Saturday Project

What can get accomplished on a Saturday with no other commitments! :)

The bark underneath the play structure I'm hoping will be great for keeping down puddles & mud after it rains. Plus, there's less yard to mow now! haha! (not like grass was growing in that corner anyway :)

A BIG thank you to Howie (who knew railroad ties were so heavy?!), and to Hudson & JP for helping us, too. Looks GREAT!

Pray for Lucy

This is Lucy. An active, fun, nearly 5-year-old so full of life! She is part of a wonderful, loving, caring, faithful Christian family. This week, though, they are all beginning a frightful battle. Lucy has been diagnosed with medulloblastoma. She has multiple brain tumors, and a "sugarcoating" of tumors along her spine. Three brain tumors and one spinal tumor are being surgically removed today. Her recovery will also require "aggressive" radiation & chemotherapy in the months to come. Please pray for this precious child, and her family.

I can't even begin to describe how this news has effected me or others in this community. I know that the family is receiving tremendous support from family, friends & the community.

It's hard to even put into words the sort of 'gloomy fog' I've felt since hearing this news on Wednesday & Thursday. I'm a friend... not part of the family, and not one of the closest friends, but a friend nonetheless, and trying to process this news, the shock & devastation, is, even for me, difficult (for lack of a better word). But I see this family, this community, coming together... showing love & compassion, so full of hope & faith, and it is honestly inspiring in light of such a 'dark' situation. Like I said, I'm not sure I'm using the right words to describe all of this... My heart is just so heavy for this little girl and her family, and I am in such awe of their strength & faith. God truly is a God of mercy, compassion, strength, and understanding. Even though we do not understand His plan for us, we are called to have faith, trust, and believe. Thank you, God.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight."

Proverbs 3:5

Hudson lost his 1st tooth!

HOORAY! Hudson has lost his first baby tooth!

He has been waiting... and waiting... to finally lose a tooth! Lots of his friends have been losing teeth (some older, some younger) and he's been wondering when it was going to be his turn. Well, it's here! 

While we were in Gallatin over the weekend, I was sitting in the back beside Hudson and noticed a new "white spot" in his mouth. Upon closer examination, I saw that it was his permanent tooth coming in behind/under his baby tooth! WOW! That baby tooth really needs to come on out! Hudson has been doing his fair share of "loosening it up", so we were sure it wouldn't take long. I honestly couldn't believe it lasted through the long weekend, and when I saw it Tuesday morning, I told Howie I'd be surprised if it lasted through the day... it didn't! Hudson pulled it at school (at nap time, of course!). 

Way to go, Hudson! Can't wait to see what the tooth fairy brings!

Basketball champs!

Hudson's basketball team won the championship! Go Tigers! It was a great championship game... They called the players out to take their positions before the game started. Then both teams were recognized and awarded trophies after the game :) 

(Sorry the pictures aren't all that great. I wasn't expecting such a "big event" and only had the camera on my phone.)

Congrats, Hudson, on an awesome first basketball season! You played hard and learned a lot about the game of basketball. We are so, so proud of you and your team!!

Playdate

On this President's Day holiday, we had a playdate with Mrs. Brandi, and her boys, Brooks & Brandon. We went to the Nature Trail and the playground across the street. It was great! And we beat the rain, too :) I love the way they all played together. They had a great time!

Visiting Gallatin

This President's Day weekend, we traveled to Nashville with Howie's parents to visit his brother and family. We had a great time! Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me, but the kids enjoyed playing with Mia & Eli very much!!

We met to eat & visit on Friday evening. Cade even got to go with Mia to her swim lessons. He had a lot of fun :) On Saturday, we visited & played more. (and we ate, too... yum!) The kids even got to pick out some new books at a local bookstore. Before we all headed our separate ways on Sunday, we gathered for a delicious breakfast!

Thanks, Ryan & Karen, for having us all! We hope to get to come back again :) We had a great time!

NWTF show

While in Nashville, we went to the National Wildlife Turkey Federation show. Howie picked up his deer that he got on his Canada hunt last November, and the boys had an awesome time playing & looking at all the cool stuff!

They got to shoot guns & bows...

... fish...

... play a computer-generated hunting game...

