The Freeman Family

Who's missing another tooth?!

2012-02-09T11:47:00.000-06:00

That's right! It's Hudson! He lost his 4th tooth tonight at the supper table. He sort of popped it out with his spoon! ha! This is the first upper tooth he's lost. The "hole" left behind is just too cute... love it!

Proud Parents

2012-01-23T20:57:00.000-06:00

Howie and I are proud of our three babies every day, but we have special reason to be proud these days.

**Hudson brought home his 2nd grading period report card last week. Once again, he had all As & Ss! Awesome job, Hudson!! Hudson is a smart, little boy, and, right now, he enjoys school. He has high expectations and works hard. For this grading period, he received three awards: Principal's Honor Roll, Perfect Attendance, Writing award.

Hudson, you are one superstar student! We are so proud of your hard work and your good work at school!

**Cade has been working super-hard at school, too. He has lots and lots of happy faces on his behavior chart, and he's writing to 100 all my himself on hundreds charts! Way to go, buddy! We are also very impressed with how well he's blending together sounds to read 3-letter words.

Cade, we are so very proud of how you behave, and what you're learning, at school! You are a smart, little man!

**And little miss Callie Jewel is a potty-goer at last! Hooray! She is consistently staying dry during awake times, and has even used the potty at a few other places!

Keep up the good work, Callie! We love you, and are very proud of you, too!

New outfit

2012-01-16T13:19:00.000-06:00

Here's Callie trying on a new outfit that I actually bought for her before Christmas. It's from a Facebook sales company in Alabama. They post such cute stuff everyday! Hard to resist! :)

Lovin' on Daddy

2012-01-15T10:51:00.000-06:00

Daddy got some extra lovin' from Cade & Callie tonight!

I had told Callie it was time to get her pj's on and get ready for night-night. She quickly told me that no, she wasn't ready to go night-night. Then she looked around & said, "I want my Daddy." ha! What a spoiled, little girl :) She knows how to work her Daddy already! Wouldn't trade her for anything, though :)

Cade had been sitting on the couch with his Daddy (watching some sporting event, I'm sure :) when he announced, "Dad, I'm gonna love you forever. So you have to love me forever, 'cause I'm gonna love you forever." Awww... so sweet, innocent, & genuine. We'll definitely love you forever, too, Cade-o :)

Duck Hunting w/ Cade

2012-01-14T10:48:00.000-06:00

Howie has been giving the boys the opportunity to go duck hunting with him as much as possible. Here are some pictures from Cade's latest hunt with Daddy...

Thanks, Mr. Keith, for letting us come hunt with you!

Snow Dusting

2012-01-12T10:46:00.000-06:00

A mid-day snow dusting :)

New PJs

2012-01-05T10:35:00.000-06:00

New horsey pajamas!

New Year's Day 2012

2012-01-01T10:30:00.000-06:00

Welcome 2012!

We headed back to the Freeman's for a New Year's lunch today. More great fun with family!!

Hudson, PawPaw, & Maddox :)

Freeman Christmas

2011-12-31T08:28:00.000-06:00

We gathered with the Freemans on December 31 this year to celebrate Christmas & New Year's Eve all in one! It was a day full of family & fun!

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The kids had a lot of fun that morning riding 4-wheelers & dirt bikes & lawn mowers (yes, a lawn mower with no working blade... they love it!). I intended to take pictures of all that, but was too busy making sure everyone was driving safely :)... and they did. We ate, watched movies, opened presents, shot fireworks... it was a great day and a great end to 2011!

Grizzlies Game

2011-12-30T08:43:00.000-06:00

It's been a busy day! This morning we headed to Bells to ride 4-wheelers at Cacki & Papa's house, and to visit with Papa for his birthday today. Papa & Cacki even rode 4-wheelers with us! That was so cool, and so much fun! Cacki fixed us a yummy lunch for Papa's birthday before we headed back home to rest up for the afternoon, because tonight, we had tickets to a NBA Grizzlies game!

Hudson had an awesome time, mostly due to the fact that our friends, Mr. Kevin, Mrs. Ashley, Coleman & Camryn went with us :) The highlight of the game for Hudson was when the Grizzlies scored 100 points. He was paying attention :)

I'm not sure there was a "highlight" of the game for Cade. ha! He was asking to go home from the moment we got there. (go figure :/) He did immediately look for & locate the cheerleaders, though, as soon as we sat down. ha!

It was my first Grizzlies game (Howie & the boys had been to one before). I enjoyed the night out with family & friends :)

Happy Birthday, Maddox!

2011-12-28T21:22:00.000-06:00

Happy 7th Birthday, cousin Maddox!

Thanks for inviting us to celebrate with you! We had a great time!

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Too funny!

2011-12-26T11:42:00.000-06:00

These two will most likely be embarrassed by this post one day, but it is too funny not to note :)

Cade & Callie both love to take a bath. They laid down on their tummies in the tub this evening, looking at bathtub books. They laughed and laughed at themselves, thinking they looked too cute and were just a funny pair! Love, love, love these two silly kiddos :)

Christmas morning 2011

2011-12-25T08:31:00.000-06:00

Christmas morning was super-exciting around here this year!!! The kids were surprised & happy... Santa himself must have been jumping with joy, too :) We had a great morning together checking out all the goodies that Santa left under the tree & in our stockings, going to church, opening our gifts to/from each other, and visiting & sharing with our family that dropped by. A very merry Christmas indeed!

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Guess we stopped using the camera at this point :), but we were certainly happy to have Aunt Thelma, Janet, MawMaw & PawPaw, Gran & G, Cacki & Papa, and John come by and spend part of the day celebrating Christmas with us & the kids.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!

The Via's on Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T21:10:00.000-06:00

Here are the precious Via children getting ready for Santa, too!

Jesse (3), Andi Cate (6), Sail (3 mo.), Brooks (4)

It's Baby Sail's 1st Christmas!

Nighty-night! Santa will be here soon!

How they've changed

2011-12-24T20:58:00.000-06:00

What a difference one year can make... especially from age 1 - 2.

Love, love ALL my babies...

2010

2011

This is what Christmas is all about... These 3 babies plus one extraordinary baby sent for us so many years ago.

