A much needed update

Hello everyone! Sorry it's been so long. I guess this is a much needed update.
So much has happened since the last one! Our whole lives have changed!
Since Sauloman turned 4 this summer I started looking for pre-schools to send him to. After talking to many teachers and friends and some teacher friends I decided an institutional Pre-K may be better next year. Scotty and I decided to enroll him in a day school for now.
I thought about working part time since I could take Thatcher to the same school on a day to day basis. I started sending out my resume. And low and behold, before I knew it, I started getting calls for interviews. After a few offers and some lengthy deciding I chose to go back to work full time. Actually its about 34 or so hours a week.
It worked out so well, I know it was ment to be. The day school we take the boys to is small. So small in fact that my boys get to be together the whole time they are there. It is 6 miles from our house and owned by a friend of a friend. I take the boys in the morning and they eat breakfast, play, sing, do worksheets, art, and then eat lunch, take a nap and then Scotty comes to get them about 2:30pm.

They are learning so much! Sauloman can say about 15 things in sign language. He is counting in Spanish and learning the days of the week. Thatcher plays so good with other kids. He is always singing a new song and knows his ABC's. Thatcher is also learning his colors. I always thought I taught my kids alot of things but, I guess they were ready for a new learning environment.

I am so proud of them too! Not one day has Sauloman said he did not want to go or cried for me to stay. Thatcher had 2 days when he wanted me to stay and was easily convinced he would be fine. I have been so blessed with these little angels. I miss them so much in the mornings when I drop them off. I can't wait to see them when I walk in the door every night. They aren't babies anymore!!!

A Day In The Life of Our Family

We are FINALLY getting back to our normal routine! We haven't been to Arkansas in over a week. All that back and forth was wearing me out ya'll! We stayed home this weekend and had a few couples over for a cookout on Sunday. Scotty killed a hog Saturday morning and of course we had ribs on Sunday! They were not too bad, I had never tasted wild hog meat before. It wasn't really any different from regular pork although, I did eat the ribs I had bought a few days earlier rather than the "fresh" meat.
As you know Scotty is obsessed with hunting. We have a deer feeder in our back yard and it stays full of corn year 'round. He caught a view of this momma deer and her baby today. We have seen them quite often already this year. He was standing on our back porch when he took this picture. The boys love looking for them at the feeder. They stand on my dining room chairs and look out the big windows for them.

Catching Up

Sorry its been so long. We have been really busy.
Here are a few pictures of what we have been up to.
Thatcher is now 2 years old. His birthday was on June 24th.
My Grandmother is very ill in the hospital in Little Rock so his party was shy a few family members. We made the best of it though thanks to a few good friends. We recieved word that she was in a bad way that day so everyone rushed to the CCU at Baptist. She is still there now so if you will please, remember her in your prayers.
Thatcher picked a Curious George theme for his party. I made his cake, for the second year now. He thought he was something special. We had games and favors not to mention we all made our own bannana splits to go with our cake.


Thatcher's Uncle Kevin and Aunt Robin wanted to know what they could get Thatcher for his birthday. We told them if they wanted to to they could get him a sleeping bag. He just loved Sauloman's when we were camping. So, they went to Bass Pro Shop to pick one up and came home with a new ski boat!!! Yeah!!!

We went to Shreveport for the 4th and to go out on the boat. The boys are hooked! Even Scotty. We love going to their house because we miss them alot. We always have a blast there. They are a load of fun. Our boys and Jack run around their house like it is their own. We really wished we lived closer. Check back and I will add a few more pictures in a couple of days. I am Back and forth so much with my Mamo I haven't really had alot of time.

Papo and His Water Slide

Papo bought the boys an inflatable water slide this weekend. They had so much fun! Even Papo himself went down it! Thatcher wasn't too crazy about the shower of water that sprayed from the top of the slide but, he did go down a few times with Landan. Liam came over and brought a big squirt gun. He was the smart one in a swimsuit. Here are a few pics(Thanks Amy). As you can see we did not bring swim trunks with us this weekend. Can you say WEDGIE?

Our First Family Camping Trip

We got a wild hair and thought we would take the boys camping this weekend. We looked online and tried to find somewhere close in Arkansas we could go and wound up settling on DeQueen Lake. It is an Army Corps of Engineers lake. Neither Scotty or myself had ever been there before so we were pleasantly suprised to find that the lake was very nice. It was no Greers Ferry but it was pretty none the same. The water was simular to Beaverfork but the lake was 5 times as large. It was in the middle of mountains because it was formed when they dammed a river. Not to mention, it was almost deserted. The lake was smooth as glass. Perfect for skiing.(ofcourse we don't have a ski boat.)

