This new early-morning school schedule is rough

When I'm exhausted after a long night, a very early wake-up, and Mommy is just too busy to rock me back to sleep...





...a big sissy makes a great substitute.

Friends in the 'hood

One of the best ways to end a long day of school is to take skateboarding lessons from the big kids the neighborhood and then feast on Popsicles. That's the life.

Things I know now that I am four months old

Do you all actually need ice? The ice maker is very scary and makes me jump. May I suggest more tepid beverages?

I think it's funny that you keep trying to lay me down. I prefer to be held AT ALL TIMES, especially when I'm sleeping. Nice try, though.

You call it a kiss. I call it taste-testing.

My fingers are the best thing going right now. They wiggle, they're yummy, and you can't beat the convenience.

When you tickle my legs and call it my "fatty fat," I do get a little insulted, but it feels so good I just have to laugh with you.

That car seat? Ummm, no.

Mommy made Daddy hold me when I got my shots today. She may think she's off the hook, but I hold her equally responsible for all that pain.

I'm not sure why my sisters squeal over spit-up and my brothers laugh when I toot.

I may have a lot to learn, but I have even more to teach all of them.

"Hey! Where'd everybody go?"

"You are supposed to be here fighting all day over who gets to hold me next!"




"Anybody?!..."

My Back-to-School Prayer (and pictures!)

Dear Heavenly Father, as we begin another school year my children stand before You fresh-faced and eager to begin this next chapter. Allow me to ask Your favor and guidance for them as they journey out today to their respective destinations.

Please, Lord, make their minds willing, able, and prepared to learn. Help them to know that their hard work honors You and readies them for what You have planned for their lives.

Please be with all of the teachers today. Their workload is heavy and their plates full. Make them a conduit of knowledge and bestow upon them the patience necessary to teach the rooms full of students before them. I am placing in their care my most valued possessions, my children. Help these teachers know the importance of their role in these young lives and allow them to feel the respect and love they so deserve for the difficult, yet invaluable, calling they have chosen.

Lord, please be there to whisper to my children what they need to hear when I'm not there to do it. Remind them to be kind to others, accepting of those who may be different, and radiate Your love through their thoughts and actions. If they are wronged, help them to forgive and bestow in them the gift of grace You so generously lavish upon us all.

I know that you walk with them daily because I have watched you repeatedly protect them. But I am their mother and even though you don't need reminding, I ask again that you stay with my children throughout this day and all those to follow. Please keep them safe and allow them to come home to me each afternoon.

Bless them all, Lord, as the school year begins. Know that I give them to You today and every day, confident You will always care for them, and for my part, so very thankful to You for allowing me to be their mother.

Amen


Sutton: 12th grade

















Reagan: 7th grade

















Keaton: 4th grade and Hayden: 1st grade

















Landon: 3 1/2 who has now decided school is not for him...just yet.

Watched Pot Syndrome

Less than 36 hours until school starts...I'm beginning to get a facial twitch and heart palpitations. My week has been extra stinky (with a large side of give-me-a-freakin'-break) and I'm trying to be happy and light-hearted when all I really want to do is lock my door to the outside world and hibernate while eating excessive amounts of chocolate. Not allowed when you're "the mom" and any sign of unhappiness sets all your children into freak-out mode.

I'm watching my pot and will scream "BOIL!" Monday morning at 8:00am.

(Insert upbeat Jeopardy music here.)

Shopping marathon

This is me, on the floor after two and a half days of continuous school shopping that left me grumpy, tired and broke. I got to spend lots of time with three of my girls and even though it was tough, we had a complete blast.

Red carpet treatment

Along with millions of other "tweens" in the country, this group of girls attended a viewing party of High School Musical Two put on by Keaton's sweet friend Emily (in pink) and Emily's more-patient-than-I-will-ever-be mom, Shelley. It was a red carpet event in a fancy-shmancy hotel complete with a presidential suite, popcorn, movie candy, swimming, delicious meals, and of course, the debut of High School Musical Two.

I'm pretty sure those girls watched the movie, but with all the posh amenities to enjoy, who could blame them for being a little distracted by all the glitz.




Keaton (in blue) evidently tried to hoard all the candy. The sugar highs in that room had to have been impressive.