Christmas Eve 2011

2011-12-24T14:24:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve at home is one of my favorite times of the year! I love the excitement, anticipation, and preparation. We put on our Christmas pajamas, open a few presents, read Christmas stories, and set out milk & cookies for Santa. It is so much fun! I love this time with my family!

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Christmas in Bells

2011-12-24T14:00:00.000-06:00

We spent most of Christmas Eve in Bells at Cacki & Papa's house. All of the family was together - kids playing, sharing gifts, eating - for a fantastic day!

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Live Nativity

2011-12-22T13:20:00.000-06:00

Our Sunday School class at church sponsors the Live Nativity each year. It's an opportunity for every family of the church to be involved in sharing the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus, with our community! And there's a part for all ages, too! The boys love participating, and were looking forward to being angels particularly this year :)

Jonathan, Hudson, Cade, & Alexander peeping at the sheep below :)

Something is so funny! Shhhh, angels :)

Callie liked watching the Nativity, listening to the music, and seeing the sheep especially.

Our families are always good to come out to watch & support us, too. This year we had Gran & G, "Uncle" John & Linda, Cacki & Papa, and Aunt Candi, too!

Thanks for coming out everyone! We love you!

Callie's 1st Haircut

2011-12-22T09:14:00.000-06:00

The boys & Howie had hair appointments today. When we got there, I gently mentioned (again :) that, at some point, we needed to get Callie's hair trimmed so that the front could "catch up" to the back. Her hair has grown so much in the last few months! Anyway, Callie heard that and got excited! "I det my hairtut, too!" she said. So, Daddy gave in and Callie had her turn getting a haircut :) She loved it! When she was all done, she hopped down, turned her back to her brothers (so they could see her hair), and said, "Tade! Woot at my hairtut!" Absolutely precious & priceless...

Two by the fire

2011-12-19T09:10:00.000-06:00

With Hudson gone for the night (to Cacki & Papa's), Cade & Callie opted for a movie by the fire :)

Starry Nights

2011-12-18T11:31:00.000-06:00

We're headed out to see Santa, and have our annual trip through Starry Nights with Gran & G!

(The boys were not thrilled at the photo op :)

Preschool Christmas Program

2011-12-15T11:10:00.000-06:00

The preschool at TCA held its annual Christmas program tonight at FBC in Covington. All of the children did a great job. Here are the two superstars we came to see...

Wesley - age 3, and Cade - age 5

Our little Christmas cutie, Callie, was there to cheer them on, too :)

Once again, in low light, our camera took pretty sorry pictures :( Oh, well... we enjoyed the program anyway, and were so proud of Wesley and our Cade-o!

Christmas Parade

2011-12-10T20:52:00.000-06:00

Ready for the 2011 Brighton Christmas Parade!

She looks warm, doesn't she?!

Basketball Begins

2011-12-10T09:58:00.000-06:00

Brighton Basketball 2011-12 has begun! The boys had their first games this week. This is Cade's 1st year of basketball. He's having a good time so far :)

This is Hudson's 2nd year of basketball. Unfortunately, the boys are on two different teams (because of age groupings), so we get to spend double-time at the courts! Hudson is getting more & more confident :)

Lunch Date

2011-12-08T20:57:00.000-06:00

My lunch date after great check-ups with the allergist this morning :)

2nd Snow

2011-12-07T19:39:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's back again! This time canceling school altogether! Not a lot of accumulation, but it did leave us a pretty snow-covered lawn. It stayed cold long enough this time for me to get a few pictures, and the boys just had to get out to play in it for a little while :)

Now what do we do?!

Make snow angels... (Cade)

Taste the snow... (Hudson)

Try sledding...

Sledding didn't work too well on the ground, so let's go down the slide on it!

Priceless!

Children's Christmas program

2011-12-04T11:25:00.000-06:00

The Children's Christmas program was this Sunday night at church. The preschoolers & elementary students did a fabulous job! They performed "The Next Noel", which is the sequel to the program they presented last year. Their time & effort surely paid off! It was very enjoyable!

Hudson & Cade were both part of the Children's choir, and Hudson played a wise man in the Nativity scene. NOTE: He was super-excited to be a wise man this year! Apparently, he has been a shepherd the last few years, so "moving up" to a wise man was a VERY BIG DEAL. ha!

Gotta love Cade's personality as it comes out in the programs :)

SIDE NOTE: Sorry the pictures aren't the greatest :( Howie took them during the program while I was helping the kids. For some reason, the camera doesn't take good pictures in low light and we haven't been able to remedy that. Also, I don't think Howie focused in enough on the kids, so the camera was focusing in on the people sitting in front of him instead :/

Canada Hunting Trip 2011

2011-12-01T21:18:00.000-06:00

Howie went back to Canada this year for another hunting trip over the Thanksgiving holidays. This year, though, was even more special because along with him went his brother, his dad, and his dad's cousin. My brother and his brother-in-law were there, again, too. So this group of family/extended family had a great time visiting and sharing this hunting experience. Take a look!

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Howie's Canadian Deer

2011-11-29T21:28:00.000-06:00

Howie got his deer today! The kids & I are so excited for him and so proud of him! Hooray!

1st Snow!

2011-11-28T15:52:00.000-06:00

We've had our first snow of the Fall/Winter! Yes, you read that right... our first snow! It wasn't much, and didn't really cover anything but the grass, but, to ere on the side of caution, it did cause a 2-hour school delay and cancellation for 1/2 day preschool! The kids were thrilled, although a little confused, too. They've never had a "delay". Hudson said, "Why didn't they just CANCEL?!" Then, I think, too, he was a little afraid he might have to stay longer because he started later. He kept asking, "When do I get out?" :)

Decorating the tree

2011-11-27T15:52:00.000-06:00

Howie put up the Christmas tree before he left so the kids & I could have it decorated by the time he got back. My 3 little elves did a great job helping me, didn't they?!

We love, love, love having the Christmas tree up :)

Callie at 2-years-old, of course wants to touch everything :)

SO EXCITED FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON THIS YEAR!!!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T21:34:00.000-06:00

This year for Thanksgiving again, we spent a few days at Cacki & Papa's house since Howie was hunting in Canada. The kids always enjoy spending time at their house, so they thought it was a GRAND idea!

