From the Rose City

ArtCards sneak peek #1

2012-01-04T13:06:00.001-08:00

ArtCards will be starting back soon! Watch your calendar for new dates.

Youth Fifties Party

2010-12-25T05:30:00.001-08:00

We had a fifties party for the youth at church and served all fashioned burgers, fries, and shakes.

Pippy Longstocking

2010-12-25T05:27:00.000-08:00

Costume Party

2010-12-25T05:22:00.000-08:00

Hayes was invited to a costume party at Hollytree Country Club. He went as Napoleon Dynamite.

Obama was Jayce Dunlap

Garrett was ?

Left to Right:

Russell Waterman, a KISS member

Cameron Hunt, Harry Potter

Hayes

Another Broken Arm?

2010-12-25T05:09:00.001-08:00

Only one of the members of our family has broken a bone......and this is her second time!

Finding Your Passion

2010-12-25T05:03:00.000-08:00

I was invited to speak to a GABC Sunday School class about Finding Your Passion. After I shared with the ladies my story I had them make a wool felted bookmark using my die cut machine. This served as a reminder to find their passion.

Ashley's Wedding

2010-12-25T04:41:00.000-08:00

Ashley has been a special friend and like family to us. She has kept our kids many times when Dwaine and I went on vacations. We can't believe she's getting married to someone with our same last name!

Crossroads Retreat

2010-12-25T04:35:00.000-08:00

Lizard brought some crazy teeth for us to wear and they kept sliding out when we would smile.

We were in the bathtub because a tornado had hit the ground not too far away from us.

Mom wasn't able to go to this retreat because Papaw was in the rehab center after having a stroke.

Lunch with Paisley

2010-12-25T04:33:00.001-08:00

In November Mom and Dad went to have lunch with Paisley at school. Mom made special owl smore treats to share with her class.

Grace Cougar Football

2010-12-25T04:20:00.001-08:00

Dwaine and I traveled to Dallas to see this out of town football game. We are so proud of Hayes!

Hayes is looking like a young man now as he walks and discusses the game with his dad.

Pajama Party

2010-12-25T04:05:00.000-08:00

Paisley turned 8! Isn't that great?

She invited some crazy guests to attend her party.

I love this face! It's like.....heee....these are MY presents!

Left to Right:

Mary Ehrman

Paisley

Mikala Moore (neighbor)

Brenna McClain

Elizabeth Mafood (neighbor)

Nana

Pop

Paisley

Lolli

Everyone brought their American Girl Dolls or a stuffed animal.

The girls played so many games such as: hide and seek, telephone, scavenger hunt, etc...

Paisleys party theme was "Girls Just Wanna have Fun". We had a huge pink roll of bubble wrap on the ground from the front door to the den. The girls loved running on it and popping it as they arrived.

This was Paisley's party invitation.

Founders Circle

2010-12-25T03:50:00.001-08:00

This is my 5th year in a row to earn the Founders Circle Trip with Stampin' Up!

Earning Founders circle is a amazing. You earn it by being in the top 100 in the company.

Stampers love doing card swaps.

We always have a big pajama party!

We are always pampered with lots of gifts!

We always have the opportunity to make new friends.

Playing, Stamping, and eating Cafe Rio at Susan's home.

The best steak I've ever had was in St. George, Utah. We cooked it ourselves bite by bite.

Office Playtime

2010-12-25T03:44:00.000-08:00

What does a child do when she is bored while her mom is working?

She uses scraps and bags to create a bird?

She makes a nest in a box with eggs?

Getting Beautified!

2010-12-25T03:41:00.000-08:00

Looking this gorgeous doesn't just happen in my sleep!

Greenbriar Craft Retreat

2010-12-25T03:32:00.000-08:00

Judy makes delicious meals and desserts. She keeps us full for the entire retreat!

Here we are gathered around the kitchen getting our food.

Everyone is doing their own projects. Some are scrapbooking, sewing, stamping, visiting, etc...

These are my roommates: Jenny Marta, April Roycroft and my Mom.

Mom and I are showing off some of the things we are working on. I love having my mom there.

The Dinner Table

Airsoft gun

2010-12-25T03:29:00.000-08:00

This summer Hayes got an Airsoft gun as a birthday party favor. (Nice gift...I know!)

These guns are supposed to be softer than a BB gun. Hayes admitted a few days after getting the gun that he shot himself in the ankle/foot on purpose and it hurt. Humm......

Dad's Birthday

2010-12-25T03:27:00.001-08:00

Our family loves to go to Shogun for birthdays! This time we celebrated Dwaine's 39th.....only one more year till the big 40!

Book Club

2010-12-25T03:24:00.000-08:00

Mom had Book Club at our house. The Help is one of her favorite books!

Several ladies showed up and brought up interesting points of the book.

Paisley's first day, 2nd grade

2010-12-25T03:18:00.000-08:00

It's time to meet the teacher! Summer is coming to an end and now that it's August it's time to get back to school.

Paisley is in the 2nd grade in Mrs. Holmes class at Grace Elementary. This is where she puts her backpack.

Doesn't she look all grown in this "Big Kid" desk?

This is Mrs. Holmes. She is a wonderful teacher!

Tennis & Swim Back to School Bash

2010-12-25T03:06:00.000-08:00

In August the incoming 7th graders had a Back to School party at Tennis & Swim.

Everyone had pizza, went swimming, and reconnected before starting the school year.

Taking the Baby Out

2010-12-25T03:01:00.000-08:00

This summer Paisley and her best bud Emmi Cates spent the night together. The highlight of the evening was taking bitty baby out to Liang's for dinner. They were really good mommies.

Paisley went to Pine Cove

2010-12-25T02:52:00.000-08:00

Paisley went to Pine Cove Day Camp for the first time this year.

This is Paisleys camp counselor.

