Skippers Birthday

Skipper had  BIG birthday this weekend so we all decided to go to Florence to celebrate!!!! (Florence, Alabama...not to be confused with any other Florence).  Clays parents met us and it was such a great way to celebrate with family and friends!  Everyone had such a relaxing, fun time I think we may have to do this for every big birthday.  Friday night at dinner everyone toasted Skipper-it was so touching and all so true.  I listed 60 reasons we love him, everyone's toasts were so special I know he felt how much he is loved!  Happy Birthday to the best Skipper ever!

60 Reasons to Love Skipper

Think found the fish in the lobby, named them put them to bed at night and woke them up in the am...even Loni fish.

Mimi and Pop

the anticipation...

after they made a wish-Murphy took a spoon he found and dug into the side opposite from where my mom was cutting, help yourself...

Tink on a big slide-still not too keen on the enclosed version

but better than this little one where she started

before dinner on Saturday night in the spinning restaurant

rascal #1

trying to con POP into driving to Memphis

Rascal #2...

1. I can use him as leverage with Murphy and Madden
2.  He is fair almost to a fault  He is one of the most hard working people I know
3. He LOVES his friends and is loyal beyond belief
4. He loves to dance-so you always have a partner at parties and weddings
5. He has a hot pink carseat in the backseat of his car
6. He was always involved in whatever we did when we growing up
7. He had the patience to teach 2 kids to play golf
8. He made me memorize "good better best never let it rest til your good is better and your better's best"
9. He didnt care that we always ended up in his office at home when we were growing up.
10. He picked me up from all over the city whenever I decided to be brave and try to “spend the night out”
11. He usually has candy in his pocket
12. He called the cheerleading coach so much they became friends
13. He has joined the technology age-just take a look at his cell phone
14. He makes time to listen to whatever is on our minds and give his honest opinion
15. He defines the word generous 
16. He always has our backs and it’s when we are unhappy that he’s unhappy
17. He watches Bravo and specifically he watches “Flipping out”
18. He was terrified when I bought a saw
19. He goes grocery shopping and he is really good at it
20. He calls Madden “baby girl” she knows it and loves it
21. He loves Lizzie and Pierre, gave them a chance and a home
22. He knows God wants us to be happy and he encourages us to believe it as well
23. He tolerates the music at Fellowship
24. He was “George Banks” when I got married
25. He came by at some point everyday for while after the babies came home from the hospital
26. He makes us feel like we arent alone and whatever we get ourselves into he is right there with us
27. He doesnt act 60
28. He networks for all of us shamelessly!
29. He smiles even when he is hurting
30. He was the only dad hanging at germantown festival just for moral support
31. 4th quarter at the Memphis/MS State game he still had some hope
32. He drove an El Camino
33. He used to take us to Chicks games and to the fair afterwords as a tradition
34. When Spook watched games in the pressbox, he would bundle us up and bring blankets and a thermos so we could go to the game with him
35. He built new furniture for my dorm room and drove home with one yucky mattress on the roof of his car-fast forward 3 years when I was about to graduate early and he encouraged me to stay another semester...I should have listened!
36. He’s a peacemaker
37. He knows I hold him on a pedestal and he constantly tries to talk me out of it.
38. He is the most humble person I know
39. He loves his parents and his sister
40. He is so talented and accomplished and he doesnt believe it
41. He has always made us aware of those less fortunate than us.
42. When my house flooded and my babies had the stomach bug made it to my house from Spring Creek in 20 minutes and sent Robby in the meantime
43. Last week when Clay was gone he took us to dinner and brought us home one night-he had the kids in the tub by the time I turned around and I had to tell him 10 times it was ok to leave
44. He is so caring when we were sick this past winter he came to get Madden for me and saw how sick I was-he wanted me to come home with him so he could watch after me.
45. Other than where to eat and when to golf NOTHING is ever about him
46. He and my mom drove to Le bohneur to check on Murphy even when he was probably to weak to do anything
47. He loves Paddington
48. He is logical like Sweet Pea and my mom AND he has a soft heart
49. He worried about how working at Camp Good Grief this Summer would affect me
50. I still have his visa despite his wedding toast-althought I dont use it unless I am getting a gift for my mom
51. He is quick to point out my mom’s gifts and talents
52. He is such a hopeful person, he gave me the mentality that if you want it make it happen, there’s always a way.
53. He goes on trips with us and calls it his vacation-ha
54. He is forgiving and genuine
55. He will go shopping and he complains less about the outlets in Destin than I do
56. He lets us call him Skipper at his job sites
57. He taught me how to say my prayers and he would skip down the hall when he took us to bed-you should see him skip!
58. He drops everything when we come to visit at work-he has never missed anything I have asked him to be there for
59. This list was ridiculously easy to come up with
60. and he deserves the very best birthday ever!

