Squeezing in a Little Fun Time

Too many days or evenings have been spent in hospitals or funeral homes here lately. In between all of this, we’ve had some normal moments and just some fun times we’ve squeezed in just for the sake of giving the kids something to look forward to or something more uplifting.

One evening after visiting Jason’s dad at the hospital, we discovered it was the last night of the carnival in town and Joy had been asking to go. So it was late….really too late to have our 4 year old out, but we stopped in for about an hour and a half of fun for the kids. It was a nice distraction from all the sadness lately. And I had forgotten just how entertaining those carnival folks can be. :) Let’s just say that I am convinced that one of the requirements to work a carnival is that you have to be very unique. Joy has her theory but we won't talk about that here. :) We definitely got a few laughs and are still laughing when we recall those moments!

Joy is up there on the top. :)

Luke rode everything with Joy except the Moby Dick and the ferris wheel.

One day after a doctor’s appointment, we stopped in at the big city park. My niece, Laci, was here from Alabama for her spring break. Bless her heart, we didn’t get to do many fun things while she was here because of everything that has been going on, but we managed to do a little. They enjoyed a little bit of fun at the park followed by a trip of Baskin Robbins for ice cream.

Luke loves his preschool games on the iPad. It’s a wonderful tool to keep him busy (and happy) while we are getting very needed time to work on our school and he's getting a little school and doesn't even realize it!  :) He is quite a whiz at it now! Maybe better than me! :)

Before his very needed haircut by Amber.

When we went to Alabama for my Grandma’s funeral, Missy (my SIL) gathered all the grandkids and attempted to get a picture of them all together while we had them all in one place. It’s not that great of a picture and it was no easy task trying to get them all to cooperate at the same time. But it is what it is. At least they’re all there!

Luke loved his job of trying to keep Ellie still....can you tell?  :)   From the top left to right:  Trey & Colt,  next row Kemper & Joy.  Next row down Laci & Luke and Sydey & Ellie in the front. 

And I did get a couple of pictures of Joy and Luke on Easter before they came in from church and got comfortable out of their Easter clothes. Colt came out later for lunch and I never even pulled the camera out the rest of the afternoon. I wish that I had!

Obviously, I needed my glasses on when I took this picture. I cut Joy’s head off! I think that is payback because I used to tease my mom about doing that!

Okay, I did a little better here, but it’s on the blurry side. In my defense, I was using Joy's point and shoot camera (which I am not used to), not my camera because the battery on mine was dead.

I'm thankful that we were able to grab a few enjoyable family moments the past few weeks.

Thanks so much for stopping by! If I haven't been around to visit your blog lately, it's not because I don't want to. Don't give up on me! :)

Have a great day!

Our Big Project....Chapter One.

It's unusual for us to go very long without some type of home improvement project in the works. Remember the apartment/pool house project above the detached garage?  Well, I think Colt and Amber have about decided not to move into it when they get married because they've concluded that they'd rather live in town closer to their jobs and have a bigger place.  I'm sure that feels a little more independent to them too. :)  So, we've decided to just start on this project and roll with it.  We'll decide as we go along just how far we'll take it for now.  Knowing us, it will be hard to find a stopping point because one thing leads to another.

Here's how far Jason, Daddy and Colt have accomplished:

The covered porch is going to be wonderful for taking it easy....watching the kids in the pool and hopefully have dinner out there too (until the mosquitos run us off).  I can envision us out there watching the sun go down!

We would like to go as far as to get the bathroom done (to use for the pool area), framing, electricity, plumbing, heating & air, floors, and rustic walls done.  Probably one of the most expensive parts will be the kitchen and its appliances, so we'll just have to see about that.  Our friends, Kim and Chuck (who were in China with us adopting their little girl, Shiloh) are coming for a visit on Labor Day.  We would love to have it ready for their visit!  They would be our first guests!  That would be so much fun!  It's definitely a goal that we can strive to meet!  We're really excited about their visit!

