Curly haired boys up and down!! Yes, I got my hair cut short!!
Daddy chilling after a hard day of work!!
This is Spike and Blake. He got Spike (Webkinz) from his sweet friends Miller and Laney for his Birthday. Spike hasn't left his side.
Silly Sam

The Only Picture from B'ham

I am such a slacker. These are the only pictures I got from Birmingham. No pictures with Mama Don and Papa, no pictures with our sweet friends the Burton's who came to visit, and no family pic. We were too busy stuffing our faces with food. We ate at almost all of our favorite restaurants. My favorite meal was Niki's West, which has the best fried green tomatoes ever!! We love Birmingham. Thanks Mama Don and Papa for a fun trip.
Getting a good picture is close to impossible!!!

My Heart is Heavy

Our sweet neighbors that we adore lost there 9 year old daughter, Simran, to an accidental drowning on Friday. We live in a great neighborhood. All the kids play and run in the cul-d-sac and down the streets. In January we moved right across the street from the Dhaliwal's. There son Avtar and Tyler were in the same class at school. Everyday, Harpreet and I walked to pick the kids up from the bus stop. This family has been in our home several times. We have always told them how blessed we feel to live across the street from them. Our children go back and forth everyday from one house to the other. They are not only our neighbors, but our friends. We love them dearly.
This is Simran at Tyler's birthday party. We actually just went to her 9th birthday party 12 days ago. She was smart, kind, an amazing artist, and very special. She also has parents, especially a Mom, who love her so very deeply.
Please pray for this family!!

Catch Up

Hello Everyone!! I know I haven't posted in a while. We, as in Free Chapel, just finished our 21 days of prayer and fasting this past Monday. The longest I have ever fasted was 3 days and then I drove straight towards the golden arches and had myself a two cheeseburger meal. I am not lying!!
This time was really different. God is so incredibly good. I really have a ton to say about the last 21 days and how awesome God is. Maybe in another post I will get more specific. We launch in 1 month! Anyway, this is one reason I haven't posted lately.
We are off to Birmingham today to see my Dad and Mom. I am so excited. While we are there our friends Chris and Janet Goins will be launching there new church a2 church on Aug. 17th. Also, on Monday the 18th, my Mom will be having the last of her surgeries from her battle with breast cancer. I am so thrilled that the end of the ordeal is near and God has carried her and all of us through such a crazy year. I will post pics of our trip soon.
When we get back next week we will be hitting the ground running. School starts, football starts, Free Chapel starts. I can't wait!!!

Sam's Big Boy Haircut

Well, sniff sniff, Sam got a big boy haircut!! He is almost 3 and it was time. So long to the bowl cut, hello new do!! He loves it. I personally like it a little longer. It will grow.

Birthday Dinner

Blake has had the best Birthday this year. He turned 5 and he starts kindergarten in 23 days. (who's counting?) He got his bike from MamaDon and Papa, Honey and Jessie came in town and treated him to a super cool Star Wars computer, and then the actual week of his birthday was full of fun. Tuesday, the 29th was his actual birthday, so I let the Blake pick whatever he wanted for dinner that night. Blake's menu: pigs in a blanket, homemade mac-n-cheese, and milkshakes!!!

Golf Outing

Blake asked if he could go play golf for his Birthday. This was our present to him. Golf is not a cheap sport. Anyway, Jeremy took both the older boys to play "real" golf, no mini golf allowed according to Blake. They had so much fun and couldn't stop talking about it.

Blake's Golf Birthday Party

Busy Boy

While I was folding laundry today..... Gray climbed up and stole Sam's snack!! I kept wondering where he disappeared to. Nothing like chips and cheese dip for a 14 month old!

They say "It's your Birthday"!!

Well, sort of!! Blake turns 5 in two weeks, but his Mama Don and Papa were in town and gave him his gift early. Blake taught himself how to ride a bike without training wheels and he was ready for a new bike. He rode Tyler's whenever Tyler let him. This was a perfect gift for Blake. He went and picked it out himself. It is a Tony Hawk bike. He calls it "his trick bike". This is perfect for my extreme sports guy!! Mama Don, Papa, and Blake. Doesn't my Mom look so good?
Sam trying it out. Sam graduated from his tricycle to Blake's old bike with training wheels. He rode it down our very steep driveway and below is the outcome. Oh my Word!!!

Summerfest

Last Friday night some friends of ours invited us over for dinner and then to join them at Summerfest. Summerfest is a night that a local church here in Austin hosts every year. It was actually amazing. There were so many things for the boys and it was all free plus the food was at cost. It does my heart so good to see churches doing things like this in their community!!

This was a police SUV. I practically had to drag Blake out. He loved it. Shooting Hoops!!

Parker and Gray

These boys!! Gray and Parker are only 6 weeks a part and when they are together it is like having twins. They constantly take each others lovies and sippy cups. This day Lindsey was making a cake for Derek's Birthday and the boys were right under our feet. We stripped them down and gave each of them a whisk with cake batter on it. All was good until the cake batter was gone!!

Sweet Land of Liberty

Free Chapel hosted a Fourth of July bash out on Lake Travis. We rented a party barge and invited 50 people to come celebrate with us. We had a great time getting to know each other. I thought my boys were going to flip out they were so excited and they loved it. I think they want to live on a party barge!! Jason and Connor Collins braving the slide.
Sam was a little tentative. As you can tell, he was really enjoying the desserts.
Blake was in heaven. He was the first one down the slide.

Jax taking a ride on the cooler.
Go Tyler.
Wade, Kimberly, and Jax!!
Connor and Lisa Collins!!

I HATE Moon Sand!

I know hate is such a strong word and my boys are actually not allowed to say the word at all, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. Our moon sand kit was a gift from my dear dear sister, who only has a 1 year old and has no idea about the world of moon sand, play dough, and floam. She gave it to Tyler at Christmas, so that is how long I have been putting this project off. What was I thinking? All, I have to say is I will repay my sister for her thoughtful gift!!