happy camper in a tropical storm

Reecie is all broken up about Graham going to camp.  ;)   She had her "take Graham to camp" clothes all laid out the night before.  

 Graham's heartbroken and overwhelmed with how much he's going to miss us...

...can't you tell??  It was so funny to hear momma's whispering last minute warnings and encouragement to their sons; all the while sons were grinning, putting up bunny ears, and I'm pretty sure I even heard a fart noise and giggles before we left.  *sigh*   As we walked out Dan said, "this is just what these boys need, a chance to be boys, away from their hovering moms!" :) ha ha.  He's right! 

Graham with his camp counselor, Josh.  There were four boys in a room with one college-aged counselor.  

Me consoling Graham- he's so sad we're leaving him at camp, ha!

Jill and Johnathon

A road trip is just not complete without a pit-stop at Cracker Barrel....breakfast for dinner with our beautiful girl.

Millie had a big time splitting her afternoon with Nana and Grandma + Grandpa.

When I woke up this morning, I learned that a tornado actually touched down about 30 miles from camp.  So grateful for God's protection!   It was super rainy and windy today.  We spent the morning at the YMCA and then played with our friends Sarah, Jadon and Asher this afternoon.  Despite the rain, it was such a fun day!

Hannah Reece loves to bake as much as I do....chocolate chip cookies.  She's been  wondering what Graham has been doing all day long.  :) 

The wonderful folks at camp scanned and emailed this word from our boy this morning.  We can't wait to see him tomorrow!  

Pumpkin Patch

 Graham and Hannah Reece spent the night with Nana and Papa last night.  The kids had a 4 day weekend with a couple of days off on Thurs. and Fri.  so they were ready for some fun and a change of scenery, I think!  This morning, Nana and Papa took them to breakfast at their favorite little spot on Ft. Myers Beach.  Then Nana took them to the pumpkin patch and for lunch a playing at McD's.  They can always talk Nana into McD.'s happy meals!  ;)

The kids picked out pumpkins for themselves and a baby one for Camille.  I'll have to add a picture of their pumpkins later.  They "decorated" them with sharpies.  :) 

While the kids were away, Dan and I vascillated between relaxing and trying to make the most of the time to get a few house projects accomplished.  I moved the living room furniture around (this seems to be a trend for me when the kids are away) to make a designated play area for Camille.  Now I have a clear view of her in her play kitchen while I'm cooking/cleaning-up in the kitchen.   I know it sounds weird, but organizing a cleaning really is relaxing to me!  Dan watched football, cleaned up the patio, tidied up the garage and was terribly thrilled to help me move the furniture *again*.  ;)   

I think Camille is growing, she slept for 14 hours last night!  From 4:15pm-6:15am!  That was a treat.  Dan and I enjoyed a few late night episodes of Parks and Rec on Netflix.  We are hooked on that show!

Fall weather hit Florida late last night with a cool front...the high was 87 today.  That qualifies as "brisk weather" in these parts, ha!    I am in the mood to make something with pumpkin in it....maybe this?  

Source: tasteofhome.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Victory, or fail??

An all too frequent sight lately, I decided to record my people bickering tonight, with hopes that watching themselves behave badly would lead to remorse.  Instead, HYSTERICAL laughter ensued and then they ran off laughing and playing together?!  Well, that didn't work out quite like I'd planned...

Sometimes the Funnies...

...hit close to home!  I've done 12 loads of laundry in the last three days (with several more still hangin' out in the baskets)...NO HI, their dirty laundry does NOT, in fact, average out.  ;)

Mr. Bling Bling & Lil' Miss Thing

As you can see, cleaning and organizing the play area and closet led to hours of fun this afternoon....

Donuts on the brain...

Started our day with some D*nkin D*n*ts for breakfast, and my favorite cup 'o joe-d*nkin decaf...cream and sugar...shot of pumpkin...YUM! Hey, we eat healthy breakfast 6 days-a-week, gotta have some fried dough covered in sugar every now and then, right? :)

Growing up in Carrollton, TX there there were what I now affectionately refer to as "asian donut" stores on every corner...freshly fried up donuts...d*nkins doesn't even COMPARE! In Bible-belt suburbia, I think the ratio of churches to donut stores was about equal!

Alright, before anyone thinks I'm donut-obsessed, here's the reason behind donuts on the brain this morning...


I've been rackin' my brain as to what we could make for Graham's school buddies for Christmas...what else??? Arnie ornaments, of course! My buddy made the cutest ornaments for her kiddos' classmates-what a super idea...thanks, Kim!

After g**gling around for a while, I found this idea to make donuts out of polymer clay. I've never worked with clay and thought it might be a little too complicated, but the clay turned out to be very easy to work with. Inserted a little loop of floral wire in the clay before baking, added eyes and mouth with paintpens after baking and-voila-ARNIE! Only 15 more to go...the kids got such a kick out of little Arnie and Hannah Reece wanted to eat him...which led our highly nutritious breakfast this morning. My house might be a mess, but I sure am having fun makin' stuff this Christmas!

Big 'ol kids

My baby is almost potty trained. After 1 week, all we have left to master is #2...oh boy...Hannah Reece is SO proud of her skivvies...

{edited about 2 hours after original post: 3 outfits, and two soiled rugs later...I guess we haven't even mastered #1, either. Is it just me, or is this whole potty-training thing much longer and more challenging with girls?}

Got to sleep in late (8:00) on Friday, thanks to my man! Woke up, and beheld this sight....hmmm...not sure how I'm feeling about this...Graham was pretty pumped up to play football on the PS2...

