The Parks Family

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-25T08:50:00.002-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month! I am LOVING all of the pink items in stores this month! I am also loving that a portion of each purchase is going to support the cause. Presley was really excited when I brought home the pink bag of chips last night!

New craft blog - Whooooo Hooooo!

2010-10-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

I am starting a new crafty blog called Jillify It to document my creative adventures! Please visit me there and become a follower! I have been doing a lot more crafting the last few months and wanted to have a separate place for all things crafty!

www.jillifyit.blogspot.com

Crafting with Presley -

2010-10-17T18:07:00.003-05:00

Presley and I had a fun time last night making her a new binder for school. Her old one was falling apart!!! She picked out the colors and helped with the Cricut. She learned a lot about how to use it! I love having a little crafting buddy!

As I was tucking her in bed last night she told me she had a fun time crafting with me...love it. I think we will be doing a lot more crafting together from now on!

I think it turned out soooo cute!

Christmas Cards!

2010-09-29T11:11:00.006-05:00

I have been a busy little girl making our Christmas cards! Since I am not teaching this year, I decided to make my own. I questioned my decision about half way through, but I kept going and finished! I love how they turned out!

Participating in these linky parties!http://www.creationsbykara.com/http://www.morethanfavors.blogspot.com/http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/http://meandmybucket.blogspot.com/http://www.mybackyardeden.com/

Front Door Linky Party!

2010-09-21T19:46:00.000-05:00

This is my front door, and my darling little girl! Kristin over at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia is having a Front Door Link Party, and I thought I'd join the fun.

I painted the door black and added the Welcome using a taupe colored vinyl. It pops against the black paint!

Lots of changes coming!

2010-09-10T11:04:00.000-05:00

There have been lots of changes in our family since I have blogged last! We are moving to Oklahoma! Brandon has a wonderful new job opportunity in Bartlesville. He has already started work and will be driving home on the weekends until our house sells and we can buy one up there.

I had to resign as a 1st grade teacher right before school started. It was weird not starting the school year teaching, but it has been super nice to resume my stay at home mom duties! Payton and Presley are adjusting well to the news of moving. We went to Bartlesville a couple of weekends ago to look at houses and they loved the town! I think it will be a great place to raise our kids. Pray that our house sells soon so that we can join Brandon in Bartlesville!

This is our home in Texas for the last 10 years. It is going to be so hard to say goodbye to it after all these years! So many memories!

Presley's Box

2010-02-10T13:18:00.001-06:00

Presley had to bring a decorated shoe box to school today to put her Valentine cards in. Things are crazy with me working and we were pressed for time so we used a pre-made red box from hobby lobby (on sale for $1.00!!!). We spent a couple of minutes decorating it and I think it turned out adorable!

Posted from my iPhone

Great Grandmother ~ Great Grandaughter

2010-01-30T12:50:00.002-06:00

Isn't this a precious sight? Presley and her Great Granny Luker had a great day together. They spent the day snuggling and crafting together. Special times!

They made a bear together. I'm sure this will be something that Presley will cherish forever!

This is really happening!

2010-01-20T20:28:00.002-06:00

I simply cannot believe it. I am blogging! I had to try several times to get the correct password to log in... I know, that's a really bad thing.

My life has been CRAZY over the last year or so. Here are just a few of the changes that have taken place in my life:

Fly to Birmingham, Alabama with my husband for a job interview. They offer it to him while we were there! We both about have heart attacks... we then start looking at houses and try and get a feel for the area. Let me say that it is BEAUTIFUL there. We fly back home and are about 90% sure that we will accept the offer. We sleep on it and pray and pray and pray and pray and pray a lot more. It then becomes clear to us that Birmingham is WAY too far away from our family!
A few months later.......... A kindergarten position comes open at Payton and Presley's school. This is the school where I used to teach before staying home. I decide to interview because it is at the only school I want to teach at & I don't know when another opening will come along. I get the job and start working on my classroom over the summer. Let's just say that I spent many, many hours getting this classroom ready.
I transition back into teaching. After one week there teaching kindergarten I get called into the principal's office. This was on Friday morning. She tells me that our kindergarten numbers are way too low. We only had about 15 in each class. My options are: to resign, or to go teach 1st grade at another school in the district. I didn't even have a clue where this school was at! I cry and cry a little more and call Brandon from the office. He proceeds to tell me that it is my decision and he will support me in whatever decision I make. I REALLY wanted to walk out and continue the comfort of being a stay at home mom, but something in me said to PUT ON MY BIG GIRL PANTS AND GO FOR IT! I am so glad that I did! It wasn't an easy road. I had to pack up my classroom, say goodbye to my kindergarten kids, leave the place where my two girls attended and move into my new classroom at a school that was very unfamiliar. I started teaching my new class that next week. Talk about a rough start back to teaching after taking 7 years off!! I really believe that God led me to my new school for a reason. I have made so many awesome new friends and have bonded with my new class.
Brandon is now working in North Dallas. This has been a big adjustment because he has a long commute! With me working and him not getting home until much later in the evenings... let me just say life is a little more hectic!!!

Okay with all that said, things are starting to slow down a little and I am getting into a nice routine. Soooooo, you might just hear a little more from me now!

Dining Room

2009-05-21T20:00:00.005-05:00

Show Us Where You Live Friday!!! Click on the picture above to go to Kelly's blog. You will find MANY more dining rooms to view!

I'm soooo sorry, but my camera battery is dead.... I will have to use some older pictures & you will have to get out your reading glasses! You can see most of the dining room from this picture. I made the curtains to match the ones in the formal living area. It's really bugging me that the lamp cord is showing and is not tucked behind the curtain, but oh well... I can't take another picture because of the camera battery!!!

We purchased our dining room table & chairs when we moved in our house 9 years ago. I love them!! The fruit topiary things are no longer on the buffet. I have the lamps on there as seen in the first picture.

Brandon & I got the buffet at an antique store while on an anniversary trip a couple of years ago! Love the green! There you go... short & sweet!

Update on the triplets!

2009-05-16T10:48:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted in a while about our neighbor's triplets. They are doing GREAT and getting bigger & stronger every day! They are now 12 weeks old and Olivia has been home now for a week! Praise God!

I got to go to the hospital and see the girls last week, just before Olivia was able to come home. I just cried... they are so beautiful and are perfect examples of the power of prayer! God is good!

Elia and Bianca should be able to come home soon. Presley & Payton were excited that they got to go & see Olivia once she came home. I have included a new picture of the girls. Please remember to pray for them!

From left to right: Bianca, Elia & Olivia

Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T21:25:00.003-05:00

I LOVE Mother's Day!! I've been a mom for 10 years now and it gets better each and every year! I had an awesome Mother's Day. We went to church and then took my Mom out to lunch at Outback. We then came home and changed & headed to see Brandon's Mom. We went out to dinner with her & Brandon's dad at Pei Wei. Lots of eating today... I'll have to hit the gym extra hard this week!

Being a mom is so rewarding! Here are a few of my favorite things about being a Mom.

Hearing my sweet girls say Mama
Getting hugs & kisses from them
Being the one they run to when they are hurt or scared
Having girly time with them
Snuggling with them when they're sleepy
Hearing them giggle
Watching them play together (without fighting! Ha!)
Listening to them pray their sweet prayers
Getting all of the handmade cards & pictures they make for me
Watching them have fun playing with their Daddy

My Formal Living Room & Family Room

2009-05-08T13:07:00.005-05:00

It's time again for Show Us Where You Live Friday!Living & Family Room Edition

This is the view of my family room from my formal living room. This is the room where we do most of our "living". The chair is my blogging spot... I get cozy with my laptop & get lost in blog world!

Looking into the kitchen eating area.

Any ideas on what to put in the top drawer of this table??? I'm at a loss! It has to look pretty because the top is glass! Please send me your suggestions!!!!!!

I LOVE my pictures of my baby girls! This is my favorite area of my room! Each picture was taken when they were 3 weeks old.

Notice the duck on the left side of the room... not my favorite decor item in the room, but it does hold special meaning to my husband and my oldest daughter! My daughter killed her first duck on the day this duck was shot. My husband had the red head mounted so that they could always remember their special day together. You can read about it here on my husband's blog.

This is a picture of my formal living room. My favorite thing about this room is my armoire. I found it on craigslist and only paid $100 for it... I know, I really hit the jackpot on this item!!! She said that she paid over $2000 for it a couple of years ago!

Looking in from the family room.

Standing in the dining room... I made the curtains about three years ago & still love them.

View from the hallway to the master bedroom. The kitchen is on the right and the family room is on the left. My kids love to run circles around this fireplace through the rooms!

Thanks for taking time to tour my rooms! I can't wait to start the tour of all of your rooms!

My Kitchen

2009-05-01T12:45:00.006-05:00

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner is having a Show Us Where You Live Party! Since it has been forever since I have posted and have been on somewhat of a "bloggy break", I thought it would be fun to get back in the swing of things by showing off my kitchen! Every Friday, she will focus on a different room of the home... how fun!

This is a picture of my little kitchen standing right beside the kitchen table. Our kitchen is small, but I love it! The cabinets were white when we bought the house. I antiqued them and my husband put in the granite countertops. There was also a lot of fruit/floral wallpaper everywhere!!! I ripped THREE layers of it off and textured the walls. My handy husband & his dad put up the beadboard for me. Much better!

This is the view looking in from the formal living room. I scored big when finding this antique table at Canton while shopping with my sister!

This is the view from the kitchen area looking into the eating area. Formal living in on the left and the family room is on the right.

This is my area. I found this desk on the side of the road with a free sign on it! Of course I had to snatch it up and paint it... it was in pretty bad shape!

As you can see, I LOVE to decorate! I am always changing out everything.

This is one of my new favorite areas. The door to the left goes out to the garage. We use the baskets to keep our keys, sunglasses, etc...

The view of the cooking area... I would love to get a new black smooth cooktop & a new sink, but it's fine for now.

I have my kitchen radio playing all day every day. Love, love, love it!!!

The area where the black cabinet & desk are is where we used to have the kitchen table. It was a tight fit, so I decided to move it into the open part & we like it much better! It made room for the black cabinet (which holds all of my daughter's art supplies) & my desk!

I have pictures of the babies!

2009-03-02T13:42:00.005-06:00

Please continue to pray for our friends who live across the street from us! They sent me pictures of their sweet girls to share with all who are praying for them! Sometimes it helps to see who you are praying for. They are adorable!

This is a picture of Elia. She is the smallest of the three. Please pray that she will not have to have heart surgery. It is a possibility. They are hoping that the problem corrects itself in the next few days.

This is her daddy's wedding ring. It is massive on Bianca's tiny arm!

This is Olivia. She is the biggest sis. Angel & Sabrina say that she is doing great! They got to hold her for the first time a few days ago!

This is Bianca. She had heart surgery last Tuesday & is doing good. Look how huge the hat is on her!

Thank you so much for praying for this family & for Olivia, Bianca & Elia. They really appreciate your prayers!

Cookies are everywhere!!!

2009-02-27T16:24:00.005-06:00

Let's just say that I have been a BUSY girl today! My hands are cramping from all of these... Payton came home from school a little while ago and was very pleased with my creations for her party tomorrow. She seems to think that they will be a hit at her birthday party tomorrow night! I sure hope they are!

Update on the triplets!

2009-02-19T15:15:00.002-06:00

I just came back from our neighbor's house across the street and Angel said that the babies are hanging in there. Bianca had heart surgery on Tuesday & is doing good. Elia is the smallest of the three and are really worried about her. Please pray that she will keep on fighting! Today was a wonderful day for Sabrina... she was able to hold Olivia for the first time! Olivia is the biggest and strongest of the three and is doing great!

