Many Days of Phone Pics Go Online

All these pictures have been on my phone, some for quite a while.

We're on our way from AZ, and we've seen 3 rolled-over vehicles on the road. Don't worry, none were a ginormous red van.


We couldn't go all that way without car problems. We started out of Dallas this morning, and a valve stem went bad. We stopped at Discount Tire Co., and Haelley found a nice spot to relax. BTW, Discount Tire Co. was awesome. Fixed us up for free!


Here's what Integra Properties has been working on in Nitro, WV. It's a Great Escape movie theatre lobby. You can tell the bottom right square touching the circle not finish-coated yet. That ridge you see running up the wall there was professionally finished by Integra, then professionally finished again by the Puerto Ricans.



Libby loves B-Rizzle. What can we say?


Cute


Cuter?

Turned around in the car to find this Haelley, waiting for us to find her.
Moments later....




Haelley tries to pull all-nighters at Trent's. She's getting better.


This may have already made it, but i found it and couldn't not post it.


Haelley, in some trips to the doctor, has made some friends.


Haelley was sicky, a long time ago here, and did great for the doctor.

No shoes in the summer. No coat in the winter.

PICTURES!!!

Michael was burning wood and Haelley was burning Mommy's patience, so I sent her out to sit and watch Daddy. Later on, I brought them out their food, this was their quiet meal together.

Haelley has adopted my tv addiction. Her favorite movie is Horton Hears A Who (w Jim Carrey). Her name for it is "Hortah the Ellebee." It also features the "Maya."

This pic is random, but Michael was proud of his Mashed Potato Smiley Face and asked for me to display it proudly amongst his other passions.

Bren was sitting in Haelley's chair, she was jealous so she decided to sit on the potty instead. This was her really good potty day. She went 10 hrs or so with out an accident! This astonishing run was ended with a "stinky" behind the couch.

I really want you all to meet Bren, he is such a happy baby. He smiles for anything. (Unless it's Haelley dropping the bouncer on his head, Mommy dropping him head first into the carseat or Daddy smacking the back of his head on the table.) All of those things happened in the past two days. Poor guy.

He loves to lay on his tummy. The past few days, instead of waking up in the morning and crying, he peeks over the edge of the bassinet and talks to me until I come get him.

Haelley was fascinated with blanket time, so I let her do it too.

When wet, Haelley's hair will stay in a bun, it's really cute, until it's been slept on. And then it's, well, scary.

We had a couple 87 degree days in a row, so I got out a bucket of water for Haelley to splash in. She was confused and went swimming instead.

What child doesn't love dirt? And Miss Haelley is no exception.

These are sicky pictures back when the kiddos were downed by stomach junk. Poor Haelley was so sick. For those of you who didn't know, we had to take her to the ER for fluids. She was extremely dehydrated and sick with the rotavirus and a UTI.

These are Easter pictures. Janet, Michaels Great-Aunt or something like that, gave the kiddos towels. Here they proudly show them off (fully clothed, for your sake).

We went to Michael's Aunt Lauri's house for Easter. They had an Easter Egg Hunt that Haelley was quite successful in.

She got the hang of it pretty quickly.

Bren is always smiling!

I think I know the answer now, several people have told me that these are Bleeding Hearts, but I thought I'd post them anyway for input.

Movies!!

Just some things about these videos. The one with Haelley and Brennan in the crib-Michael put Bren in there before she was awake, this was her reaction. The dancing one-she loves to watch commercials or anything with music.

Book Excerpt

I will post pics and movies tonight, I promise, but I really wanted to share this with you all. Jim Butcher is my new favorite author. He writes fantasy (which I'm really picky about), and his is amazing. His main character is named Harry Dresden, a wizard. The character, though very brave and powerful, is very genuine and sarcastic. He is so good about blending the two parts together. The following was something Harry was thinking. I thought it was good on so many levels.