Learning very quickly that almost 5 year old boy=

• new fascination with video games, Transformers, "good" guys/ "bad" guys, jumping off and climing around on every piece of furniture we own (where did all those manners go?)


• bursts of testosterone that lead to a desire to wrestle with every member of the family,


• and oh yes...the dreaded "potty" talk-if it involves excretion, he's positiviely hysterical with laughter.


• thankfully, lots of lovin' left for his momma-hugs, kisses and snugs-a-plenty (that's my favorite part)

In other big kid news, Logan and Taylor (cousins) came for a slumber party on Friday night.

The plan was "Kung Fu Panda" , Chinese takeout, and a campout in the living room. The reality involved 4 super excited kids jumping on the air mattresses (watching the video in between spastic energy bursts), crashing at about 9:00, and two tiny people-can't really remember which ones :) ending up in our bed at 4 am.... with the rest making an appearance at 6:30...fun times! :)

Lately, I find myself mourning a little for those baby days...but excited about the way the kids are growing and becoming more independent with each new day.

Dan's gearing up for another weekend in Charlotte...which means lots of studying and reading in addition to the work-week. This "season" feels a little overwhelming at times. We are thankful, and asking the Lord to give us his strength and eternal perspective, so we don't get caught up in the seemingly stressful details of life.

Potty Training and Prayers

We're in potty training process with miss big stuff...some days are "dry" days and some days have a few "oopsie's"...

So, tonight I'm walking into the bathroom with Hannah Reece because she had a little "oopsie", I can hear D.G. call out from the living room..."Mom, that kid needs to use that potty." Thank you very much, son, for your insight and encouragement.

Later, both children were tucked under the covers, I leaned over to pray with Graham first. Every time he gives thanks lately, it's thanking God for toys he wish he had..."God, thank you for the turtle van and the police car that- I think I really wish I could have...."

Well, before bed, it was the same type of prayer again so I explained, "Graham, let's thank God for what he's given us, not just for what we wish we had..."

"BUT, MOM-"

So I said a short prayer and started to walk toward Hannah Reece's bed next...and as I walked away...

"Dear God, thank you for my best friend Carson, and my best friend Eddie. They are nice to me....I like the toys that you gave me to play with. Amen."

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.
The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble."
Proverbs 19: 20-23

Poor Sun Commander...

...just didn't see it coming! The little mommy is coming out in our baby girl...EVERYTHING needs to be wiped and diapered...even the superheroes are not safe from her sweet nurture.

Graham's favorite past-times these days are Lego building and Planet Heroes. I love to listen in on his quiet dramatic play...although I think it embarrasses him a little if he knows I've overheard. Watching these two play together just makes me smile!

Tonight Reece just cried because "Me wont to sweep in Bubba bed!!!!" As soon as we walked out and closed the door, I could hear the two of them laughing and talking....sweet times...I'm hoping they'll always be so fond of each other!

Vacation...

Very thankful for a family getaway + a week of study and school for Dan...

Eleven days of family fun in a nutshell... check out first link on the right for lots of photos...

• Day 1: drive to St. Augustine (sightseeing and carriage ride for the little princess in our family)


• Day 2: driving...arrive at Backwoods Lodge in Charlotte


• Day 3: Settling in to our little home-away-from-home and making plans for the week, Dan in class all day


• Day 4: Grocery Run and Fun


• Day 5: JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), Billy Graham Library, read and play to our heart's content!


• Day 6: Farmer's Market and explore "uptown" Charlotte


• Day 7: visit Gordon-Conwell, drive to Greensboro to hang out with Tuttle Family


• Day 8: Discovery Place Museum, Dan finishes two big papers for school today!


• Day 9: Graham and Mama hike and hang out at USNWC (US Nat'l Whitewater Center & Olympic Training Facility), Dan at class in the evening


• Day 10: Dan at class, packing up, drive to South Georgia to spend the night


• Day 11: Drive to Orlando to visit the Van's Indoor Skatepark (a surprise for D.G.-he's very interested in skateboarding lately), drive home!

*Before we left, Dan asked Graham what his favorite part of the trip was, he quietly replied, "you". And tonight, when asked the same question by some friends, replied, "the bunk beds!!" Hannah Reece finally made it up to the "forbidden" top bunk on our last day and was absolutely filled with remorse for her disobedience...can't you just see the look of shame on her face?

Bedtime Buddies

The bedtime routine is: bath/teeth, jammies, stories and prayers. Most nights the first part is a group effort and then Daddy reads stories and prays with the kids. On this night, Dan was working and Graham and Hannnah Reece had a serious (but not rare) case of overly-sleepy slaphappiness!
Graham chose a book for me to read. I'd start to read a few words only to be interrupted by someones giggles, an insatiable urge to jump on his/her bed, or some person's bodily noises, which of course led to UNCONTROLLABLE laughter...and more antics! Finally, I said (trying just way too hard to be serious) "Now, I guess I'll just put this book away if y'all aren't going to listen"...to which my son replied in HIS most serious tone, "Mom, it's ok! We just like each other."

Big Brother & Baby Sister

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Hannah Reece wants to do what she can to keep up with Graham. She's his little shadow, partner in crime, and can illicit his laughter (even when he's grumpy) with her sweet, silly antics. Sometimes, Graham gets a little irritated about this and wants to be "all by myself", but mostly he loves it and enjoys her company. On this morning, I was behind the camera and the kids didn't know I was watching. Graham had already dressed himself and Reece was a little frustrated that she wasn't dressed, too!