Thank you all for praying for this sweet family. I told Angel today that a lot of people were praying for his sweet baby girls and he was really appreciative. He said that all of the prayers are working & keep praying!!!

Please PRAY!

2009-02-15T11:41:00.002-06:00

Our neighbors across the street, Angel & Sabrina had their triplets on Wednesday. Sabrina has been in the hospital on bedrest for the last 5 weeks. Her water broke and they had to do a c-section. The babies, Olivia, Elia & Bianca were born at 25 weeks weighing 1lb. 12oz., 1lb. 11oz. & 1 lb. 10oz. One of the girls is already breathing on her own!! The other two are needing lots of help, but are doing good so far. Please pray for these sweet baby girls as well as for their parents... they have a long road ahead of them.

We had Angel over for dinner last night & he is handling everything so well. They are in the process of remodeling their house & almost have it finished. Brandon & I are going over there today to help get things ready for Sabrina to come home.

I will keep you all updated on the babies as I get news from Angel & Sabrina.

Please pray!!!

2009-02-12T18:10:00.003-06:00

I know that it is February... I have a lot of catching up to do on the blog, but I have to tell everyone who came to our house just before Christmas..... S-A-N-T-A!!!!!! The girls were so excited when they heard the jingle bells at the door! He gave them a gift from the Mrs. too!

Craft it forward!!!

2009-01-29T08:17:00.004-06:00

Many of you know that crafting is one of my favorite things to do! A few days ago I stumbled across a fun new blog {Craft Addict}. She is having a craft it forward give away. You can click on the link above to read all about it. I was one of the first 3 people to leave a comment on her post so I will be getting a fun surprise package in the mail!!! Woo Hoo!!!

For those of you who would like to play along with me... be one of the first three to leave a comment! Those lucky 3 ladies will receive a handmade gift from me! I'm not sure what it will be yet... but it will be good! You can still play along, even if you are not one of my first 3.

The only catch is that you have to Craft it Forward too! You will have to make a post on your blog & do the same thing I did. You will have 30 days to make & ship your gift. It will be fun!

Also when you receive your gift, write a post about what you got! We all want to see what everyone gets! It's always fun getting a surprise in the mail!

Ready, set, comment!!!!!

Baaaaaddddd Blogger!

2009-01-28T12:20:00.003-06:00

HELLO FRIENDS! Thank you for the sweet comments checking on me to see if I'm still alive or not! We are all doing great... I just haven't made the time for blogging. I have so many things to post! I don't where to start first. Really, I'm just a little overwhelmed at where to begin. I've got Presley's birthday party, my birthday, Christmas, Santa coming, projects I've done around the house... hmm. I think I'll just make it a surprise!!

Keep checking back!!!!!

These are a few of my favorite things... right now anyway!

2008-12-01T08:34:00.009-06:00

December is here! I love this time of the year. We get everything out for Christmas, my birthday is on the 4th, shopping for presents, kid's programs at church & school, my oldest daughter's birthday is on Christmas day, spending time with family, and the list goes on & on!

I am joining in on the fun and participating in listing a few of my favorite things that Thrifty Decor Chick is hosting! Click on the link to see what others are loving right now!

First on my list is Sugar Free Rock Star! This is my cup of coffee in the mornings... Love it!

I absolutely love my buffet in my dining room. Brandon & I picked it up at an antique store a couple of years ago. It was already distress & all I had to do was paint the top black. It used to be an old dresser, but I thought it would be perfect for my dining room to hold all of my china!

My massive Christmas tree! We put it up this weekend & I LOVE how tall it is! Notice the bare tree skirt at the bottom of the tree... looks like I have some serious shopping to do!

Next... I love anything with a fleur de lis on it! I have so many of them in each room of my house. I don't know what the fascination is with them... they just make me happy!

My new hobby... making bottlecap necklaces! I have had the greatest time fiddling with these! I have even opened up an etsy shop with some listed! It is www.kaylynnbows.etsy.com Go & take a peek! I wore one to church last night & received a bazillion complements!

I love all of my new yard sale finds that I have spray painted black! I am the spray paint queen, as my husband calls me! Ignore the popcorn ceilings... does anyone know how to remove that ugly stuff??

Have a wonderful December everyone!!!

2008-11-27T08:21:00.002-06:00

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-11-11T15:58:00.002-06:00

It seems like forever since I've participated in Ten Things Tuesday! Click on the cloud picture above to find out how you can do Ten Things Tuesday too! I'd love to see what you're thankful for!

1. making blueberry muffins with Presley after school today

2. seeing Payton & Presley snuggling together this morning

3. that my friend Deanna has a blog now!!!!!

4. my incredible husband

5. my beautiful daughters

6. Diet Mt. Dew

7. getting the chance to finish a craft project today

8. the beautiful weather today

9. great friends

10. good smelling candles

Short and sweet this week!

Tip Junkie is having a giveaway!

2008-11-11T11:35:00.002-06:00

One of my new favorite blogs, Tip Junkie is having Twelve Days of Junkie! They will announce two winners each day for the next twelve days!!! How awesome is that?

This is to help promote other moms out there who are selling great Christmas gift items!! I am so all over this!!!

A blog award!

2008-11-08T16:48:00.004-06:00

My friend, Jenn nominated me for a blog award! She actually did this a while back and forgot to write about it UNTIL a few minutes ago when she rang my doorbell and surprised me with one of her awesome sour cream cakes! She was paying it forward for a sweet gift that a friend sent her and I paid it forward to Deanna & Allison with hair bows!

Jennifer is a great friend who has the energy of a 5 year old... she just keeps on going! Wish I had half of her energy! She is a wonderful mother to her three precious children and everyone who knows her loves her. Thanks for the award Jenn!

To accept the award, I must now pass the award on to 4 other bloggers and they must pass it on to 4 more! Here's my four!

Karyn - I love reading about her two sweet little girls! I went to church with Karyn in Oklahoma as a child.
Shelley - Shelley is a good friend of mine. This girl & her blogging topics really crack me up! You never know what to expect on her blog. I'm hoping that this will inspire her to start posting again!
Nikki - I only know Nikki through bow orders & blogland but I love reading what she has to say!
Jennifer S. - She is also a good friend who needs to be posting more, so maybe this will inspire her to post more often!

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T13:03:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween!!! I LOVE Halloween! I think I love it as much as my girls do. We are going to the Taylor's house tonight for dinner & then Trick or Treating in their neighborhood. I'm sure it will be a fun evening!

My sweeties in their BOO shirts

Presley (Mulan) loved handing out the candy at Trunk or Treat at our church

My 50's girl and Mulan at Trunk or Treat!

Look what my crafty little critters did! They decorated their doors for Halloween all by themselves! It was all their idea... aren't their decorations cute?

Presley's Door

Payton's Door

I almost forgot... Congratulations to Deanna & Allison!!!! Let me know what color bow you would like for me to make. It was fun paying it forward... maybe you can too!

Have a fun & safe Halloween!

I'm still alive... really, I am!

2008-10-30T13:48:00.003-05:00

Hi friends! Long time no post... I know, I know. I have some goodies to give a way today though! My friend, Jenn is paying it forward & I am too! I hear she makes a mean cake! The first two people that leave me a comment on this post will get a free hair bow! You tell me the size & color and I will make it for you! I will even mail it to you if you do not live close!

Have a great day!

Maggie is lost

2008-10-11T10:02:00.006-05:00

Our sweet dog, Maggie is lost. We went out to dinner last night & noticed that the gate was open when we got back. Brandon drove around our neighborhood last night to see if he could find her... no luck. He is at the animal shelter right now to see if someone found her and turned her in. I am printing off fliers right now to hang up around our neighborhood. Keep your fingers crossed... the girls are having a really hard time with this.

*** Update *** We just got a call from a sweet lady who picked her up last night! She was standing in the middle of a busy street. We hopped in the car & took her home! It's so nice to know that there are people who will take time out of their busy lives to help an animal in need!!! Our family is ecstatic!

Looks like I won't need to put the missing dog signs up after all!

Woody Woodpecker... You are making me CRAZY!

2008-10-09T15:00:00.003-05:00

Busted! Ggggrrrrrrrrr! This little guy has been making me crazy the last few years. He has ruined my chimney. Several days a week I hear this peck, peck, peck, peck, peck times a million! Every time I go out to look at him with evil eyes, he is gone. Yesterday was the day I actually got the chance to look him in the eyes & let him know that this mama ain't puttin' up with it no mo!!!! I had a major mean on. Brandon suggested that I get out Payton's BB gun & end it right then and there... I thought about it... but I just can't do it. Call me chicken all you want. I need to get the siding on the chimney replaced but I'm not sure that he will just come back and destroy it again. Anyway, I'm just so proud that I finally caught him in the act! Maybe my evil eye glare will make him not want to come back :)

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-09-30T09:53:00.002-05:00

I am back this week with my list! Visit my friend, XBOX Wife to find out how you can add your thankful list too!

My health. I found a lump, my doctor confirmed the lump, went two days later for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound imaging... and no cancer was found! This was a very stressful few days for Brandon & me! The lump is just excess normal tissue that is raised to form a lump. Thank you God!
The rest are the everyday little things that make me happy! country music
crafting
the feeling of "I did it!" after a great run
my cat's purr (he's laying right next to me)
fall weather
good hair days
brownies
my girls playing together
a clean house

Test your color hue skills...

2008-09-30T09:49:00.002-05:00

Go here to test how well you see color. I just took this test and scored a 17. I spent about 5 minutes on it and I thought everything looked perfect, but it said that I had a little trouble in the green family. The lower your score, the better! Let me know if you thought it was hard too!

Today's projects!

2008-09-27T15:51:00.003-05:00

I've been a busy girl today! Brandon is gone to Norman for an OU football game & I decided to keep myself busy by sewing. I've been wanting to play around with my new sewing machine and thought today was the perfect day to do it. Payton told me that she wanted to be a 50's girl for Halloween this year. I priced poodle skirts at a couple of stores and about flipped out! Soooo, I decided to attempt to make one for her myself. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and only cost me around $11 to make! The felt was on sale this week. Woo hoo for that!!!

My second project of the day was this flannel pillowcase. It has a cute girly print on it! I bought a lot of this fabric and have plans to make these for Payton & Presley's friends birthday gifts. The girls saw it after I finished & begged for me to make one for them! Guess I'll have to sit back down at the sewing machine!

I am LOVING my new sewing machine! I heart you, my loving Husqvarna!!!

(Notice the owner's manual is close by... I think I've read it 57 times)

Splish Splash Maggie is gettin' a bath!

2008-09-19T16:53:00.006-05:00

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-09-16T15:49:00.003-05:00

Quick list today... lots to do this afternoon! Click on the cloud picture above to get all of the details on doing your own Ten Things Tuesday list!

I got plenty of rest last night and this morning! I may be caught up from the busy weekend!
The amazing, perfect weather we had today!!!
A nice long walk with my dog, Maggie today!
The Diet Dr. Pepper from Sonic that I am sipping on.
Driving with the windows rolled down this afternoon!
Watching the girls crack up playing with Jack, our cat. We got a laser light & he LOVES it!
Both of the girls said that school was GREAT today!
I will get to enjoy the beautiful weather more this evening at Payton's soccer practice.
I am having fun figuring out my new sewing machine.
My hubby just made my day with one of his sweet text messages to me!