Here's Callie watching a movie with the animals sitting in the chair with her.

Callie welcoming in Baby Sail on Thanksgiving day. She loved to "see da baby", and felt like such a big girl as she got to help take care of him on Thanksgiving night while the "big kids" went to a movie :)

Look at him smiling at her! So sweet!

With all of the Freeman men out of town hunting, Gran, MawMaw, & PawPaw traveled to Crockett County for Thanksgiving day, too. It was wonderful to have them there. It's so nice when we can ALL get together... THANKFUL for my family :)

The five older cousins - Hudson, Andi Cate, Cade, Brooks, Jesse - went to see "Happy Feet 2" the movie on Thanksgiving night. Aunt Candi even joined us! It was a really cute movie. The kids enjoyed it. Afterward, we grabbed a bit to eat... check out the mini-chefs! ha!

Again, a wonderful Thanksgiving week for 2011... missed Howie, but enjoyed all the time we spent together with the rest of the family. Always so very much to be thankful for...

The Via cousins at Cacki's

2011-11-23T21:10:00.000-06:00

Cacki wanted to get all of the cousins together for a Christmas card picture this year... easier said than done, right? We got some really good pictures, and quite a few not so good ones, too. ha! But they each looked so pretty/handsome all dressed up.

Thanks, Cacki, for putting up with all of us at Thanksgiving!

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Letters to Santa 2011

2011-11-22T15:05:00.000-06:00

The kids are especially excited about Christmas this year. They already have plans for all of the new things they're hoping to get from Santa Claus. They also talk about what they're going to do on Christmas morning when they come downstairs. It's very cute :)

Callie really likes the Christmas tree, and she's very quickly figured out who Santa is and what he says ("Ho! Ho! Ho!")!

Looks like a fun Christmas ahead!

This is Cade's letter. I wrote it for him while he sat in my lap. He wrote his own name in the letter, his age, and signed his name at the bottom. Attached are pictures he pasted to show Santa some of what he would like for Christmas.

This is Hudson's letter. He copied my letter, but wrote it himself. He also wrote (& spelled :) by himself three other things that he'd like in the letter, as well as attaching pictures.

So proud of both of these boys!

Cade's Preschool "Pow-Wow"

2011-11-18T09:17:00.000-06:00

Cade's preschool had its annual Thanksgiving "Pow-Wow" today. I love seeing all the kids dressed up as Pilgrims & Indians, and singing Thanksgiving songs! It's always such a treat!

Here's our little "Raging River" (how appropriate!) dressed for his hunting expedition...

Callie wanted to play Cade's drum :)

Cacki & Papa came to the Pow-Wow, too!

Hudson lost tooth #3!

2011-11-17T15:47:00.001-06:00

Hudson lost his 3rd tooth at school today! He just pushed it out with his tongue after his Spelling test. Ha! Guess the Tooth Fairy will be back again tonight! :)

THE LION KING

2011-11-16T14:57:00.000-06:00

We are lovin' some LION KING around here! Since Cade got the movies "African Cats" and "The Lion King" at his birthday party on Nov. 5, we've watched one of them EVERY DAY! Callie & Cade are obsessed!! haha!!

Happy Birthday, Cade!

2011-11-13T09:39:00.000-06:00

I really can't believe this little man is 5! He is growing so much, but is still such an innocent, little boy at heart. His energy & spunk are contagious! Cade is so loving & joyful... such a true blessing.

Love you, Cade! Hope you enjoyed your birthday! You deserve THE BEST!

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Hudson's Field Trip

2011-11-11T17:09:00.000-06:00

I was able to go with Hudson on his 1st grade field trip to the CMOM today. Enjoyed every minute with my big guy! Always so much to see & do there. All the kids had a great time!

In the fire truck

In the sheriff's car

Mommy & Hudson :)

Cool Baby Sister

2011-11-08T17:03:00.000-06:00

Apparently it was a little bright in the kitchen this evening... She needed her sunglasses for supper :)

The Birthday Party

2011-11-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

Hudson & Cade had a joint birthday party today at "Pump It Up". It was a GREAT party! Family & friends came to celebrate with the boys... They played, bounced, slid, ate... It was wonderful!

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Preschool Picture

2011-11-03T17:00:00.000-05:00

Check out this pretty pair :)

It's a picture of a picture, so not as great as the real deal, but always so pleased with the preschool pictures :)

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T13:21:00.000-05:00

Halloween was so much fun this year! The boys picked their own costumes, and enjoyed getting to wear them. Callie loved getting dressed up, too. She especially like the tail :) We trick-or-treated in our neighborhood first, and it was apparent very quickly that Callie LOVED trick-or-treating! Cool! Knock on people's doors, smile, say "Trick-or-Treat!", and they put candy in your goody bag?! Wow! And all the kids were very polite to say "Thank you" to each household. We trick-or-treated a little while at the country club neighborhood, then on to "trunk-or-treat" at church. Needless to say, the kids got MORE than enough treats in their bags. It was a really nice night out as a family :)

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And here are some of the cousins dressed up for Halloween...

Maddox the firefighter, Wesley as BatMan, Mia the beautiful butterfly, and Eli as SuperMan!

And Aunt Sa-Sa sent me pictures of Brooks as Spiderman and Jesse as Strawberry Shortcake, but I forgot to save them on my phone!! They were adorable, too, though :)

Farm Bureau trip with Mom

2011-10-29T13:13:00.000-05:00

For the last several days, Callie & I have been in East TN with Cacki. It was great just to getaway. I'm glad she asked, and glad we were able to go! We stayed in Dandridge. It's a cute, little town. It has some neat shops downtown, & a few restaurants/cafes, too. It's located right on Douglas Lake, too, which I'm sure is quite pretty in the spring/summer. (They had lowered the water level 20 ft or more for the fall/winter.)

Callie & I got out and explored some while Cacki was in meetings. On Thursday, we met Carol Freeman down on Market Square in Knoxville for lunch. Callie loved playing in the fountains! She threw leaf after leaf into the water.

We had dinner and participated in some activities with Cacki, too. On Friday, we ate at Bush Bros Co Family Cafe, and visited their merchandise store & museum, also. It was really neat.