This is Allison Johnson with the counselor. Paisley and Allison are best friends!

It was amazing to watch all the cheers at parent pick up time. The girls had so much fun!

Hayes 12th Birthday Party

2010-12-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

Paisley and Mom made Hayes birthday cake.

Mom made these party favors for the kids.

Mom also made these kool-aid pouch holders so our guests could mix their own drinks.

Hayes invited family friends to his party. The Whitmans could not come this year. We had to reschedule Hayes party because he was sick on his birthday.

We had pizza then everyone went swimming.

Here is the gang swimming!

Now it's time for Hayes to blow out the candles.

My how tall Hayes is getting!

The inside of Hayes cake was tie dye.

I think everyone enjoyed the cake!

Now it's time to open gifts.

Paisley and Mary put on a private fashion show while the big kids were swimming.

Too bad the party had to come to an end....

The Haircut

2010-07-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

Before getting a haircut.....

While getting a haircut....

After the haircut!

July 4th Celebration!

2010-07-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

Is Eli having so much fun he's sleeping? Kevin has his party hat on!

Oreo was sad to see everyone go. She and Mocha got lots of good food that was left outside....Mocha even scored a cup with homemade ice cream!

On your mark, get set, JUMP!!!

The guys are doing some mighty fine grilling!

Slip n Slidin'!

Kinsey showing us her awesome jump!

The Lake kids....Allie, Kaylee, and Drew

Mary, Paisley, and Crosby

Crosby and Paisley

Check out the slip n slide!

Trampoline Time!

This feels like the right temp for our meat.

Showing a little love.

Check out our yummy brownies and cake!

Ohhhh....cooties.....girls have cooties! (Give him a year or two.)

This was supposed to be a photo of the guys. Cason is behind Hayes and Kinsey and Abby are just "one of the guys". Drew was jumping off the diving board.

Here are the girls!

More Great Wolf Lodge Fun...

2010-06-30T12:01:00.001-07:00

The waterpark was fun but look mom..they have a kid spa!

So....guess who got to get her first pedicure?

And look how amazing her color choices came out!

Great Wolf Lodge

2010-06-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

We arrived to our cabin excited what we would see inside!

The kids scored with this fun area just for them! What is that your own flat screen?

Now on to the waterpark!

Now on to MagicQuest! Everyone got a sword and played the game. Hayes was The Warrior, Paisley was Red Velvet, Gavin was G Money, and Caleb was C Money. This game took hours and they still didn't complete it. They had to complete challenges throughout the hotel going up and down the stairs unlocking spells with their wand.

Here they are making this castle light up!

Check out their scores!

We had a great time....

Quilting Retreat at Lake Whitney

2010-05-31T18:18:00.000-07:00

The quilt on the left is the one I was copying.....my blocks are on the right.

This is the sweet lady who feeds us at the retreat. She owns the place and those are her cutie toy poodles.

Felicia is on the left and she is crazy fun. My mom is on the right and she asked the owner if that thing in front of her was frozen meat hanging. OMG! She didn't have her glasses on at that time but what she was looking at was a rock nightlight. I can't take her anywhere.

Yes, we had home cooked meals and desserts!

And here is my finished quilt!

Here are all the ladies that went to the retreat! We stayed in our pajamas all weekend!

We stayed up late....or early...however you look at it!

Am I sleeping here? I'll never tell!
Working hard cutting my quilt for ragging.....couldn't wait to wash it!

GA Camp

2010-03-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

Just arriving to Timberline Baptist Camp Carrying our overnight bags into our dorm
Making our beds...helping Brenna put on her sheets.

Tired during Worship...it's been a long day.

Night time devotion in dorm

Teacher is teenager from Thailand Baptist Church. She was wonderful.

Morning: Packed car

Breakfast Playing after Breakfast

Our Door Name

The Fillin' Station is where you get snacks and souvenirs.

Snowcones right after breakfast?

Mom and daughter

Group game: relays

Duck Duck Goose

Missionary who went to Africa and shared amazing stories.

Signing the Prayer Wall

Looking at African items

Before Last Gathering: These girls were so precious together! They all got along great. It was a pleasure to be their sponser.
Thailand Baptist Church burned to the ground by an arsenist and GA's brought bibles for their church. This is the pastors wife expressing her thanks. She is a precious lady inside and out! She showed us one of the only things left from the church....a brick.

Last Game: getting marbles out of ice cold water with your toes

Family Get Away 2010

2010-03-28T06:35:00.000-07:00

Leaving for Lake DeGray in ArkansasDinner with friends

Hanging out on Dad

Tall 11 year old son hanging out with Mom Family Game: Raiders of the Lost Ark rolling ball

Ginormous ball that knocked several people down

Cool putt putt place

The Abercrombies

Riding on the duck in water

Riding the duck on land

Pink Poodle we saw while shopping

Check out these dudes!Shopping Fun

Family Skit: Tongue Twister

Can you say it fast?

There was one fine fellow and he felt smart. There were two fine fellows and they both felt smart. There were three fine fellows and they all felt smart.

The Quack Sisters perform below!

Double D and JZ perform to Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus

I love long hair...what a hunk!

Wiley's Last night

Great family worship

It was once again a wonderful family get-a-way!

Snow, snow, and more snow!

2010-02-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

I will be honest and say that I DID NOT believe the weatherman when he said it would snow. I have been disappointed so many times and didn't want my kids to get their hopes up. To my surprise we woke up to this! We got 5- 6 inches of snow!

The last time I remember snow like this in Tyler was 27 years ago the day we moved here.

The neighbors came over and threw snowballs at each other.

This snowball came right at me....it was in mid air...

and guess what....bullseye.....right in the chest! Yikes Hayes, that hurt!

Look at our cutie snowmen!

I took this photo at my moms today. I love it!

Lolli (one who does not like to be cold) appears to be in the snow but is under her patio!

