Monday, November 28, 2011

Two little monkeys...

I'm not quite sure how it is possible, BUT these are the only pics I managed to take of my little monkeys on Thanksgiving day this year....





 Static hair




They are really starting to play well together...sometimes:)

I didn't used to allow jumping on the bed, but I gave in about a year ago when I decided that is was a lot of fun and why not?  Soon somebody will fall and get hurt or wipe a booger on my pillows, and that will be the end of that, but for now they jump.  Supervised, of course.  Eventually they tire out and get very snugly and giggly.

I have so very much to be thankful for this year and always.  I am eternally thankful to my Lord and Savior. He has shown me so much love and grace, and without Him I am nothing.  I have required so much grace and forgiveness in my life, I mess up time and time again.  When I think about things in my past I am so disappointed and find it hard to forgive myself sometimes, yet He loves me anyway.  He forgives me, blesses me, helps me grow from my mistakes and shows me grace time and time again. He gave me Dallas, the love of my life. Through Dallas he gave me the the other loves of my life, and without them who would I be?  They are perfect.  He protects my children and healed Rhett's heart.  I am so thankful to be where I am today with my family and all that goes along with that.  Even though my life is not always easy, graceful or perfect...it is just right, and I am thankful for every last second of it!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Lately...

- We FINALLY received the bulk of our medical bills from Rhett's hospital stay with Kawasaki Disease.  I was fully expecting to get it on Christmas Eve, so I was pleased to see that pink envelope in the mail yesterday. Speaking of bills, did you know that medical bills are negotiable?!  I have heard of such things, but have never been brave enough to ask.  Well, yesterday was the day.  I simply asked if there was any kind of discount for paying the bill in full over the phone.  She offered me a 10% discount.  I countered with around 20%, and about 5 minutes later (after confirming with the powers that be) we had a deal!  I couldn't believe it really.  I felt a little like I was buying a used car, but the fact that I was not face to face and we were negotiating over the phone provided a little more boldness.  I wish I would have known this when I had my babies...next time!!!  Oh, and praise the Lord for good insurance...yikes!

-We have been thinking about buying some land.  The thought of building a house on said land in the future makes my stomach hurt, so land-looking turned into home shopping.  The thought of moving anytime soon gave me a major pain!  I love our house, our neighborhood, our school, our mortgage and our overall situation.  We decided to remain content where we are for now.  We are blessed.  Maybe a third boy will seal the deal on moving to land:).

-Rhett is not liking to sleep these days.  It's not the sleep he minds, but the falling to sleep that's rough.  It's been this way since we took his crib down.  He runs right out of his room...87 times a night, and it is getting old.  He is always crankers because he is always tired.  I've resorted to taking him on walks or driving around in the car at nap time to get him to sleep.  He's like a newborn all over again:).  Rhett has always been a great sleeper and this has thrown us for a loop.  He's just so darn cute, I can't be mad at him, but something has got to give brother bear.

-Dallas and I are excited to take another mission trip together.  We have two in the works right now, but will likely have to choose just one for 2012 due to funding and time off from his work.  Both trips involve safe houses and rehabilitation of human trafficked victims.  God laid this on our hearts almost 2 years ago,  and it is so neat to see how this is all working out.  We are very blessed and excited to help out however we can.  We will either be traveling to Belize or Belgium in twenty-twelve.

-Jude's little (BIG) personality is really coming out these days.  He is such a little smarty and so very organized.  He very much likes his routine and doesn't much like for things to be out of order.  He organizes his room daily, and likes things in just the right place.  He is meticulous about washing his hands and cleans up his messes after meals.  I'm hoping to break him of some of these things as they show little signs of stress in him, but for the most part I don't see anything wrong with a very clean, organized and orderly little boy.  He had an issue with our advent calendar while we were making it this year.  The lines weren't straight (on purpose), and well that's just not right!  We are trying to show him that little things are not a big deal.  It's working somewhat, but he still thinks he can tell me how to drive from the backseat.  I had to tell him last week that mom and dad have been to driving school and took a special test, so I know how to drive:).  Dallas always looks at me and says,  "hmmm...wonder where he gets this..."