On Saturday, as we headed back to West TN, we stopped in Knoxville again and had brunch with Brooke Swaggerty & Mae Higgins-Bright, both of whom I taught with at Hardin Valley when we lived in Knoxville. It was great to visit! Would love to get back to East TN with the kids sometime and spend more time visiting & sightseeing :)

Hudson's Awards

2011-10-27T15:09:00.000-05:00

Congratulations, Hudson!

Our precious Hudson had his first awards ceremony for the school year today. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there, but Daddy was able to go! Hudson was very happy to have him there :)

In first grade, the students are eligible for Honor Roll. Hudson earned a spot on the Principal's Honor Roll with all As & Ss. He also got Perfect Attendance for the first nine weeks of school.

Way to go, big guy! We are SO proud of you!

My little helper

2011-10-25T10:47:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin Patch & Cotton Ride

2011-10-23T21:36:00.000-05:00

This afternoon & evening, we had a special Fall outing with the children & families of our church. We went to a pumpkin patch where we took a hayride, picked our pumpkins, took a 4-wheeler/barrel ride, played on the playgrounds, & made scarecrows. Wow! Big day, big fun! Then we headed back to the church for pizza and a cotton ride! The kids (& parents, too) had SO MUCH FUN! Take a look!

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Flag Football 2011

2011-10-22T21:01:00.000-05:00

The boys have truly enjoyed their first season of flag football! They played on the same team, which made both of them a little more comfortable getting out there for the first time :) I think they learned a lot, too. I'm just really glad they had FUN!

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Hudson's "cotton play"

2011-10-22T16:28:00.000-05:00

After football was over today, Hudson went to Cacki & Papa's to spend the night. He had great fun playing in the cotton, and helping Aunt Candi & Papa in the field!

Thanks, Aunt Candi, for the pictures :)

Hudson's 7th Birthday

2011-10-16T22:09:00.000-05:00

Can't believe our baby boy is SEVEN! Yesterday, his actual birthday (October 15), we spent the day in Savannah. Hudson & Cade got to go hunting with Daddy! It made their day :) Today, we met the grandparents, great-grandparents, & Aunt Candi for lunch, cake, & birthday gifts. We had a lot of fun together celebrating with Hudson. He is such a sweet, loving, thoughtful little boy... He is special! Love, love, LOVE our boy!!

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Savannah

2011-10-15T15:31:00.000-05:00

This weekend, we sort of rushed to Savannah for a night. The kids all got to ride 4-wheelers together, and the older ones got to go hunt with their daddies, too. It was a nice little getaway, and perfect for Hudson's birthday! He wanted nothing more than to ride 4-wheelers, go to Savannah and hunt :)

Here are a few pictures from the drive back... The boys passed out as soon as they got their bellies full! They got a good hour and a half of sleep. The little girl in the middle? She slept about the last 20 minutes of the trip! ha!

Oh my! Can he really sleep like that?!

Fall Break Zoo Trip

2011-10-13T22:09:00.000-05:00

Howie took an afternoon to go to the zoo with us on Fall Break. We had a great time! We always enjoy the zoo :)
Two funnies this time:
1) Hudson got chased by a hungry cheetah! Yes, the cheetah was in its enclosure, but he was going to catch him a meal if possible! We had stopped to look at the cheetahs, who, like most of the cats at the end of the day, were pacing their enclosure. As we were leaving, Hudson took off running around the corner. One of the cheetahs spotted him through the tall grass & ran to that side of his area. Thank goodness for fences!
2) All Callie wanted to look for was "wion tin" (read: Lion King)! Like a lot of families, we recently saw "The Lion King" on the big screen when it was re-released a few weeks ago. Callie loved the movie! So when we went to the zoo, we had mentioned we might could see the lions. Well, they weren't out today, but that didn't stop Callie from asking or searching for "wion tin".

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Tent Fun

2011-10-08T22:09:00.000-05:00

We've had this tent for a few years, but have never really taken advantage of it. This Fall Break, the weather was perfect for tent play & camping! All three of the kids enjoyed playing in the tent. Hudson was sure he wanted to camp out one night, but when it came down to it, he said he'd rather not :) Cade, on the other hand, was ready to go! He & Daddy set up "camp" inside the tent one night, and Daddy said Cade slept as good outside as he does inside :) Daddy slept ok, but said the train "is rockin'" when you're trying to sleep in the backyard. We'll definitely have to re-visit the tent & camping out with these boys soon!

My lunch dates

2011-10-06T16:25:00.000-05:00

It's a great day for an outdoor lunch! I'm so lucky these two cuties are keeping me company :)

Hudson's school work

2011-09-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

Hudson has been doing some wonderful work at school that he is SO proud of!

It all started in late September with a story he wrote for me at home. It was a suggested topic on the back of one of his papers, but not an activity required of him at school. He didn't really want to do it, but once he got started, he liked it. He did a fabulous job! It said:

"I wint huting will my Dad and we sot a deer

we at the deer and it was dlishish."

My favorite part = "dlishish"... what a creative way to spell delicious!

Below is another story he's written with some spelling/sight words...

Just in case it's hard to read in a picture, it says:

"I catch the ball. And i put the ball on the tuch down. But no bode ("else" we added when we re-read it together) skord a tuch down. I want to do a good job."

This is his seed collection he put together for school. Some we found around here, a few we traded out with our neighbor, and some came from Cacki & Papa. Thanks, everyone for the help! He was very proud of this work, too. He couldn't wait to show it at school.

Keep up the good work, Hudson! We are so very proud of you!

Busy, but FUN Weekend!

2011-09-25T14:06:00.000-05:00

Every weekend seems to be busy around here lately, but this one was SUPER busy! Fun, nonetheless... Lots of good, family time :) We had two baseball games & a yard sale yesterday. Late in the day, we took Cade & Callie (Hudson was visiting a friend) to see "The Lion King". They LOVED it!! So glad it came out for a limited time on the big screen... in 3D, too. Very cool. Then, this evening, we ventured out to the "Disney on Ice" show at FedEx Forum. We figured the kids would enjoy it, but weren't exactly sure what to expect since this is our first "Disney on Ice" show. The pictures aren't great (taken with my phone), but I think you can tell the kids had a BLAST!

