Beach, please!

In April, Brandon was called to look at a practice in Ft. Walton and we stayed in San Destin, Florida in April. It was a whirlwind, but it was nice to get out of town. I love this picture because of Owen's smile and how Lane wants to be by her daddy. He's clearly a favorite. He's the best!

Yesterday, we just got back from Orange Beach, Alabama. It was strictly a beach/pool bum situation. We didn't do anything constructive really...or new or exciting. IT WAS FABULOUS!!! Just like last year the kids shared a room and the first night they are always a little giddy about that. The first night, Owen's response to the reason they were still up was, "I was just testing my hypothesis....I fink that if we point the blinds down then it will be darker in the room and we will be able to sleep.".... hilarious!!!! He was instructing Lane from his bed, how to make the blinds on the window change direction. That saying comes from one of his favorite shows, Dinosaur Train. I love it.

Owen and I went on a date to see "How to train a dragon" and Lane went for more pool time with her daddy. It works out perfect because Owen and I are "inside" people and Lane and her daddy are water bugs!

I love going to the movies!! Got to see the Sex and the City Sequel with Brooke and Amy! Yay for the Movies!!!

This trip was very relaxing. Lane was still swimming like a fish and was very good at holding her breath. At this pool, Owen can touch the bottom, so that was helpful since he hasn't taken swimming lessons yet. Chris was definitely missing from the equation, but he has been working on having a fantastic summer with his friends. He was definitely missed though...

Last year we let the kids go to Build-a-Bear and make a bear, so this year we brought them back to give them baths and pick out an outfit. Owen had a hard time choosing between Jedi, the storm trooper, or Spiderman. He went with the storm trooper, it was surprising. What wasn't surprising was that Lane chose the dog bowl, the fur trimmed bed, and the baby bear as companions to hers. Just like her momma, she loves the accessories! ha

All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend the last vacation Brandon will have til this Fall. I just love my sweet family. The kids are getting so big. Owen and I even played dominoes...next year probably scrabble...awwweee...

Overdue for an update!

So much has happened in the past few months! Probably the biggest event, besides prom is that our nephew Chris graduated high school just a few weeks ago and it has been an amazing journey. Chris moved in with us 2 years ago so that he could concentrate on graduating. He's wanted to move to Mobile for some time and with the transfer from Florida to Alabama there were a few hoops he had to jump through....but he's finished now and had all A's and B's coming thru! Yay Chrissy-poo. His graduation was the first event so far to bring more of us together after losing Ricky last summer. I know that Ricky would be SO proud of him.

These were a couple of years, I hope that Chris will always take with him. He was such a kid, but had all the big boy requirements that Owen has a few years to take over =). He only had 2 main rules, you know them Chris! I think he knows we are always here and if he needs us, we've got his back. We know he will continue to do well and embrace his opportunities. He has never let his circumstances define him, so I pray that he can just continue to learn through everything in his life, good or bad.

Happy Graduating to the next big thing! SouthBound!

Wii

So Brandon and I are always amazed at how Owen knows how to work our phones and play games that we ourselves don't quite understand. The other day in the Apple store in Birmingham, he picked up an iPod touch and just started playing some hang gliding game...he was occupied the whole time we were shopping. Anyway, it's really cute to me that he can play the Wii. The Nichols gave us a Wii Nintendo gaming system for Christmas and it has been a blast. Who knew 30 somethings would enjoy video games this much. We were like kids setting it up. Brandon has played it daily...it's hilarious. He's been trying to scope out a deal on MarioCart, one of his favorites from the old skool Nintendo.

Here's Owen playing tennis. He almost beat us in bowling the other night too! He bowled a 100! I have a feeling that soon I'll be the underdog.

A hug for Santa

Christmas morning was wonderful. We got the kids up around 6:30 since we heard Owen starting to move around in his bed. Owen walked into the living room and spotted his loot and took off running. He said, "Bakugans? Transformers?"...He was thrilled and almost didn't believe it was all there. Lane immediately started playing with her girlie toys and it was funny to see them stay in their respective Boy/Girl areas. We set up the computer in the living room so we could skype with the Nichols.

After all of it, Owen asked me if I could get Santa to come back so he could give him a hug and tell him thank you. It was really sweet. He keeps asking though...and I think he thinks Santa is avoiding him...=)

We hope everyone had a sweet Christmas like we did. Seeing Christmas through our childrens' eyes really reminded us of the miracle all of it is. Merry Christmas everyone! Enjoy the pictures.

Owen sings

I wanted to post this because Owen is so reserved when he is around other people. It's him singing and at the end he is just cute. This is how he always is at home, but is a mild mannered man when out in public =). This is from a couple months ago. I love him.

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Christmas Countdown

The first thing that made it feel like Christmas was when the kids sang "Happy Birthday Jesus" and gave their Christmas gift to Jesus. Lane refused to give up her bag of coins...kinda funny actually, it fits.

About 2 weeks before Christmas, Lane decided to run into her room with a string of Christmas lights. She single-handedly brought down our 9 foot Frasier Fur. I was so upset that it was on the front porch for a week. Today, when we were in the car and Owen was singing "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer", she was singing "Christmas Tree fall down"...now I can laugh about it, but it took til now, honestly =).

We went to Anniston/Oxford, AL to spend time with Brandon's family for Christmas. It was bittersweet because we could spend time together and slow down, but were also sad that they couldn't come to our house. With Grandmama going thru chemo treatments, it was better this way. Here are some pics from our visit there this week.

This year Owen has been into every action figure ever made. He went from Power Rangers, to Transformers, to Star Wars, and now Bakugan. It's been interesting to follow his ever changing ideas of what Santa should bring him. Finally when we wrote Santa a letter a couple weeks ago, he was set on Bakugan Battle Brawlers and Transformers, primarily Optimus Prime and Bumblebee! So we'll see what the big man brings him =) WE ARE SO EXCITED to wait for Santa this year. Both of the kids have the cutest reactions to surprises now.

Tonight we made cupcakes for baby Jesus' birthday and left 2 for Santa. We also left carrots for his reindeer. Owen is pretty excited, Lane just keeps eating the icing off of her cupcake and asks for "more, pease".

This is at Priesters on the way home from The Nichols'. We stop there pretty much every time we travel. If Murphy is with us, we let him walk him. It's sweet.

Thankful and Lane's Birthday

With all of the different things going on right now, Brandon and I weren't able to pull off a big birthday party for Lane, but she had a great birthday with so many people that love her around her all weekend. The Nichols' came to be with us during Thanksgiving, so on Thanksgiving night, we had cup cakes in honor of Lane's 2nd birthday. Whenever she sees cakes, she says, "YAY, Party!"...it's very sweet. Here's a slideshow of the 2 years of Lane...

Although Thanksgiving was very different it was probably the most thankful I've ever been. The past few months have been very hard so I've realized that I'm thankful that today I'm tripping over my children because they need me every minute of the day, because tomorrow, they'll be grown. They are beautiful, healthy, and happy.

I'm thankful for family and health...I never understood when people would say they were thankful for their health....this year, I get it.

Probably something I realized to be thankful for this year is the friends that I know God has placed in my life, "for such a time as this".

Every year, if you ever asked me what I was thankful for, without hesitation, I would say Brandon....that's still the case. Sometimes, hard times strain relationships, but it has only made Brandon and I closer and our marriage stronger. Recently after reviewing our budget and upcoming expenses like Christmas, property taxes, etc, we agreed and we were thankful that all we had to worry about as a couple right now was money...it's probably the least of concerns a couple could have when you really think about it.