So much for...

...A quiet morning. You'll probably get lots of posts from me this summer like this one. The kids decided to break out their new water toy at 9:00 this morning.







Can you tell they are ready to go to the beach?

Lazy summer days

I took this picture this morning, because this is how we start most every summer morning.

Can you see them in there?

They both take all of their blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals out of their beds from the night before, and bring them to the living room to watch cartoons. We do have more furniture to sit on, but they prefer to sit right on top of each other. They can stay this way until either Mason gets hungry or Mallory gets down too many times. Then Mason will complain and ask her to move to the couch. This usually occurs around 10:00.

I just think its cute that they start their day like this, with all of their "friends" and each other.

On another note, I've had to devise a plan for Mason's eating habits. The other day, he wanted something to eat every 20 mins. So today, I set the timer and told him he'd have to wait until the timer went off. I'm setting it for 2 hour intervals. Otherwise, he'd want something from the kitchen at every commercial. Lets see if this works!

Summer fever/Updates

Mallory is feeling much better today. She spent two days on a cranberry juice diet, and we decided that chips and cheese would have to be put on hold for a while. Poor baby. She felt so bad. I felt bad for her, but she discovered that she loves cranberry juice!

We started our day today looking at a new house. We are in desperate need of more space, and the housing market is prime for buyers right now. If you know my husband, you know that making a decision on something takes him a long time. He takes forever (FOREVER!) to make up his mind. I've found more houses than you can count, but Christian is always looking for the best deal. Or is afraid to settle on something because "something better" may just be around the corner. Today, however, we did agree on this house. It was so cute. It was just off the square in Covington, which is prime property. It was 4br/3bth, and had a fenced in backyard. It was built in 1955 and had lots of character. And....it is a great price.

However, I'm just afraid that it won't be big enough. We have lots of big furniture. We inherited two big pieces of furniture from Christian's side of the family, and they are pieces I don't really want to give up. But this house was really cute. Mason said, "I don't want that to be my new house because it doesn't have stairs." Can you tell where his priorities are?

Later we met our friends for some walking and a concert on the square in Covington. It was southern rock, and we took a picnic. The kids had a great time playing in the grass/dirt/ants while we listened to the music. Melinda, however, had to make a quick trip to the drug store. Her daughter, Aubrey, got a piece of a peanut butter cookie in her mouth, but she's allergic to peanuts. It was only a few minutes (3-5) before Aubrey was scratching her tongue and drooling. Bless her heart! A few sips of Benedryl later, she was running around with everyone else.

I was pooped when we got home, so the kids let me lay on the couch with them and watch cartoons. We ended the day with some ice cream from Brusters, spagetti, and a bath. The kids were pooped by that time, and they were in bed by 7:30.

Another day in our lives. The kids are enjoying their summer break, and counting down the days to the beach! 6 days left!!!!!!

Okay, okay...

So I know I'm in big trouble with my mom. I haven't posted in nearly a week. (If I get this post done in time, it will be just under 7 days.) Its been a busy week. We had our last day of school (Yippee!), Mason's Pre-K graduation, we've been house hunting. That's never an easy process with Christian Lawrence. And just when I think we've settled on a house, he finds another one he wants to go look at before he makes the final decision. (Did I mention that this process has been on-going for 7 years?) One day I shall have a new house. Hope it happens soon, because we are quickly running out of room.

Oh yeah, we had our last soccer game last week and the end of the season awards banquet. It was fun for the kids and everyone got an award.





And to top things off, I think Mallory is sick. I'm going to call tomorrow morning to get her in to the doctor. I think its a UTI, so hopefully they can treat it quickly. She is just laying around the house, and isn't eating much. I feel so bad for her, and I haven't been able to get her to drink much. She truly is my child. When she's sick, she just wants to lay around and be petted by her mommy. I was (and still am) just like that!

On the upside, we head to the beach next weekend. Mother and I are taking the kids on Thursday morning to Gulf Shores. Daddy and Christian will come that evening after work. We got a great condo with beautiful views. I hope to get lots of relaxing time on the beach.

Until my next post...

Kindergarten Graduation

Mason's Kindergarten graduation was this past Monday night. He did so well during the program. They put on a long program (53 minutes) for the audience, but reciting scripture, reading poetry, reading from their books, and singing songs. It was really neat to see what he had learned in such a short period of time.

He received two awards: Friendliest and Best Reader

Mason's reciting the 2 vowel rule

Receiving his diploma from Mr. Tim and Dr. Allen

Elijah, Caroline, Daniel and Mason reciting a poem

Doesn't he look handsome? and so grown up!