Here are the boys "posing" before the show. We knew Cade would like the show (where animals are involved, he's always good to go :), but we weren't sure if Hudson would think it was "cool" enough for an almost-seven-year-old. It was... He liked it :)

Callie was mesmerized. She loved every minute of the show. And when the show took a break, she wanted to know where it went :) By the last performance, she was dancing in the aisles! She danced & sang all the way out to the parking garage!

Check them out... totally zoned :)

Thanks, Howie's friend, for the complimentary tickets! It was a wonderful family night out!

Furniture

2011-09-24T16:23:00.000-05:00

Our new piece of furniture... Love it!

Fall baseball - Cade

2011-09-24T10:17:00.000-05:00

Here's our Cade-o playing Fall baseball this year. This is his first team without big brother, Hudson, on the same team. Cade's a fickle, little baseball player... ha! When he's on, he's on! When he doesn't care, well, it can be difficult to get a good effort out of him. (Works on his Daddy's/coach's patience out there on the field!)

Here's our little man making a good hit!

Hanging out at 1st...

... and 2nd...

... and making a good run around 3rd and on to home...

Go, Cade!

Playing the field is a little less exciting :), but he is a valuable player when he tries.

We're very proud of you, Cade! Way to go this season, buddy!

Baby Sail

2011-09-23T09:45:00.000-05:00

Got to see & hold sweet baby Sail today... such a cutie!

2 Year Stats

2011-09-23T08:24:00.000-05:00

Callie went to the pediatrician today for her 2-year check-up. As usual, the nurse takes all her stats (height, weight, etc.) as we go in, and marks her chart for the doctor to review. As she's marking Callie's height, she says, "that can't be right. I'd better measure her again." I commented that we'd measured her at home and got the same thing. We could just tell, by how fast she'd been growing out of her clothes in the past few months, that she'd had a pretty big growth spurt. The nurse re-measured, came up with the same thing, and seemed nervous about leaving it "as is", because it just didn't fit Callie's growth curve. When the doctor came in, she said "Woah! Somebody's been growing!" Yep... Callie's measurements were correct. Yes, she's really jumped up the curve in height & weight, but it is proportional. The rest of her check-up was good, too. Her iron was out of this world for a child her age, but, then again, Callie does like her meat! Vegetables & fruit are another story. We try every way we can to get her to eat those :)

From her 18-month to 24-month check-up, Callie has gained 5 pounds AND grown 5 inches!

She jumped from 25th-50th percentile in height & weight, to 75th-90th! You go, Callie-girl!

24-month stats:

Weight = 29.5 lbs

Height = 36 inches

Callie in camo :)

Happy 12th Anniversary!

2011-09-18T13:59:00.000-05:00

Today is our 12th anniversary. Hudson, being the sweet firstborn that he is :), wanted to get us gifts for our anniversary... so his Gran took him shopping.
He was so excited about giving us our gifts. Here he is giving Howie a new wallet. He couldn't wait for his Daddy to get it open.

These are the flowers he had sent to me as my gift. Bless his sweet, little heart, every time he's at the grocery store with me he wants to buy me flowers. He finally got to do it :)

And Hudson took a picture of us on our anniversary. He did a good job, even with the "big" camera!

Happy 12th Anniversary, Howie!
I love our life, I love our family, I love you dearly!
I wouldn't change a thing about our 12 married years together :)

Fall Baseball - Hudson

2011-09-17T21:07:00.000-05:00

Hudson has moved up to "coach pitch" for Fall baseball. For any of you unfamiliar, they're not allowed to use the tee at all. They get 5 pitches to hit or 3 strikes/you're out goes. The age group for Fall coach pitch is 6-8.

Howie has been Hudson's coach again this Fall. That was unplanned, but the league was short on coaches for the Fall, so Howie took two teams - Cade's T-Ball team & Hudson's Coach Pitch team. Super-Dad, huh?!

Hudson has played well. When he makes contact, he has some really good hits. He's still not as comfortable playing the field as some of the others, but he'll get there. He's learned a lot.

Focused...

Ready...

Keeping a good eye...

He missed that one, but got him another one :)

Go, Hudson!

We are so proud of you!

"I out the bed!"

2011-09-15T21:07:00.000-05:00

As I'm sitting on the couch this afternoon relaxing, I hear a noise. Hmmm, I think. That sounds an awful lot like a door closing, but Hudson just got in from school and is in our room having snack & watching his show, Cade should still be upstairs napping, and Callie should still be napping, too. I continue to relax, but focus a little more attention to any noises around me, and there it is again! That IS a door opening and closing! Strange, though, it sounds like it's coming from downstairs... Cade is upstairs & Callie should be in her crib down here... Hmmm... I cautiously sneak around the corner and who do I see?! Little Miss Callie Jewel OUT of her bed, OUT of her room, and backed up against the wall.

"Callie Jewel," I say, "Did you climb out of your bed?"

She timidly replies, "no?"

Then she takes off running in the house chanting, "I out the bed! I out the bed!"

That Callie Jewel is so funny! Not two-years-old for a week, and she's already trying to climb out of her bed :) Made me one, sad momma, though... I'm not ready for her to give up the crib yet! Neither of the boys EVER tried climbing out! I think I'll sternly tell her "No climbing out of the bed!" and see if it works. hehehe!

Soft-sided coolers

2011-09-14T22:19:00.000-05:00

Ever think that soft-sided lunch coolers closely resemble purses?

Ever think that you might need all of them at once?

Welcome to "Callie's World"!

9/11 "We Will Never Forget"

2011-09-11T09:24:00.000-05:00

For history for my children:

September 11, 2001 was a horrible, horrible day. It was a day of terror, sadness, and horror. It was also, however, a day of courage, strength, and gratitude.

On September 11, 2001, our country was attacked by terrorists. They flew two airplanes into "the twin towers" in New York City, one airplane into the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and one other airplane, that was believed to have been intended to fly into the White House, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania due to the incredibly brave acts of some men and women on board.

The pictures below show one tower already hit, a second plane flying into the second tower, and the terrible results of such evil. Thousands of people were killed when the planes struck the buildings, and consequently as the buildings collapsed. In addition to those killed who were working in the towers, many emergency personnel, primarily firefighters, who were already inside the towers trying to save and rescue others, were killed, as well.