Hayes and Paisley made snow angels!

Wish we had a family photo with all of us in it!

Rush of Fools in Concert

2010-02-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Dwaine and I worked the merchandise booth for the Rush of Fools band at our church this weekend.

Paisley and her friends hid in the kitchen area to escape the LOUD music!

Items for sale

Hayes and his buds waiting in line to get autographs.

Hayes' embarrassing mom yelled out "That my baby!" and the band member posed for this shot. I love it!

Again....embarrassing my Jr. High boy with girls all around him....he wouldn't be still for the photo....ONE DAY he will dream of this!!!!

Paisley got her Rush of Fools t-shirt autographed.

Check out the poster!

At the end of Disciple now the parents were asked to join their youth children....how embarrassing for the kids??!! Actually it was a really cool thing the speaker asked them to do.

The band played in church this morning. They rocked the house!

Enjoying Squirrel Dumplin's for Dinner

2010-01-31T17:51:00.000-08:00

We were so fortunate that our cat brought in a baby squirrel tonight.....yum, yum.....squirrel dumplin's! After my Big Mama told us once she hit a squirrel while driving her car...then she cooked it for supper I've wanted to try it....and she was right! It's good stuff!Okay so you know me better than that! Just so everyone knows this baby squirrel or chipmonk or whatever it is/was ....was in no way hurt during this commotion. The baby ran away safe in the bushes but here is the story of how the commotion happened. Criscross, our cat, brings us little rodents from time to time. Today we thought she brought in a mouse. As Dwaine went to pick up the "dead" mouse it came alive fast! It was then we realized it was not a mouse but something more like a squirrel....check out the tail.It ran around the room up on this basket (u can barely see it and crissy behind the basket) and then proceeded up the shower curtain (in first photo). Dwaine realized this was going to be difficult. He called in our friend Andy (AKA Handy Andy from HGTV) to come plan our attack. When Andy arrived the guys tried to catch the rodent but it was too fast and hid inside the toilet. So the guys taped up the back of the toilet so it couldn't get out. Then they took the toilet out of our house to let it loose. See the little guy up in the back of the toilet?They tried to get him out with a broom but that didn't work. Andy finally got it out using a water hose. I just home it isn't frozen stiff behind the bushes.

2 nights of comedians

2010-01-24T14:10:00.001-08:00

This weekend was busy. We went to see Tim Hawkins http://www.timhawkins.net/Friday night...he is tooo funny! I love his facial expressions....and love that he is a "clean" comic great to enjoy with the whole family!

On Saturday I went to Allen to speak about My Digital Studio (Stampin' Up's new computer program) to a group of 160 people. Six of us went together from Tyler. Afterwards we went to a nice new shopping center in Allen called WattersCreek http://www.watters-creek.com/ and ate at Grimaldis Pizza http://www.grimaldispizza.com/ . Soon we had to head home so I could see Bill Engvall. We stopped by the container store on the way though...love it! One day I will be organized....lol! Bill Engvall taught us a new texting acronym. Is that what you call it? It's PMP.....leave a comment if you know what that means!

Our visit to see Olivia

2010-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

We finally got a chance to go visit Olivia at the Children's Baylor facility. It was so great to see her smiling face!

As we arrived she wasn't in her room so we went looking for her. She was playing Candyland during rehab. We got to join in on the fun! She did a great job using her left hand...it's getting stronger everyday.I just had to share these cute slippers she was wearing....a girl has to look cute at all times!

First Visit to see Mary Claire

2010-01-02T06:22:00.001-08:00

Look who arrived just in time for Christmas!

We drove to Pittsburg with the Whitman's to see baby Mary Claire and big brother Drew.Paisley couldn't wait to hold her.

The kids opened presents from each other!

What did you get?

Gassy Guss was a big hit. Cason and Kinsey gave it to Hayes. Too funny!Drew and all the kids had fun playing with this game. Forgot the name....Elephant with butterflies flying out.Mama Lizard holding baby Mary Claire beside Paisley. Awwwhhh....

Happy 2010!

2010-01-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

Every year since I can remember we go to Sho-guns on New Years Eve.

After dinner we went to the Whitman's house to play games. We played left, right, center with quarters with the whole group.

We stayed up till midnight! It was tough but we did it.

My honey with hair in 2010!

Captain Jack Sparrow never showed up.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

Dad got hair for Christmas!

Lolli opening dessert for Paisley

Mother and Daughter

Look who is looking up to Hayes!

Nana and Lolli

Nana's dog, Sammy, got our dogs some treats!

Mom and I snuggling

Hayes gifts from Santa

Santa gifts for Paisley: bunk beds for her American Girl Dolls, clothes, and Felicity

Santa didn't forget the animals! And look He ate the cake off the Santa plate too!

Finally.....Paisley got Felicity!

Paisley and Hayes exchanged gifts this year. They both saved their money. Hayes got Paisley my littlest petshop and Paisley got Hayes legos.

Christmas Eve Blizzard in Tyler

2009-12-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

Tasting the snow!

We had to hurry outside before it stopped.

We did actually see some really large flakes...
and it came down pretty hard for a while but of course none stuck to the ground!

Embroidery Fun

2009-12-25T22:01:00.000-08:00

I made these scarves for my family for Christmas. I embroidered their initial on them.

I finally had a chance to play with my sewing machine and embroidery unit on Christmas break. Here are some things I made last week. I am still very new at this and can only do the "basics" with easy items. I made miniature scraves for Julie and Mia.

This was my first try with 2 colors overlapping....I think it turned out cute...now let's hope Kinsey likes it!

Chesley Christmas

2009-12-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

Brothers and Sister: Roger, Craig, Carolyn, Stuart, and Johnny Cousins

Santa, Paisley, and Mia

Santa and Dwaine

Santa and grandkids

Cute kiddos eating!

The food line begins!

