The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

It's so hard to believe in a little over a week Santa will be here!! We have been having lots of fun around here getting ready for Christmas. Kamden did most of the tree decorating this year since Austin is just too grown up for us now. I only have a picture of him decorating one tree but he actually did 2. Maybe before we take them down I'll get a picture of the finished product.


Norman came back to visit us again this year and we have an excited little boy every morning to see what he is up to. This is just a few of the things he has done.

Playing a game of Wahoo with friends.

Zip lining from the blinds.

Cheering on the Saints.

Marshmallow bubble bath.

A mirror message to Austin.

Last week the boys were out of school for 3 days because of all the ice and snow we got. They had a good time slippin' and slidin' on the ice. I grabbed one quick picture but it wasn't an action shot. It was TOO cold out there for me!


Today we decorated gingerbread trains. Here is the picture of our finished train. Austin had the engine. I had the box car and Kamden had the caboose.

Happy Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year, we decided to go home to Jena. We got to spend almost a week there and we had lots of fun. The boys did A LOT of hunting. They hunted squirrels and deer almost every day we were there. Kamden got to shoot at his first squirrels. I'm not real sure who killed them. I heard conflicting stories. Someone told me Kamden killed them and someone else told me Paw Paw Rusty killed them. Anyway, here is Kamden's picture with the 2 squirrels from that day's hunt.

On Thursday, we had Thanksgiving at Maw Maw Rat's house. I didn't get any pictures but we had tons to eat and enjoyed getting to visit with everyone. All the great grandkids had a blast. They each took one of Maw Maw's purses (without her knowing) and filled them up with pecans. I'm pretty sure she'll be finding pecans in her purses for months. HA!

After Thanksgiving, Nonnie & Paw Paw took the boys deer hunting while I braved the sale at Wal-Mart. Austin killed his first deer! He was SO excited he could hardly sleep that night. He just kept telling us the story over and over again. Kamden was jealous, of course, and it was all Paw Paw's fault because he was hunting with him.

Austin and his deer and the squirrels he killed that morning.

Here is Austin and his hunting partner, Nonnie.

Friday, Heath roasted a hog at his mom's house and we went to eat with them that night. Everybody was there so we had a great time catching up with everyone and we can't wait til Christmas to do it all over again.

All the grandkids were there. Will and Nicolas were there at separate times so we had to take two different grandkid pictures.

This one has Will in it.

And this one has Nicolas in it.

Heath with all his sisters.

Saturday, Maw Maw Rat came to momma's house to cook all the squirrels and make squirrel gravy for the men . Luckily, she came early enough to cook her famous 'Rat biscuits' for breakfast. Here is her picture of her doing what she does best.

Then the boys 'helped' Nonnie rake her yard. They just wanted to do the fun part of jumping in the pile and then setting it on fire. I did get them to pose for a silly face picture.

That wraps up our Thanksgiving trip to Jena and in less than 2 weeks we'll be heading back!!!

Guess Who Got Braces?

KAMDEN!!



Last Monday, Kamden had a consultation with the orthodontist because the space between his two front teeth is keeping his other two front teeth from erupting. He recommended that we do a limited set of braces on the front top teeth to pull them together so the others can come down. The sooner we could start this process the better off we will be so he got braces today! He has been SO excited for the past week. He has counted down the days and reminded us often that he was getting braces on Monday. Our appointment was at 8:00 this morning and we were done by 8:45. He did great! He told me 'that didn't hurt at all!' He chose to black and yellow rubber bands because those are Saints colors. (They didn't have gold.)

Here is his picture with his new braces.



Now the not-so-fun news:
Because of the size of the gap between his teeth, as they pull them together it will create a large amount of gum tissue scrunched up between the teeth. He will probably have to have oral surgery done to remove the gum tissue so the teeth will come together properly. Dr. Hopkins said that sometimes this problem will work itself out and there is no need for surgery. Please join me in praying that this happens. The surgery is minor but it is still surgery!

Costume Dilemas!

The boys couldn't decide what they wanted to be this year for Halloween. So, on Monday after school, I told them they had to decide in case I needed to buy the costume. Time was running out! Well, Austin decided he wanted to be Turtle Man from Call of The Wildman and Kamden decided on Batman. They got all their stuff out and had a 'trial-run' to make sure everything was going to work. Things couldn't have went better; we had everything we needed except Austin's hat.

So, Thursday evening they came inside to get dressed. Austin got his outfit on. We even drew the feather tattoo on his arm. Kamden got dressed as Batman...and then he decided he didn't want to be Batman because he was 'too mature' for that. Keep in mind, it is 6:00 and he wants a different costume! I told him he didn't have much of a choice, he could be a baseball player or Drew Brees. He chose Drew Brees and he told me 'now, he looked a lot more mature'. HA!

Off we go trick or treating. At our 2nd house, the people didn't know who Austin was dressed as so that embarrassed him and he insisted that I take him home to change. He ended up being a duck hunter. I didn't get a picture of him in his camo with his face painted so you'll just see him as the Turtle Man.



In spite of all that, they had a great time and got TONS of candy!

Here is Kamden with his candy.

1st Quarter Grades

Report cards came this week along with parent teacher conferences. The reports from teachers were good. Both boys are behaving and doing well in class. Report cards were good also. Kamden had all A's!! Austin had all A's and 1 B in science! He is taking advanced classes this year in all subjects so one B isn't too bad. Good job boys! We are so proud of you!