"We still hadn't learned, though, that growing up is all about getting hurt. And then getting over it. You hurt. You recover. You move on. Odds are pretty good you're just going to get hurt again. But each time, you learn something.
Each time, you come out of it a little stronger, and at some point you realize that there are more flavors of pain than coffee. There's the little empty pain of leaving something behind-graduating, taking the next step forward, walking out of something familiar and safe into the unknown. There's the big, whirling pain of life upending all of your plans and expectations. There's the sharp little pains of failure, and the more obscure aches of successes that didn't give you what you thought they would. There are the vicious, stabbing pains of hopes being torn up. The sweet little pains of finding others, giving them your love, and taking joy in their life as they grow and learn. There's the steady pain of empathy that you shrug off so you can stand beside a wounded friend and help them bear their burdens.
And if you're very, very lucky, there are a very few blazing hot little pains you feel when you realize that you are standing in a moment of utter perfection, an instant of triumph, or happiness, or mirth which at the same time cannot possibly last-and yet will remain with you for life.
Everyone is down on pain, because they forget something important about it: pain is for the living. Only the dead don't feel it.
Pain is part of life. sometimes it's a big part, and sometimes it isn't, but either way, it's part of the big puzzle, the deep music, the great game. Pain does two things: It teaches you, tells you that you're alive. Then it passes away and leaves you changed. It leaves you wiser sometimes. Sometimes it leaves you stronger. Either way, pain leaves its mark, and everything important that will ever happen to you in life is going to involve it in one degree or another."

Sorry, No Pics

I can't find the stupid card reader, so you all will have to make do with a written update. No one has puked their guts out for several days now (unless you count Brennan during the closing prayer tonight, but it came out his nose, so it doesn't REALLY count).

I got my nose pierced today, (it is Elizabeth, not Michael. Wow, that could've been weird!) Deepest apologies to Daddy, if I would have known he would be upset, I would have had a conversation with him first. If I would have known just how painful it was going to be, I would have chosen to birth another child, sans painkillers instead. So far at least 3 people have told me I have something on my nose. At least I know that I have the type of friends that will tell me if I have basil leaves in my teeth.

Haelley chased Shelby around the yard with the fly swatter today, demanding the headless doll that Shelby ate. Unfortunately Shelby ate the fly swatter too, so Haelley must resort to the spatula tomorrow. Daddy refuses to give her another fly swatter. They're only 97 cents for two at Wal-Mart. Better Luck next time Stinker Lady.

Michael wants everyone to know that he mowed down the forest today. We had not mowed yet because the solenoid (whatever the heck that is) was broken. We can find Haelley now when she goes outside, yeah! We had to send her out with a whistle before.

John wants everyone to know that he just got an overkill, 2 triple kills and 4 double kills in Halo. It makes me sick to play against him. He also says he's full of information, just not the info I want. Oh, and he dyed his hair pink. (Not really. I just wanted to hear the chins hit the floor all around the world). Michael, I might add, is SplatterKing.

Brennan has NOT rolled over yet, but he tries so hard that he combines spit and Shelby hair to make a very convincing beard. I knew he looked like he'd bulked up, but the facial hair was a dead giveaway for the steroid use.

Haelley was told to stay in the chair or go to bed. Apparantly she thinks she's invisible when she's crawling along the floor, whispering "shoes!" and stealing hershey kisses.

Remind me to take the trash down to the road tonight. Otherwise we all get to take turns standing in the dumpster to make room for more. Anyone want to help?

Michael has his accounting final tomorrow. The Halo marathon should help the brain cells, I just know it!

I'm going to get my hair done like Rogue in X-Men after Meredith's wedding. Anyone who doesn't know who Rogue is should watch the movie. No, I don't think it looks like a skunk. That should complete my mid-life crisis. I plan to have another one when I turn 25.

Haelley's lost it. She is saying "FRIES!" frantically. No, I don't think it will keep Daddy from needing to respawn.

Should probably go. Hope you all enjoy. Feel free to comment. I love comments!!! Sometimes I just really miss everybody. Love and prayers for everybody. May you seek the Lord, even in all of the painful places. Remind me to post an excerpt from Jim Butcher's White Night. It's really good.

Random Pics

This first picture is the face of obedience. We had the battle of the year today. I could cry just thinking about it now. It started out as fun, we were taking pictures. Then she got upset and refused to obey the command to look at the camera. This was the final result ten minutes later. As you can see, she is looking at the camera. Ah, my girl, I love you more than life itself. Your soul is my mission!

Not to be outdone by Brennan's cool outfit, Haelley jumped up to participate. Note the hair static.

This was Brennan's first game of Texas Hold 'Em. Mommy came in second to Austin, who is just too stinkin good.

At the Park. He usually is a spoil sport when we are outside, but this is a relatively happy face.

My two boys. I love this picture.

Fun at the park. This is the new dock they built by the lake at Hayswood, it's pretty nice.

For those of you who care about the future of UK basketball, this was Brennan's tribute to "Coach Cal" the new leader of the basketball team. Now if they could only make it to the tournament next year...

VIDEOS!!!