Introducing our newest family member......

It's here! It's here! Our new computer! I am soooooo excited! Hopefully I will be posting pics very soon! Our new 'puter is not too awful fancy but it does what we need it to do and fast! Of course, big as they are and small as the box is, the kids are playing in the box that the compter came in. Wonder what I should do with their room FULL of toys, books and educational kits? HA! Replace them with lots of boxes, huh? So glad to be back in the world of blog!

Hello!

Well, I haven't blogged in..... forever! The biggest reason for my "blogger absence" is that my computer has depression issues and may not make it. If the 'puter does survive (a big DOES) then the kids will inherit it. In the meantime, we ordered (drumroll please!) a new computer! Yippee! It won't be delivered for about a week and I am wondering how I will survive. What a test this will be! Right now I am blogging on Michael's laptop but he is leaving for a week (work trip) and I will be computerless (is that a word?). I can check email and such at the church computer so I am guessing I will live.

Now I will try and catch up on little things we have done this summer:

VBS- I became the director by default and my husband became "Skeeter". If you attend the "Crocodile Dock" themed VBS then you will know who this character is. Pictures to follow when the new 'puter arrives. We had a great week and the kids learned a ton! We are already planning next year's VBS.

Homeschooling- The kids have been keeping up about 2-4 hours a day of home school. They actually LIKE it! We have taken "vacation" days when GrandTone and GrandPa came to visit. I love the flexibility of homeschooling. We finished reading "James and the Giant Peach" and have started "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane". Kate DiCamillo also wrote "The Tale of Desperaux". I think this book is actually better than "Desperaux".

Traveling- We have traveled with Michael on two different work trips. The kids love this! They think that a hotel is about as much fun as any one person can have. (How cool is it to have a fridge RIGHT in front of your bed!?!?) Also, they LIVE at the pool while we wait for Michael to finish his work day.

Bible Study- I am continuing my Thursday Bible study through the summer. We are focusing on prayer, worship and spiritual warfare. Bailey Rose and I are also doing a SUPER fun momma/daughter bible study on Wednesday nights called "Secret Keeper Girl: The Power of True Beauty and Modesty". It is lots of fun and has really taught me alot about my up and coming "Tweener". If you have a gal between the ages of 8-12 I highly recommend this study. They also have a series for teens. I haven't seen it but I am sure it is just as good.

Exercise: We have joined a gym and I am back at the exercise routine that I left in Kansas. It feels great. My Baby sister has talked me into running the half at the KC Marathon in October. I love a deadline and a goal so I am glad she suggested it. Course, now I have to talk my body into actually DOING it! I ran a little today and I feel my legs.... they are still there and I have full confidence that they will cooperate.

That's about it for now. It is the Fourth so we are off to cook out with some surrogate family members and watch the fireworks! God bless you all! I look forward to regular blogging and pics very soon! Happy Fourth of July!

Some Vacation pics! At last!

The end of a long and fun day at Hollywood Studios. The fireworks were so incredible! As you can see, everyone loved them!


We waited in line a LOOOONNNNNG time to see these mice and it was TOTALLY worth it! When you go, wait in line, no matter how long it takes.

This was the one purchase I insisted on. The kids each picked out their hats and we had their names stitched on them.

This was such a cool parade. The kids were able to dance in the street along with the characters! It was quite long and the best parade of all the parks.

A pic of me and (the second) cutest boy in the world. I love me some Ikey! Doesn't he look like little Michael here?

One of the first rides of our trip. This was "Toy Story" and this game was in 3-D. Very Cool! We even got wet at one point in the ride!

Here are a few pics from our first two days at Disney World vacation over spring break. I have lots more pictures and I am slowly looking through them and finding my favorites. More later!

The Puppy

Well, the puppy is really 6 months old and is officially named "Trixie". The reason this dog ended up on MY porch is completely and totally my momma's fault. I absolutely blame her 100%. As a child growing up, we were always finding/nursing/placing in a new "forever" home, some kind of cat, dog, squirrel, bunny (those never fared well), hummingbird, litter of kittens. We (my sister and I ) served as her assistant- we ran to get the old washcloth or baby blanket, Epsom salts, tweezers, syringe, cotton balls, peroxide, newborn nurser or anything else Momma needed to fix our latest patient. We didn't really keep many of these animals. They just passed through on their way to their "forever" home. The little dog that arrived on our porch was finally classified as a French bulldog/Boston mix. She is soooo ugly she is cute! After three hours at the vet today, her new "Mommy" (not me, my friend, Christy) had quite a few medications to administer to her canine child. Trixie seemed to take it all stride. I think she knew that it was all for the greater good- all the poking and prodding and examination. She is great with children and very loyal. If we were in the market for a dog, she would still be at our house. I know she will be happy with Christy and her family. Trixie's new children are so in love with her. You may think you can avoid turning into your mother. Try anything you like, be anyone you want. Sooner or later you will do what I have done- give up. Go over to the "Momma Side" and embrace it. Really, it's not so bad.... Good night.