Is she living my life?

This mommy is my hero...I should be so smart.

"Wanna westle?"

That's how Landon always initiates his challenge to Jimmy and Hayden. What started out as two boys vs. Dad quickly turned into four against one. Sutton was at volleyball, and Peyton and I were smart enough to skip this activity. Oh, and ice in the pants soon followed. Brrrrrr.

Spoiled Bumblebee

I couldn't help but show you just one more. This guy cracks me up because I have SO been there...actually, just minutes ago when I took several of my own spoiled bumblebees to the store.

"I broke wood!"

After a 15 minute belt test comprised of multiple stances, kicks, blocks, and an oral exam, the only thing Hayden wanted to tell everyone (and I mean everyone) was that he "broke wood." He broke that wood you see below with his bare forearm on the first try.
















Passing the belt test meant Hayden went from white to orange belt today.

Cool belt, but breaking that wood was definitely the highlight.

A brother is a forever friend...

...given you by God.

This is what happens...

...when you go on a business trip and instead of sleeping, you watch the entire second season of "24."

"Gee Daddy, thanks for the undivided attention."

My new favorite song

Turn it up and listen to the end...what a sweet daddy.

Well alrighty then

One unnamed six-year-old brother sitting in the middle row of the suburban, whining about everything, from the pace of his frustrated mother in afternoon traffic, to his constant and repeated reminder to all of us that he missed his afternoon snack.

One unnamed three-year-old brother sitting in the third row of the suburban, weary of listening to big brother's incessant whining and feeling no empathy, finally screaming:

"Oh Hayden! Get a gwip!!"

**note to self...must work with him on those "r" sounds.

"I'm trying so hard..."

"...to roll over."

"Big brother is sweet enough to cheer me on, but Mommy keeps screaming 'NO! NO!'"
"She really needs to let me grow up."

Snaggle tooth

She's at it again! Our resident dentist-in-training (future Dr. Keaton) has pulled her third tooth for little brother Hayden. As they played outside last night, Hayden begged her to rip it out and rip she did. He was so thrilled! Here is a picture of the patient, post extraction exuberance evident...helmet-hair and all.





















His buoyancy continued this morning when he requested a before-school I-must-show-off-my-new-smile photo op.


Yep, pretty proud.

We were there for THREE WHOLE HOURS

Jimmy was teaching, so I took the five other children to watch big sister Sutton play volleyball. It was a double-header and as you can see from the pictures, she played her little heart out.

















Reagan, Keaton, little Peyton and I actually watched the mini-marathon event while the boys ate, drank, argued, played, spit, laughed, punched, cried and screamed. They eventually found a few toy items some child had stashed and (thankfully!) forgotten in a cube near where we were sitting, so my two reluctant spectators played a few hand-held games.




This morning when Sutton hugged Landon and thanked him for coming to her volleyball match, he looked at her with a puzzled expression, "Were you there too?!"

The world would be a much happier place...

...if everyone slept with their hineys in the air.

Hayden explains all

Referring to his baby sister:

"She has a brain and all...it just doesn't know anything yet."

She wore an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny...

...bright orange bikini.
And she played and played and played and then...

...fell fast asleep in the pool.

Volleyball!

School ball began this week; scrimmages last night and this morning. We'll see Sutton again in a few months.

Her dress of roses

"My Pawpaw picked out this dress for me. I think he choose the perfect one."





















"And Granna sure is funny!"

Conditional love

Overheard while she tried to help dress our (as usual) frustrated three-year-old...

Reagan: "Come here Landon and I'll help you put your shorts on."

Landon(screaming): "No! No! I don't like you!"

Reagan: "You don't like me? Awww...but I love you."

Landon (defiant): "I don't love you."

Reagan: "Will you love me tomorrow?"

Landon: "No."

Reagan: "Will you love me next week?"

Landon: "No."

Reagan: "Will you love me if I help you put your shorts on so you can go with Daddy?"

Landon (long pause): "Hmmmmmm...okay, I'll love you."

Reagan: "Well, let's get you dressed then!"

After he was dressed, he grabbed Reagan's face and kissed her right on the lips.

Landon: "I love you Reagan."

Reagan: "I love you too Landon."

"So this is what you think of me?"

"I feel so used."