the CRUISE!!

Jason and I got back yesterday from a cruise to the Bahamas...it was so wonderful and relaxing! I can't tell you how great it was to be able to have a conversation without having to stop and say, "Mommy and Daddy are talking right now, wait just a second..." or to be able to sleep in!!! I mean, we went back after breakfast one morning and decided to go back to sleep!! It was AWESOME! It was kind of a joke each day at sea to determine where we would fit our daily nap in... :) We watched movies out on the deck a few nights late on the big screen...it was great and pretty sweet...Of course, Jason loved all the great food--and I just ate off the kids menu most days...but it works! No, they had wonderful food trays and I lOVE fruit! We went snorkling in some beautiful waters and saw amazing fish...it always looked like rain, but the Lord blessed us with great weather the entire time! We had this great waiter that Cissie and I danced with one night...I know--crazy! We just had a wonderful time--but were more than ready to come home by the 7th day...it was great to finally get to love on my kids again!! Here are some of the pics from the trip...

Swim Lessons

Easton started swim lessons this year because he is such a maniac about just about everything...we just haven't found anything yet that he is afraid of...well, he did great for the four days that we got to go--one of the days was rained out...We went back to Ms. Debbie (who I think is fantastic, by the way--but you have to be ready for your kids to learn to swim--this isn't fun time...) because I saw how much Elle learned from her a few years ago...and Elle took a little refresher -but it was really about Easton...well, this is from the last day. She is throwing him in to the deep end and he is swimming to the ladder...you can hear me freaking out on the video...but I was so excited...we are still going to go back for another week after we get back from the cruise, but my parents have a pool and I at least feel better that he has SOME idea what he is doing now... :) GO EASTON!

Confused?

I am always trying to remember the funny things that Elle says-and here are a few that she has said lately: we were at church and Brother David asked people to stand up if you had family members who had died in the line of duty (it was Memorial Day weekend) and Elle quickly stood up and looked at Jason and I confused as to why we were not standing...when I asked her to sit down--she said, "Mom, Granny Parker?!" Granny Parker was Jason's Great Grandmother whom Elle is named after...she passed away several years ago, but obviously not in the line of duty...then when Jason and I finally got her to sit down--she stood back up excitedly and said, "what about Black?" Black was our stallion that passed away two years ago that she loved dearly...Jason and I had tears in our eyes due to the laughter--but we were trying to be respectful of the others around us...

Then this past weekend, Elle had stayed with my parents while I went to Kansas City to surprise my friend Kelsey for her birthday...when it was time for my parents to take her to meet Jason in Corsicana...my mom said, "Elle we have to leave to go meet your daddy"....she said Elle looked right at her and said, "I don't need to go meet him, he's my daddy, I already know him!" I love it!!

Easton's new toy

Well, my parents spoil my kids...that is all there is to it! My parents live out in the country and a few years ago, they bought Elle a little red toy Mustang to drive around when they were going places in the golf carts--so that she could do things "by herself"...she has loved that thing--to death! She has really outgrown it, so recently, they upgraded to a little mini Gator...that goes much faster...she loves it! Well, that left Easton to drive the Mustang...but you are forgetting that my brother has a little girl..so my parents decided to buy a front end loader tractor for Easton to drive...well, it came in and was pedal...so that won't work out there (according to them) and so that came here to our house...so they bought him this fourwheeler! HE LOVES IT!!! He was so excited! My mom told him that it was a Kawasaki and he called it "my Saki" all day...so precious...

Elle is playing t-ball

So, I know that we have been praying for Elle to find her "nitch" as far as activities go--and as far as coordination goes, we just haven't seen that yet...well, she recently decided to take up t-ball and I was really nervous since this is Jason's passion and I feared that if she was not great at it, he would be disappointed and Elle is very insightful...well---God is so great! She has really worked so hard. Jason has been so patient with her and they have worked great together. They have spent a few nights practicing and she had her first official practice last night. She did great! Jason was proud of her when we left and my heart was so full for her. I don't know why I ever doubt God's wisdom in anything...ya know?

**and yes, Easton is naked under that shirt, but we are working on potty training and outside is the perfect time to work on it....

Of course, Elle is really working hard to learn how to swing and hold her bat correctly, etc...and Easton walks up with his little bat and knocks the ball across the yard--perfect form and everything... he is such a hoot!

The infamous marbles

The kids had so much fun--of course I made them wear their art shirts and we laid the art cloth over the table...

**
**Easton concentrating to pick out a color...

Okay, so last year at MOPS, this lady came and talked all about art projects that you could do with your kids and everyone knows that I do not like art projects because they are messy and they are difficult to organize before and after they are done...(I know, I really should be on medication)...okay, but I was REALLY excited after the lady came last year and I came straight home and totally reorganized the playroom and Elle and went and bought just about everyone single material that the woman talked about! Well, the one that Elle REALLY wanted to was of course the messiest--with marbles and paint--so we never did it--but she asked almost everyday--well, maybe every week...so this year, we invited the lady to come back because we have a pretty new group--only a few of use are the same as last year and we REALLY needed to hear her again. So, I admitted to everyone that I still had not done the marbles with Elle and promised to do them...well we did it--not just Elle and I, but Easton, Elle and I--and you know what, it really wasn't that messy and the pictures turned out so cute! Here are some of the pictures from that.

Easton at childcare

Okay, so I just had to share this funny thing from Wednesday night...we have a Bible study that Jason and I go to every Wednesday night, so the kids go to childcare at the church each week. Elle sometimes has choir-but it is not going on right now, so they are just hanging out doing art, watching movies, playing on the playground, etc... And, we are there from 6:00-8:00 every week, so it is a while... Okay, so we picked them up and both of them were on the outside playground when usually the little ones are playing in the inside playground, but I guess the workers were just consolidating who all was left. Okay, so when we walked out one of the ladies was trying to catch Easton up on the top piece of equipment and you could tell that she was scared to death! He, on the other hand was having a BLAST! She couldn't catch him--his tiny little legs are FAST!! I walked straight out and said his name and "let's go"--he turned and came to me. She was relieved. She said, "We will NEVER come to this one again, he is so fast!" I told her that he is very coordinated and climbs all over our playground and jumps on the trampoline, etc... She said Elle was telling her that, but that her heart was pounding out of her chest. It was so funny and SO EASTON! (I wonder who he is going to be like??) :) So great!