Awards Day (Funny Sophie), Pool Day, Graduation Night

Yesterday was a great day :)! Much better than my bug infested one the day before.

We started the morning off by getting to see Heidi win an award for all As :)!  She was so nervous about Sophie embarrassing her during the program lol.  Sophie done pretty good.  She just blurted out one good time for KyKy to hold her.  

Got snap shots of the babies anxiously awaiting their big sis to go on stage.....

 That's her on the front row.... 2nd to the end on the right. 

 Once the program was over, we could check them out in their rooms and head home for the summer!  How exciting :)!!

Heidi absolutely adored Mrs. Taylor.  She and Mrs. Hightower for sure have spoiled our first 2 years in school.

 Heidi gave Mrs. T a pitcher, beach towel, Sudoku book, monogrammed hat, and monogrammed cup to hopefully enjoy over the summer :)!!

Then Heidi and some of her other friends gave her another gift together :)!! 

 Heidi and her sweet friend, Abi.....

 OK so Mrs. T gave Heidi and her classmates a water gun as their gift.  Sophie of course enjoyed that more than any of them.  She would not give it up!!

 She especially had no plans to give it up for pictures......

 These pictures are so priceless to me.  Yana was trying her hardest to talk Sophie into giving it to her for the picture.... no such luck.

 BAAHAAAAA Sophie was shooting me as I took the picture.....

 I seriously laughed all day thinking about those pictures.

Here is Heidi and her beautiful Babee....

 Her best friend ever......

 Heidi and her beautiful Nana.... love this picture.

 So when we checked them out, we got their report cards and other summer practicing tools.  (mostly a big packet for Heidi's speech).  Folded up in her report card was her 2nd grade supply list.  I almost fainted.  I am steadily trying to get over the fact that she just finished 1st grade bc she literally just started kindergarten & I am bombarded with a 2nd grade list already.  I was not prepared for that :/.

 I don't know if you all remember, but last year I meant to get a picture on the 1st day of Kindergarten laying down by the side walk chalk and I forgot so we did it the last day of the school year.  Well same goes for this year haha!!!  The sun was in her eyes so bad, but here's what we got....

 We then tried again last night so it wouldn't be in her eyes..... didn't work out too grand unless I can tweek it on Instagram.

After awards day, we came home and got our things together to head to Papa and Nana's to swim for the day.  We had a wonderful time.  Kayla and Brayden came, and our friends the Russell's :)!! 

Before swimming, Grandmama and I were talking about her shot not lasting as long as usual with her joint pain.  Next thing I knew, She and Sophie were bouncing on the ball haha!

 

 You cannot imagine the work out with the 3 kiddos and me.  The babies were all over me.... and Heidi too for some part.  We had to jump in (me holding K or S) together a gazillion times.  Not to mention swimming across the pool, or whatever else you can name.  I am SOOO sore today.

 This cracked me up.  Of all the places to sit, Sophie chose to sit by Brayden LOL.  It was really cute.

 Right before we left the kiddos and I thought we would be silly and take some pictures....

 Last night was graduation.  So many people we knew were graduating.  Mostly because my sweet cousin Daulton was, so it was like we watched these others grow up with him.  It was honestly the BEST graduation ceremony I have ever been to.  It was decorated so beautifully, the speeches were phenomenal, and the weather was gorgeous.  The only thing is after one of the graduates walked on stage, someone shot a HUGE firework on the vistor side of the stadium.  I mean like a big 4th of July firework.  Scared me to no end.  I thought we had already been bombed or had a terrorist attack or something.  Or perhaps the firework spread Anthrax all through the air.  Needless to say, it caught everyone off guard, & the police did go back there..... so I'm not sure what happened next.

Haley, Morgan, and Heidi.....

 And here is my little D-Dault.....

 Hank and Heidi :).....

 Mrs. Taylor's daughter also graduated..... so we had to go find Mrs. Taylor for Heidi to see one more time :).

 Notice the score board?  That was also a neat touch.  Had 2013, then the date, and the time at the bottom.

 During the ceremony, me and Abby got crazy with pictures. 

 HAHA maybe this was why I enjoyed graduation so much.... oh this and the fact that MeMe kept the babies, so I was actually able to hear and enjoy it.

I did forget to mention the other day when I was talking about Sophie and Baccalaureate, one of the students got up to sing "The Anchor Holds" and of course it was silent right.  Well I guess his robe threw Sophie off... and she loudly said, "MOMMA...... IS THAT JESUS"??? LOL!!!  That's exactly what we all did.... laughed out loud...... haha!!!