I'm also really excited about having another space to decorate!  It actually reminds me of a little lake house cabin.  As a matter of fact, I told Jason that it needs an inviting name to compliment its character!  You know like the "The Cabin Loft" or something......My dad gave me the idea of "The Crow's Nest".  Anymore ideas?

Since I've been away so long, I just wanted to share our progress with you!  Thanks so much for sticking with me and for your visits!  

Hope you had a great weekend and a Blessed Easter!  

  

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  Matthew 28:6

A Family Easter

We had a really wonderful Easter weekend. My brother and his family came Friday night, so we spent all day Saturday together too! On Saturday, it was beautiful outside for the kids to play, and Sunday was almost as beautiful. At least it was fairly warm, but a little overcast.

I'm starting with the beginning of the day....on Easter. Warning...there are lots of pictures. I hope I don't bore you! And I'll just tell you up front that Jason had control of the camera all day. I can't believe I really had very little to do with taking photos. That is so unlike me! It felt strange. I think Jason enjoyed himself though. And I can't remember a time that I've been in SO MANY pictures...(which I'm not that crazy about either)....Hope you enjoy our family pics!

The dining room table with Easter gifts....



Joy was the first to get to the goodies...Here she is with her Easter bucket...



Right before we were walking out the door to go to church. That's my nephew, Trey, and his wife, Shauna.



Trey and Shauna in the backseat of the car on the way to church...



Jason and me...He took this picture holding the camera outside the sunroof! lol!



Colt's cage....lol! He plays the drums at church. We call his little drum booth his cage!



There he is playing the drums during the Easter service. We get tickled at some of the faces he makes when he is so into playing! My brother, Richie, was sitting beside me and he really was getting tickled with him! I guess Colt just gets in his own little world in his cage!



Colt works midnight to 8 shift, so he comes straight to church for practice and then service. Sometimes he has trouble staying awake after he gets still. Easter morning, he started snoring! Uh-oh! We had to give him the elbow-in-the-side-treatment! :)

The church service...We have an awesome praise team!



One of the few pics of Colt on Easter this time because he came home and went straight to sleep after working all night. He missed all the family pics (which was probably just fine with him because every Easter since he was a baby I've fought for those Easter pics...the little booger!)...But I was bound and determined to get a picture with him! This was outside church. (I'll be glad when the black hair comes back.....hint hint Colt)....



Back at home...well next door at my mom and dad's house...for the looooooong photo shoot! :) At this point, Colt was fast asleep on our couch at home worn out from working all night and being at church and then out to dinner, so he's MIA!

My mama and me...



My brother, Richie, sister-in-law, Missy, and niece, Laci.



Laci...(I miss the days already of those princess dresses)...



Daddy and me...



My nephew, Kemper...



Grandmama and Pop with the grandkids (minus Colt),(and Luke)... :(



Grandmama and Pop with kids and grandkids (minus Colt and Luke again) :(



Richie and Missy and their crew.. (I really like this picture)! :)



Us...



But we missed Colt and Luke, so we thought of a way to add them in... :)



Joy...



Laci (my niece) and Joy..



My sweet daughter and me...



Kemper, Joy and Laci (the "little" grandkids)...(Trey and Colt are the "big" ones).



Grandmama and her granddaughter-in-law (Shauna)...



Kemper (my nephew) and Joy..



Oh, and Richie's ride from Alabama to here (following Missy and the rest of the family in their SUV). And boy did he get in trouble (with Mama)!!!! He should know better by now! That's two words that don't go together....mama and motorcycle....
My brother never learns! lol!



So there's a little glimpse of our Easter weekend! I hope you all had a good one too! Thanks for making a visit here part of your day! I appreciate it! Have a great week! :)

~ Tammy ~

Happy Easter!

We're so happy to be celebrating Christ's resurrection! And also so thankful that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever!



We are also happy that my brother and sister-in-law and their family are here with us and will attend church service with us tomorrow, along with our parents! It's been awhile since we've all been together on Easter. It will be a special day!

We have truly been blessed in more ways than I can count!

From our home and family to yours...we wish you and your family a very happy and blessed Easter!