The pledges

SNAKES ALIVE!

So, I sat down this afternoon to blog about Mason's graduation (which I will do later), when Mason came in from outside to ask me about the house broom. When I asked him what he needed it for, he says, "To move the snake off the driveway."

So I venture out to see what he's talking about, only to find Mallory petting it on the back. I thought it might be dead, but I got closer and found out that it was still moving.

New Header

Thank you to Emily's friend, Michele, for my new header. I love it!!!!!!!! It fits my children perfectly! Thanks so much, Michele!

Birthday wishes

Labor pain = 30 minutes

Recovery time = two weeks

Lost nights of sleep = 11 weeks

Happy laughter from a beautiful baby girl = Priceless for a lifetime

Mommy and Daddy love you very much, Mallory! Happy birthday!

Happy 4th Birthday, Mallory!

Every year for the past few years, we've had big birthday parties for Mason. This year, Christian said we had to do something big for Mallory's party. I agreed, so we asked Mallory what she wanted. Her answer was to go to the "jumpy place". (This is our gymnastics studio.) When I checked, however, they were having a competition on May 16th, so we couldn't have a party. So I asked her again and she opted for a princess party at the house. So I got together with my mom for ideas, invited all of Mallory's girlfriends from school, and this is what we got:

My princess opening her gifts!

Everyone enjoying their meal

The Princesses of the party!

Mallory after her complete make-over

Mallory and Ada making flip-flops

Ava, Reese and Ms. Emily making flip-flops

So cute in my birthday suit!

Each princess and prince had a seated place at the table

Props to my mom for making the flower centerpieces - beautiful!

The lunch table before the guests arrived

The party was great! Everyone had a great time and Mallory got just what she wanted. Thanks again to my mom for making the flower arrangements, gift bag tags and place cards, and for all her help. Thank you, Nanny, for cutting all the strips of fabric for the flip-flops. Thanks to Christian for missing a game of golf with his buddies, so he could help me set up and move all the furniture. Thanks Dad for the two trips to the grocery store. Thanks to my friends for helping with the finger nail polish, hair-dos and flip-flops! I couldn't do it without you!

Conversations with Mason

At dinner tonight, Mason and Mallory were discussing her latest scratch. She somehow gashed her finger on the shovel while they were outside playing. During dinner, Mason offers up that her blood is red. However, when it is inside her body it is blue. His direct quote was, "When it comes out of your body and hits the air, it (your blood) changes from blue to red." When I asked him "Where in the world did you hear that?" He replied, "A boy at church told me that was what happened."

After several minutes of trying to explain to him that he was incorrect, he wouldn't give in. He was convinced that he was right, and I was completely wrong. He's so much like my dad and my brother...its scary!

More habits...

 

You can't really see Mason in the collage. Thought I'd resend this one!

 

A few months back, Mom and Daddy took Mason to their property in Carroll Co. There is another family that lives close by, and they have a boy that is about Mason's age. His name is Creed. (Cool name!) On this particular day, Creed was out riding his four-wheeler when they got to the property. Mason was so excited and couldn't wait to ride. According to Mom and Dad, he took right to riding and wasn't scared at all. For several weeks afterward, this was all he talked about. He could't wait to go back to Creed's house to ride. There for a while, we thought we'd have to purchase a four-wheeler. Wonder what the neighbors would have thought about that idea? The last picture was his ride home!

BTW, Mom. This collage is through Picasa![Photo]

Simple Moments

 

Mom took this picture at her house back a few months ago. It shows a side of Mallory that most people don't get to see. She's so sweet, but can be a pistol!

Change is good

I'm working on my blog to make it look a little different. As previously stated, I like change. I don't like for it to look the same all the time. I've asked a friend to help me make the changes to my header, so pardon the mess. We're under construction.

With that said, I'm trying to make changes to myself. Last Spring, Sandy and I lost a fair amount of weight, and I was feeling good about myself. Then life goes on, and you start eating everything you want to, and as much as you can. I've recently gotten a new treadmill and I love to walk on it. (I also got an MP3 player, which I'm still trying to figure out how to use!) But the weight is not coming off as fast as it has in the past. My age is starting to catch up with me, and I haven't even hit 35 yet.

Oh well. I had salad and pasta for dinner. I'm headed to do 2 miles on the treadmill as soon as Dancing with the Stars goes off. I know I can change myself, just like I change the background on my blog. I just have to keep working on it, and ask my friends for help.