The highlight of our Christmas party for the kids is the games!

Below: Christmas break

Hayes and some friends hangout by playing on the computers

Oreo aggrivating Crisscross

Paisley jumping with Allison

Classroom Christmas Party, 1st Grade

Bushmans Christmas Event

2009-12-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to Bushmans for a Christmas event. I was thrilled to learn that one of my favorite Christians bands would be there...Luminate! The kids got to see Santa and the Grace Drum line was there. Santa passed out gifts to the kids....the giftbag included a pack of markers and greeting cards to fill out for our troops. I loved this idea.

A Special Day for Paisley

2009-12-06T14:49:00.001-08:00

Today the 1st graders were awarded a Bible during church service. At the end of church service Paisley went to the front of the church to share with everyone that she has accepted Jesus as her savior and wants to be baptized. She has been wanting to do this for weeks! Mom and Dad are very proud. After church we went to an American Girl tea at the Public Library. Not only did the girls get punch, tea, and cookies but they got to participate in a style show.

Our Turkey Day 2009

2009-11-26T16:09:00.000-08:00

We had a very quiet Thanksgiving Lunch today. It was fun though. Each of us got in the kitchen and prepared something. Hayes made the Pistaschio pudding.

Paisley made the Swiss dressing.

Here is our first Traditional Thanksgiving meal to cook all by ourselves.Yum, Yum...taste that swiss dressing! My 11 yr old doesn't like anything but corn on the cob. It still is an effort to make him try a bite of everything.

After lunch we found Alvin our Elf in the freezer trying to eat popsicles. About an hour later he was up to mischief TPing the kids bathroom. I'm glad we caught him before he used up all our toilet paper! We also did a family craft today. We tried to make felted soap...who knew it would take sooo long! You rub and rub and rub and rub and rub and.......RUB!!! I don't know if we ever got to the felting process.

However, we did find some time to make it fun.

Guess who got me back! We smelled so good.....very Dovey.

We've added 4 feet to our family!

2009-11-09T14:04:00.000-08:00

Introducing Mocha Frappachino Daugherty!

We found her on Sat. from the Rescue organization in the Petsmart parking lot. Her owners were unable to take care of her and her 4 sisters. She is a miniature pincher and 4 months old. She is tiny but was twice the size of her sisters. The first night we brought her home was hard because she cried all night......however, the second night she didn't make a sound. She just learned how to use the doggy door today. We think she's gifted. Oreo hasn't stopped wagging her tail since Mocha arrived.

The kids are thrilled!

The Office

2009-10-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

Okay so I encouraged our office to dress up for Halloween. Here are the photos!

Andy, aka Joe DirtPhil, the JasonStephanie, the Good WitchDwaine, the bossGail, the crazed Casino stalkerBrenda, the cute Flintstone

(Janie the clown and Jenilynn are in the first photo but didn't get their own photoshoot.)

2009-10-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

I dream of Paisley Genie, Jenilynn Jones, and Daugherty, Hayes Daugherty, the spy

The Gang...minus the Whitmans and Jeters (they had not arrived yet)

Genie Paisley and Queen Mary

Maw Maw was squeezing Hayes' cheeks and he wasn't sure what to do about that.

Look...there's mawmaw and all the kids!

Bingo!

Look at all the moms....we still know how to have fun!

Paisley's 7th Birthday Party

2009-10-03T13:01:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day.....a perfect day for a teddy bear picnic!Paisley blew out 7 candles today! She had many friends join us with their teddy bears.
Here she is opening a card from a friend. She got so many neat things such as: a dog tag necklace kit, a personalized P necklace, a best friends necklace, bottle cap necklaces, littlest pet shop, mini camera, American girl sleepover bag and stockings, Hannah Montana dress up, and more...She got a couple of build a bear gift cards and we went straight there to build yet another bear! Fun stuff!

Above the girls are building their own bear cards.

My 38th Birthday, Best Friends, & Chick-fil-a

2009-09-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today we got FREE chick-fil-a sandwichs for wearing sports themed clothing!

It was our lucky day!

My 38th Birthday! Dwaine invited friends to dinner for my Birthday. Here we are at Bruno's! Thank you friends for coming....

I'm so glad we had other friends crash the party....lol!

Mary gave Paisley this shirt the other day....she couldn't wait for her bithday.

They are so cute and Paisley loves her new shirt!

Hayes 11th Bowling Birthday!

2009-07-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

Hayes has almost always had a swimming party on his birthday but this year he wanted to do something different.....so bowling seemed like a good idea (since it's not in the heat!). He is now 11 and on his way to 6th grade in jr. high. For his birthday he really wanted a blue IPOD, legos and Spore computer games....he got all that and more! Mom and Dad gave him the IPOD and it's engraved on the back with his name and Jeremiah 29:11. The cake was made by a 13 yr old from our church. He did a great job!Look who showed up.....GG, PawPaw, and Aunt Ree Ree!

Birthday Surprise Weekend in Dallas

2009-07-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

Hayes knew we were going to Dallas this weekend but didn't know what all was on the agenda. He has been asking to go to Medieval Times for a while now so Friday night guess where we went! It was so cute as we pulled up you could hear Hayes gasp and say..."Oh My Gosh....What is this?" He was really surprised when his name was announced in front of 1,000 people...."Happy 11th Birthday Hayes Daugherty!" Paisley was surprised at how much she enjoyed the evening too. She did a great job eating the chicken with her hands only since they do not give you utensils (except for Hayes cake).

Saturday morning we headed over to Northpark Mall where the new Lego store just opened. It happened to be their Grand Opening weekend. Hayes stood in line for quite a while so he could spend the money he's been saving for the Castle Lego set. We ate lunch at Campisi's Egyptian Restaurant. We rarely go to Dallas without eating there! Saturday night we went to the Movie Studio Grill to see the new Harry Potter movie. Sunday we went to the mall again so Hayes could help build a giant Yoda Lego statue. He learned patience as he stood in line for 45 minutes before they even opened but it paid off since he was 3rd in line. He was super happy to be able to help out. You can see the small Yoda completed in the background. The one behind the ladder is the one Hayes was helping build.

