Our Camp out!

We enjoyed our first family camp out! We have been wanting to go camping with the kids but with the kids ballgames, and gas prices we decided what was keeping us from just pitching a tent right here in our own yard! Then we could experience it and take notes of what we need to do different. We told the kids we were going to camp out and they got so excited so for a whole day we were getting ready! Steve set up our tent and got all our chairs together. The kids started packing their backpacks with pj's and a change of clothes since they were going on a real camp out! haha I headed for the store and filled an ice chest with some camping essentials! SNACKS! We all knew we were not going to have a camp fire so I just fixed the hotdogs and brought them out to eat! I couldn't wait to sit outside and just watch the stars come out with the kids. Mattie said, "This is a really big screen!" We had lots of bedding and pillows and an air mattress so it was nice and cozy. It was a beautiful evening and I'm so thankful that we did it because it was so much fun. We played games where Mollie held the flashlight and Mattie and Brady danced around watching there shadows grow bigger and they walked either towards Mollie or away from her. They got so tickled at all the things they could make their shadows do! Then we sang devo songs together (this was my favorite) because our goal as parents is to instill in our children a love for God. I want to make singing to God something that they will do to make them feel better, safer, or closer to Him. We enjoyed singing underneath the big beautiful sky while we were amazed by his craftywork. The night did get a little cool but five in a tent was just about perfect for snuggling. I am so thankful to have a family and getting to do special things with them, just enjoying the little things together. The kids are ready to camp out again!

Hello Summer Road Trip!

in Tulsa at the Peach Wave with Aunt Rachel and Uncle Dave

WOW! It's been a while! When you haven't blogged in months you find it harder to catch back up, but there have been some interesting and special things happen lately that has urged me to blog about.

We are having a great summer! Steve is teaching summer school 4 days a week until 2pm. Mattie and Brady are both playing ball, Mattie on her last year of Machine Pitch and Brady on his last year in T-ball and then next year Mollie gets to start! We are pretty much at the pool everyday unless we have ballgames. When the kids were out of school Steve said it would be a great time for us to visit family before ball season started, and he still had a week to go so we took off to see who we could! Our first stop was in Beaver at Pizza Hut, had the kids all ready and packed and bathed so they were sleeping and then I get info that we had tornados downstate and that I may need to wait until the next day. I called several people and listened to news reports and we ate and waited and then finally decided to go on to Woodward! We made it there safely and continued on trying to steer clear of any storms. We made it to my sister's house in Edmond by 8 just in time to sit down and watch the Thunder game with them! The kids were very excited to stay with aunt Rachel and uncle Dave. We enjoyed our visit there very much. Rachel and Dave took us to where she works at Transformation Fittness and gave us all a workout! I thought she was just going to work me out and let the kids watch but Rachel is very sweet and she had all three kids in on the fun whatever she had me doing she made up games to go along with my workout. She is so good with getting kids excited and involved in excercise. Then we had a delicious lunch at Alfredo's! Dave is the manager of the Alfredo's in Moore so the new one in Edmond was a fun experience. It was a treat for sure! We said our goodbye's and were back on the road! This time we were heading east! Tulsa, my friend Amy and I worked that this would be a great time for a visit! She Loves the kids so much and is always being thoughtful with giving them gifts I thought we could atleast go and visit where she lives. Right away Amy took us to a really cool Frozen Yogourt place called The Peach Wave! It was awesome and delicious!We were in topping heaven just looking at all the many differnt toppings! We stayed at Amy's for two nights and had a great time! She took us to her classroom, to several parks, Hide-Away Pizza, and many other cool places. Sunday we went to church with Amy and I was thrilled to get to see people I knew from college. I was so proud of the kids they went right to their classes as happy as could be and I enjoyed going to class with Amy. I really liked the preacher, he a great lesson. We got to eat at another new place called "Which Which" which is Amy's favorite place it was pretty cool! Then we were on the road again heading to Duncan! The kids were all very anxious to get to Duncan to see Granma, Grandaddy, Robyn and many cousins! We made it for church that evening and then took the kids to kiddyland with my mom, and sisters. We couldn't resist taking everyone for snowcones we laughed and were so happy being together. I got to walk with my mom in the mornings before the kids woke up we both have been trying to walk regularly so it was nice having a partner. My mom found out some sad news that my dad's sister passed away. The kids swam everyday and we enjoyed playing with cousins and seeing my sisters. I always try to squeeze in as many visits as I can when I am down. I got to see Ricky and Debbie one evening. We went to Mammaw's and Papaw's one day and played and had lunch. My cousin Kristi came and then we got to visit with Larry and Annys and to my surprise she had called Bryan ( my cousin) to come over! I was thrilled to see him and his wife and their little boy. While there again we were in a Tornado warning so we stayed there and watched the weather, the kids played and we had a great visit! Back to Duncan we fixed Daddy a very good supper and enjoyed a visit from Uncle Buck. All in all it was a nice get-away, but we were ready to get back home to Daddy (Steve) and he was missing us pretty bad! We left the next day again after swimming with cousins: Tyler, Haley, Joe, Jenna, Aubrie and Caleb and Aunt Gina and Aunt Rhetta! and was on the road! The kids slept all the way to Clinton where we stopped to see Grammie and Papa and she had a prepared supper for us. We visited with Aunt Lori and Uncle Phil and Payne. The kids were so good in all of this traveling, I fixed the back seat to lay down and made a padded bed so they could lay down, they had their pillows and blankets. We played the Alphabet game, the Animal guessing game, sang Dear Liza and Dear Henry. We had a wonderful trip and as we drove closer to Hooker we were excited to be home. We pulled up and Daddy was waiting on the porch for us we were greeted with hugs and lots of kisses. Great to get-away but also great to be back home!