My Level of Fear

 Y'all my fear level was seriously tested yesterday.  Words cannot even explain the anxiety I get when I see a rather large spider.  I wanted to do a blog on my precious Heidi's field day, on our pinterest night, the splash park, etc.  BUT all I can think about is this spider that to me was the size of my bedroom.

Yesterday afternoon I was vacuuming.  Now when I vacuum, I get like down with the hose everytime.  I just feel like I can get it so much better.  So I had already done the kitchen and dining room and had moved on to my bedroom.  I was going to town.  Had already done the hall to my room, and some of my room when I noticed a few giblets under my craft table that I needed to get.  SO... as usual, I got down and was getting those under the table.  (I can spot a spider a mile away).  Out of the corner of my eye I saw something moving.  It was on one of Heidi's Hello Kitty bags that was there and I guess blended in.

It was HUGE.  I mean HUUUGGGEEE!!! Like the size of my palm when crawling.  I completely freaked out.  My fear level for these creatures is way off the charts.  I literally panicked.  I had no idea what I was going to do and knew I didn't have time to go get spray.  I cannot step on them when they are big enough to splatter.  And this monster I had to keep my eye on.  SO I did what any other woman with a vacuum hose would do.  I sucked that thing up.  I sucked it up, slammed the hose back on and took off running.  My entire body felt numb and nervous.  It was AWFUL!  Heidi & Sophie came running.  Immediately Heidi started laughing.

I finally got brave enough to come back to my room and make sure the spider was still in the vacuum.  Indeed it was.  Curled up staring at me.

 Of course I had to take picures to show Kyle the monsters that we have finding a way into our home.  Right as I sat down in my room staring at the vacuum making sure the monster didn't crawl back through some escape I was not aware of, my mom called.  My fear of spiders stems from her.  Like she said, we need therapy.  And that is the truth.  I couldn't move.  I was completely frozen.  I sat staring at this thing and it staring at me until Amanda (Thank GOD for best friends) got there to kill it.  HAHA My sweet other best friend, Kayla, was on her way too but Amanda beat her to it.

I was frozen solid just like this until someone got there to rescue me.

I honestly felt like it was as big as my room.  Like coming through my walls after me.  I have issues. I am aware!  I had to take a picture to show Kyle the size of this thing and in OUR ROOM of all places.  OUR ROOM!  I was so afraid I wouldn't sleep last night, so after our devotion we always have prayer time and Heidi told me to pray that God wouldn't let me have bad dreams.  So I prayed that very thing and so did she :)!!

When Amanda got here, I made her PROMISE to not joke with me and act like she was throwing it on me.  I was so paranoid.  I felt like there were spiders EVERYWHERE and everything that touched me was a spider.

She got it outside and was going to just put it on the sidewalk and step on it.  I was like nooo so then she moved to the grass by the sidewalk and I was like WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? haha So she ran behind the building to murder this thing.  The whole time it was just moving in the vacuum thing.  So I knew then that it was alive and watching me as I watched it. 

I finally got calmed down and Kayla and B got here.  We then headed to church and I was all good right?? Just gonna let me and H do a walk through of the room to make sure there were no more. 

Well we had a gazillion swimsuits that needed washing, so I was going to wash them really quick and lay them out to dry over night.  When I opened the laundry room door (I HATE HAVING A LAUNDRY ROOM OUTSIDE..... HATE), 2 huge roaches scattered.  I keep Raid in the laundry room, so I grabbed it and sprayed the one that went outside.  The other one I knew went right in the swimsuits.  I was a nervous wreck.  So I sprayed where I could and then put the swimsuits in 1 at a time.  Shaking them as I did.  Well nothing came off, so I thought it must have got away.  WRONG!!

All of a sudden it is crawling on the swimsuits in the washer.  GREAT!!!!!!  So I turn the washing machine off because who wants a roach washed with their clothes??? The kids heard me screaming and came to the rescue.  I love my brave Heidi girl.  She was helping me anyway she could and of course telling me how "cray cray" I am the entire time. 

I have the spray still aimed in the washer and her brave self lifted the swimsuits that were above the water.  FOUND IT!!!  I sprayed the mess out of it.  It died rather quick.  So now how was I going to get it OUT of the washing machine???  I learned not to grabbed them with paper towels.  Sometimes they aren't fully dead and latch on and start moving and my nerves just could NOT handle that after the day with bugs I had.  SOO I had an idea.  I knew I had some really long tongs inside so I could grab the bundle of swimsuits and quickly toss them out the door.  I was still so nervous to do that. 