Pray for Christian. He had to go back to work tonight, so I don't know what time he'll get home. It makes me nervous for him to be downtown at this late hour.

My future...

One day, this is what I'll be looking at when Mallory finds a husband as wonderful as mine. Isn't she beautiful?

GCA Banquet

Tonight was the Grace Christian Academy end of the year awards banquet. It was very nice. They had an "Under the Sea" theme and the room was decorated like the ocean. Mason got three awards: Academic Excellence - K4, "A" Honor Roll, Outstanding Scripture Memorization Award

We were so proud of him and how far he has come over the last few months. It was a dress-up affair, so both of them dressed in their best outfits. We borrowed Mallory's dress from Ava Faith because it was so beautiful. They looked so handsome. Mallory, however, asked my mom a quick question before we left the house. She stopped my mom as we were getting ready to leave and said, "I'm not marrying Mason, am I?" She seemed truly concerned!

Overall, it was a great night! Congrats, Mason! Mommy and Daddy are very proud!



Receiving an award from Mr. Tim, the Principal



Showing off his trophy for Academic Excellence



Ms. Janie, his teacher



My beautiful children

Infamous shoes...

Summer time, Summer time, sum, sum, Summer time! Well, its not quite Summer time. But you wouldn't know that by looking at my kids playing in the back yard. But the reason I'm making this post is because of these shoes. My mom asked me to take these pictures, I'm assuming she's working on something creative. But the story is:

I bought these rain boots for Mason when he was two years old. From the time I purchased them, until just recently, he wore them everywhere. And I do mean every where. He didn't care what the temperature was outside, he wanted to wear them. We even had a family portrait made when Mallory was about 15 months old. Mason just had to wear those shoes. Back then, I was so stressed out, I didn't care if he wore his bathing suit. Looking back now, I'm glad he talked me into it that day. Now I have precious memories of Mason and the boots. Notice the crack in the middle of the shoe. They actually have cracks all over them.



As for Mallory's flip flops, she just picked these out. I needed her foot in the picture, and she just in general loves shoes. So I asked her to go pick out her favorite pair of shoes and this is what she came back wearing. However, I just love it. She chose a pair that matched Mason's shoes and a pair that shoes off her little baby feet. She's still got that baby fat around her toes.

They didn't quite get what the pictures were for, and neither do I really. But I'm sure its something wonderful!

It's Spring again!!!

Anybody that knows me, knows that I don't mind change. I rearrange my furniture every chance I get. I like to change clothes, I change my nail polish color at every pedicure, and I get a new hairstyle every time I go to the salon. I asked Leigh (the girl who does my hair) if it bothered her that I asked for something new every time. Her response was "I wished everyone changed their hair this much!". It made feel good. Also, if you know me, I have very thick hair with lots of body. Not so much "curl" but just enough body for the humidity to have fun! It drives me crazy. So I get to wear my hair straight and somewhat long in the winter, but I have to go short in the Spring/Summer.

So, today was my day at the salon. Leigh did a great job, and I love it short! Now it won't matter how humid it is outside. I can just add more palmaide(sp?)! I look a lot like my mom with short hair.

Kitty was hungry!

The kids and I got home from school this afternoon, and Castor, (our cat), was in the laundry room/pantry/computer room. She apparently got hungry before we got home. This was the mess she made with the bag of cat food. It was all over the floor! As if I don't have enough to clean up already! Good grief.

Time to think

In the last year, we've gotten our kids accustomed to going to bed at an early time. I shoot for 7:00, and sometimes I make it. But usually its around 7:15 or 7:30 before they make it down. Dinner usually runs late, and then the kids get dirty outside while I'm cooking, so they really need a bath. However, the last two nights have been dead-on 7:00. I'm not sure what I'm doing right, but I hope I keep it up.

When they go to bed, Christian is usually not home. I have about an hour to sit and think, sleep, read, watch "my" TV, or anything I want to do. (I should be blogging!) Its becoming my favorite time of the day. I spend so much of my day conversing with my kids (which I'm not complaining about). They just talk a lot. Its the only time I can think a thought through without someone interrupting. (Christian is really bad about that!) I love spending time with Mason & Mallory, but this is "my time of the day". It makes me happy. I hope that doesn't sound too selfish.

Take me for a ride!

From time to time, Christian buys cars cheap and then resells them. A few nights ago, he purchased this convertible, which we've all fallen in love with. The kids saw the car yesterday morning, and the kids have been dying to ride in the car ever since. Christian brought it home early today and took the kids for a spin.