Mattie Jane's 7th birthday!

Mattie and her guitar cake!

the kids

finished decorating their pillow cases

At the movies!

Girls and their glittering guitars!

Our Greatest Hits!

singing! The Climb by Hannah Montanna

making our pizza's being silly

As you can see I'm trying to get caught up their birthdays before another birthday comes and I am even more behind.

Mattie's seventh birthday fell on a Sunday this year so we decided to go with the Saturday before for a party to celebrate it. Mattie informed me she didn't want a party this year but would rather have two girlfriends spend the night.... hmmmm I thought is she really old enough to have a sleep over?? Just two girls???? The more I thought about it the more I like it! Fewer children... and older children was a great idea! I have noticed Mattie getting into singing the words to her favorite songs and who sings certain songs. So I thought about a "Rock Star" party and suggested it and she loved the idea. My big surprise would be her gift of a little microphone and amplifier and let the girls sing Hanna Montanna songs off of Youtube. So I put together very quickly a Rock Star party after a quick trip to the dollar store. We made "hit records" decorated glittery guitars, made our own pizza's, had a karoke night, decorated pillow cases, and of course colored! . Daddy was a dj for the party and finally had to hit the sack, the next day after pancakes he went hunting, while I took the kids to see "Tangled" in 3D! We all loved the movie! Got back to Hooker for a little down-time before going to the "Christmas Parade" in Hooker where the kids always get to see Santa! This party was probably more fun for me because I love to sing and since there was just two friends they were so easy to manage and could do everything on their own after I gave them a project! Loved this weekend it was so fun and I'm so proud of Mattie and how she is growing up. I have noticed that she is very thoughtful and perceptive of people, she really cares and wants to do special things for people.

Things about Mattie this year;

* She is in first grade and loves her teacher, Mrs.League

* She loves to read, and put stickers on her folder. We have homework now!

* She likes to draw pictures, and color pictures for people

* She is very interested in learning how to play piano

* She keeps a little notebook by her bed and likes to write in it at night

* Her prayers are very thoughtful, she always says "be with those that need you and are unloved" she names several people that are hurt or lost loved ones and is faithful in remembering them every time.

* Loves her family very much, she is always drawing pictures of us all together.

*Very picky about how her clothes and socks fit her, everything has to be just right.

*she loves our dogs, she was very sad when our cat Samantha dissappeared this past summer.

*she played Machine pitch this past summer, and has a good attitude.

*She is in tumbling and can do the splits two different ways, her teacher Ms.Lori is always using her as an example to show the others how to do something

*She memorizes Bible scriptures with great enthusiasm! Says her old and new test.books

What a Hoot!

Me and my three year old girl

yay! when can we eat it mama?