September 11, 2001

2008-09-11T12:08:00.004-05:00

I was in my kindergarten classroom filled with 21 innocent little children. They were seated on the rug right in front of me. We were going about our morning routine of calender, singing songs, going over the alphabet and sounds the letters make just as we had done every other school day before this one. One parent came to my door with the school counselor & wanted to take their child home with them right at that instant. I thought that was really strange and immediately began thinking what on earth I had done wrong for a parent to be crying and that upset to pull their child out of my classroom at that very minute. About five minutes later, another mom came to my door and wanted to take their child home... All I could think is "what is the world is going on!" After two more students left with their parents, I began to start freaking out thinking that something major is happening and immediately worry about my 2 year old daughter, Payton who is down the street at her baby sitter's house. I do my best to only freak out on the inside... I do have 17 precious children who are watching my every move.

Finally, the school counselor pulls all of the Kindergarten teachers aside, away from the students. I can see the terror on her face as she proceeds to tell us that two planes have crashed into the World Trade Center twin towers and that it might have been a planned attack. She tells us that we are going to be in lock down mode and to be prepared for many of our students to go home early. Wow. I think that the information that I had just received was more than I could handle... I pulled myself back together with the help of God and walked back into my classroom with a smiling face and started singing fun songs with them. We had song time a long time that morning. It was the only way I could keep from losing it.... the kids thought it was the best day ever! They kept making requests for the next cd to be played!

Over the next days and weeks, I, like all other Americans were mourning the loss of so many innocent lives. This was such a tragedy.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost family and loves ones that horrible day seven years ago. That is one day in history that everyone will always remember were they were and what they were doing when they found out.

The lazy days of Summer are gone...

2008-09-09T20:39:00.007-05:00

School has started & the lazy days of Summer are gone, but we will always have the memories of fun family days together! On this particular day, we got out the Slip n' Slide and the girls made a day of sliding & giggling! We even had a pizza picnic outside and Payton & Presley ate Oreo cookies until they thought they were going to throw up!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-09-09T08:24:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've participated in Ten Things Tuesday... I'm glad I'm back! Please click on the cloud picture above to visit my good friend, Mrs. Brownstone to see how you can participate too!

I am thankful that Miss Presley is enjoying her Kindergarten year so far! She is still so excited that she gets to go to school everyday!
Payton is loving her time at school in 4th grade too!
We have been blessed with wonderful teachers for Payton & Presley! They are both women who love what they do & it shows!
I am thankful for my sweet husband who works hard each day so that I can stay home and focus my attention on my children, husband and home.
I am loving the slightly cooler temperatures! Woo Hoo!
I get to start decorating for Fall soon! Love it!
My children are learning to be generous. They went through their things to give away to those who are less fortunate for our Give Away Day at church. They did this with a joyful heart & filled two big bags full of toys and clothes!
I am thankful for a healthy 6 year old well check last Friday for Presley! There have been so many of her "well checks" and appointments that I have come home from upset because some strange, uncommon, rare condition may be affecting her... Presley has kept us on our toes with her unheard of things that go on with her! Woo Hoo for health!
Miss Payton does an awesome job at everything she attempts... schoolwork, soccer, piano, Battle of the Books & the list goes on and on.
Taking time to be thankful! I often get all tangled up in the day to day activities that I forget to stop and realize all that I have to be thankful for. Thank you Mrs. Brownstone for this wonderful activity!

2008-09-08T09:58:00.003-05:00

My old basic sewing machine died & couldn't be brought back to life, so.....

Husqvarna Viking Emerald 183

This baby is mine all mine & it is going to take me YEARS to figure

out how to work all of the features! I played with it for a few hours this weekend

and have figured out most of the basic things, but have a long way to go!

I can't wait to see what all I can create with this baby!

Fun at the river!

2008-09-04T18:12:00.004-05:00

We went with our good friends, Gene & June, to the river a couple of weeks ago. June took a lot of great pictures & emailed them to me this morning. It was so much fun! The girls had a blast swinging from the swing into the river and I had a great time skiing! I grew up skiing, but haven't since 1994!!! I was a little nervous about it since it had been 14 years since I had tried last. I was hoping it was like riding a bicycle... It was! I popped right up and had so much fun!!!

Yes, this is my baby, Presley! Those of you who know me well are probably freaking looking at this picture... I can't believe I let her do this either! She giggled the whole time!

This is the great set up for the river swing! Maddox is getting ready to knee board with his dad for the first time!

This is me skiing! I'm ready for us to get our boat so that we can do this more often!

Okay... I have never laughed so hard in all of my life! Brandon did not grow up skiing & had a lot of trouble getting up on the ski's! June & I got a big kick out of him trying!

One of Brandon's MANY wipe outs! How many of you think Brandon should give up on the whole learning how to ski thing???

The girls having a great time!

I'll leave you with a gold medal river jumper doing her thing!

Missy Prissy turned 6!!!

2008-09-03T13:45:00.006-05:00

Her Birthday cake that she helped me make! She decorated it ALL by herself!

Presley celebrated her 6th birthday on August 21st!!! She wanted to do the same thing she did last year... we went to Build A Bear and then had lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. She had a fun time picking out her pink spotted leopard and added a ballerina outfit to complete the look! They sang Happy Birthday to her at Build A Bear & at Rainforest Cafe.

The girls had Meet the Teacher night that night & Mrs. Briggs magically knew it was her birthday & wished her happy birthday! That made Presley feel super special... coming from her brand new kindergarten teacher and all!

She LOVES all of the American Girl Doll accessories she got to go with her doll!

Donuts for breakfast for the Birthday Girl!!!

Mommy & Daddy got her the American Girl Doll outfit that matches her doll! She was REALLY pumped about this! I'll have to get her & her doll's picture taken together!

Mommy & the Birthday Girl!

VOLCANOOOOOO!!!!! Agghhhh... looks like her bow is on FIRE!

Doesn't get any yummier that that!

First Day of Kindergarten!!!

2008-08-25T09:17:00.007-05:00

Presley's school dress that she wore to church yesterday!

Today was Miss Presley's first day of Kindergarten! She has been looking forward to this day for weeks. She is going to do great at big kid school... I think she was born to go to school! I held it together while I was at the school, but I did cry a little when I got back home. The tears started rolling as I wrote my letter to her. I write a letter to them after I drop them off at kindergarten for the first time... just something special for them to have when they are grown up.

She was so funny once we got into the classroom. She was acting so big! Her teacher, Mrs. Briggs is so wonderful with the kids. Mrs. Briggs is a great friend of mine. We taught Kindergarten together at North Ridge Elem. before I started staying home. She has known Presley since she was born, so it's perfect that she is her teacher! Mrs. Briggs had all of the kids put their backpack up and go & sit on the rug and pick out a book to look at. I went to give her a goodbye hug & kiss and Presley wanted no part of the kiss business, which crumbled my heart a little, but she is in big kid school now!

I can't wait until 2:25 when I get to go & pick her up and hear all about her special first day of Kindergarten!

Payton started 4th Grade this year!!! She is an old pro at the whole school thing, but I had to take some pictures to document the day... I'm one of those moms who do that!

She never looked back at me... she's a big girl at big kid school now. She's going to do great!

Looking at books... again, not even a glance at Mommy!

Presley's classroom looks like so much fun!

My sweet girls!

"Let's go! Let's go!!!!!!!"

Payton & Mrs. Jackson

Presley & Mrs. Briggs

Eating her kindergarten breakfast

I know that both of them are going to have wonderful first days & will make many new friends today!

Window Mistreatments!

2008-08-20T13:30:00.005-05:00

The Nesting Place is having a Window Mistreatment Party & I thought it would be fun to join in! I mistreated these windows some time back and wanted to share. I have enjoyed looking at all of the others who have linked their mistreatments on the site. Go ahead & take a look! You'll get tons of ideas!

Mistreatment: (n). covering for a window that is quick, cheap and pretty. may or may not need hardware does not require sewing. a real designer's worst nightmare.
Mistreating: (v). the act of treating a window with dignity and respect without use of the following: hundreds of dollars, sewing, time, crying, divorce, child neglect...

Here is the completed project...

There was a little sewing done on these. I hope it still counts!!! The rod wasn't

long enough so I stretched it out & taped it together!

Okay... here's the major mistreatment part! When you lift up the valance this is what you see! Notice the unfinished edge of the fabric that is stapled to the wall to look like panels... Shhhhh... Don't tell anyone!

The row of beaded fringe was attached using a hot glue gun!

Gotta love the fast & easy way of gettin' things done!

14 Years Baby!

2008-07-29T15:58:00.003-05:00

It was 14 years ago today that I married my best friend. I honestly can say that I am the luckiest woman in the world to have him! Here are 14 of the reasons why...

he tells me that he loves me every single day
he always kisses me when he leaves for work in the mornings & first thing when he walks in the door from work at the end of the day
he tells me that I am beautiful and that he would marry me all over again all the time
he calls, emails & sends text messages to me from work to let me know that he's thinking about me
he is an amazing father to our girls
he's silly & makes me laugh all the time
he always reaches for my hand to hold when we are in the car
he loves God & is an amazing spiritual leader of our household
he makes a point to let the girls know how much he loves me & tells them all the time how he's crazy in love with their mother
he works so hard for our family to provide for us so that I can stay at home with the girls
he is HOT!
he is a man of character that many look up to
he can make up a goofy silly song about me or the girls at the drop of a hat... we have many songs written for us
he is MY husband and MY best friend

Brandon, We have been through so much together over the years... dating, marriage, graduating college, getting our first "real" jobs, buying our first house, a big move, the births of our daughters, hospital stays, and much, much more. I am so blessed that I got to share all of those things with you. I can't wait to celebrate 14 more years with you!

All my love,

Mama Mia!

2008-07-28T17:01:00.003-05:00

Last night I went with a group of my girlfriends to see Mama Mia! I LOVED it!!! It was such a cute movie & now I can't get "Dancing Queen" out of my head... I've been singing it all day!

This is what happens when you let your 5 year old pick out her own pajamas!

2008-07-19T15:16:00.003-05:00

10 Things Tuesday!

2008-07-15T11:08:00.004-05:00

Presley & her sweet cousin Carly!

They have had a GREAT time playing together today!!

It's Tuesday & time for Ten Things Tuesday! Go see my friend, Mrs. Brownstone at XBOX Wife to find out how you can participate too!!

For Payton having a wonderful experience at camp this week!
Presley & her cousin Carly are getting to spend the day playing together today. They don't get to see each other very often & we are thrilled that Carly is spending the day with us!
Sleeping in! Presley & I slept until 9:00 this morning! She crawled into my bed when she woke up this morning and we just snuggled in the quiet of the morning. Brandon had already left for work.
Old & new friends. Both are a blessing to me!
New vehicles! Brandon said that a brand spankin' new Tahoe is in the works for me this week!!! My Tahoe that I have now is only 5 years old, but it will be soooo nice having a brand new one!
My husband... All I can say is I LOVE that man!
The one on one time that I've got to spend with Presley this week. It has been so special!
The lazy days of summer! We may not even leave the house today!
My grass in the front yard looks beautiful! We put in sod earlier in the summer & it has really done well.
I'm thankful that I get to see my sweet Payton on Friday!!!

Payton is off to camp!

2008-07-13T14:38:00.002-05:00

Well, I did it! I sent my firstborn off to a week of camp... I have been struggling with this for a few weeks now, and I actually sent her on her way this morning. We spent most of the day yesterday packing & making last minute runs to Target to get any remaining items for her stay. Payton & I had an extra long "special snuggle time" in the big cozy chair last night. I didn't want to let her go. I wanted that moment to last forever.

Where has the last nine and a half years gone? Ohmygawsh... she is so big & I am so old to have a child that is old enough to spend a week at camp without her Mommy. Everyone says that I am the most overprotective mom they know & are really impressed that I have cut the cord to let her go. One of my friends, Brian told me today that I haven't really cut the umbilical cord... I've just stretched it out a long way. Either way, I'm making progress.

