding with Mo this weekend and got a lot of attention! Mo was excited to show her off.

Daddy and Eli took a boys trip this weekend. They went to Fayettville to see the Razorbacks play. Daddy's fraternity brother let them on the sideline to watch the game and Daddy was in Hog Heaven!!! Eli too. Although, Eli is still scared of the mascotts. Eli is staying with his cousins Brennan and Landon and he is so excited! He talked about it all week long!

Sophie got to stay the night with baby Ella! She had a big time. I think we might have made Mr. Michael feel a bit out of place. He was bathing Ella when Sophie asked if she could get in the tub with Ella. Before you know it, Sophie was in the tub. Michael quickly turned around and mentioned that Ella's soapy hair needed to be rinsed and he was out of there! How Cute.