Happy Birthday Mollie

Daddy and his three owls

pin the beak on the owl

Make a wish!

Tea? yes please.

Owl Trail mix!

Mollie with her "3" cookie

Inside the "owls nest"

Devry with her owl finger puppet!

owl sugar cookies which I made from a cookie cutter of a tulip,

half a peanut for the nose.

chocolatey owl cup cakes! candy corn nose and mini oreo eyes!

Mollie's owl cake!

Loved theses hair clips!

the girls enjoying their tea party and snacks

The cute invitation that Donia designed for me

Devry, Allie, Mollie, Brook, and Havynn

I'm a little behind so I'll try to fill in some gaps and just hit the highlights up until now! Well my little Mollie had a 3rd birthday!

I had so much fun putting this little party together. We decided on an Owl theme, I had seen some cute owl things I like to do things you can't find in Walmart so their more original and special.

We had an Owl cake, owl cupcakes, owl cookies, and even owl trail mix for take home treats!

My friend Donia helped all the way from Kentucky as she designed some adorable invites and goodie bag labels. I made a huge Owl from brown butcher paper and we played pin the beak on the owl! Her guest list included 3 and 4 yr. old girls so I got the little table set up for a tea party. They played ring around the rosie. Mattie was so helpful with the girls I really needed her! I learned that with these ages that I did everything with girls so I just ignored everything else and just entertained them. I had made some little owl puppets so they really liked it when I sat up little princess castle and they pretended it was their nest. I loved her party it was an hour and a half of fun. Seeing their faces as they played dress up and tea party made every bit of the staying up late so worth it. My other really awesome friend helped me out by finishing stitching around the little felt owl hair clips I made. Yes, I know I over did it, I picked way too many things to make, I looked on-line for ideas probably shouldn't have :) Anyway here are some pictures from her party!

Birthday weekend!

Matti's closet with a place for shoes on the right on shelves and
tubs for keep sakes and baby blankets

Brady and Mollie's beds just knowing that the clothes in the drawers

are in the right place and fit them, makes me smile.

We had a serious book problem... I am so tickled that

all the books have a home now and in one place!

Mattie's full size bed, it has been such a great change so far!

Mollie and her new quilt from Grammie!

When we arrived home Friday night from the Kurts house, we were pleasantly surprised by Papa and Grammie! They had stopped by on Tuesday on their way to Colorado to see the foliage and were suppose to be back through Hooker on Saturday! It was great the kids were so excited as I tried to finish up their bath, they were wanting to get out quick. After everyone was dried and half dressed for bed we visited in the living room for a while. Grammie gave Mollie a birthday quilt for her 3rd birthday coming up. She wrapped up in it and just sat in the floor beaming! Mattie was so glad to have her Grammie here since it means getting to sleep with Grammie over in the appartment (right next to our house, for guests) We were all finally off to bed after everyone had had a long day. Saturday brought an exciting day of work and play. Grammie always has special games to play with the kids, this time it was Bingo and Old Maid. I made omelets for Steve and waffles topped with fresh peaches for Papa and Brady. Then Grammie and I got busy with kids bedrooms, I had lot's of leftovers from the garage sale and Saturday is the day to take anything to the ministry on main street. We loaded up the pick-up and added more to it as she helped me organize my kids closets! It was very exciting!!! Soon we were taking down Mattie's twin bed to put a full size bed in because sometimes her and Mollie sleep toghether. Before I knew it Aunt Janelle or (Nanoo) as the kids call her, was in on the action and the men were all watching football while we organized and moved things around. I had two "Harland" women working with me, (sisters of eight kids) and they know how to get stuff done and I greatly welcomed the help as I felt overwhelmed with all my stuff from babies and moving and never going through stuff. We finally stopped for lunch Grammie made the birthday boy his request which is what he says they got on their birthdays, (their favorite meal) Fried Okra and cucumbers and tomatoes. We had everyone there so it was a great time to have cake and sing Happy Birthday to Daddy and we made Daddy blow out his candles and the kids gave hime their cards and shotgun shells (which I found whilst cleaning) and cologna. We are truly blessed with Grandparents and loving aunts and uncles on both sides of our family. One lesson I truly learned in all this is: "Less is more"

The Big One! Daddy's Birthday!

Mattie and Rachel

We love you Rachel!