My brave 7 year old moved as many swimsuits as she could around so that I could be sure to get "the ones" and not move the roach to where it fell in the water.  SUCCESS!!  Everyone got out of aim and I tossed those bad boys out.  Shook the roach off.  Tossed the swimsuits back in the washer and we ran inside and locked the doors LOL!  I then shook everything I touched to make sure nothing moved.  I looked under everything.  I got raid and sprayed all in my room until the entire can ran out.  I checked under all the covers, creases, pillows, EVERYWHERE!! 

Thank the good Lord above that everyone slept.  I dreamed ALL night long and I think that was His way of answering my prayer because keeping my mind busy, I didn't think about spiders or roaches.  When I say dreamed all night, like I dreamed WEIRD stuff.  One of them was a bunch of familiar faces and I were at some spa and we put our feet in the water & let those fish eat our heels and stuff to give us a pedicure.  No way on Gods green Earth would I do that in real life.

Anyway.... new day.  New day.  New day.  That's all I keep saying over and over and over.  My nerves need a break or either I need to be on nerve medicine.  HA!

Man Candy Monday, Friends, & A Soph Story

 So everyone seems to do a Man Candy Monday LOL.... there's mine :)!!  He sent that to me one day last week and I cracked up laughing.  Still makes me giggle.  But very thankful for my hard working man.  The dirty neck, dirty face, "do rag" and of course goggles just make me even prouder.

Friday night we ate Mexican with Babee.  Saturday we had a graduation party for my cousin, Daulton.  When we got home, we got their new pool out.  I haven't mastered the air compressor yet, so Spot help me.  The kids love it.  Our backyard neighbors were outside, so Trey and Heidi's friend, Madelyn came over to play.

 I had been wanting to get a big enough pool so that I could get in with them.  I looked at Amazon & eBay, and then decided I better check prices first :)!!  This one was only $40 from Walmart.  It is Hexagon, so seems bigger than it really is AND has 4 cup holders hehe.  So it was a perfect buy.

Saturday nights supper was simple...... hotdogs.  Can't go wrong with those for kids (although I don't eat them).

Sunday morning was great.  Everyone got along before church and we weren't rushed.  I was so excited when I got our coaster we made on Mother's Day.  Only thing is I really wish Heidi was in the picture. 

 Last night we went to Baccalaureate (sp?).  Things started off smooth.  Soph was asleep.  They started testing the music and of course her eyes popped open.  I knew I was in trouble then.  Of course I threatened, I begged, I bribed (Burger King), but that didn't stop her.  She was pretty funny some of the time I have to admit.  At one point Heidi was laughing so hard that she was snorting.  You know how the room is silent and you are trying so  hard not to laugh out loud??? Yea that was Heidi.  Sophie was singing the songs at the top of her lungs.  Like my uncle said, she knew most of the words which was quite impressive.  Of course they were cracking up at her.  She was talking non stop, randomly singing even when they weren't playing music, used all of the sanitizer, would take the empty bottle and watch it fall down the hole in the back of the chair and pick it up and do it all over again, mess with Karter, kissing him (she only does it in public because she knows it irritates the snot out of him), Did I mention talking???  drawing on the program, but losing the pen top.... so really that was a bad idea.  In other words, we lasted about 20 minutes before just getting up and leaving.  I was very embarrassed to have to get up in front of everyone and leave and the whole way up the aisle Karter was asking me if we were going home.

Anyway, Sophie got in big trouble when we got home and of course they didn't get Burger King.  My uncle was texting me afterwards & told me I should have stayed and that she is only 2.  So that got me to feeling bad, but then I told him that she has to mind me.  She will be 3 next month and she knows when Mommy says something, that means do it.  Anyway, she didn't stay mad long :)!!  While I was talking to him, I sent him this video of her..... she is just so care free and energetic.

 

She then hugged me and told me I was her BEST friend again :)!!! Made me feel better since spanking them always makes me sad.  

Happy Monday :)!!

Dirt & Water

I am soooooo thankful it is finally summer time weather.  We are slightly addicted to being outside and cold days just make us sad.  

The kiddos absolutely LOVE playing in the dirt.  The possibilities with them and dirt.... are endless.

 Wednesday the babies and I made a trip to Wally World & then went to The Tisdales to play until time to get Sissy.  Karter will say, "Mommy... Brayden's my best friend isn't he?" :))

 Yesterday afternoon Kayla, Brayden, and Oki came over :)!

Yesterday evening we went to moms to eat super and hang out.  We had a great time :)!! The kids love going out there and riding the golf cart hehe.  Freedom LOL!  

Anyway after their bath, they were playing and Karter slipped and hit his head on one of his toys at Babee's.  He screamed sooo bad, so we knew he was hurt.  Sure enough..... he scraped his head.  Thankfully it wasn't a gash, or deep cut.  But it was so sad.

