Jack is 8 months old today!

We have been so blessed the last 8 months. . . this little guy is such a wonderful addition to our family! He has grown so much over the last 8 months. . . and way too fast. He is now sitting up on his own, eating solid food, he is not crawling yet, but he can move across the floor using his own method, he loves to give kisses, and he has a special way of stealing your heart! He is always smiling. . . as you can see from numerous pictures. . . he really is a sweet little boy! We love you baby Jack and look foward to many more of your amazing milestones:)

Jack sitting on the couch. . .don't worry

I was right there to catch him if he fell!

Yes, did I mention he is a genius. . .

reading (upside nonetheless) at 8 months old:)

What a sweet little guy. . .he gets so excited over things! I love it!

Happy Birthday Amanda!!!

I just wanted to send out a very Happy Birthday wish to my friend Amanda! Today is her 29th birthday! Amanda and I became friends while we were in college at Union University. We were also sorority sisters in Zeta Tau Alpha! After we graduated, I saw her a few times around Memphis. . . but we had lost touch with one another. It has not been but until very recently that we have started hanging out together. . . We now have kids that love to play with each other, but I have to say that my life has been once again blessed by her friendship. In college you have many friends. . . sometimes too many to really be thankful for what they really mean to you, but as we get older "good" friends are few and far between. I consider myself very lucky to have Amanda back in my life and I am so thankful for her friendship:) She is truly a phenomenal person. . . such strength, so much love, such a godly woman and example to all. . . I am inspired by her to be a better person, mother, child and follower of Christ.

So today, Amanda, on your birthday, I wish you all the happiness and joy that the day could bring! Thank you for your frienship:) Happy Birthday my Friend!!!!

I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 1 Corin 1:4

We Love to Swim!

Yesterday Amanda and Paige came to my house to go swimming:) The kids get so excited when they find out that we are going to the pool! Even though swimming has been our #1 activity this summer, they still love to go! We met around 10:00, our usual time. It was a little cloudy today, but still very hot. . . even the water was a little warm:( The kids are always hungry, so we ate lunch about 11:30. . . then back to water for some more fun!

This afternoon was a little different, because we had a little incident that left us all a little freaked out! Our subdivision has two pools. . . they are gated and locked. . . you must have an entry card to get in. . . but today we had some visitors. First i want to mention that it was Amanda, Paige, and myself. . .plus our 7 kids at the pool all by ourselves! These two young guys came up to the gate and wanted us to let them in the pool:( We explained it was against neighborhood rules to let them in. . .they kept on asking. . . they said they only wanted to jump in then get out. . .yeah RIGHT. . . they stood at the gate and stared at us for about 15 minutes before another woman from my neighborhood walked from her house to the pool. We were sure they would just follow her in. . . they asked her if they could be her guests. . . she said no several times before entering the pool to come join us. . . again for about 15 or so minutes they stood and stared at us. . . finally they rode off up the street. . . we never saw them again. It was a little scary. . .even with the fence because we looked like caged in animals. . .we had no where to go. After they rode off, the woman, Leann went into the model house and talked with one of the agents. They called the police to come patrol the pools and neighborhood! What a day!

All in all we had a fun time! We love getting our kids together to swim and have a good time. It is also fun for the adults. . . you can never have too much girl time when you are a stay at home mom:) Thanks girls. . . we will do it again soon. . .this time no drama!

Drew jumping in the deep end of the water! Go Drew Go!

Mari Morgan taking a brake from her goggles!

Amanda and Paige chillin'. . . this was before the visitors!

I took this after Karis told me "no" she was not going to look at me!

Kendall asleep on the couch. . .moments after we got home!

Another Day in the Sun!

Yesterday morning we decided to go to the pool. . . it has been such a hot summer already, so the pool is a great choice of activities! Plus. . . the kids love the water! Some of our friends came over to cool off with us. . . Jeff and Sarah Shands:) We spent most of the morning swimming, then ate a picnic lunch, and did a little more swimming after lunch. We finally went back to our house so the kids could play. . .and the little ones ( Jack and Emily) could nap. We later got ready and had an early dinner at Casa Mexicana! It was a fun day:) We had a blast hanging with our friends. . . everyone was exhausted after dinner, so bedtime came early that night:)

Drew, Preston, and Kendall waiting to get in!

(Thanks for listening kids:)

The patience was running thin. . . they were

checking to see if we were ever coming to the water!

Kendall was excited about something!

Drew swimming without floaties. . .

he is a pretty good swimmer!

The guys. . . with the babies. . . what good husbands we have!

Sorry for the angle. . . just a sweet picture of Jack snoozing!

Good Ole Friends!

Tonight we had dinner with our best friends! Nick and Haylie came over. . . we talked alot. . . ate alot. . . and had a good ole time:) Things have been a little busy the past 6+ months, so we have had limited time to hang out with each other, but it is always fun to be with them. Our kids adore Nick and Haylie. . . they enjoy their company as much as we do! We hope that things/life slow down just a little and we can spend more time with them in the future. Good friends are hard to come by and we are really lucky to have friends like Nick and Haylie! We have been truly blessed since our friendships began:)

Nick was playing with Drew and Kendall. . . look at all the animals!