All packed & ready to go!Telling Presley goodbye.

Jennifer, Zachary & Payton. Payton rode with Jennifer to camp this morning. Jennifer is a good friend of mine & is also the camp nurse, which eases my mind a lot. Jennifer promised to take extra special good care of my baby!

Payton & her buddy Zachary before they left!

This will be the longest that we've been apart since she was born. Sure this week is going to be hard for me, but Payton needs this time away from us. She needs a chance to figure things out on her own away from her family. I hope she makes many new friends and grows her relationship with the Lord this week. I'm sure she will create many new memories that she will cherish for a lifetime!

Bull Riding, yes that's right! Bull riding!

2008-07-09T22:09:00.004-05:00

We went to the PBR (Professional Bull Riding) event at the American Airlines Center a couple of weeks ago & had a great time! I was surprised that Payton & Presley had as much fun as they did! I went to tons of rodeo's growing up and wasn't sure if the girls would like it or not. Payton was so funny & made a typical Payton comment... After watching the men get bucked off the bull & running away for dear life, she asked if girls could ride bulls too! She thinks that it is something she might want to try someday! All of you who know my Payton well knows that she wants to do anything that a boy can do, AND do it better! She loves duck hunting, playing football, etc... She still likes to do girly stuff to though! Here are a few pics of our fun day!

This kind of freaked Presley out when they blew fire out of the bulls at the beginning!

Flint the Rodeo Clown! The girls loved him & all of his silly dances.

I actually know this guy, Cord McCoy. It was cool to see him ride. I worked for his mom, a professional photographer, while in college.

My sweet girls!

I'm already ready to take the girls back next June!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-07-08T19:22:00.003-05:00

Rain! It's raining outside & the sound of it is awesome!
A fun weekend camping trip with my family!
Shopping at Canton on Friday!
Our almost 3 year old Weimaraner dog who has finally matured enough to sleep on her bed in our bedroom. Going on 2 nights now! I'm sure she's thankful to not sleep in the crate anymore!
Payton's excitement for church camp next week! She's excited, but I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown over it...
An awesome VBS at our church! I taught 2nd Grade & we were the largest class every single night! 32 second graders... it was a blast!
My sweet husband who sent me one of his famous email cards to me today!
We had enough left overs from dinner last night for tonight... I didn't have to cook!
My girls... they are sooooo full of life!
Our friends precious new baby boy, Colton is here!

Visit my friend, XBOX Wife to see how you can join in on Ten Things Tuesday!

I'm baaaaaacccckk!

2008-07-07T10:45:00.002-05:00

Hello, my friends! It's been a long time since I've posted... We've been super busy having lots & lots of fun this summer! Just checking in to say that I will be posting about all of the exciting things we've done so far! I have to upload a gazillion pictures on my computer first!

Happy Summer!!!!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-06-10T16:35:00.003-05:00

Here's my list for today!

Visit my friend XBOX Wife to get the details on how to participate in Ten Things Tuesday!

I got to sleep in this morning! My girls slept late & my sweet hubby let me sleep in while he got ready for work.
Payton & Presley have been pretty nice to each other today... only a couple of girl fights!!!
I did more cardio than usual at the gym today.
All of the laundry is done!!!
We had our biggest group yet at our house Sunday night for Small Groups Church!
My backyard is looking nice. Brandon trimmed our red tips along the fence & I raked and bagged a bazillion bags of leaves!
Brandon has had a busy last couple of weeks at work, but comes home each day with a big smile on his face & is ready to see "his girls"!
I cleaned out the inside of my car today!!!
I peeked in on the girls this afternoon to find Payton reading a book to Presley... love it!
My life! I have an awesome husband & 2 wonderful daughters that I get to stay home with... life is wonderful!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-06-03T14:50:00.003-05:00

I didn't get a chance to do my ten things last week, but made a point to make time for it today! Visit XBOX Wife to see how you can get started making a Ten Things Tuesday list too!

I am thankful for Children's Motrin which is helping Miss Presley's arm feel better.
I am also thankful that she only got up once last night with pain in her arm. A MUCH better night's sleep than the night before!!!
My mom came by to watch the girls so that I could go work out & run a few errands. I had major cabin fever & felt bad about Presley having to go to the child care center at the gym if she was hurting.
I am thankful for my girls creative minds... I got home this afternoon to find a huge fort built in our family room. They used chairs, barstools & about a bazillion blankets to make it. Their Nana said that they played in it for a long time!
Diet Mt. Dew... I really think that I'm addicted to this stuff! I finished off the last can this morning. Gonna have to make another caffeine run!
The health of my family. I know I list this one all the time, but we are very fortunate to have skipped the many illnesses that have been spreading around.
Our church... I am so thankful that we have a place so wonderful for our family. My girls were so exited that it was promotion Sunday & they got to move up to their next grade Bible class! I was also excited that I got to go to "big people class" again after 3 months of teaching the little ones!
Yummy oatmeal raisin cookies!!! I made a homemade batch last night and my family has inhaled them! I think Brandon ate at least 2 dozen last night by himself... & I was feeling bad about eating two!
I have had a productive morning. I woke up refreshed since Presley slept well last night. I have my workout over with, laundry done, beds made, & the house is clean!
I am thankful that I get to spend the rest of my day chilling out & relaxing!

Busy, eventful weekend!

2008-06-02T12:07:00.007-05:00

We started our weekend by going to the Ranger's game on Friday evening. Payton treated our family to awesome tickets! Birdville ISD's winning team for the Battle of the Books competition received Rangers tickets for their entire family. Thanks Payton! We were on the 13th row and had a fun time!

On Saturday evening Payton & Presley went with their cousins to Lewisville to visit Meme & Papa. Brandon & I got to have another date night! We did a little shopping & went out for dinner.

Sunday was the BIG day. We woke up, went to church and came back home to eat and Nana, Meme & Papa came over to go to Payton's piano recital. About 15 minutes before we had to be at the recital, Miss Presley comes to me screaming & holding her arm. She is crying & screaming so much that I can't understand what had happened. I had stepped out of the room for a second when she got hurt. Everyone else was in the room, but wasn't sure what had happened to her. She said that she was rolling around on the floor & hurt her arm. She later told us that she was acting silly & doing a trick. It is now time to leave for the recital & she can't move her fingers or arm & is freaking out!!! I am freaking out too at this point! Everyone is in agreement that we need to take her to the emergency room to have her arm x-rayed. I want to hear Payton at the recital, but I also want to be with my baby who is in lots of pain... I start crying because she is in so much pain & I am being pulled in two different directions. Since it is now past time to leave, I head out with Payton, Meme & Nana to the recital & Brandon & Papa take Presley to the ER.

I am fighting back the tears all the way there and am worried about my baby. We get to the recital & they tell me it does not start for 30 minutes. It starts at 1:30 instead of 1:00! What?!! Luckily there were two different recitals & her teacher was able to bump us back to the next recital which started at 3:30. Yes!!! I had two more hours to be with Presley... so off we head to the hospital! They do the x-ray & it is not broken! It is just strained & bruised, basically just soft tissue damage. They gave her a sling that she has to wear for 5 days & we will continue to ice it and give her pain meds.

After we spent a few hours at the ER, it was now time to head to the recital! We all load up & get there just in time to hear Payton play her magic. She did a fantastic job & both pieces sounded beautiful! I am so proud of how much she has learned in just 11 months of taking lessons!

We got home from the recital just in time to change clothes & head back out the door for our church small group meeting. After we got home, Miss Presley said "I'm ready to take a nap now." We gave her another dose of Motrin & hoped that she would sleep well... She didn't! She woke up several times crying saying that it was hurting & then got in our bed around 1:00 and woke up several more times crying and hurting. Poor little thing! Let's just say that we are all exhausted around here today! It's almost nap time for all of us!

Whew! I hope we have a calm & quiet next few days!!!

I'm cool now!

2008-05-30T09:53:00.005-05:00

I am now officially a texter. Last night my friend, Kim taught me how to do it like a pro. Brandon texts me sweet messages every day & I never replied back. I would just call him back. I feel like a cool, with-it person now! Watch out... I'm one hip textin' mama! If I get my hands on your cell phone # you'll be getting texts from me!

2008-05-29T09:41:00.006-05:00

It's the last day of school for Payton! I've been busy with end of the year prizes for all of her favorite teachers at school. I bought a bazillion packs of gumballs & printed the tags on my computer. I just had to go to my endless stash of ribbon to tie it all together! Payton was excited to take the little basket of goodies to school & make the rounds passing them out!

I thought this years treats turned out really cute! I did the same thing for Presley's school, but added sonic gift cards to them since there are fewer teachers! I didn't think I could swing gift cards for all of Payton's. I did add a gift to Payton's classroom teacher's gift though!

Thank you to all of the amazing teachers who have taught my sweet girls. Teachers are amazing people who have to love what they do to do it every day! Trust me on this one... it's hard, I've done it!!!

Miss Smarty Pants!!!

2008-05-23T20:12:00.003-05:00

I'm so proud of Payton!!!!! WARNING... I am about to be the annoying over the top braggy obnoxious mother, so I'm giving you a chance to STOP reading now......

Keep reading if you can put up with me for a minute or so...

We just got Payton's Math TAKS scores back today & she didn't miss a single one on this one either! She nailed both the reading & math tests! I am so proud of everything you do Payton. You always try your hardest at everything you do. You are a beautiful young lady inside & out. You bring so much joy to my life and I am proud to be your mother! Congratulations!!!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-05-20T18:50:00.004-05:00

It's late, I know... It's been a fun, busy day! Go see my friend Mrs. Brownstone over at XBOX Wife & check out the details on how you can join in on the Ten Things Tuesday fun!

I am thankful for fun new hairdo's! I got my hair cut & colored today! I did the highlights with several different colors & went much lighter for summer! I also stepped out of the box a little and let her make my cut a little more funky!
Brandon & I have had the best time the last couple of nights playing our (the girls) new Wii Mario Kart game. We get the girls in bed & let the games begin! We have driving face offs & are VERY competitive! I won the championship last night, while he took first place the night before. I was a sore loser & threw the steering wheel down! heehee Who's going to claim the prize tonight???
Payton & Presley are lying on my bed reading together. I love it when Payton reads to her little sister... so sweet!
I am thankful that my mom came to play with the girls so that I could get out & have some me time today.
Presley had a great time at her friend, Jacey's Birthday party! She is worn out from all of the swimming! Woo hoo for an early bedtime!
We are all healthy!
I am thankful that Summer break is almost here! I love the lazy days of Summer when the girls & I don't have a schedule to stick to!
I am thankful that we had dinner on the table tonight and never have to worry about when or if we will have a next meal. This is something I take for granted & know that there are many who worry about how they are going to feed their children.
Air conditioning!! In the car & my home!!!
Friendships, old & new. We have gotten to know our new neighbors across the street and have hit it off. They are great & we have already started loaning things back & forth which is nice!

Bitter sweet day...

2008-05-15T19:27:00.002-05:00

I'm all a mess today. Today was my little baby's last day of preschool at Circle of Friends. Ever. She has been going there since she was a year old (actually a few days before she turned 1). She started so young because I taught pre-k there for 2 years. She has learned so much & has made so many great friends. I had to really try hard to fight back the tears this morning when I dropped her off. My good friend, Mrs. Paul, the preschool director started crying when she hugged Presley for the last time this morning. She is so sweet and hugs all of the kids every Tuesday & Thursday morning when they all arrive for school. I am so blessed to have her as my friend! All of the children love her so much & love her hugs!