Headband Holder

2009-07-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

While shopping we also found these cute crocheted hats that can also be used as a purse.

Paisley and I love headbands and found some really cute ones this weekend while shopping in Dallas. However, we really didn't have a good place to keep them so tonight we made this Headband holder!

No....we didn't buy all of these this weekend!!!

Isn't it cute? Guess what the inside is made of? Give up? Toilet paper rolls (with the paper still on them). Then I sewed up some fabric and tied up the ends and voila!

Paisley is all of the sudden into music. She loves to sit in her room and sing to the Hannah Montana movie soundtrack. She saved up her money and bought a CD player. This album has been played over and over and over and over.....

Friends and the 4th

2009-07-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

We tie-dyed t-shirts.
I made a t-shirt for Mia out of Dwaine's old undershirt. Then Paisley tie-dyed it!

Hayes, Paisley, and Mia in their new shirts.

The July 4th swimming gang.

Lolli and Pop stopped by for Hot Dogs. Lolli brought a 4 layer dessert. Pop swam with the kids.

Dwaine had a special moment with Lyla. Isn't she precious!?

Nothing like eating ice cream in the swimming pool.

Taking off the rubber bands to see our results!

Paisley's t-shirt!

Gavin's t-shirt

Calebs t-shirt

Kinsey's tie-dyed Tshirt

The Dad's relaxed in the house.

Baby Lyla took a swim and really seemed to like it.

Hayes and Kinsey started the Talent show with an UNO skit. Then Cason shared his hidden talents with us.

Hayes and Paisley did a puppet show about how American's got their freedom.

More talent show skits!

We finished off the night with a round of Power UNO!

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Putting out flags...

Even Oreo is patriotic.

Dwaine celebrates the 4th by washing and waxing.

Baking and Playing

2009-07-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Baking blueberry muffins!
The batter is the best part. Paisley sure is being dramatic.

We went to the Whitman's for dinner as a trade off for some curtains. It was well worth it! Thanks for dinner Ash and Kev! The kids had fun playing in the pool and on the waterslide.

Summer Camps!

2009-07-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

Art Camp

Paisley went to art camp in June. She is so creative! This is her 3rd summer to go to Jan's Art Academy. This year it was an all girls camp. They decorated t-shirts, a visor, sunglasses, a

purse, flip flops, a picture frame and more....

VBS Family Night

2009-07-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

This year I worked with the youth at VBS. It was a new job for me and I loved it. I was glad to be a part because last year I was in Salt Lake. I was especially happy for Hayes and the 5th graders as they got to do something different. They went on field trips and offered assistance to organizations such as The family Assistance center, St. Louis school, Briarwood Village, Ninos, and the animal shelter. Luckily we didn't end up with another pet! I was also excited for Hayes because he was asked to take a lead in a play. He performed as Jake the last day of VBS during Family night. I was so proud of him! He really did a great job. Where did he get the confidence? How did he pull it off? I know I wouldn't have done that good at his age. I was terrified of anything like that. My mom begged me to try out for cheerleader and I said NO WAY! I was proud of Paisley too. She was so sweet on stage as she sang the VBS songs. I only embarrassed her once when I was singing too at my seat. She gave me that "stoppit" look! I guess it's just the beginning of the embarrassment phase. I just can't believe it starts this early. I'm a cool mom, aren't I? Am I that embarrassing.....lol?

Jonas Brothers Concert, 2009

2009-06-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for the concert...

The perfect shoes and braclet!

A little bit of make up.

The right outfit. What a girl goes through to look good!

Hayes pretty much wore the same thing he wore the day before.

Hayes signing the Tour Bus!

Paisley signing the tour bus!

Holding our tickets in front of the Jonas Brothers Tour Bus.

Wow! This new Cowboy stadium is huge! The Jonas Brothers look like ants! LOL!

We love "Uncle Scott's suite"! His seats are plush and his food is yummy!

The surprise of the night was when Hannah Montana, aka Miley Cyrus, came out on stage for the last song! She sang a duet with Nick, Kevin, or the other one.

Big Brother carried sister to her room. Being a rock star follower is exhausting!

Happy Kids=Happy Daddies!

Hayes was very missed!

2009-06-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

While Hayes was away at camp last week Paisley was so lonely. She told me she cried everyday. Well now he's home and we are all happy!

The couch is most happy....it really missed him. Hayes is really into Lego's right now. He likes to build all kinds of transportation and enjoys playing with the people.

Grace Cheer Camp

2009-06-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

Everyday the cheerleaders handed out popsicles....Paisley's favorite food!!!
Paisley received the "Best Friend" award because she is friends with everyone.

This way crazy bow day at cheer camp!

The two red-heds cheering at camp!

Baby Chick with Mama Hen

2009-06-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

PaPaw and GG have a mama hen. She has several black chicks and one white one. PaPaw built them a house in their backyard. They just spend their time running around through the hole in the fence and all around the yard. Paisley loves following them around. She really wants to hold them but the mama would not allow it. (Hayes was gone to camp.)GG has some beautiful flowers in her backyard!

These HYDRANGEAS always remind me of my Grandmother Chesley. She had some blue ones near her blue house. She loved blue....she had blue everything.....blue carpet.....her car.....everything!

Leaving for Camp

2009-06-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

The boys are loading up their suitcases and are ready to take off for a week.