It was a sad, sad day in American history. It still makes me cry to see pictures or think about that day. Your daddy was actually in the Boston area on a business trip. I was teaching Kindergarten in Knoxville. It was my job, since the incident happened early in the morning, to protect the innocence of the children in my classroom. To proceed as though nothing was wrong, and to reassure when they sensed something was "off" with the day, was a struggle. God gave all of us strength that day, though, and we made it through.

At home that day, I don't think I'd ever felt so alone. I was terrified about your dad being so close to the area that was attacked, and worried about how he would get home... surely not an airplane?! Luckily, he was able to drive his rental car home the next day with others who were ready to get back to their families, too. I was scared enough, and I was hundreds of miles away from the attacks themselves, but my country, my fellow citizens had been attacked, wounded, & killed, and I could not imagine such terror and sorrow.

Ten years later, the horror and sorrow of that day are still very vivid. In the place of one of the towers, though, is a beautiful memorial water feature (pictured below). There are also memorials placed at the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania.

September 11, 2001: We Will Never Forget

God Bless America!

Callie is two!

2011-09-09T09:24:00.000-05:00

Today our Callie Jewel is two-years-old! I''m not sure I can even put into words how special she is or how much we love her. She is pure joy every day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CALLIE JEWEL!

We celebrated her birthday today with cake with our family, plus grandparents & great-grandparents. She also opened her presents from our family. She had so much fun! She enjoyed her cake, and loved opening her presents. She wanted to play with all her new toys, and try on all her new clothes (each one on top of the other! ha!).

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Callie Jewel

2011-09-08T10:04:00.000-05:00

Some pictures I took of Callie in the backyard the day before her 2nd birthday :)

Tiger, too

2011-09-02T20:40:00.000-05:00

Callie, aka Cade's "mini-me", wanted to try being a tiger, too :)

New Nephew

2011-09-02T09:22:00.000-05:00

Sail Avery Via

9/2/11 7:50pm

8 lb, 6 oz, 19.5 in

So excited to have this new baby boy as part of our family :)

When we went to visit him, I couldn't get over his blonde hair! And, at this point anyway, he favors my brother. The kids were super-excited to meet Sail, and couldn't get enough of holding him, even Callie. She kept saying, "Baby seepy. Baby bed."
Such a sweet baby, loved by all already :)

All dressed up!

2011-08-28T21:05:00.000-05:00

In her Sunday best, and looking mighty pretty!

Big brother, Cade, didn't want the camera to leave him out :)

Sweet sister & brother

Cade's preschool "circus"

2011-08-26T13:52:00.000-05:00

Cade dressed up like a tiger for his Preschool Circus day today. He was so proud of his mask, but I think he took it off right after he got there & never put it back on. The "claws" I don't think even made an appearance at school. Huh! Go figure...

He looked ferocious at home anyway :)

...and his little mini-me (i.e. Callie) was growling right along with him!

Opening gifts

2011-08-21T09:06:00.000-05:00

Since the birthday party was for four kids, and it was getting dark outside :), we decided to wait to let Callie open her gifts. And, since MawMaw & PawPaw weren't able to get out to come to the party, we took Callie's gift to Millington on Sunday for her to open with her great-grandparents.

She loved opening her presents! She pulled out each individual piece of tissue paper, looked at each card, handed each little piece of wrapping paper off to be thrown away, checked out all of her new clothes, and loved on her new baby & kitty.

Thanks, everyone!

Birthday party x 4 (part 3)

2011-08-20T18:06:00.003-05:00

BIRTHDAY CAKE!

Mrs. Cynthia did a fabulous job on a "Toy Story" cake & cupcakes for "the birthday 4" and their guests! And it was all delicious, too!

I love how all the big kids are excited for the little ones as they're singing "Happy Birthday". And Eli, Wesley, & Jesse (each turning 3) all knew what came next...

Callie, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure what was going on :)

Cheers for the older three blowing out their candles!!!

And everyone eagerly awaits Callie's attempt at blowing at candles... Look at the three behind her, two older brothers & one older cousin... They're all ready to help her :)

Oh, but Callie does know what to do now... eat yummy cake!

Happy, happy birthday to Eli (Aug. 19), Callie (Sept. 9), Jesse (Sept. 18), and Wesley (Sept. 23)!!

We had a wonderful time celebrating together for your birthdays!

Many, MANY more happy birthdays ahead for all of you :)

Birthday party x 4 (part 2)

2011-08-20T16:19:00.003-05:00

Swimming

After we ate, the pool was open for us from 6:30-8:30. The kids had an absolute blast!

Birthday Party x 4

2011-08-20T12:44:00.004-05:00

Due to the impending birth of Baby Via #4 AND the close proximity of all their birthdays, we decided to throw a joint birthday party for Eli, Callie, Jesse, & Wesley. There are lots of pictures to share, so I will likely post a little at a time :)

Below are the pictures we took at supper... We met at 6:00 on the patio of the country club for a shared meal. It was wonderful to have all of the families there to celebrate together!

Allie, Callie, Taylor, & Maddox petting the neighborhood dog who stopped by to party

Callie, Hudson, Cade

Riley, Wesley, Mia, Eli

Cade, Allie, Maddox, Callie, Hudson

Callie, the birthday girl :)

A very cute cake (made by Ms. Cynthia) and gifts for later :)

What's new?

2011-08-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

With a larger seating area now on the back patio, we added a couch & side table to go with the outdoor furniture we already had.

We also have a nice outdoor table now :) It seats six, as is, but extends to seat up to ten. I'm really happy with it all. Now Howie just has to pick out what he wants for his "grill area" :)

Afterschool

2011-08-15T20:40:00.001-05:00

Nothing like an afternoon snack & TV show with siblings :)

Love 'em all three!!!

Runaway girl

2011-08-08T21:19:00.005-05:00

This bad ole girl got busted when she dug out last Friday. Callie & I had to pick her up at the shelter today. What a sad, sad girl :(

Back to School 2011

2011-08-08T21:10:00.001-05:00

And we're off... Back to school, that is. Both boys began their regular school routines today. So proud of these two handsome little boys!

Preschool begins

2011-08-05T08:54:00.000-05:00

Look out, Mrs. Charlie, here comes Cade!