Each year when preschool ends, the teachers give each student their Me Book. It is a wonderful scrapbook that tells the story of their school year with pictures. They gave it to me this morning & I took it to the car after I dropped her off and just sat there in the parking lot and read it. The tears started rolling and kept rolling for a little while! She is starting a brand new chapter in her sweet little life.

All afternoon Presley has been saying "I'm a Kindergartner now!!!" It's so hard to believe that my baby is old enough to start Kindergarten in the fall. She's a special young lady & I'm proud to say I'm her Mom!

Ten Things Tuesday!!!

2008-05-13T18:05:00.006-05:00

It's time once again for Ten Things Tuesday! This list has a lot to do with Mother's Day! Click on the cloud picture above to go to my friend, Mrs. Brownstone's site for all of the details on how you can join in on all of the Ten Things fun!

Mother's Day was great! We went to church, took my mom out for lunch, I got to take a nap & then we met my sister and her family at my mom's house to give her her presents. We each got her a white wooden rocking chair for her front porch! She loved them! We then made a nice dinner & all picked a bazillion weeds in her front yard for her!
Both of my girls woke up, made their beds, brushed their teeth, fed the pets & got ready for school without me asking them to do one thing! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!
I had a terrific Mother's Day! Presley woke me up bright & early to give me her present she made me. It was this:
Payton gave me her Mother's Day present. It was a beautiful card with flowers that you pick & on the back is a kind thing that she will do for me. I get to pick one each day!!! The inside had a sweet poem. I also got a Woman of the Year Award from her. I got really teary eyed reading it!
Brandon surprised me at the gym today! He came up behind me & scared me! It was a nice treat to get to see him in the middle of the day!
Presley had a great party day at school today! She came home with lots & lots of fun things. Her two favorite were the pool floatie & the beach ball. She hasn't let go of either of them all evening! She's too cute... I just had to take her picture!
My house is clean & all of my laundry is done!
Payton came home from school today with this award!!!! Way to go Payton! She won this award in 1st Grade & now again in 3rd Grade! I'm really proud of you Payton!
I finally got my rear in gear & went to go get my tag renewed. It expired in April & I have been really nervous each time I see a friendly police officer!!! I won't have to break a sweat & say a prayer each time I see a cop from now on! I can just smile!
Last, but certainly not least... My hilarious hubby... He made a mad dash on Sunday afternoon to get me a Mother's Day card. I guess he was feeling guilty or something??? Anyway, as I was reading the card I started cracking up & laughing out loud. It was my ugly laugh, my laugh when something is REALLY funny. Brandon kept looking at me like "What are you laughing at? I didn't write anything funny." I read all of the sweetness & got to the bottom & it said HAPPY BIRTHDAY at the bottom! I know he just grabbed a card that looked pretty & didn't even read one word of it! After I showed it to him, he turned bright red & grabbed a marker & marked out Birthday and wrote Mother's Day! Men??? Hmm..... I guess it's the thought that counts!!!

Yes, I am thankful for my husband who was sweet enough to make a special trip to get me a "Birthday Card"!

Presley's Preschool Graduation - 2008!

2008-05-12T13:47:00.005-05:00

WAY TO GO MISS PRESLEY!!!

Mommy adjusting her graduation cap for pictures.

It's official! Miss Presley graduated from Circle of Friends Preschool last Thursday evening! The program & graduation was precious. I did pretty good only shedding a tiny tear or two. She did a great job singing & looked adorable too!

Singing during the program part!

Pictures with friends!

Getting her diploma from Mrs. Paul!

The teacher announced what each child wanted to be when they grew up. There were some that wanted to be astronauts, doctors, pharmacists, dentists, teachers, etc. When they announced Presley's name, they said she wanted to be a fairy! I started cracking up... it was too funny! I told one of the mom's next to me that Presley had better marry her son (who wanted to be an astronaut) because fairies don't make that much money & she will need someone to support her! Presley later informed us that she wanted to be a "tooth fairy"!

Presley's Preschool class! Too Cute!

Presley & Reagan have been great friends since they were a year old!

Our family picture with the graduate!

The girls had to twirl around & play for a little while after graduation... Little girls
having a fun time... so precious! They are all great friends!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-05-06T13:03:00.004-05:00

Tuesday is here already! Wow, that was a fast week. Click on the cloud picture above to go to my friend, Mrs. Brownstone's blog to get all of the details on how to join in on Ten Things Tuesday!

The health of my children & husband. I have been praying for a little boy who was run over by a car in his driveway a couple of days ago & have been hugging my girls a little extra since I heard the news of this accident.
The rain. I love the sound of the rain hitting my windows. I also love that I don't have to water the grass & flowers today!
I am thankful for Brandon's business. God opened doors at the right time for Brandon to start his business. Thank you Brandon for working so hard to provide for your family!
Payton's sweet smile when I surprised her by going to her school to meet her for lunch! Her reaction totally made my day!
Circle of Friends Preschool. Both of my girls have enjoyed learning there & I'm sad to say that this Presley's last year to attend.
My car. This morning while taking Payton to school, I noticed a woman riding her bike in the pouring down rain. I see her every morning riding to McDonald's, where she works. Just then I realized that I have been taking my vehicle for granted for a long time.
My gym. I have a beautiful place to workout that has every piece of equipment imaginable, a clean childcare center with friendly staff who know Presley by name, and a wonderful outside pool that is now officially OPEN!!!
Our home. Brandon & I were looking at huge houses online last night just for fun & Payton walked in and noticed what we were looking at and got upset & said, but I don't want to move. I love my home. We all really love our cozy little home. We have filled it with so many memories & I think we are all attached to it!
I am thankful that I have kept losing weight after I hit lifetime status. I was so afraid that I would get lazy & the pounds would slowly creep back up, but I've not only maintained... I've lost more!
Presley came home from school sooooo excited about her preschool graduation! She will be be graduating on Thursday evening!

That's my Presley...

2008-05-02T08:23:00.004-05:00

I am continually amazed at how creative my 5 year old Presley is! She is learning about the letter Z at preschool & part of her "homework" is to find a picture of something that starts with the letter they are learning and cut it out to take to school. She was beginning to get frustrated that she couldn't find a picture in a magazine that started with the letter Z... so, she sat down at the kitchen table without me knowing about it & came up with this! She created this zebra in less than 10 minutes! She brought it to me and I about fell over. She is very good about adding detail... she put in 2 pink bows, the background, did the legs correctly, etc. God has given her a gift of expressing herself through her creative artistic ability. She has been doing this ever since I can remember. I will have to go back & post some of her early drawings. I couldn't let her take it to school without scanning a copy for myself to keep forever.

Isn't it amazing to see all of the individual talents that God has given all of our children? Each & every precious child has special gifts they have been given and use everyday!

Tagged again!

2008-04-29T18:03:00.002-05:00

My friend Jenn tagged me several days ago, so here I go...

What was happening in my life 10 years ago?
1. I was pregnant with Payton. Wow, that seems hard to believe!
2. Teaching Kindergarten
3. Living in Ada, Oklahoma

4. Married to Brandon for 3.5 years

5 things on my to-do list:
Well, today is almost gone so I will say what I did today:
1. Made a big TAKS day breakfast
2. Took the girls to school
3. Got my teeth cleaned
4. Worked out at the gym
5. Laundry

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. fold-over peanut butter sandwich
2. yogurt
3. almonds
4. banana
5. 100 calorie pack cookies

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire
1. pay off everything & help loved ones do that too
2. Give to church building fund, benevolence fund, etc.
3. Pay for my kids & grandkid's college
4. Invest
5. Travel, travel, travel!

5 bad habits
1. too many diet soda's
2. getting behind on filling bow orders
3. not drinking enough water
4. not standing up for myself (I'm getting better though)

5 places I have lived
1. Deer Creek, OK
2. Ada, OK

3. Lewisville, TX
4. Euless, TX
5. North Richland Hills, TX

5 jobs I've had
1. Worked for a professional photographer
2. Church secretary
3. Kindergarten teacher
4. 2nd grade teacher
5. Pre-K teacher

5 people I want to know more about..a.k.a, tag!

Okay, I'm not doing this one! Everyone has already been tagged!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-04-29T17:39:00.002-05:00

It's time for Ten Things Tuesday! Click on the cloud picture above to visit XBOX Wife's site to see how to join in on the fun!

1. I am feeling better after a long weekend of being sick.
2. Payton came home feeling really good about the Math TAKS test she took today.
3. Friends. I have some wonderful friends that I know would be there in a snap if I really needed them.
4. I am thankful that Presley has the gift of singing. Her preschool music teacher told me today that Presley can really sing... on pitch & everything!
5. I have some new songs on my ipod! It is nice to hear something new during my workouts!
6. I am thankful for clean teeth. I had my 6 month dental cleaning today and although I hate it when it's happening, I am loving my fresh clean smooth teeth now!
7. The beautiful day we are having today! I started the sprinkler this afternoon to water our fresh new sod & had to stay outside for a little while!
8. I am thankful for a clean car. I am the world's worst about letting my car get a little nasty with all of the kiddo's things & neglecting to clean the inside out and wash the outside. Presley & I got out the cleaner and rags and went to town on the inside yesterday. We vacuumed the inside and everything! We'll today we ran it through the car wash! Brandon will be soooo proud of us!
9. My Macbook. I wouldn't get to do all of this fun blogging stuff without it. Okay, I would with a different computer, but I LOVE my Macbook with the cute hot pink cover!
10. My family. I know I list this one almost every time, but I am so truly blessed to have a wonderful supportive husband and two precious little girls!

Tagged! 7 Random things about me

2008-04-23T14:19:00.003-05:00

My friend Nikki tagged me a while back & I just now remembered to do it. Here it goes... 7 random things about me!

1. I can't watch movies because I always find editing mistakes & it drives me CRAZY! I should have been a film editor. I always make Brandon stop the movie and rewind so that I can show him the editing mistakes. He just shakes his head at me.

2. I'm a huge Tim McGraw fan (I think I'm his biggest fan). He is my all time favorite singer. I usually don't get starstruck, but I had to fight back the tears when I saw him in concert last summer!

3. I love cats. When I was little, I always said that I wanted to have a cat farm when I grew up. I would have more than one now if scientists figured out a way to breed non pooping kind. I hate to clean out the litter box!

4. Fish freak me out. I can't stand to be close to them & haven't even tried to eat it... GROSS! Brandon made fish the other night & Presley wanted to try it. It was all I could do keep my " I'm not freaking out" face on & let her eat it. I almost threw up all over the table.

5. I tend to bounce around with my hobbies. I will be on a sewing kick for a couple of months, then scrapbooking, then home decorating, then crafting... I wish I could just do a little at once instead of going at it full force and then dropping it to start on stomething new.

6. I don't like to drive at night. Everything is completely different & I can't see very good at all in the dark. Driving at night is probably one of my least favorite things to do ever.

7. I think I am severely addicted to caffeine. I drink so much during the day to keep going that I crash bigtime in the evening around 9:00. I finally sit down after getting the kids in bed & about pass out in the chair. I'm like a little old lady!

Okay, now for the fun part! I tag Brandon, Shelley, Jennifer S., Jason S., Larry, Joy & Jenn!!! Leave me a comment after you've done it so we all can read!

Brandon just sent me this...

2008-04-22T16:14:00.003-05:00

See what I mean... he always sends me nice things. Brandon emailed me this a few minutes ago. Honey, you do love me well.

http://smilebox.com/playEmail/4d7a45304d6a59774d6e77324d7a63354e7a63320d0a&sb=1

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-04-22T13:10:00.002-05:00

Woo Hoo! It's Tuesday again! Take a minute and go over to my friend Mrs. Brownstone @ XBOX Wife & post your list too! You'll be glad you did!