Hayes, Evan, Levi, Russell, Dalton, and Ben

The boys left for Jan Kay Sunday after chuch. Here the sisters are saying their goodbyes!They are super excited....can't you tell? They will have so much fun and make memories to last a lifetime. I'll never forget my camp memories! Every year I stayed with my Grandmother and went to Green Acres day camp. It was so fun. My grandmother always had a straw bag for us to use. I loved the way she made my lunch. She cut my peanut butter sandwiches in a triangle shape. I remember so much about day camp from the swim test to shooting BB guns to building our camp site. I loved singing the songs on the bus all the way to camp. My favorite was Fried Ham.

Swimming Lessons 2009

2009-06-07T12:38:00.001-07:00

This is Hayes' last day of swimming lessons. They jumped in fully clothed and learned what to do if they ever fall in the ocean or lake. First they remove their heavy clothing as it weights them down. Next they learned how to tie up their shirt and blow it up to make a floating device.

See Hayes' jeans at the bottom of the pool.

Here is Hayes' advanced swimming class above. (Claire, Julia, & Hayes)

After swimming lessons Evan and Hayes wrestled in the hot tub.

Paisley loves swimming lessons! She did so great. Ms. Laurie said she has great form too. Look...she can even walk on water....Ms. Laurie is that good! This is Paisley's swim class. In the photo above the kids show teamwork...they were the starfish.Jude, Mark, Paisley, Ms. Laurie, Allie and Alec

Since school is out...

2009-06-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

We've been waiting on baby Lyla to arrive and she did so last Friday. Isn't she precious? Her twin brothers hung out with us some last week. We went to the movies, Discovery Science Place, swimmingand to Paisley's gymnastics Junior Olympics.

Paisley and Hayes have swimming lessons this week.

(No...you are NEVER too old to have swimming lessons!) Hayes is learning the butterfly, back, crawl, and breast stroke. He will work on diving, safety, and life saving skills. Paisley is perfecting her swimming. She is the best floater I've ever seen. I really think she could float for an hour. I've had time to work at our church adding some decor elements. Thanks so much Tiffany and Paisley. We still have a lot left to do but it's a start!

Last night we went to a friend's baseball game. It was fun! I think almost everyone I know was at the baseball park last night. Go Phillies!

2 Surprise Parties in one Day!

2009-05-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

My Dad must be a loved man because I don't know anyone who's had 2 surprise parties in one day! (3 parties in all!) Here is an explosion scrapbook I made for him. Mom did a great job making his cake...looks like it's from Village Bakery, don't you think? We had Jones personalized bottles made for the party with Dad's photo on it.

We surprised him on Saturday after lunch. He and his car buddies are always hanging out together on Saturdays so we took the party to them. Later that evening one of Dad's friends organized a dinner party at Fat Cats. The room was packed full. One of dads car buddies brought this old buzzard with a handmade sign. We had a fun time!

60 years!

2009-05-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

We celebrated a 60th wedding anniversary & birthday! Party Celebration at GG's house

Paisley loves helping.....lol!

Lolli is making Pop one of his favorites...Italian Cream Cake

Paisley helped Lolli with Pop's bday cake by cleaning off the beaters.

30 yr old pillow

2009-05-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Today Paisley got up and went with me to Jazzercise. She was really shy at first and did not participate. She finally decided to do the mat exercises with me. Later she showed me what you see in the photo below....as she calls it...."a grown up tooth"! She was so excited because many of her friends have already lost teeth. She called as many people as she could think of at the moment to tell them. I called the Dentist because I wasn't sure if the baby teeth were ever going to come out. Two hundred dollars later Paisley has lost her first 2 teeth. She looked in a mirror the whole way home not believing how different she looked. I said....you sound different too! Then she realized that she was having trouble with her ssssss's. We laughed.....now we are waiting for the tooth fairy! She is using the tooth pillow that my mom made for me 30 years ago.

Crud War

2009-05-21T20:49:00.000-07:00

It all started with tug of war.....then an egg toss.....

Next water balloons.......then flour..........

....chocolate syrup.....whip cream....and ....

Watch out! Hayes has a hand full of frutti pebbles and he's coming for you!
It's crud war!!!

The kids followed up with snow cones. They could not wait to get home and wash off.

We stopped by the office to show off the boys and then Dwaine sprayed them down.

Soccer Season is over!

2009-05-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Go Firecrackers!

Look...no glasses!!!

This year Hayes had a coach that was a senior in high school. He loved Coach Dave! He taught them a lot and was a great role model.

Paisley's Kindergarten Graduation

2009-05-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten Buddies

Lolli, Pop, Tiffany, Grandad and Nana came to Paisley's graduation. I can't find a photo with Nana and Grandad left to quick to get a photo. It was so nice they could all come.

Mrs. Key is giving Paisley her Kindergarten diploma.

Hayes' Graduation & Party

2009-05-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

After graduation the 5th grade class went to the Villages! Little sister tagged along too.

Everyone is lining up ready to eat cake.

Wait for it.....the big barrel will dump water on us.....wait for it......

Now....here it comes!!!

Hayes graduated on Wednesday. Here he is with his teachers and Evan. He had lots of family attend. Nana was very sad she was unable to attend. She was leaving for a trip to Alaska that morning.

Let's Put a Brick on her head!

2009-05-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

My mom always said when I was growing up that she wanted to put a brick on my head and of course now we say it to my kids. They are growing up fast. Paisley just finished Kindergarten today and will graduate at noon tomorrow. Today at chapel she earned the award for being Responsible. I wish I would have gotten a better photo. She also received her report card and here's the notes from her teacher. I'm so proud!

Hidden Gardens

2009-05-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

I love taking photos as you can probably guess by now. Today I took my Mom and Grandma out to lunch for Mother's Day at Hidden Gardens in Bullard. They both have beautiful yards and love gardening. I enjoyed looking at plants with them and dream of the day where I take the time to garden. My life is too fast paced right now being a taxi driver. When the kids are older ..... one day.....but now I have one plant inside and a hanging basket outside to take care of. That's about all I can handle. Oh...I also have a mint plant inside and I love the mint leaves in fresh tea!