Cade begins his pre-k4 class today! He's such a big boy going to school! After a year of pre-k3, though, he's an "old pro"...ha!

Cade got to take a stuffed animal friend to his first day of school. This year he chose "Sharky". Have a good day, Sharky & Cade!

We are so excited for what this year will be for Cade! We've heard nothing but wonderful things about his teacher - loving yet excellent at preparing the students for kindergarten. Cade is such a smart & enthusiastic little boy... It's going to be a great year!

1st Grade

2011-08-03T08:46:00.020-05:00

1st grade, here we come!

Hudson is so excited & so ready for 1st grade! Today is his "meet & greet" with his new classroom and teacher. The whole fam is set to go :)

And, yes, I did notice Cade's "pose" in the background. Silly boy! While we were in the school, we got many questions about Cade starting Kindergarten. Oh, no... Kindergarten is not ready for him yet!

We've made a very interesting connection with Hudson's 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Ervin. She attends MawMaw & PawPaw's church and plays the piano there. She, also, was Howie's "homebound tutor" when he broke his neck years ago. Small world, huh?! She was very excited to see Howie, make the connection with Hudson, and to recognize immediately from where Hudson's middle name (Ralph) came! Mrs. Ervin seems like a really sweet lady. We're looking forward to a great 1st grade year!!

Later that afternoon, Hudson & I went out for lunch together and his post-op check-up. This is what the thermometer in the van ran most of the afternoon. It did get up to 112 degrees. Phew... one of the hottest days of the year! (And a record-breaker, too, if I'm not mistaken)

My 3 Kiddos

2011-08-01T21:00:00.003-05:00

They came, got me, and said, "Mom! We're all going down the stairs together holding hands! Come see!" I see three of the greatest gifts God has ever given me :)

Callie - 22 months

2011-07-31T09:13:00.001-05:00

22 months old earlier in July, and boy, does this little girl have personality!

She insists she's as big as her brothers... with their baseball helmet on, and Daddy's glove, she's ready to play ball!

Taking comfort on the couch just like Hudson did after his surgery...

Being a "little chef" just like Hudson & Cade, to help Mommy in the kitchen...

She's silly & creative, too... under the rug with a fly swat & calculator?!

She likes to dress up like a baseball player, a chef, and a cowgirl, too! Yee-hah!

And do we have a blossoming artist in our midst? She's found her way into the Desitin AGAIN! She unscrewed the top this time and helped herself. Not only did she "lotion" herself up with it, she decorated the furniture in her room, too!

One rotten little girl...

Callie's vocabulary is through the roof now, too! It's almost getting harder to understand her sometimes because she knows so many words!

We are so proud of you, Callie, and love you so very much!! You are such a blessing to our family, and you make us smile every day :)

TV in bed

2011-07-30T08:20:00.000-05:00

With big brother not up yet, these two are enjoying a little TV...

Recovery Period

2011-07-29T21:58:00.033-05:00

As expected, Hudson was a very good patient at home, and we were fortunate enough to have no complications. A two-week recovery time is a long time to "take it easy", even for the best of patients :)

On the first afternoon home, Hudson did a lot of sleeping. Daisy sat with him some :)

Hudson was all for laying around on the couch, sipping on milkshakes, & watching movies. Sister even joined him some!

After 24-48 hours, Hudson was beginning to smile & want to be more "involved" in what was happening around the house... like working remotes :), and helping out in the kitchen!

Daddy had to go to Texas for a day or two during the recovery time, so it was just Mommy & the three kiddos. They were great, though :) The boys slept in the play room one night, & Callie joined them to watch TV the next morning.

And we headed to the movies one afternoon to get out of the house. (It was the new Winnie the Pooh movie :) We all enjoyed it!

At Hudson's 2-week check-up, he got an excellent report! Could hardly tell he'd had surgery, and he was cleared to resume normal activity! Way to go, Hudson!

Tonsillectomy #2

2011-07-20T21:17:00.000-05:00

Yes, we've been in for the second tonsillectomy in two years. (Cade had his removed last spring.) After too many cases of strep to count during the past 13 months, this sweet boy is going in to get those tonsils (& adenoids, too) out!

Hudson was pretty nervous going in, worrying about the "sleepy medicine" and if it would hurt... but he was so big on the morning of surgery. He walked back to the operating area with the doctors & nurses like such a big boy! We were so proud of him! And since he loves milkshakes & movies, we're counting on a pretty good patient afterward.

We love you, buddy! Mommy & Daddy promise to take good care of you!

A pre-op pic (I'm surprised he smiled!)

A post-op pic... on the way home.

I can't tell you how much I love that he is 6 years old & Pooh Bear is still a comfort :)

A pergola!

2011-07-16T21:06:00.001-05:00

And, now, a pergola to go over (& partially shade :) our new patio! I'm super pumped!!

*I have to give credit to my dear hubby who worked very hard on this project & did an excellent job! Thanks, honey!*

Movie Time!

2011-07-07T20:55:00.001-05:00

Kids are really into watching movies on "net-clicks" :)

Happy July 4th!

2011-07-04T17:26:00.001-05:00

We had so much fun at Aunt LuLu's and Uncle Keith's on Monday, July 4th! What an awesome way to celebrate with family & friends...

... with a huge blow-up water slide! Everybody joined in on the fun!

It wasn't really Callie's favorite activity of the day, though...

Callie loved the "cozy coupe"! (The other kids did, too :)

Hudson, aren't you a little too big for that? Silly boy... And sweet, little miss Callie is blowing kisses to everyone as she drives away...

Check out these two big cheesers! And the leg hanging out the car door... ha!

There were horseshoes, ladderball, playing catch...

...not to mention very cool fireworks...

...and water balloons, too!

What a spectacular 4th of July! Thanks for hosting Aunt LuLu & Uncle Keith!!

Fireworks in Millington

2011-07-03T21:27:00.015-05:00

We are very excited that Ryan, Karen, Mia & Eli are in town for the holiday weekend! The whole Freeman crew got together at FBC Millington to celebrate our country's independence with music & fireworks. Everyone, especially all the kids, had a great time! What a wonderful, family night out!
Getting ready for fireworks...

Callie spotted some "teats" (treats :)

Cade liked to stay close during the fireworks show this year... Can you tell it was a hot night out?!