1. I am thankful for my husband. He goes out of his way to make sure I feel loved. He is so good about sending funny & sweet email cards to me all of the time. He is also awesome about complimenting me about various things... he does this about a hundred times a day! I think the most precious thing is that he is always telling the girls that he loves me & that we are best friends. Payton & Presley always just grin when he tells them that... I think they love the security of knowing how Mommy & Daddy feel about each other.

2. I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined Shanna, Cindy & Jennifer in the Core class at the gym. I was really surprised that I got a great workout out of it! I have never been much of a class person, thinking that I was better off just doing the workout on my own. I have to admit that it was great & it was great working out with friends!

3. I just got a call that most of Payton's bedding is finished!!!

4. Presley's excitement! Presley gets to attend Kindergarten Roundup at "big kid" school today. She is so excited... Seeing this day come is bitter-sweet for me. I'm sad that she will be starting school in the Fall, but singing my praises that she is healthy and able to attend. She was such a sick little baby & at each birthday or major milestone in her life I get a little emotional. Thank you God for healing our sweet Presley and letting her live her life!

5. My family. I am truly blessed to have two beautiful little girls & my hunky husband.

6. The beautiful weather. I could just stay outside all day!

7. I am able to stay at home. I worked until Payton was 3.5 years old and it was tough. Having the chance to be there for my girls has been a wonderful experience. Even though both of the girls will be in school next year, I can continue to keep things running smoothly at home so when Brandon comes home from work he can focus all of his attention on his family instead of dealing with household chores, helping with dinner, etc.

8. Our church. Legacy has been a wonderful place to raise our children. Our family has been truly blessed the last 6 years we have been there. Looking forward to many more years to come!

9. Sugar Free Rockstar! I LOVE these... in fact, I'm drinking one right now! I think I've got Brandon hooked on them too!

10. Blogging. Blogging has been a great way to meet new people! It is also a wonderful way to record memories for your family! Love it!

2008-04-21T08:23:00.004-05:00

1 Pound of Fat!

Above is a picture of 1 pound of fat. I know, It's gross to look at! I am posting this because it really made me stop & think about what was on my body and what is still on my body. I was carrying around 42 handfuls of THIS! Gross! I have to find tricky ways to give me motivation when I'm in a slump & this worked! A few months back, Brandon gave me the idea to go over to the free weight section and pick up a 40 pound weight... I did & it was HEAVY! I could hardly lift it and that felt awesome. This is a great way to see how far you've come. No wonder I used to have no energy with all of that extra weight glued to my body.

I also found this picture. The top is 5 pounds of fat and the bottom is 5 pounds of lean muscle. This is something I have been struggling with mentally. I weigh more than some people who are bigger than me & that drives me crazy! Brandon keeps telling me that the number on the scale doesn't mean anything... it's how your clothes fit & your measurements that count. He's right & this picture proves it. Fat is lighter but takes up way more space in your body. One of the personal trainers at the gym gave me a great visual for this... a towel is the fat and a stapler is the muscle. Obviously, the towel is lighter, but the stapler takes up much less space. The more muscle you have on your body = the more calories your body burns at rest. I'm all for burning more calories at rest, so I'm going to continue to pump iron!!!

Anyway, sorry for the boring post... this is just something that has been on my mind. It helped me to see the images so It might help you too!

Wooo Hooo Ali!!!!

2008-04-16T09:59:00.003-05:00

Okay... I am super pumped about Ali winning The Biggest Loser! She is an inspiration to all women who are struggling to lose weight. 112 pounds lost... wow. She has motivated me to change my 41 pounds lost to 50!!! What a motivation! I was "tickled pink" to see that she was the winner! I cried like a baby during the finale. Anyone else as excited as I am that she won???

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-04-15T16:52:00.005-05:00

It's Tuesday! I look forward to my Ten Things Tuesday list & love to check out all of the other participants lists! Click on the cloud picture above to go to XBOX Wife's blog for all the details. I hope you will join in on the blessings from this!

1. The girls & I had our dental check-ups this afternoon & I didn't get as freaked out about the dentist visit because the girls were with me. I had to set a good example for them and not freak out, right?
2 Payton remained cavity FREE!!!!!
3. Presley remained cavity FREE!!!!!
4. I didn't have any cavities!!! I wish I could say I remained cavity free! I had three when I was a child.
5. I had a great, relaxing workout today. I love to listen to my ipod & just focus on me for the duration of the workout. I really look forward to my "me" time!
6. I was able to run a lot of errands today!
7. All of the mess from the trees blowing down is cleaned up. Brandon worked so hard cleaning everything up after the storm! Thanks for all your hard work Brandon... It looks great! Thanks to Brian too!
8. My feet are looking cute, thanks to my fresh pedicure!
9. I have a good looking, funny, smart, sweet, caring, giving, loving, six pack stomach bearing hunk of a husband to call mine!
10. The Biggest Loser finale is TONIGHT!!!!!!

Go ahead & make your list! I'd love to read it!

High School Musical on Ice!

2008-04-14T17:20:00.004-05:00

The girls had a blast this past Saturday at Disney's High School Musical on Ice! Payton just sat there with her mouth wide open in shock the whole time & Presley was grinning from ear to ear. We had great second row seats! After we got back home the cousin's had a High School Musical party with the cake and the whole nine yards.

Here are some of the pictures from the day...

Caden & Presley

Payton & Kiley

They all had a fun time at the party!

They wore matching High School Musical shirts to the show!

What we found when we woke up this morning...

2008-04-10T08:47:00.003-05:00

Major storm damage at our house!!!!!!!!!!! I woke up this morning to find that both of our trees blew down during the storm last night. Brandon & I slept right through it! Payton came into our room in the middle of the night & said that it was so loud outside that she couldn't hear her music. Brandon was so out of it that he just told her to turn the volume up & go back to her room! Hello???? Good thing there wasn't a huge tornado outside! He had taken 2 Tylenol PM to get some rest because of his pink eye situation. Presley said this morning that she was so scared from the storm that she was hugging her teddy bear "sooooo tight"!

Brandon & I didn't even hear it raining! It could have blown the house down & we wouldn't have known it! Here are some of the pictures of the damage. Brandon is going to be a busy boy cleaning this up after he gets home from work!!!

I'm so sad to lose our trees, but at least everyone is safe!

Is my husband ever going to blog again???

2008-04-09T21:07:00.006-05:00

It has been a long time since we have seen anything new on Brandon's blog! I encourage all of my readers to visit him here and give him a little pep talk, a bit of harassment, an honest plea for him to return to the blogging world, or just a kind word of encouragement. Everybody loves Brandon, right? Even my non commenting stalkers need to do this (Deanna). I feel much better now. Thank you for your support in this matter.

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-04-08T14:39:00.002-05:00

1. The girls are getting their hair cut today after school! Woo Hoo for cute & fun hairdo's!
2. I have an ice cold Sonic Diet Dr. Pepper sitting right beside me!
3. Brandon canceled his night class tonight... pink eye AGAIN is the reason he's home, but at least he's home!
4. My show, The Biggest Loser, is on tonight!!!
5. I got in a good workout even though I have the crud & don't feel that good.
6. Presley said she had the "best day ever" at school today!
7. I tried on a dress at Steinmart today & was shocked at the size it was! A good shocked!
8. My girls do not have pinkeye or the crud.
9. It's a warm day.
10. I came home & my cat had pooped on the floor... I'm not thankful for that. I am thankful that it is not because he has suddenly decided he doesn't like his litter box. It is because Presley had locked the cat door on the laundry room! He is now using his litter box nicely again.

Be sure to visit X-Box Wife & post your link so that others can find your list! Have a great Tuesday!

Payton's new room!

2008-04-02T13:52:00.005-05:00

We are in the process of having custom bedding made for Payton's bedroom! I am soooo excited about this! I LOVE anything and everything about home decorating! Her walls have been painted for a little while now, but I wasn't happy with the bedding we settled on. Her room used to be done in pinks, yellows, purples & light greens. She is getting big on me & wanted a more grown up look.

Here are the fabrics that are going to be used to make her quilt. I'm really happy with the color combination of all of them. They all came from from different fabric shops... mixing & matching is fun! Her window valance is going to be the brown paisley pattern with a bottom border of the light aqua with tiny brown dots with a row of brown pom poms at the bottom. Her pillows are going to be a fun combination of all of the fabrics! I love the minky chenille!

This is her old lamp that I painted brown. I decorated the shade using scrapbook paper & added the fun brown dot ribbon & the funky brown fringe.

This is a picture that I found that I fell in love with! It has the same ribbon that
I have used on many of the accents. It reads "KINDNESS speak kind words, receive kind echoes". It is
mounted behind glass.

This is the color of her walls. The bottom below the molding is the same brown from
the fabrics. The top is a pretty light aqua blue. I'm not sure if I like the middle between
the moldings. I may redo it with a paisley paint job! I painted the little wooden box brown & used scrapbook paper & ribbon to decorate it.

This is a wooden frame that I also decorated using paint, scrapbook paper
& ribbon. I know, I know she's High School Musical crazy! Her cousin took the picture

of him at Disneyland at a parade.

I am getting really excited to see the finished project! I will post an "after" picture of her completed room when we get everything in! Let me know if you have any fun suggestions... I'm open to any ideas and would LOVE to hear them!

Here ya go Shelley... 10 Things Tuesday!

2008-04-01T15:04:00.003-05:00

1. As of this afternoon, we have a brand new fence in our backyard!!!
2. I'm thankful that Brandon doesn't have to repair holes daily on the old fence anymore to keep our dog in the yard. Maggie & Baxter (her boyfriend dog in the yard behind us) really love each other!
3. We got Payton's TAKS scores back & she didn't miss any!!!
4. Presley finally scored her first goal (actually 3) at her soccer game on Saturday! She was really proud of herself!
5. Everyone in our family is well.
6. Neither one of the girls got pink eye from us!
7. Payton is getting custom bedding, pillows & curtains made for her room. I finally made a decision on all of the fabrics today!!!
8. I took a day off from working out today & am not feeling to guilty about it.
9. I already know what we're having for dinner tonight!
10. My favorite show, The Biggest Loser is on tonight!!!

I strongly encourage all of my readers (all 5 of you) to participate in Ten Things Tuesdays that my friend XBOX Wife hosts! Click on the cloud button above for more information!

Out with the old...

2008-03-30T19:29:00.001-05:00

I have a new look! I was getting pretty tired of the same old plaid staring back at me, so I am trying out a new design! I'm sure I'll change again before long. That's the nice thing about doing them myself... I get to piddle with the layout & design a new one when I get tired of my old one! Now, Brandon is asking for a re-do for his blog... stay tuned for some changes on his too!

Finally an Easter post!!!

2008-03-28T19:45:00.006-05:00

We had an extra special Easter this year because it was also Brandon's birthday! We went to church & then headed to Brandon's parents house for a fabulous lunch. The cousins had fun hunting for Easter eggs in the backyard, dying eggs, & decorating the bunny cake. My girls have decorated a bunny cake every year since they were born. It has become a fun Easter tradition for us!

Decorating the bunny cake!

The cousins showing off the finished product

Egg hunt time!!!

Look at that hair flying! She had to give up on the cute basket
& go for the sack that hold way more eggs!

Payton made her Daddy the best birthday card ever! She included all of the "Daddy Awards"
that he got to take off & wear on his shirt!

Time to color the eggs!

We had a wonderful Easter together!