Finally!

Well, I am finally posting something new! (I will look for your comment, Miss Stephanie) As many of you know, our sweet friends Mark and Renee` have recently adopted two beautiful children from Ethiopia! Hello Jordan Berket and Kloe Bertu! I love you! While they were off running around in Africa, we got to hang out/take care of/feed/laugh/snuggle with the two VanDruff girls, Katie and Nikki (NikNak, Nick-o-lea-lee, Birdie Girl). Katie is 16 and Nik is 2. We had a ball! We even got to play dress up with Katie and get her ready for the prom! She is already a lovely young woman but,let me tell you, mascara and a good hairpiece can do Amazing things! Also, if you ever become bored with your children, if you ever feel like your life lacks a certain spark- do this- rent a two year old child. I FORGOT!!! My own children are six and eight and are pretty self sufficient. Two year old kids are high maintainance! And Nik is really pretty easy! She is fully potty trained and a generally happy and cheerful child. Bedtime and naps are not a problem for this kid but, gosh! Renee`, you are quite a woman! BaileyRose saved my life- Nikki loves her and will do anything for BaileyRose. BaileyRose is a born momma and filled the role quite easily. One more quick side note- Today I came home after picking the kids up from school and went to raise the miniblinds in the living room window and as I looked out I stared back into the eyes of a little puppy! There she set on our rocking chair on our front porch. We haven't figured out just what she is (breed that is- she is a girl dog) and we have a possible home lined up. Between the dog, contacting "dog rescue people", taking a custom bow order (poor lady, probably thought I was crazy!),several extra children and Girl Scouts meeting at our house, it was a very busy evening. Did I mention that we are on our 11th day of rain? I truly expected to see TWO dogs- a male and female- on our porch! (Get it, the animals came two by two...) More on the puppy later. God bless you all! Goodnight!
PS: I hope you feel better Stephanie! I love you girl!

Our Last Day

Can you tell we have had a great time on our trip!? I haven't had a spare minute to post! Tonight was our last night for the parks. We saved Epcot for last and it was WONDERFUL!!! We had such a good time and the kids were completely exhausted. So were we! As we were leaving the park tonight after the MOST amazing fireworks display/ light show I have ever seen, Bailey Rose said, "Dad, I just don't want to leave." Mission accomplished! We went to all the countries and ate a bite of something at almost every country. The kids got their portraits done in France just like my sister and I did when we visited Epcot a very llloooonnnggg time ago. The price hadn't changed that much and the quality was still very good. The artist said that he had attended art school and had worked at Epcot for ten years. Wow! The kids also had a great time trading pins with "cast members" at the parks. Uncle Matt bought them each a starter set and they traded and traded at each different park. So cool! They got lots of neat pins at every park and after a tip from a cast member, we discovered that there were extra special pins to look for. The workers at the parks get "special" pins that have a hidden Mickey on the pin. Only the workers get these and they have to trade if they are asked. Bailey Rose was immediately hooked and eveyone of her pins now has a hidden Mickey! Ha! After we get home I will update more and post pics. Needless to say, we had a super time and are already looking forward to the next trip- whenever that may be! Tomorrow we will travel back half-way. We will stay the night in Mobil, AL and dip our toes in the ocean. Saturday morning, we will head back to Arkansas and sleep in our own little bed. God bless and Good night~

MICKEY MOUSE!!!!! We're Here!

After two days of travel, we have arrived! Thank you Lord! Really, it wasn't too bad of a trip. With the miracle of portable DVD and Grandma's bag of tricks, we are finally here in Orlando! Saturday morning we all loaded up in the rental van and headed for Georgia. We got a bit of a late start because of a mix-up with the rental car people. Michael and Matt cleared that up and we were off! We arrived at "Anut Sherry's" and Uncle Don's house to a delicious meal of Famous Corn Chowder, sandwiches and amazing Pineapple Cobbler! YUM! We crashed all over that warm and cozy house and we were back out on the road a little before 7am. This day of travel seemed to go much faster and we rolled into Orlando at 4 pm. Thank you Jesus for safe travel! We saw several wrecks along the way and are so thankful to have had a safe journey. Our condo is beautiful! Michael found a real deal with this company. Everyone settled in and after some grocery shopping, Michael and I went for our 12th anniversary dinner. Twelve years and I must say that I still like that boy very, very much! Tomorrow is Magic Kingdom. The kids are so excited and don't really know what to expect. The surprise of it all will be the best part! More tomorrow! I might even try pictures!