We love Nick! . . . and the animals!

Me and Haylie trying to avoid being on camera!

Night, Night Jack. . . he is so precious!

Kendall's First Haircut!

Last night was a big "FIRST" for Kendall! She got her very first haircut:) She was soooo excited about getting a haircut, but I think she was even more excited that Karis's mommy (Ms. Amanda) was giving it to her! I had not cut Kendall's hair up until now, because it took a long time for her to get hair I could not bare to cut any of it off. I know that it needed to be trimmed, and I am glad we finally did it! It looks so healthy now :) We had been at their house to swim all day. . . we ended up staying for pizza (Brent came over after work), and the kids played til 9:00! Some where in all of that we squeezed in "the haircuts"! We had a fantastic day with all our friends. . . and the evening events were alot of fun, too:) Thanks Lemonds' for having all of us over. . . we sure do enjoy your company!

Kendall was patiently waiting for her very 1st haircut!

Look at her beautiful blonde hair!

(Before)

Kendall getting her hair cut by Ms. Amanda!

Brent and Jay were there for support. . . Amanda you did a great job!

Kendall was all smiles!
(After)

After the cut, Kendall wanted a "PONY" like Karis!

I think she likes her new do!
Thanks Ms. Amanda!


We all decided Drew needed a trim. . .

Wow Amanda, I am amazed by your multi- talents!

Doesn't he look handsome?

Playdate with Friends. . . .

Yesterday was another fun adventure with Amanda and Ashley. Today was an extra special day because we had some extra friends come and swim, too:) Our usual: Me and my three. . Drew, Kendall, and Jack + Amanda and her two. . .Karis and Brayden + Ashley and her three. . . Thomas, Maggie, and Mary Taylor. In addition, Amanda's mom ( Ms Jane/Lolli) had been staying at Amanda's since Wednesday. . . she was there with Emily, Nick, and Timmie:) We had a large group and it was a blast! The day was extra hot, so we spent most of the time in water. We did our usual picnic lunch and spent the rest of the day bathing in the glorious sun! It is always so much fun when we get together. . . the kids enjoy each other and we get to have some good quality "girl" time! (if the kids let us) It was another successful summer day. . . I wonder what we will do next? HUM:)

Drew just chillin' in Jack's baby float!

Kendall loved the wet noodle!

Kendall and Karis. . .swimming. . . our little fish!

Timmie and Nick giving Drew and Thomas rides in the big float!

Jack was snoozing in the shade!

Jack hanging out with Ms. Jane:)

Jack was loving his ride in the float!

Such a sweet little boy!

Look at Karis. . .she was posing for this picture!

Too cute!

Maggie. . . how cute is she in those Dora glasses?

Karis and Thomas playing on the steps!

Kendall and Karis. . .our little nuns. . . were being so silly:)

Look at my little Jack in the background. . .he looks so big!

PJ's

I absolutely love pajamas! I guess I should reword that to say "I really love kids in pajamas!" I have a hard time passing up a real cute pair of PJ's in a store. I love to cuddle with my kids. . . but if they are in their PJ's (and especially if they just had a bath and smell so good) I can not help but want to snuggle:) Sometimes it is hard to get Kendall to wear some of her jammies that I really like, because she has several favorites that she prefers to wear (all the time) . She has pretty much given up on onepiece jammies, too. However, tonight she put on a pair of precious jammies and she looked too cute in them:) I had to capture it on camera! Last call for these jammies, I think they are a little small, too!

My precious little girl!

Drew really loves his little sister!

I do not know what the kids are doing in this picture, but it is the background I want you to notice. Brent did not know he was in my shot. . . I do believe he is probably on facebook!

It's Time to Play!

This afternoon I borrowed Karis and Brayden Lemonds:) Their mommy, Amanda, had a meeting for a couple of hours, so they came to play! Like I have said in earlier posts, the kids love it when there is no agenda accept free time to play! They were non stop. . .they did take a few moments to settle down long enough to eat a little dinner, but the moments were very FEW! It is always so funny to watch kids play. . .specifically mine. I love to see their imaginations run wild. . . the toys they choose to play with. . . the energy in which they play with (anyone figured out how to bottle it up yet?) As always, it was another successful playdate with our buddies Karis and Brayden! Kendall and Drew love spending time with them and have gotten used to seeing them at least once a week:) I hope we can keep up the pace when summer is over, because I think my kids will be sad without their "fix" of the Lemonds' each week:) It will be hard during the school year, but I am up to the challenge! I had to take some pictures, of course, because they are always doing something so cute!

Drew and Brayden had on matching t- shirts! They are too cute:)

Kendall opened the door to the play house to say "Hello!"

Kendall and Karis! The two little princesses were ready for dinner!

I found Karis sitting like this. . .all the other were playing in the closet! Too funny!

At least Karis is playing with a toy. . .Kendall is reading a Parents

magazine! I guess that is how she knows all my tricks!

Somewhere there is a little naked princess!

My sweet little Jack. . . he was content to play by

himself in the living room floor:)

What a sweet little boy!