 The girls were pampering him just as much as I was :)!! They then started flipping to help ease his mind.  That was a great idea because he eventually got down and flipped too.  Their pain tolerance amazes me.  Us adults just dwell on our pain.

Anyway.... here is a video of Soph flipping.  She is pretty great if I do say so myself.  Especially for 2.
 

 And y'all...... *tears*..... this is the last Friday my big baby girl will ever be in the 1st grade.  It seriously makes me sad how fast she is growing up.  I told her yesterday I was going to put a brick on her head to make her stop growing and she said, "MOMMA"... haha!  She is so beautiful inside and out.

I had to end the blog with a collage of the babies playing this morning :)!!! They have gotten to where they build a "castle" out of pillows every day :)!! Of course this morning was no different than any other.....  they would dance in their castle, and play.... it was so sweet :)!!! I dread Karter going to Preschool in August and Sophie not having him here.

Anyway I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!  Ours is super busy as usual.

Fairy Tale VS Reality

 OK.... so I thought I would do a Stay at Home Mom Fairy Tale VS Reality post.  What people think we do all day and what we really do all day.  I got this idea from our facetime with Kyle.  He finally "got saved" and switched to an iphone.  He loves it even if he wouldn't admit it until later :).  With that being said, we were able to facetime for the first time in over a year.  We could Skype when he was overseas, but when he went to the gulf we weren't able to.  We were beyond ecstatic that we could finally see one another.  It stinks going 3 weeks with only a phone call and an email a day. 

 Anyway..... so this is like fairy tale facetiming......

 And this is 100% REALITY.......

 Almost the entire time we were talking, Sophie was crawling all over my head, pulling my hair this way and that.  Kman was just calmly sitting and gave KC a thumbs up :)!

So..... a fairytale SAHM to a husband offshore:
* Has all the laundry caught up at all times
* Keeps the house spotless
* Cooks 3 meals a day
* Keeps groceries in the fridge/pantry at all times
* Makes sure all the bills are paid
* Remembers to water all  her flowers
* Smiles at all times, after all she stays at home and doesn't work
* Gets at least one nap a day
* Feeds all the animals everyday
* Shops whenever she wants
* Keeps the yard mowed, edged, and weed eated

A real life SAHM to a husband offshore:
* Does the laundry when she has a chance and hopes to remember to get it out of the washer and in the dryer and then hopes to remember to fold them from the dryer so they require less ironing.
* Keeps the house "straight", but never spotless.  Tries to sweep/vacuum at least every other day when the dirt gets real noticeable.  Puts toilet bowl cleaner in the toilets to clean them while on the run & hardly remembers to go back and scrub them.  Or (like yesterday) sprayed the bathroom down with cleaner and then got busy and forgot to go back and wipe it down.  Tries to make the beds everyday to at least make it feel clean.
* Sometimes not even 1 meal gets cooked.  Unless you count eggs at breakfast as a meal.  Or if you count fish sticks / fish fries at lunch a meal. ( Last night was pizza because I realized I hadn't been to the store to get meat to cook ).
* Goes to the store when it is absolutely needed and you feel like you are about to starve.  Taking the kids grocery shopping is like throwing an extra $100 away over the gummies, fruit roll ups, drinks, & chips that you didn't need 10 varieties of.
* Found it easier to remember to pay the bills with bill pay online and just hope that you don't forget to enter a bill in to be paid.
* Waters the flowers occasionally as her green thumbed mom asks her if she has.
* Smiles as much as possibly especially when it is 8:30 at night and you know your work day is almost over.
* Gets 0 naps a day.  Who has time to nap?
* Poor animals hopefully get fed everyday, but sometimes have been forgotten about :(!
* Never gets to shop unless it is online.  And that is rare.
* Can work a mower and keep the grass cut (that is with the kids sitting on your lap), but what SAHM takes the time to weed eat and edge? Especially because it is hard to do with the kids attached to you at all times.

-----In other words, I absolutely love my job and I am rewarded numerous times a day.  So what if the house isn't spotless.  I got to see Sophie do a forward roll for the first time.  Or so what that I left dishes in the sink.  I got to enjoy playing outside with my kiddos.  I have really long hours.  My day starts when the first kids eyes open.  Whether that be 5:30 AM or 7:30 AM.  My day doesn't end until the last one closes his/her eyes.  Sometimes that's 8:30 and sometimes it is 11:00.  I do not get monetary pay, but I get rewarded with smiles and hugs.  This is absolutely my dream job and I wouldn't trade it for the World.