The Best Mother's Day Ever....

2009-05-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

This first photo is not so pretty but a very sweet thought. Breakfast in bed...so sweet.

After church I wanted a photo on the side of the highway with these pretty wild flowers.

Paisley and I went to the American Girl Store in Dallas for Mother's Day. Yes, I know I can be dramatic but seriously...I got tears in my eyes when we entered this building. It was totally every little girls dream. We just had the best time.

Here her doll is getting a new hair style. She also got her ears pierced.

Of couse they have salon chairs and an apron to protect her clothing.

It was so fun shopping around the store.

We had dinner reservations for a Special Time with Mom. Here is our table.

Of course Mia got to sit at the table with us.

As soon as we arrived Paisley went into another room to create a special card for me. When she returned she gave it to me along with a yellow rose. (My favorite color!)

Our private table...just the 3 of us.

Doesn't our food look yummy?

Our first course was warm pretzel bread served with melted cheese and honey mustard.

Take a look at our dessert below...chocolate fondue!

Another fun thing we did was answer questions about each other on an activity sheet.

Just before dessert we did a clapping game. It was really cute!

Above are the dolls of the year. Paisley is standing by her doll Mia 2008.

A girl must have her some shoes!

Check this out. Mia is trying on new shoes to match her outfit.
Momma Paisley is trying them on her.

Ok...just had to take a photo of this. They even have doll holders in the powder room!

A girl must take a sit after all that shopping!

I think Mia did pretty good. Did you notice her new glasses, shoes, hairdo and earrings?

Paisley and I decided this was one of the best places a girl could ever go. Then Paisley immediately said....well this is my second favorite place....my first would be the day I get into Heaven.

The Jeep

2009-05-08T14:27:00.001-07:00

These girls love driving the Jeep. I really thought we were about to put it in a garage sale but as soon as we found the charger the girls were off and running. Remember days like these....no bills to pay....so carefree!

A special gift...

2009-05-08T14:18:00.000-07:00

Today I made this dress for Paisley and a matching dress for her American girl doll, Mia. This is extra special because for Mother's Day she and I are driving to Dallas to go to the American Girl Bistro. She has been wanting to go for a while now. We'll have a proper 5 course meal and then do a craft activity together. Paisley was very surprised when I showed her Mia's dress. She then said, "Momma, I love it but someday can you make me a matching dress?" That's when I pulled out her dress. My kids love surprises.

Visiting Burleson

2009-05-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

We surprised Lori for her 40th Birthday!

Greg and Lori with friends.

Hanging out at the party.

Kylie decorating her mom for her bday!

Queen 4-0 with mom.

The party

After the party at Lori's house.

Paisley got to jump on this cool trampoline at the mall near Burleson. She did 2 flips.

Shopping buddies!

Bathing buddies!

This is Kylie's bunny. Paisley and Riley were playing with it.

Baby Shower

2009-05-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

It's been forever since I've given a baby shower. Here are photos of April's shower. Megan and I made candy pacifiers. (Paisley helped too.) You need peppermint lifesavers, devils food cookies, jelly beans, melted chocolate and wax. After you melt the chocolate add a few shavings of wax to help it harden faster. (Karen...thanks for the idea!)

A friend gave April this cute diaper baby. Isn't it cute?

I used my Easter tree to hang baby items from as a centerpiece.

Rebecca (a hostess) made the cake. She and Sam (another hostess) also made the cute invitations, stamped napkins, and more....they did a great job!

The Weekend

2009-04-19T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hanging out with friends is what our kids like best! Here the kids are playing kickball in the front yard. Oreo likes to tag along too. Here she is in her latest attire ready for a walk. She is learning not to leave our yard. She is doing pretty well so she avoids being sprayed with the water bottle. She loves to have her belly rubbed. James injured his wrist hanging on a basketball goal.Love the pink cast. Playing the DS is also a fun thing to do.

Dad and Hayes like kicking around the soccer ball. Paisley likes finding snails and slugs in our yard. She took care of them all day. On Friday I was invited to Grace for Muffins for Mom. It was so fun and a special time with Paisley. We were entertained with a style shoe featuring all the hats moms wear. Paisley was the cook. She did a great job! No one could tell that she was nervous. She made this special flower pot for me and completed this cute paper about me. I'm so glad she got my weight and dress size right. She knows her mommy!

medium dress size and 35 lbs

Medieval Feast

2009-04-18T05:45:00.000-07:00

Chess Tournament
Introducing Sir Hayes

Easter Weekend

2009-04-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

Looking through the eyes of a child.....I love this photo!

An Eventful Saturday!On Saturday we went to our church for an egg hunt and treasure hunt. Immediately following we went to Hayes soccer game.....and he scored! Next we went to Heartland Ham to pick up a Ham and desserts for Easter at our house. Then we went to get the kids silhouettes done. The AT&T store was next door so we decided for Hayes 5th grade graduation to get him a cell phone. (Paisley can't wait until 5th grade!) Hayes was totally shocked and surprised! We saw another 5th grader there getting his first phone....lol. When we arrived home it was later in the day and we got a text from our friends to come out to their house. The kids went on a "real" egg hunt out at their property....large property! The coyotes got lucky with some candy last night I'm sure.

We brought some confetti eggs....look who got busted! Here the guys are playing basketball while Michelle is cooking on the grill. The kids all ate together...there was a lot of food. We headed home early since it was Easter Sunday the next day.

Easter Sunday

After church some of our family came over. We ate lunch together and then the Easter Bunny came by. (no it was not Dwaine this year) It was wonderful to have everyone over. We are very blessed to all be together and healthy. We sat on the back patio and visited for a little while. Criscross didn't want to miss out on the fun so she peeked over our pergola to say a special hello.

