labor day

spent some time with maw and paw! it was so much fun...the kids are able to do more each time we go, and they hardly ever fight while we are there (which is nice).  here are some awesome activities we enjoyed.

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

funny boy

braxton is a hoot! he is so much like me in many ways and other ways not at all. he is stubborn, a little ocd and a tad sensitive - me! he has a great imagination, is 100% boy and is full of energy -  not me!

these are a few things lately that have just made me laugh and love him more.

we obviously watch a titch too much tv around here: braxton sings the mattress giant song, asks for pajama jeans, a clip on bug guard, and most recently came in saying this:

oxy clean commercial (there is a better one, but it's rather long. my kids talk ALOT)

robot boy
(this was another one of his crazy ideas - dad just helped put it on.)

friends

my sweet friend finally moved into her beautiful new home & we were able to go check it out and fellowship with our friends.  thanks for having us :)

evie, ainsley, ayla, addison, braxton

 my kids love all of their toys!

 and the new fireplace hearth!

unfinished yet adorable

when grandma chaplin came a few weeks ago she brought some fabric & a project for us.  unfortunately, i didn't get a photo of that.

BUT, i did, however, receive this cute burnt orange fabric (also) and decided it should be used for these! my first attempt at a peasant dress...i was shocked how simple it was...why did i wait so long?!? i HAD to have photos even though they weren't quite finished.  i hope you like them, because you will see them again REAL soon - but they are finished now & TOO CUTE!

Day Two of MDO

More school for B.

Picnic lunch for the girls.

MONDAY FUN-DAY

Braxton started mother's day out at a new school/church on August 22. We were all up and ready to go. The girls colored while I made his lunch.

sweet Braxton - almost 4 - actually stopped for a moment for some photos for mom! Ayla and Evie were just as excited to go to school - they beat him down the hall.

Mrs. Emily! We were so excited to have a 'real' teacher and a dear friend teach and care for our little man. Unfortunately for us, she has taken a teaching position at a district near by. Please pray all of those involved in this change! Best of luck, Em! Oh, and behind them is the crayon wreath I made for her. Got that little idea from a friend!!!

twin playdate

another facebook reconnection. i went to college and met this darling boy named will. he was dating a younger girl from his hometown that i met a handful of times until she joined us at tamu-c. krissy ended up cheering with me and was just as precious as her man. they married and have 4 children - including twin girls!!! they just moved closer to us and we HAD to get together. so, here is the first of many playdates for our families. i must add, her children are wonderfully behaved and so cute, too. THANKS FOR HAVING US!

visitors

uncle mark & aunt jenifer came to visit two weekends in a row - convenient stop on the way - nacogdoches to/from dfw. we loved every second we had with them. in case i haven't said this before, my kids ADORE them. they are especially fond of uncle mark and all of his attention! aunt jenifer is making a big impression these days, too, as they get to know each other more. thank you for coming to stay with us and living our insanity for a while. we appreciate all of your help, attention and love. we can't wait to see you again, soon!

the following weekend, grandma, grandpa and papaw came to stay. we always have so much fun and stay so busy i always seem to forget to take photos. (one of the reasons i haven't blogged much lately) in between all of these; pops, gammie, aunt e and chris came over for dinner. we booked our vegas trip for my little sis' 21st birthday - woohoo! mawmaw and pawpaw stopped in to say hello and then mawmaw came last week to watch the girls while i took care of some necessary errands. again - no photos! big thanks to all of our family that love us so much to come over to our humble abode to invest your lives in ours. we love you beyond words and appreciate ALL you do for us.

at home

the girls have been talking and singing so much these days. they learned to sing a portion of the "clean up" song and practiced it here! sometimes all of my kids get along and are so sweet - watching barney!

david and i went out for drinks and dancing with some friends to celebrate the 6th anniversary of our beginning.

the dollar general was having a buy one get one free sale on clothes & i could not pass up these adorable outfits. $7

the girls love to be carried by daddy in these (sturdy) baskets.

braxton continues to use his imagination and build various things with legos. here he wanted me to take a picture of him and this combine he made.

playdate

I took my gang to meet with a friend from college and her little girl (& niece). When I was teaching/coaching in Rockwall, she came to work there as well and ended up coaching JV when I coached Varsity. We haven't talked in about 6 years until we reconnected on facebook. I LOVE that facebook allows long lost friends to get back together!!!!

Anyway - we met at Grapevine Mills mall, which allows for much entertainment for the littles.

I didn't get a picture, but I had the twins in the double stroller, and Kandle was going to push her two in the mall provided ($8 rental) firetruck monstrosity! Braxton was going to walk - NOPE. We ended up getting two strollers and riggin' them together to form and even larger, more obnoxious fire-bus :) EVERYTHING'S BIGGER IN TEXAS held true this day.

We let the kids play in the Disney store, ride the carousel, ride these automated play structures, go on a train ride through the mall, eat yummy chicken nuggets and french fries, ride the carousel again, and play in the lego store. It was fun, stressful, wild and mostly entertaining for all of us. These are the only pictures I was able to get - our hands were a tad full.

Kandle - thanks for meeting me & my gang! Thank you, too, for all of the wonderful clothes and shoes from your precious to mine. Can't wait to meet up again.

Hello, again!

I am going to do my best to update the month of August....short and sweet. Thanks for checking back with us. We're here and doing well.