Little Rock Zoo

Wednesday, Kamden's class had their first field trip of the year. They went to the Little Rock Zoo. I met them at the zoo and spent the day with Kamden and his friends. The weather was cool and it was a beautiful day to visit the zoo. We had a great time.

Kamden with some of his friends, Holt & Evan.

Up close with the parrot.

And the owl.

Penguins!

Fall Baseball

Both boys are playing fall baseball this year in Cabot, AR. Thankfully, we practice in Searcy during the week and just go to Cabot on Saturdays for games. They both play double headers on Saturdays so we are at the ball field ALL day long.

Kamden is playing at 1st and 3rd base this season and he has already hit a homerun!

In the field.

The homerun hit!

Sliding home.

Austin is pitcher and 1st baseman this season. He has never played 1st but he's really enjoying it and doing a good job.

Playing 1st base.

Pitching some strikes.

Ready to smack that ball!

Off To The Creek

This is what the boys look like days that aren't spent at the baseball field.

I snapped these pictures one Sunday afternoon as they headed off to the creek with their BB guns. They LOVE going to the creek. Every free day they have is spent there either building forts, fishing, crawfishing, hunting, setting traps and who knows what else. :)

This is why finding a house with some extra land is SO important on this move back to Tulsa. By the way, we are still looking at houses. Hopefully soon we will find the one!

6th and 2nd!

Well, this week is the week we've been dreading all summer! You guessed it; school started on Monday. Austin is in the 6th grade and Kamden is in the 2nd! My babies are growing up!! They both have had a good week so far and both of them like their teachers. It looks like we are going to have a good year!

As you can imagine, it was not an easy task getting a picture on the first day of school. So, here it is:

39 & Holding!!

Heath had his 39th birthday last week. The last year of his 30s!! Although he is SO hard to buy for, we got him a few gifts but the boys wanted to make him a 'candy' card. They couldn't wait to give it to him.

It was a hit, he really liked it!


Here is a close up pic:


Since you can't see it very well, this is what it said:

(Heath),
We wanted to give you a (whopping) (100 Grand) for your b'day but the money slipped right through our (butterfingers). We didn't have an (extra) (whatchamacallit) to sell and it wasn't (payday). We didn't think a pet (kit kat), a trip to new(York), or an (orbit) around the (milkyway)would be appropriate. We want to wish you (mounds) of (almond joy). We hope it doesn't make you (rolo)ver and get sick. If it does we promise not to (snicker).
Love your favorite (airheads), Austin and Kamden

After presents and pie (not cake) we played UNO to finish off the celebration.

Happy Birthday Kamden!

As I mentioned in my previous post, Kamden had his 7th birthday while we were in Jena. He didn't want a party; he just wanted to go bowling. So we had cake and presents and then we went to Alexandria. We ate at Texas Roadhouse and then we went bowling.

Nonnie made him a Duck Dynasty cake.


Making a wish.


Showing off his favorite present with Uncle Malcolm, Austin & Lawton.


He's teaching Maw Maw Rat how to play Mousetrap.


Texas Roadhouse! Yes, they sang to him and he was EMBARASSED!


The bowler!


I just couldn't resist! HA!

Our Trip to Jena

We just got back last week from our summer trip to Jena. We only stayed 9 days but those 9 days were packed with fun! The boys and I left on Sunday and Heath came for the July 4th weekend. We had fun visiting cousins and swimming as usual. I got to see two new babies that were born in our family since the last time we were home. Yay me!! I love to hold sweet little babies!

This is Heath's sister, Mandee's baby. He was born in April and this was our first time to see him. His name is Zayne. He was smiling for me. :)



The other little man was my cousin, Seth's, baby. He was born just a few weeks ago so he was tiny! I didn't get a picture of him but let me assure you he was a cutie too! I told them I'd bring him back to Arkansas with me but for some reason they didn't think that was a good idea.

On Wednesday before the 4th of July, we went camping and fishing at Larto Lake. You know I can't resist showing you the pictures of our 'fishing tournament'.

Kamden got an early birthday present from Nonnie and Paw Paw. It was a new fishing pole!


Waiting on a bite.








"I GOT ONE!!!"


It was a big one.






Lawton got one too!


On Saturday, we went to West Monroe, to Heath's nephew, Nic's graduation party. The party was at their house and it was a lot of fun. The boys got to play volleyball and swim and we got to visit and catch up with everyone. I wished we lived closer so we could do it more often.

Heath's sister lives about a mile from Willie and Jase on Duck Dynasty. So, of course, she had to give us their address so we could go by their houses. The boys thought that was SO cool. However, when we told them we were going by their house they actually thought we were stopping! I did attempt to take some pictures but they didn't turn out too well because it was getting dark. My flash was going off and I felt like the paparazzi so I put up the camera. Anyway, in case your wondering, they don't live in the houses they show on TV. They live in average size houses, not nearly as extravagant as Wille's on TV. Jase's is under construction so we couldn't tell much about it but we did see his truck in the driveway.

The day before we left, we went to Uncle Malcolm and Aunt Victoria's house so the boys could rope and ride some steer. Our plan failed after they saw how 'big' the cows were. They decided to stick with trying to rope them. As my brother, Dustin, said 'it looked like City Slickers 3' out there. HA!



Malcolm had to show them how to steer wrestle.


After all the fun, they did help them feed all the animals. They enjoyed doing that until Austin left the gate open and the cows got out of the pen. OOPS! I'm sure going back to Uncle Malcolm and Aunt Victoria's will be on their to-do list every time we go to Jena now.