Being Thankful?

Ok so I know to most people the beginning of the school year is such an exciting time.  I have a confession though, I have been so "down" about it.  Its hard for me to wrap my mind around my little ones growing up, and this year they are going to be in separate classes to make things harder.  However, in trying to practice what I have been preaching to several friends in the same situation, it's time to be thankful...so here it goes.
-I am thankful that I have 2 babies that have my whole heart
-I am thankful they are progressing so well that they thrive at school
-I am thankful we are able to send them to school
-I am thankful for the MIRACLE that happened with Harwood, and my special guardian angel Michele, who will hopefully try to tackle 1st grade in a couple of years
-I am thankful for friends (and one very loving mother) who have listened to me, not made me feel insane, prayed for me, and watched as I really lost my mind over the past few days.
-I am thankful that Clay can look at me and say, "God does things that may hurt us but never to harm us"...he said it in a different context but it might just be one of the wisest things I have heard.

Ok so we are off to a good start...Fall 2012 is here whether I like it or not, I have however missed the enrollment deadline to get my teaching degree (although it was a good idea BB, much better than the sedative suggestion when I already wasn't making sense).  Maybe next semester-ha!

Oh and as for where have we been?  NO WHERE...really, other than to get yogurt a LOT.  We have been spending these last few days playing, running around, swimming, having lunch and eating up every minute of summer.  I swear we are going to have to move to the beach at this rate!  How on earth will I keep up with these schedules, I feel like I have been in the car since I woke up today.  Oh how good it was to see two faces in my mirror this afternoon.  Joy buckets in carseats=happy momma.

Aunt Al and our cousin Land were here last week-oh how we miss them!

Joy Buckets before school this morning

Tink beside here book bag hook at school this morning (yes we  each took a camera today)

Some of Michael Thompson's Pictures of the babies :)

Acting surprised like she just won the "grand supreme" on toddlers and tiaras, we've moved on to repeating "Im kind, Im smart, and Im important"  she's a little parrot

Murphy no longer has these toes,  I ate them.

Seriously?  I have to drop him off 4 days a week?

Sweet tink

Yogurt excursion #12000046

Our friend Adam and Murphy having a drink at Uncle Sweet Pea's

Murphy's 1st day back

He did some work on the farm before school this am...?

Saying bye bye to Ms. Dianne and Ella (Madden's best friends btw) at the JCC, we truly could not love  these ladies more, I miss them already.

family pictures

My sweet Land, she is as sweet as she looks.

Future roommates at U of M (maybe memphis not Mississippi that way I won't have to move)

Hoarding, yep first day of school and hoarding. Can name everything in her hands, but she's not letting go of it.

²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, 
   for his compassions never fail. 
²³ They are new every morning; 
   great is your faithfulness. lamentations 3:22-23

Thank heavens for this verse, as you can see I fail everyday at letting go...and a thousand other things.  I am so overwhelmed to think He loves me right through my fears and weaknesses.  I can't wait to see what this school year brings-the miracles from last year have just started to unfold!

"Mercy"

sometimes when Madden gets to chatting a little to fast...she turns "Murphy" into "Mercy"...just a little Madden-ism I have grown to love.  Both babies always go around the room and name everyone there as if to let us know in case we missed someone.  So since the beach...Mercy has taken a weeks worth of swim lessons, although I think our money would have been well spent with Mr. Chuck, we have celebrated the 4th,we have both gotten big girl/boy beds, been to birthday parties and I had a birthday.   We are still on vacation around this house, even though its been busy.  We have just decided that being on vacation is the best place to be, so we are staying, although I will tell you "potty training" is not recommended for vacation, its one of the worst endeavors on the planet around here, Mercy!

3 years ago...

3 years later...to the day(and yes I know I need a hair cut I am working on it).

Acting surprised for BB and Ben

Nothing better than a birthday cake, except blowing out candles

the dreaded toilets.

Happy Happy Bruce and Robb

SKIPPER!

His actual bed is being painted, can you tell the little rascal is just waiting for us to leave so he can climb down and explore?

Brave Girl...at least around Hadley

Putting Mr. Chuck to work

See there are actually 4 of us!