Boys of summer

I am so excited that Ethan is learning to play guitar this summer! He is going to be our music man for sure. He has had about 6 lessons so far. He knows several cords and loves to put them together to write songs to play for us. Yesterday, I walked into Ethan's room... Ethan was on guitar, Jack was rockin' out on the drums (shoe boxes) & Lily was singin' her heart out (in to the bed post)! They actually sounded great! I know that I need to encourage this side in all of them, but I am not at all musically gifted. This looks like a job for ...Superdad!

Jack really wants to get a real set of drums for Christmas. My dad had a set growing up. I think I need to talk to my Gramma before the big purchase. My dad did live in a room that they made in the garage (he is the 2nd of 4 boys)- could the drums be to blame?

Jack & his friend Eli with Ethan & his friend Austin. We are so thankful for the great friends that our boys have!

Family Fun Night

We love Vacation Bible School !
How many pictures of these boys do we have together, Sandra & Tara? Levi, Matthew & Jack have been great friends since they were in Mrs. Penny's 2 yr. old class! We miss you, Tyler!

Lily loves Isaac!

Actors in our "Elijah the prophet" VBS play- the prison gaurd, Jezebel & King Ahab

Our good friends: Molly & Laurie

"My little Rebublican"

This is my niece, Piper Ann. Sarah calls her- "my little republican". Let me tell you why..
Piper is Lily Kate's age (they are 6 weeks apart). Lily & Piper are best friends. We LOVE to have Piper come stay with us when she is in from Austin.
I like to spoil the girls. We put blankets on the floor and watch princess movies. We make a big mess and eat things I'll never tell Sarah about. I took them to the toy store to spend Lily's birthday money and bought Piper a barbie too.
Sarah now has admitted to me that when Piper is at home- she pretends that she is me. She puts everything "in it's place" and desperately wants a mini van. (Let me make it clear that I did not desperately want a mini van, but they are roomy & get great gas mileage- who can resist that?)
Sarah & I are very different. I like to drink milk from a cow. She likes to drink soy. Nothing major. It is these differences that make it so fun for us to be together. She thinks it is funny that a tie dye wearin' mama & a motorcycle ridin' daddy have a daughter that will probably be head cheerleader someday. We'll see...
I love you Sarah! Tell my best friend Piper I said, "hello"

It's a great day for a white wedding!

Chris & Leslie
07-07-07
This wedding was incredibly romantic. Too bad Donald wasn't there to enjoy it with me. Everyone was dancing and laughing. I love spending time with my family!
These are my parents. This is what 30 years of marriage looks like... they make it look great- don't they?!!

My sweet (& funny) grandparents, Will & Libby. This is what 55 years of wedded bliss looks like! I can't wait!

07-07-07

i lOvE my cOUsIns!!!

Brittany & Hailey

Taylor, Sarah, Brittany, me, Hailey & Laura

Rain, Rain Go Away

Ethan & Reagan

Matthew & Jack

Sawyer & Lily

The kiddos have been couped up inside for way too long now. So, I decided to let each one invite a friend over to play so that I could have 6 (instead of 3) kids running around inside my house. What was I thinking? (just kidding, Lisa & Sandra- the kids were sweet! We love having them over.)

Swing Kids

Our 4th of July was a little uneventful, yet GREAT at the same time.

"8 is Enough"- Cousin Camp

Jack, Bubba holding Rowan & Layla, Ben, Piper, Nana holding Reese
Ethan & Lily



Below: My sisters & I with our husbands taken last summer

Laura, Travis, Shawn, Sarah, Donald, me, Jeremiah & Lindsey

Piper, Lily & Ben

Jack, Lindsey & Ethan on pick-up day

"Ode to my parents- Mike & Ann" (a.k.a. Bubba & Nana)-

How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways...

My parents are the best! Every summer they keep my kids and all of my sisters kids for 5 days. Not only do we get a much needed break from parenting... the kids LOVE it! They spoil them rotten. Jack & Lily have 3 cavities each to prove it. (Just kidding- that was my fault.) They plan out each day full of awesome "camp" activities like: several visits to Krispy Kreme (did I spell that right?), They feed the fish @ the Japanese water gardens, they go on a treasure hunt (yep-my parents actually dig a hole in the backyard), night time swims in my parents pool, movie day an so much more. How can we compete with that?

Donald & I took the kids to Six Flags the day after we brought them home to remind them that we are fun too!

Another weekend, another wedding

Another weekend, another wedding. This is a picture of Ethan, Jack & their older cousin Trenton... they idolize him. We were at their oldest cousin, Curtis' wedding. Curtis is in med school at A&M. Ethan thinks that he is going to be an aggie because of him. But we all know that he is destined to be a Wildcat. Go ACU!!!

Congratulations Curtis & Emily! 6-16-07

The first picture is Ethan & Jack at the Star Wars Exhibit. We had the most fun in the gift shop. They wanted me to take pictures of everything... but I will not make you endure dozens of pictures of lightsabers, clone troopers & costumes worn by the "real Anikan".