This is the advent calendar Jude has a problem with:).  It is supposed to be slanted.  It is all I could come up with using the resources in my home :).  Jude was also very bothered by the fact that the last row only has 4 tags while the othesr have 5. I am excited for Dec. 1 to get started on all of the fun activities on the back of the tags!  

- The boys and I got to meet our new sweet little friend Whitney this month.  We have taken some walks together and she is just so precious.  Congratulations to Sarah and Jon on your beautiful girl!

 Rhett is quite enamored by her...




- I am going on week nine of healing from my bone graft.  Things seem to be going well.  I have totally cut out caffeine, running, alcohol, most sugar and processed foods.  I'm sure I am overall much healthier, but I really do miss me some running.  I have been walking, but there is nothing quite like a good run on a cool fall day.  It is nice to know that my body doesn't fall apart when I stop running.  I've managed to maintain my weight, even lost a few in the first month.  The no sugar is probably balancing out the no running:).  

-  Rhett has to go back for another echo next Wednesday.  Long story short...The infectious disease doctor was not pleased when he received the last echo because he could not see a clear picture of Rhett's coronary arteries.  He needs to see these to make certain there are no aneurisms and no cardio-arterial disease from the Kawasaki disease.  He didn't see anything alarming, just wants to make sure.  He was however dumbfounded by the correction of his mitral valve leakage.  I told him that we believed that God healed Rhett and he said, "yeah...something!"  Oh, and did you know that a echocardiograms costs $1900?!  I had no clue, but sure, let's get another!  

I think that's about all that's happening around here:).  I wish you all a very happy and thankful Thanksgiving!  

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

colors of the rainbow {4 yr old style}


"blue, green, orange, red, yellow, violence and indigo."  - Jude  (yes, violence:))

Yesterday Jude told Dallas and I that there was going to be "company" in his class at school today.  We asked him who, and he said, "representative".  We asked who that was and he said, "He owns the State of Oklahoma!"

Funny kid!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Fall Love

We were driving to Dallas' parent's house yesterday and drove through the MOST beautiful pecan orchard.  The colors were amazing...bright green grass and florescent yellow on the trees.  The sun was shining through the trees and it.was.glorious.  I was so bummed that I didn't have my camera, so I picked up the phone to call Dave (D's brother) and see if he was nearby and if he had his camera.  Indeed he was/did, and in a flash he was shooting some great pics of the boys.  He's becoming such a great photographer in his spare time.  Thanks again uncle Dave!






We took our annual hike to T-Mountain last weekend.  It was fun as usual, but especially exciting with Rhett participating in the walking this go round.  The color is so amazing this year.  I'm a bit surprised...this seems like a northern autumn (minus the 73* days).





 I was so bummed this one turned out blurry...he was having so much fun singing and dancing on the trail.
We have got to get some land for these boys to explore!  






Hope you all are enjoying this lovely fall! It doesn't get much better than this!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Warning {picture overload}














It's a good thing she's pretty...


Hi, my name is Dagney.  I'm a Siberian Husky and I howl.

I mean, there is some serious howling going on at our house.  I'm quite uncertain what to do about it, but I am certain our neighbors have got to by annoyed.  Especially when it happens at 2 in the morning and we shoot out of bed to see what is happening...has someone been injured, it could be a stabbing in our back yard...no, it's just Dags.  It's like a blood curdling howl, not a cute little something, but a redonk-e-donk, as loud as you can imagine, dog-scream.  She is so sweet and probably just missing her buddy, Maddox.  

But like I said, It's a good thing she's pretty:).  

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Holy CUTENESS, batman!


Thank you four our making our costumes Nana! Love, Batman and Robin










Surely batman and Robin wore converse chucks in the 70's, right?!