... and check out all sorts of other neat hunting things!

It was a day well spent!

Valentine's Day 2011

What beautiful weather this Valentine's weekend! We certainly were glad to be outside a little more, enjoying warmer sunshine. "Cupid" even came to our house this Valentine's day! Cade has been wishing for a tie (like big brother's), and Cupid came through!

Happy Valentine's Day to my three sweet babies, and to my sweet hubby, too!

Great basketball game!

Hudson played his best game of the season today! And he had just the audience for his performance... Papa Ross, Cacki, Andi Cate, Gran, G-Daddy, Aunt LuLu, Maddox, Wesley, and, of course, Daddy, Mommy, Cade, & Callie.

We are all so proud of you, Hudson! Keep up the hard work, team spirit, and good sportsmanship!

Snowfall this week

This week we received two more snowfalls. Large, wet snowflakes quickly covered the ground on Monday...

Then on Wednesday, we had a slow, steady snowfall of small snowflakes. It was all very pretty, and the kids enjoyed a little extra time at home enjoying the snow :)

What a good big brother! He wants to be so strong like Daddy.

Daisy loves to romp around in the backyard with the boys. Cade was trying to lasso her like a horse!

Callie - 17 months

At 17-months-old, oh my, this little girl is so independent and full of personality! She is so much fun, and beginning to be a little challenging, too! :)

She likes to feed her "ba-ba". She sits in her rocking chair, too, and starts humming for "Rock-a-bye, Baby". So sweet...

She loves, loves, loves her giraffe. You'll see it in several pictures. She loves her teddy bear, too :) She's gotten where she comes towards the camera when you get it out. She points to it and says "Was-sat?" (What's that?) We hear that VERY often around here...

Callie is obsessed with feeding the dog these days... ha! On this particular day, Daisy was laying down napping. Callie decided it was time for her to eat. So she went and got Daisy's dog food, brought it to her, and began scooping it out and giving it to Daisy! Callie would even sneak a few bites in for herself, too. (yuck!)

What I mean by somewhat challenging :)... She's much more of a climber at her age than the boys' ever thought about! She gets into the computer, onto the kitchen table, reaching up to the countertops, into the bathroom sink... you name it, she's into it! She's as big as the rest of us, right?! Oh, and her new word... you guessed it... "No"!

A shoe obsession at an early age... oh my! She drags out any & all shoes she can find to try them on! And she really does a great job walking around in them considering they range in size from a child's 11 to a men's 11!

Callie likes riding her horsey these days. She loads up her basket and scoots around. (Notice giraffe in tow :) When she makes a sound like a horse, she shakes her head and says "naaaaay!"

She loves this little pull-around toy. (This was a toy of mine when I was a little girl!) It had a cow on it, but the boys got a little rough with it and it broke off. (surprise, surprise... ha!) Now she loads it up with other things to pull around. (notice giraffe... again!)

Callie also likes to try on hats. The bigger the better, actually, because if they fit, she can't get them on & off as easily!

And she's experimenting with stripping... I mean taking off her clothes... I mean... well, you know what I mean! lol! This is how I found her one morning, with her pajamas unzipped down to her belly button. (see giraffe once again... this time, pink :) I put her socks & shoes on her more times than I can count because she usually has one off before I can get them both on!

I've probably gone on way more than any of you wanted to read, but she really is a hoot! A fun, fun girl! We all love her dearly :)

Superbowl 2011

Superbowl Sunday 2011 at the Freeman's...

Pre-game show: Callie riding around the house on a towel being pulled by her big brothers!

So funny & so creative :) They all 3 laughed & laughed, and Howie & I couldn't help but laugh watching them.

First quarter entertainment: Hudson yelling, "Yes, baby! Yes! Go Pack!" as he ran & jumped in front of the TV! The child could not contain his excitement for the team he was rooting for.

Second quarter highlights: Cade talking about players' fist pumping & head shaking when they did well, and the boys' belly-bumping attempts :)

Half-time show: Hudson's own rendition of the BEP's "Tonight's gonna be a good, good night!" Both boys were mesmerized!

The second half of the game was nice & quiet, as it was a parent-only viewing :) All kids were tucked quietly in bed. And the best part of the game = no commercials!! We love DVR!