Red and "White" weekend

We called the HOGS this weekend, and it WORKED! (finally) They answered with a nice win over Texas A&M (or as Allie referred to them as the ATM). More fun than the game was time spent with fam. The White family cousins ran and screamed all over Mando's house. Thanks for hosting us all Mando. We also hooked up with old friends from school, but somehow I didn't get one picture with them. BOO!

Outside the stadium before it started pouring down rain!

A valiant attempt at a grandkid picture. Poor Zach had to wake up from his nap for this one.

Bunny and Allie (sporting her new tooth coming in)

Bo had just made the comment that he never dreamed he'd be holding a kid with "an SEC" uniform on...or something to that effect. Sorry BO...but I'm really not.

I was so glad to see Katie, Jason, and Zach. Don't know if you saw my "button" with their pic on it on the right hand side of my blog. It is a reminder to continue to hold them up with your prayers. Their strength is inspiring and will encourage your heart if you want to jump on over to Katie's blog and read her recent posts about Reese.

Silly girls

Me and my boys

Garrett is relating to Zach and "Abba" a little better now that he's a two legged animal instead of a four-legged one. He and Zach were doing what boys do...trying to come up with a way to get that balloon off the ceiling! Zach had eyes for me some weeks ago when we were with them, but I've apparently lost my luster. He's so CUTE!!!

Abby was a HOOT! She's such a sweet little girl, and I love to see her personality come out. I'll brag because Mando won't...she's a smarty pants...told me her name was A-B-B-Y!!!! I can't believe her 2 year old vocab. Allie made the comment, Abby talks like a big girl!

Swiper no swiping

There's the guilty face whom I have been chasing. I haven't been blogging because that sweet face swiped my memory card adaptor. I put it at the back of my desk one night, and forgot to plug it back into the slot on my computer. The next night, it was gone. Therefore I've had no way of uploading pics for a while. It didn't show up in his diaper (don't worry it was too big to swallow), but I have given up looking, and just bought a new one:)

Swiper
I was making some broccoli salad and had placed the sunflower seeds on the counter. I went to put them in, and swiper had made off with those too. I found them in the book basket in the toy room. I have just forgotten so quickly what this age is like! Now that he's walking, he has 2 free hands...but he's MUCH happier!
Mary was pooped after school last week, and found a comfy place to rest.

Katie had an assignment on her blog. She asked her friends to take a pic of Reese's name for a name gallery. She used legos to make her name, and so I asked Allie what we should do. We were eating pomegranted seeds at the time, so that seemed like a logical thing to do:)

Grandparents' Day

Sorry for the poor quality video. Allie was on the very opposite end......but if you listen closely you can probably hear her as usual!

On my last nerve

Good gracious. Next time I have something strange going on with me but not life altering I will learn to KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT. I should've waved the white flag a week or two ago and said I was "feeling" just fine, meaning I was feeling.

In actuality, my numbness has lingered a bit, so the good Dr. Neurologist suggested that I undergo "nerve conduction studies" this week. That's just a fancy word for SHOCKING ME WITH ELECTRODES to make my muscles jump up and down. It brought a new meaning to "hit a nerve." That's exactly what it felt like.....over and over and over. I went in thinking he would just do my legs, but he then decided to do my arms. One was slightly delayed, so then he decided to check the other. Glad I ran out of limbs to check.

Oh well...I'm normal. I have no signs of extensive nerve damage. All of this will resolve in the next few weeks, and I'm DONE. Remind me not to complain about anything ever again.

M-A-R-Y

....and that spells Mary. "I spelled it all by myself", said Mary to me this morning before school. She was so ready to go after dropping off Allie every day for two weeks. Tomorrow will be a big disappointment for her:)

I asked her what she learned today. Allie always said things like, "I played on the play ground....or I ate lunch". Mary said things like, "Ms. Sheila says to sit on my bottom and not on my legs. She told me to use my manners like say please and thank you, so I will do that mommy." Mary is definitely my "listener." She's attentive to details, and takes it all in. Who does she sound like???? Well certainly I think she is alot like hubs.

Little brother...

.....big MESS! This weekend has been LONG LONG LONG! I don't exactly look forward to a long holiday weekend because it's not terribly uncommon that the hubs has to work. Don't get me wrong, the longer we are married, the more his schedule "grows" on me. It has its perks, and I'm thankful for the time off during the week where I can zip kids around without disturbing Garrett too badly.

Tonight our NOT SO SMALL group (somewhere around 19 kiddos ...and not sure about adults) met at the playground. I had a grumbly attitude about it before I went actually. I thought here I go...dragging these kids to a cook out. Normally fixing their plates alone makes me crazy because they all need something at the same time.

What a blessed time a simple playground cookout was for me tonight! I needed to get out; the kids have been running around me in circles this weekend..particularly Garrett. He has cried for days for some reason. I didn't hear a peep out of him tonight. I mean look at this face! He just wanted to get out and get dirty!




He even walked quite a bit!

Just as they always have, everyone helped me take care of the kids. I went to fix a plate...it was already fixed. I'm packing up my stuff and my chairs are already walking to the car. They always want to help, and I'm always acting like I got it for some crazy reason. I'm so thankful for these people. I'm glad I didn't miss out on a blessing tonight! Let someone help you this week whether you need it or not! I highly recommend it:)

An after school birthday wish

I picked Allie up from school today and headed out to the Lion's Den. Little Lion turned 6 today. Surely you've seen him by now. He was Allie's first friend....literally. We had lived here 2 weeks and attended small group for the first time...which has evolved, but we are still in the same group. A 2 year old little lion cub greeted us at the door. I don't remember what he said, but I KNOW it was along the lines of "I"M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU!" If there is one thing about Little Lion that sets him apart, it's his greeting. He's always happy to see Allie, Mary, and Garrett. Happy Birthday sweet friend! You've only changed a tiny bit:)