Ten Things Tuesday

2008-03-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

1. I have 2 sweet little girls who make me smile! I am so blessed to have them in my life!
2. Pink eye medication!!! We have been passing pink eye around in our family & it is my turn, but the drops are working!
3. My precious husband is especially wonderful this morning because he took both of the girls to school for me this morning! He always knows what I need & when I need it!
4. I am thankful for my home. I have been guilty of complaining that it is too small for us, but I have come to realize that it is perfect for us & is not just a house, but a home for our family. It keeps us protected from the weather, is a place for us to have others come over for fellowship, holds TONS of wonderful memories from the past 7 years, and every nook & cranny reflects my love for decorating!
5. The weather is BEAUTIFUL today!
6. I have beautiful flowers in every color planted in my front yard! (I need to go & water them now!)
7. Health of our family. Brandon's best friend's dad is in ICU at a hospital in Oklahoma. This has made our family stop & really be thankful for our health.
8. Brandon's sweet heart. He drove to Oklahoma City on Saturday to sit at the hospital to be with his friend and the rest of his family. It was a super long day for Brandon & I know it meant a lot to them that he cares enough to do that for them.
9. My bed. Those of you who know me well, know that I love my sleep! I love to go to bed early!!!
10. My ipod. It is my faithful friend that gets me through my daily workouts!

Go see my friend, XBOX Wife
& see all of the other people who are joining in on Ten Things Tuesday! Go ahead & do it yourself. You'll be glad you did! You too Brandon!

Happy Birthday Brandon!

2008-03-23T16:44:00.000-05:00

Happy 35th Birthday Babe! I just wanted to tell you that I am so blessed to have you as my husband and best friend. You are the most handsome, generous, caring man I have ever met. I knew you were the one I was going to spend the rest of my life with from day one. You are always right there for me & our girls whenever we need you. Your friendship & love is something that I value like nothing else. You are an amazing husband, father, son, brother, grandson, uncle & friend. You would do anything for anyone without thinking twice about it. I love your caring heart. You are a great provider for our family & are very talented at what you do. I am the luckiest woman in the world to be your wife & I only hope that I show you how much you mean to me.

All my love,
Jill

Spring Break Fun Day

2008-03-22T18:23:00.011-05:00

Our family had big plans to head to the Zoo on Thursday, but it was WAY too crowded!!! So we decided that Plan B would be the Kid's Museum... It was closed for renovations. The girls were beginning to think we were going on a scavenger hunt to find the fun thing they were going to get to do that day! It turned out that part of the Kid's Museum is now in the Cowgirl Museum. We headed there as a last resort. The kids ended up having a BLAST there!!!

They did an arts & crafts project.

They saw a dinosaur.

We found out that Miss Presley is a champion cup stacker!!!
Oh my goodness, she's good!

Major concentration...

It's taller than she is!

Time to knock them all down!
Do I have to pick up all of these???

The girls played with every kind of toy there!
My sweet family...

I think the highlight of their day (& Brandon's) was the rocket shooting outside! They made a rocket & got to shoot it on these cool homemade rocket shooters! The shooter was made from empty 2 liter pop bottles, a board, & some hose. You jump on the 2 liter bottle to shoot the rocket. Too cool! It was a beautiful day & we stayed out there a LONG time shooting the rocket over and over again!

Filling up the pop bottle with air.

Brandon had to help Miss Priss hop on the bottle!

What a fun day! We were all so glad that the zoo was too crowded! Brandon is going to have to build one of these rocket shooters!

We did these videos upstairs at the Cowgirl Museum. They turned out tooooo cute!

Cowgirl Presley!

Cowgirl Payton!

Payton's Party!

2008-03-22T18:11:00.003-05:00

Well, we survived Payton's sleepover party! The girls were all so good & had so much fun! They had a sidewalk chalk art show, played tons & tons of games, watched movies, ate yummy foods, opened presents and stayed up waaaaaaayyyyy late! The girls ended up staying up past 1:00 a.m. and woke up at 5:00 a.m.!!!!! Let's just say I was exhausted the next day!

Run.... Girl.... Run!

2008-03-19T19:58:00.002-05:00

Today I hit my all time record of most miles run in one day! Drum roll please.... 7.5 miles! I'm sure I will be crawling around tomorrow dragging my lower limbs behind me making awful sounding moans that will have all of the neighborhood dogs barking & howling. Oh well, it will be worth the "running high" I had today! I have to admit that it was not all in one workout. I ran at the gym 3.5 miles this afternoon & did the last 4 while Payton was at soccer practice this evening. I walked the last half mile... too pooped! Maybe I'll attempt to it without a break in between soon. One great thing about running & burning all those calories is that I ate Taco Bueno for dinner and didn't feel guilty about it at all!!!

Ten Things Tuesday!

2008-03-18T11:38:00.002-05:00

My friend, Mrs. Brownstone at XBOX Wife, has a fun Ten Things Tuesday Carnival going that everyone needs to participate in! It makes you stop and appreciate ALL that you are thankful for! See XBOX Wife's blog for all the details!

1. The girls had a sleepover with MeMe & Papa last night & are having a blast!
2. It is raining outside & I have the house all to myself!
3. Brandon & I had a quiet, simple, relaxing dinner last night on our back patio. Just the TWO of us! We stayed out there until dark. It reminded both of us of our fun Mexico getaway last April. It's been a long time since we have had dinner alone outside!
4. It's Brandon's brother, Deryck's birthday! He's such a great guy & a great brother in law! We are celebrating at Papadeaux's tonight!
5. I got to sleep in this morning!!!
6. I've got to be lazy & snuggle with my cat, Jack. He's enjoying the extra attention!

7. I have a beautiful, cozy dry home to keep my dry from the rain.
8. I have a wonderful family that loves me.
9. I've showered, fixed my hair & put on my make up.
10. My girls are coming home tonight! It's nice to have a break here & there, but I miss them already!

I smell a party coming...

2008-03-14T13:39:00.009-05:00

Tonight's the night! Miss Payton is having her 9th Birthday party... a sleepover party!!! I know, I know her birthday is on December 25h, but we couldn't find a good weekend to have her party. We usually have it 2 weeks before or after her birthday, but it just didn't work out this year. I'm so glad we waited. The weather is BEAUTIFUL!!!! She has invited a couple of friends from school & the rest are all her girlfriends from church.

I have been a busy little bee this morning getting everything ready. I had some help from Miss Presley (with her full chef attire on, of course!)
Presley & I made cupcakes this morning & I think they turned out so cute! I put them on the Wilton cupcake stand that I got at Michael's.

A simple white dessert stand can make even the ugliest of store bought cookies look fabulous!
My most favorite thing about getting her party ready was finding these great metal buckets! They were in the Easter section at Wal-Mart for $1 each! I added a cute note pad, a glitter gel pen, a flower sucker & some candy. I then finished it off by tying a ribbon to the handle. Viola... a party favor bucket!
Okay... I'm all ready for tonight! I just need to have some kids! I'll go & get Payton from school & wait for all of the giggling girls to get here! Please say a little prayer for me to get a little sleep tonight!

It's 10 thing Tuesday time!

2008-03-11T14:21:00.004-05:00

It's Tuesday again & xbox wife has challenged us to think of 10 things we are thankful for that has happened to us today. Here I go:

1. Payton & Presley's sweet friend, Maddie is getting to come home from the hospital today!!!
2. The sun is shining & it is a beautiful day!
3. I got my nails done!
4. Presley was so excited to deliver her pictures she colored to her teachers this morning!
5. I had a great workout at the gym & was able to lift heavier weights!
6. My hunka hunka husband met me at the gym! I'm soooo thankful I got to see him in the middle of the day!
7. Payton & her team were recognized last night at her school's PTA program for winning 1st place at the Battle of the Books competition.
8. I was able to drive around town with my windows DOWN running errands today!
9. Each member of my family is healthy.
10. My laundry is done for the day!

Fun in the snow!

2008-03-06T20:59:00.005-06:00

Snow in March!!! This evening after much begging, I let the girls go in the backyard to play in the snow! It was only for 5 minutes or so because we could not find their gloves! It's never cold enough in Texas to need them. We had several inches fall this afternoon. They were some of the biggest flakes I have ever seen! It was such a beautiful sight! The girls had a blast while they were out there, but it was major meltdown time for Miss Presley when they came back inside. She was screaming because she was so cold. I'm sure there will be more snow tomorrow & Payton may not have school. We will have to build a snowman and play longer in the snow!!! But... Mommy has to find the gloves first!

Here are the pictures of their fun time!

TAKS Test Day!

2008-03-05T08:21:00.002-06:00

Please say a little prayer for Payton today! She will be taking the 3rd grade TAKS Reading test today. She is REALLY nervous about it. She did awesome on the pre-test, so I know she will do great (it wouldn't surprise me at all if she nailed every single question!)

She was so cute about it all. First thing she did when she got home from school yesterday was to put a sticky note on the garage door reminding her to pack a healthy snack, a water bottle & a light jacket. She went to bed early last night without one complaint & woke up happy. I made her a healthy breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast & a glass of orange juice. I'm so proud of her & everything that she does. Please say a little prayer for her today...

10 Things Tuesday!

2008-03-04T14:52:00.003-06:00

My friend, Mrs. Brownstone at X-Box Wife has started a fun new thing! It's 10 Things Tuesday! You are supposed to list 10 things that you are thankful for that day. I am going to try to do this every Tuesday... we'll see how it goes! Post a link to your post on X-Box Wife's comment section!

My 10 things for today:
1. Presley was so excited that is was "Pink Day" at her preschool today.
2. All of my laundry is washed, folded & put away!
3. I got my workout in first thing today.
4. I cleaned out Brandon's bathroom drawer... Something had spilled in there & it was all gooey. It was really bothering him... I could tell. Now he has a wonderful surprise when he gets home.... That is, if he doesn't read this first!
5. The weather is beautiful today.
6. Presley said she learned a lot at school today.
7. I am able to open up all of the blinds in the house & let the sun shine in!
8. I get to pick up Payton from school in 5 minutes! I missed her today!
9. I get to wear flip flops today!!!
10. I found a whole trash bag full of things in our home that I can donate.

100 random things about me...

2008-03-01T16:57:00.011-06:00

I've seen others do this on their blogs & thought it was such a waste of time, but... I do enjoy reading every single one I come across. Sooooo here I go! You might just learn a few things about me!