All Stars

2011-07-02T13:51:00.023-05:00

Hudson made the T-ball All Star team this year. He was uber-thrilled! And because our regular season team finished in 1st place, Howie was asked to coach the All Star team. The All Star team played its first weekend of tournament ball this weekend. These boys practiced hard, and played hard. We didn't advance to any further tournaments, but we are super proud of each player and their supportive families. Speaking of supportive families, Hudson had the whole crew supporting him this Saturday - Gran & G, Cacki & Papa, Uncle Grumpy & Aunt Sweetie, Mia & Eli, Uncle Ru-Ru & Aunt Sa-Sa, Andi Cate, Brooks, & Jesse, Aunt Lu-Lu, Maddox & Wesley, Daddy, Mommy, & Cade. Wow! We can't thank everyone enough for being there, & cheering on Hudson and his team.

Wouldn't trade that smile for anything :)

Busy Day

2011-07-02T10:56:00.001-05:00

Getting ready for a busy day today!

And if you're wondering where crazy kid #3 is, Cade spent the night with his Cacki & Papa, but he'll be joining in on the fun later today :)

Swim Lessons 2011

2011-07-01T10:47:00.001-05:00

This Friday ended our week of swim lessons for 2011. Hudson didn't really need swim lessons for independent swimming, but we enrolled him so that he could learn actual swimming strokes (free style - which he moves really fast with!, & backstroke), not to mention that it makes Cade feel better if Hudson is there, too :) On this last day, the kids were practicing safety skills, and having fun jumping in the deep end. That was right up Hudson's alley!

"Watch this! I can touch the bottom!"

They even got to jump off the lifeguard stand. Hudson loved this!

He likes to make big splashes... "Cannonball!"

Cade, on the other hand, is not so crazy about the deep end. If he can't touch bottom, he's attached to his swimmies... hence the reason for his swim lessons :) The teachers this year were great about getting him to feel secure, yet pushing him to do all he could. Here are his jumping adventures on the last day... He always wants someone to "catch" him in the water, but if you don't watch him, he'll jump right on top of your head! He likes to do a little "song & dance" before he jumps, too... ha!

He even jumped off the lifeguard stand! Way to go, Cade!

Very proud of the boys this year, and very grateful to our teachers! Looking forward to watching them improve the rest of the summer :)

Callie - 21 months

2011-06-27T11:57:00.024-05:00

At 21 months, Callie, you are one independent little girl! You are so big, trying to do things all on your own, just like your brothers. You've hit what most refer to as "the terrible twos" already! The word "NO" is definitely not one of your favorites. ha! You are so silly, baby girl, too!

You've had your first airplane ride this month. You did pretty well (i.e., no major fits), but you were definitely a wiggle worm :) You loved ALL of the rides at the amusement parks you've visited, and you had a lot of fun playing at the beach, too. At first, you weren't real sure about the sand sinking out from under your feet with the tide, but you acclimated yourself quickly.

You bring a ray of sunshine to each day. Mommy, Daddy, Hudson, & Cade love you so very much!

Playing in Uncle Ru-Ru's pond with Cacki

Callie loves to stuff things in her shirt (???). Here she's stuffed her teddy bear in her shirt so she can have her snack :), her favorite, "fruit nacks!"

Yep, here she is again... a real showstopper... shirt stuffed full of trucks, flower towel on her head, empty shell as a microphone... soooo silly!

Cute Kiddos

2011-06-26T21:19:00.001-05:00

Cade & Callie on a Sunday morning at church, waiting on Daddy & Hudson to go home... They were too cute! (Wish I would have had my good camera with me :)

A Date with Cade

2011-06-24T10:26:00.000-05:00

Had a date with my little Cade-o today :) I'm a lucky girl!

We had our check-ups at the allergist today, which both went really well, and we decided on lunch at "On the Border"... yum!

A new patio!

2011-06-23T11:31:00.000-05:00

The excitement for the week... We're getting a new patio! Hooray! We're ALL excited :)

They've busted up our old patio with the jackhammer, and now the mixer trucks are coming to pour new concrete. We're extending the patio, plus having it stained & stamped to look like stone.

It's a good thing everyone working outside didn't mind an audience :) They had 3 little fans watching through the window every day.

The finished product... I'm thrilled! I love it!

Now, to get Daddy started on that pergola he's going to build... :)

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-19T11:14:00.001-05:00

Our family has been blessed with wonderful, Christian fathers... examples to their children, love for their families, & a sense of responsibility. Thank you, God, for the men in our lives, as we celebrate all of them on this Father's Day!

We went to Bells on Father's Day for an outdoor meal. I didn't take hardly any pictures, but I do have a few cute ones of the little girls playing in the pond :)

Cacki, Callie, Jesse, Millie, Papa

"Barnyard Buddies" Camp

2011-06-17T13:50:00.029-05:00

When we got back from vacation, the boys enjoyed a few days of BHS FFA "Barnyard Buddies" Camp. They had a great time! This was right up Cade's alley... He loves animals! On the last day of camp, the kids put on a sheep show. They had taken care of, & washed, these animals all week.

Here's Cade "walking" his little lamb out. These lambs were only about 4-6 weeks old and were experiencing the guide ropes for the first time this week, so a lot of them got carried :)

Sweet Cade, reassuring his little lamb

Holding its head up for the "judges"

And leading it around the "arena"

Super job, Cade! You are great at taking care of animals!
Hudson let me know on the front end that he was not as excited about a barnyard animal camp as Cade was, but, since his friend, Coleman, camped, too, he had a great time!
Coleman & Hudson "showing" their sheep

Yes, the older kids had the older sheep who were walking during the sheep show... sometimes reluctantly going the direction they were being pulled - I mean "led"

Way to go, Hudson!

And they even got ribbons for participating in the sheep show, and T-shirts for their week at camp!

Thanks Brighton High School FFA! You did a fantastic job!

"Busch Gardens"

2011-06-14T21:05:00.005-05:00

Our last day in Virginia Beach we spent at Busch Gardens. Howie & I have been to Busch Gardens before, but I didn't remember the park being so big! (I guess we weren't hitting the kids areas then :) Anyway, we literally spent the whole day there. The kids did really well, too. They had a fabulous time! Lots of good, fun, family time :)