On Dave and Shelley's front porch
they are so festive and grow their

own pumpkins every year!

We had been exciteted about Daddy's upcoming birthday for weeks, like in any house with little kids Daddy's birthday is a BIG deal! So ofcoarse I had all sorts of elaborate plans from a Dallas Cowboys football game which I scaled back to a college game like OU vs. Texas, which was scaled back to watching his nephew play in OKC with family there to surprise him, which was again not the best idea for us. You know God sometimes puts special people in our lives that help us and encourage us at times and for us those people are the Kurts. When our friend Shelley called and invited us to come to their homecoming to help cheer Rachel on as a homecoming queen candidate and said none of their family would be able to be there I kinda new right then, it was a sweet blessing from God. She had no idea it was Steve's birthday but I when I told her she was just as excited. No amount of money or great game is worth the value of friendship. We had a plan! Dave, being one of the kindest men that I know, had fixed a very nice and delicious supper for us. I brought a cake to share but we ended up just saving it since we were running out of time. Dave and Shelley are people you feel blessed from just being in their company. I love having a friend that is not in my stage of child raising but down the road a few years, she has a precious daughter in college and two in highschool and being able for her to see where I am and give me advice is priceless. Shelley is always positive and encouraging and confident in her christian walk. We all had a wonderul time. The kids loved getting to see the Hugoton Eagle mascot, they kept wanting to hug him again and again.

Going to get a load of sand!

Yesterday we took the kids to get some sand. They have an area in the back yard that is mostly dirt that Brady loves to play with his trucks. I grew up in Sterling, OKla. out in the country, and a couple of miles from our house my dad would load us all up in the blue chevy pick-up and go get a load of sand. I remember riding in the back of the pick-up on top of the sand was more fun than the sand itself! When my dad brought it back to the house he put a plastic tarp down so the grass couldn't grow in our sand pile and it entertained us for hours. This is one of the reasons I love my husband because he loves to find simple ways to entertain the kids and he is good at it. Whether it's showing them a river to wade in or a walk around a pond, or examining a horny-toad or a turtle. So when we decided we would go get a load of sand the excitement started, we would need buckets, a shovel, and of course water bottles since it was a pretty hot day. Thank goodness I grabbed my camera in time! We drive out of town and down a long country road where the road is pretty much pure soft sand. The kids usually have fun playing in the sand while Daddy starts filling buckets. I was so excited to see how they react to the adventure as we have done this nearly every year since Mattie was a baby. As I was helping Mollie get out of the truck she says, "I so escited!" After Steve dug an area for them to sit and cool their feet they immediatly went to playing. I walked around in the field a little just looking....endless blue skies, and as far as you could see just the wide open field. It was so peaceful.... to go somewhere, where you can see nothing but the outstretched land makes you breathe a little deeper and think about your relationship with God. It is so evident once your away from all the "things" in life what really matters most. Your love for God....and if he is pleased with you.

Daddy found a couple of strange tiny eggs while he dug and he wanted to save them to see if a turtle hatches??? So this could be interesting. From the loading up, the playing and digging to spreading the soft sand into a new place in our backyard I enjoyed every minute of it all! I know they will get a lot of good use from it and hopefully great memories from the whole experience.

Another Mile stone

I've been wondering why my six year old daughter is really drawing out this whole loose tooth thing? Then I started thinking well from the perspective of a six year old this is a big change in her life. When you loose something you've had for most of your little life. I've explained to her this is the normal progression of the way it's suppose to be, this is God giving you new and better teeth. BUT to her it was fear, it was a fear of the unknown, how will this hurt? how will I look? change. So I can't be too hard on her even though I've been pretty impatient with her hanging on to it and not trusting me? Well well, Rhonda isn't it always true that the most profound moments in my life are when I'm trying to convence my child of something and then Bam! the truth comes at me like an arrow, Rhonda~What your trying to get through to your daughter is somtimes how God feels trying to get through to me. Do you trust me? What fears do I hang on to? Do I keep my worries and concerns instead of trusting and believing. I didn't like the feeling that I couldn't look into my daughters eyes and she willingly trust me to know what was best for her and that I would not hurt her. I am going to try and be more intune with the things I am holding onto and TRUST my Heavenly Father to know me and believe he is trying to do what is best for me.