1. I've known Brandon (my husband) since I was in Kindergarten.
2. I love it when it's raining, but only if I can stay at home all day.
3. Brownies are my all time favorite dessert! Yum!
4. I have worn glasses since I was four.
5. I only wear my glasses at night after I take out my contacts.
6. I had a cat named Bandit from the time I was in Kindergarten through 1st year of college.
7. My Papa called me J.P. Willaker ever since I can remember... I miss that.
8. I am a homebody. I am perfectly content staying home all day.
9. I love teaching the Cradle Roll class at church on Sunday mornings! It gives me my baby fix!
10. I would love to run a marathon some day. Maybe I should start with a half marathon.
11. I used to be a cheerleader in high school & was captain my senior year.
12. I do not like scary movies. I get completely wigged out just seeing the previews!
13. I love to decorate my home. I am constantly re-arranging & changing the paint colors.
14. It drives me crazy not knowing how to do something creative. I drive myself crazy until I figure it out!
15. The Biggest Loser is the only show I watch on TV. I cry every time I watch it.
16. I just learned to like tomatoes this year.
17. I have AB+ blood type. It's pretty rare.
18. I like to sing in the shower.
19. I cracked my head open when a toy piano fell on me as a child. It still hurts there.
20. I taught Kindergarten at the same elementary school I went to as a child.
21. I love doing random acts of kindness for people. I'm working on one now and feel so good about it. I have a feeling it will help her through a hard time right now in her life. I only know her through emails & she has blessed me so much!
22. I have a huge birthmark on my left leg. It's all splotchy & gets darker when I'm tan.
23. I get freaked out when I'm around fish. I'm so scared of all creatures that swim in water.
24. I don't eat fish because of that. I haven't even tasted it. Never have... never will.
25. I can roll my bottom eyelids under & look like Tammie Faye Baker.
26. I love to take pictures, but need to learn how to use my camera better.
27. I am part Native American. I even have a tribal ID card.
28. I love the way it smells just before it starts to rain.
29. I made the curtains in my dining & living room.
30. I love getting good mail (notes from friends & family). It just makes my day!
31. I like to run.
32. I am a cat person more than a dog person. Sorry, Maggie. I still love you.
33. I think it would be cool to be a personal trainer and help people reach their goals, but I don't think it's something I will ever do.
34. I would love to live in a house that had a lot of land around it.
35. I had braces when I was in junior high.
36. Pink is my favorite color.
37. I often worry what others will think of what I do or say.
38. My mind is constantly thinking of things. I have so many ideas spinning in there all the time!
39. I have been told by many people that I am creative.
40. I love Diet Dr. Pepper & Diet Mountain Dew!
41. I am a major sheet snob. They must be 500 thread count or higher. This is only on my bed at home (not when I'm visiting you :)
42. I am a little jealous that my daughter, Payton can play the piano & I can't.
43. I wish I was better at keeping in touch with people.
44. I always had a perm in my hair when growing up.
45. I'm not a big fan of the phone... I'm not sure why. I just don't like to talk on the phone.
46. I love my hot pink Mac book!
47. I still sit in any room & think my husband is the best looking man there.
48. I love peppermint milkshakes from Braums.
49. I always have a nice scented candle burning.
50. Halfway there!
51. I have a very hard time going to sleep. My brain just doesn't want to stop! Thank you Tylenol P.M.
52. I'm a people watcher.
53. I would love to learn how to quilt. It would be neat to pass down to my children & grandchildren.
54. I love to watch my girls playing together.
55. I worked for a professional photographer in while in college.
56. I purchased my own car for myself when I was a senior in high school.
57. Being a mom is hard for me and easy for me.
58. I love to look at fabric. I have to touch it when I look at it.
59. I hope I'm a good friend. I know I could always do more to be better.
60. It is awesome being Brandon's wife!
61. I like dill pickles.
62. I love the fact that I use all natural cleaners in my home now.
63. I have been slowly switching to organic foods when possible. Gosh, it's expensive though!
64. My biggest fear is my children getting really, really sick... been there, done that. Not fun!
65. I am trying not to be such of a pack rat. I have been getting rid of things that I don't need & feel lighter because of it.
66. I love to have friends over, but don't very often.
67. I feel safe from the world when I'm in my warm cozy home.
68. I like giving to our church & need to work on giving more.
69. I love having 2 little girls. I just get giddy thinking about it!
70. I like getting pedicures. I feel like I'm polished from head to toe, instead of just toes.
71. I like welcome signs on front doors.
72. I have A.D.D. but stopped taking taking the meds for it 2 years ago. I'm trying to work through it on my own.
80. I love it that Payton's birthday is on December 25th.
81. I am addicted to Presley's giggle!
82. I have started recycling and feel really good about it.
83. Fall & Spring are my favorite seasons.
84. I want to go to Paris with Brandon someday.
85. I love the simple things in life.
86. I love the Lord!
87. I had pigs & horses when I was growing up.
88. I ran over a dog by accident when I was in high school & I still feel sad when I think about it. Brandon had to bury it.
89. What number am I on? I love to have smooth legs. I shave them every day. Having hairy legs drives me crazy!
90. I do not like to play cards.
91. I have a hard time keeping in laughs when I'm supposed to be quiet. It's the hardest thing to do!
92. Our family calls the vacuum cleaner the Noo Noo.
93. I have sent out Christmas cards every year since we have been married.
94. I love to take long, hot baths.
95. I'm a lotion freak. I have to put it on every night.
96. Brandon & I had a beautiful wedding.
97. I'm almost done!
98. I wish I had a tons & tons of friends.
99. I like to wash clothes & fold them... I just don't like the putting away part. Thank goodness for daughters! hehehe!
100. I love life!

Are we similar at all??? Will you make a 100 things list too?

I really should be sleeping...

2008-02-24T15:08:00.002-06:00

The house is quiet. Presley is taking a nap, Payton is in her room reading, Brandon is at softball practice, the hum of the dryer is coming from the laundry room. Perfect setting for my Sunday afternoon nap. I take one every Sunday... it's my "leave Mama alone time". Only today I don't feel like it for some reason. I've been busy doing laundry, catching up on reading blogs, & doing other things that needed to be done around the house. I've waited too long now anyway... we are having our Small Group Church meeting at the park down the street in about an hour. The weather is beautiful & it will be nice to meet outdoors & let the kiddos play and burn off all of their excess energy!

Wii Love Shelley!

2008-02-21T15:49:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday night we had the Wolfe's & the Tolleson's over for a dinner party. We had a great time... good food & good friends! I think the hit of the night was the Wii. Shelley had to try out each game & played with great enthusiasm. I was the event photographer & captured Shelley's every move. It was so funny that I about wet my pants. I know you're dying to come back & perfect your skills... come over anytime!

PRESLEY LOST HER FIRST TOOTH!!!

2008-02-14T09:37:00.003-06:00

Okay... It's official, my baby is now a BIG GIRL! Presley lost her first tooth while eating an apple. Brandon had tried to pull it a little earlier in the evening, but it wasn't quite ready & Presley thought it hurt a little too much! Sooo, Brandon gave her an apple without cutting it up. She took a bite and it did the trick! I was in the other room making bows & I hear this "MY TOOTH CAME OUT!!!!!!!!!" She was so excited! She was jumping and running all over the house with a great big snaggle tooth smile!

Now the other one is just barely hanging on & will be out soon!

This is the apple that did the trick!

Now we have 2 snaggle tooth girls in the family!

We put her tooth in her Tooth Fairy Pillow & left a note for the Tooth Fairy to leave Presley's tooth. She wanted to keep it since it was her first!

Telling Nana, MeMe & Papa the exciting news!

Conversation with Presley

2008-02-10T20:28:00.000-06:00

Presley woke up this morning and crawled in bed with Brandon & me. She was deep in thought while we were trying to get in some last minute zzz's.

Presley: Dad, when you had a sleepover with the boys did you play poopball?

Me: Laughing... You mean paintball?

Presley: Yeah, Paintball.

Brandon: Yes

Presley: Did you shoot each other?

Brandon: Yes, we would hide & shoot each other with the paint gun.

Presley: What color was the paint in the gun?

Brandon: Orange

Presley: Oh... Well... Huh... Why didn't you use pink & red for Valentine's Day???

Miss Presley cracks us up daily! Speaking of Presley... We have an exciting announcement! Something very exciting happened to her recently!!! I won't spoil the announcement. I have to upload the pictures to my computer & then I will post about it!!!

Yay... It's Friday!

2008-02-08T09:56:00.000-06:00

I am super pumped up today... I just finished the last of 8 bow orders for the day! I have worked my fingers to the bone! I let them pile up over the last few days because Payton was sick. Speaking of Miss Payton, she woke up FEVER FREE for the first time in a week! Praise God! I thought she was feeling better on my last post, but I think I was actually only pretending that she felt better because she crashed & burned later that day. Please say a little prayer that she will kick this virus once & for all!!! She has missed every day of school this week & today was her 3rd Grade Field Trip. She is pretty bummed about this...

I am also excited that my mom is coming to watch the girls for me so that I can go to the gym & work out! Woo Hoo! I have not been able to go in a week & it is killing me! I'm an everyday gym person. I am pleased to say that I haven't gained a single pound this week... I actually lost one! Go figure... sometimes our bodies do strange things. It might be that my body needed a break to rest from the workouts.

I'm drawing a name this evening for my "Freebie Friday" blog makeover! Check out Jilly Blog Designs to find out how to enter!

That's all I have for now!

Wednesday is wonderful...

2008-02-06T12:43:00.000-06:00

Things are good at the Parks household... Payton's fever is finally under control. She started looking a little perky last night & slept the whole night without waking up with high fever! Thank you Lord! The fighting has returned between Presley and her, so that is a good sign that she is feeling better!!! She even ate breakfast this morning AND ate some soup & grilled cheese for lunch! She is dying that she has missed 3 days of school. If all goes well today, she can return to school tomorrow. It's so nice to see that sparkle in her eyes again... it's been a long 5 days!

Anyone need a blog header???

2008-02-04T14:04:00.000-06:00

Ok, I've had some time on my hands after being trapped in the house for a few days taking care of sick kiddos. I have had fun playing with digital elements over the past few months & think I've gotten better at it. I love to do anything creative & I have fun coming up with new designs. After all of this time stuck in the house, it came to me that I should start offering my services to those who would like to spruce up the look of their blog. Sooooo.... take a look at my designs below!

www.jillyblogdesigns.blogspot.com

I set up a completely different page to keep everything separated... just thought it would be easier that way. Thanks to my new blog friend Kelly for posting a link to jilly blog designs on her page. She is the one who got me started making headers. She no longer sells them, but does give away freebies from time to time! I have some premades that I have already done available to look at on the new site! Thanks!

Stalkers...It's time to come clean!

2008-02-01T13:54:00.000-06:00

I am stuck in the house today and I am BORED!!! Miss Presley is running fever, coughing, sneezing & has a runny nose. I am feeling icky too, but not as bad as Presley. *** UPDATE*** Payton woke up at 2 a.m. this morning (Sat.) with a fever of 102.7!!! So our whole family is now officially sick! Ugghhhh! Payton's turn for the Dr. visit today. Looks like another day of blog stalking for me... While trapped in our house feeling icky, I have found comfort in stalking other peoples blogs. I can't even tell you how many blogs I've stalked today... lets just say alot! It is actually quite fun. I even commented on some that I don't even know just to be honest & let them know that a stranger is reading their blog. hehehe!

Anyway, this led me to think about who has been stalking mine. Hmmm... kinda creepy if you start thinking about the people you don't want looking at it. Who do I not want to look at it? Ooooh, I don't want the boogy man, the... (Ok I've got my ADD self back on track now) I know you sweet, nice people are out there. My counter number keeps rising day after day without many comments being posted. Jason S. & Jen M. have already come clean & they are feeling great about it. I'm sure they would walk you through it & tell you how it has changed their lives. You can do it too! Just leave me a comment to let me know who you are!

1st Place at Battle of the Books Competition!!!!!

2008-01-30T14:45:00.000-06:00

The 1st Place Longhorns!

Woo Hoo!!!!!!!! Well we just got home from the competition & North Ridge won! Congratulations to the North Ridge Elementary Longhorns on winning 1st place for the second year in a row at the Battle of the Books competition! I am so proud of you Payton! Can you tell that I am EXCITED??? Let me tell you, this was a nail biter...so close. Our sweet friend Grace from church was on the 2nd place team, the Green Valley Gators! I thought that they were going to take first place until the very last minute of the competition. I am very proud of both of these smart little ladies!

After the competition, the school treated the team to lunch at Cici's Pizza. The team had a great time! After eating they got to head back to campus to parade in with their huge trophy! Then they got say their names and announce (more like scream) that they won over the school speakers to the entire school! How cool is that?

There were 21 elementary schools there competing which is amazing to see first hand. I leaned over to Brandon & whispered..."That's a bunch of smart kids down there!" It was an amazing morning & I don't think I've come down off of the "high" yet!

I love this picture... I think she was praying for the right answer!

There were 21 schools competing. I couldn't even fit all of them in the picture!

VICTORY!!!
Way to go North Ridge Longhorns!!!

We are so proud of you Payton!

Grace & Payton! You two rock!