The boys were so good all weekend. Scotty brought their bikes and I brought their trucks, flashlight, and binoculars. We swam, fished and played all weekend. They never ran out of things to do. Our friends Marcie and Kaleb came and brought my girl Gracie. I took lots of pictures of the kids.


Jack came along and was quite the little camper. He fished on the boat with us, swam in the lake with us, slept in the tent with us, he was happy just to be there.

We had a hot shower, clean bathroom, and electricity for a fan to blow on us as we slept in our tent. It was a great weekend. If anyone wants to go for the weekend or even longer, we highly suggest it. We would probably go again with you if you let us know!

Visit From Bea & Landan

Brandi and Landan came down this weekend. It was so pretty out Saturday that Scotty went fishing and left us here to play in the sprinkler and pool. He was suppose to get the big pool out
but he "forgot". The boys were forced to swim in a baby pool and refill it every 20 minutes because they splashed so much water out! I can't complain about him too much because, he kept the boys while my sister and I went to see her favorite band Cross Canadian Ragweed. They were playing in Paris. It was pretty fun. Although, I don't know if it was because I liked the band or because I actually got a night out with no kids or a husband to stress me out. I love them SOOOO much but, a girl needs girl time. I recovered all the next day. I guess I am getting old! Maybe it's just that I am out of practice. That is fine with me. Here are a few photos. As you can see we were really close, 2nd row! We made a few friends too, imagine that!?

Sharp Dressed Man

This past weekend Sam Strack got married and asked Thatcher to be his ringbearer. We of corse could not help ourselves. The opportunity for pictures in a tux that small is too rare. His tux was black and he had an ivoy vest and long tie, just like the groom! He did a great job. The flower girl is a month younger than he is so, for two babies under 2 years old, they were wonderful. I must say that for one minute they stold the show. Congratulations Sam & Kelli!

A Day of Play

Today Sauloman got to play in the sprinkler that his Aunt Robin bought him. It was so hot out that the day was perfect for it. At first he was a little timid. That wore off fast and he was soon running and doing "jump flips" through it, as he calls them. He had a blast.
Thatcher on the other hand was not about to get into the "rain". He decided to watch from the deck. He thought Sauloman was entertaining. And yes they were running around in their skivvy's, why not.

Cupcakes with a Cutie

Today our friend Gracie came to stay with us for the day. We always have so much fun when she comes. The boys love having a playmate and I have to say I love having a little girl around the house.
The three of them play very well together. Gracie loves to sing and dance. She is potty training too so it helps me get Thatcher use to going. I don't let him run around necked when she is here though. I don't want to raise an exhibitionist or scar Gracie for the rest of her life.

While she was here we made cupcakes. They had it all over them. Being aware that this might happen, I put aprons on them. They helped pour all the ingriedience in the mixing bowl, place the paper cups in the muffin pan and of course, lick the beaters and spoon. The way it looked on Gracie's face was similar to a puppy dog. Especially with her little dog ears. Then it was time to make a few crafty projects. We colored and and glued and colored some more. Lunch was over before we knew it and nap time was starring us in the face so down they went.

As you can tell she sported a few different hairstyles throughout the day. She would take her hair down and I just HAD to fix it back. You all know how bad I hated that, right? GIRLS! I want one!!! We had a great day. Thanks Gracie for comming to play! We love you.

Potty Training

Well, we are officially working on potty training. I remember trying at this age with Sauloman and waiting a few months after our first attempts to really get him trained. Thatcher on the other hand has been showing an interest for a while. He has been sitting on the potty before we get in the bath for a few months. Then all of the sudden he started telling me he was pee peeing in his diaper. Just Sunday morning after getting out of the tub he ran from the kitchen to my bathroom, nude, climbed up on the toilet and went! That was my cue. What I had been waiting for. So we kept his diaper off and let him go without anything from his waist down, a trick we learned with my nephew and Sauloman. He only had 1 accident in the floor that night. The next morning, after completing job #2, I let him go that way again. From about 11:00 until 2:00 he did great. Then around the 2:00 time he peed in the floor. I guess I need to paper train him! He actually came and told me right afer he did it. I think we may get him trained soon! I hope so, anyway.

Fishin' at the Farm

Sunday we took the kids fishing. We have 3 ponds on the farm in Greenbrier so we decided to take advantage of them. Our friends the Kirschbaums came along with our cousins Jason and Payton. We caught a few but for the most part they weren't really biting. We had a good time trying though.
The Kirschbaums brought a kite that is used mostly for para-surfing. The guys had a time learning to fly them. Doug spent most of the time rescuing Daddy and Scotty's downed kites.
It was a challenge but, they eventually got it. Here are some pictures.