Easter Bunny Cake and Sardines

2009-04-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

This is the first time we've ever made an Easter Bunny Cake.....it turned out cute, don't you think? (post!!!) We used a round pan for the head and a small heart pan for the ears (cut in half). The kids were very creative with twizzlers (who knew they have all colors), malted eggs, confetti, and m&m's. Thanks April for inspiring me to make it. Now, let's just hope it tastes yummy after all that work. After we finished up with the cake the kids begged us to play sardines. Have you ever played? It's kinda like hide & seek except different....lol.....one person goes to hide. Then the rest go to find him/her. Whoever finds the hider person they hide with them too. Then the next one who finds them hides with them too....and so on....it's really fun!!!

Resurrection Rolls and Easter Eggs

2009-04-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight the kids made Resurrection rolls. If you've never made Resurrection rolls (aka empty tomb rolls) here is what you do. EASY!You need crescent rolls, large marshmallows, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Roll out a crescent roll. Brush butter onto marshmallow and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Then place in crescent roll. Wrap roll around marshmallow and pinch edges together making sure no holes are present. Sprinkle the top with more sugar and cinnamon. Bake in oven on 375 degrees for 10 minutes. When the rolls cool the insides are hollow just like Jesus' tomb. Then we died Easter eggs and ate boiled eggs. At one point Paisley asked me if she could eat a colored egg and I told her yes but encouraged her to wait until Easter. She pressured me to let her eat it now. So I agreed. The next thing I heard was a large crunch! She was trying to eat it with the shell. Too funny! I had to hide my amusement as she gets embarrassed really easy these days....it was too cute!

A bit of banana heaven!

2009-04-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight I decided to make grilled bananas using my new grill pan. Here's what you do in case this sounds good to you too! You need 2 bananas cut in half both ways. Next you roll them in a mixture of 2 Tbs brown sugar and 1-2 tsp cinnamon. Grill 2-3 minutes on both sides. Then add them to the top of ice cream.

(no this is not a weight watchers dessert!)

Old Photos.....Remember When?

2009-04-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

I was just looking through old photos today. Remember when?

And yes I have plenty to do....but life is boring without a little fun and laughter.....

so laugh a little and enjoy life....now back to the laundry!Please somebody leave comments....is anybody looking at my blog?

April Fools!

2009-04-01T07:44:00.000-07:00

Last night I froze a bowl of cereal for the kids breakfast. Yes, froze it! This morning I pulled the bowls out of the freezer, placed them on the kitchen table and told the kids breakfast was ready. Paisley came to the table very disappointed as cereal is NOT her favorite. Then Hayes went to scoop up his cereal and it was as hard as a rock. Hayes loved it! He is such a jokester and started April fools jokes last night at bedtime. After Paisley realized it was a joke she did show a tiny bit of smile through her grumpy face and later admitted it was funny.

Money for Missionaries

2009-03-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

Paisley and I have been making bottle cap necklaces for girls. They are $8 each and the proceeds will go to missionaries. If you want to buy the necklace and bottlecap seperate here are the prices: necklace $4 and bottle cap $5.

Sewing Class

2009-03-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

Paisley and I dropped by A Nimble Thimble yesterday to check out their store. It is so cute and inspiring. Not only do they offer sewing classes but all kinds of other classes such as: rug hooking, quilting, and more!

As we looked around at the fabric we were asked if we wanted to take the beginning sewing class. I didn't think I had time and Paisley was with me but the longer we stayed the more we wanted to join the class. Paisley picked out fabric and we made this cute pillowcase.

Rockin' with her Friends!

2009-02-18T20:24:00.000-08:00

Our friend Ashley gave Paisley a Hannah Montana dance game that included a
wig. Paisley and her buddy had a good time with it. It's fun to rock out with your friends!

Pets

2009-02-18T20:17:00.000-08:00

We love our pets. They bring us so much joy. Yesterday we found Crissy (Criscross our cat) up in our bookshelves. It's funny....they've never been empty before and I guess she took advantage of it. This morning I could hear Crissy meowing and couldn't find her. She fell asleep in our linen closet and stayed there all night.
Crissy loves being on top of the couch and now Oreo does too. They are funny together.Our family laughs about the funny things our animals do. They are so sweet.....no I have't forgotten about our 14 yr old Chloe...but she just sleeps and snores louder than any human I've ever heard.

Am I turning into my mother?

2009-02-18T19:54:00.000-08:00

For 37 yrs I did NOT want to sew! I had my mom to do it...and it just wasn't my thing. I have, however, thought it was something I might enjoy if my mom wasn't watching (luv u mom!). She is such a perfectionist and has been sewing for many years. Everything she makes is "perfect"!

For Christmas I bought myself a sewing maching for a Stampin' Up project. All I had to do was sew a straight line...I can do that....I took homemaking in school! But today I decided to give "real" sewing a try. Don't look too close....this is my first pillow. It's made from scrap fabrics and scrap trim. Paisley picked the fabrics out to match her room.Then Paisley and I decided her barbie needed a pillow and sleeping bag. (No mom, it's not lined but Barbie will never know!)

Bingo on Valentine's

2009-02-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight we went to Gresham for our Valentine Dinner. We ate at the Asian Grill and it was yummy. Then we decided to go play Bingo....none of us won. :(

Crystal's house

2009-02-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

Today we went to Crystal's house for lunch. Tracie and Will were in from Winnsboro and we all got together and reconnected. It's been years since we've seen them! We went through photos and reminisced about the old days.

Sorry Tiff...this was the best photo I had! Dwaine took it. Ask Crystal about her wedding photos! LOL!Before we left we made sure to get photos of the kids. Here they are in age order: Drew 13, Chloe 13, Evan 10, Hayes 10, Brooke 7, Paisley 6, and Tanner 6.

2009-02-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

Hayes had a Valentine party at school. Here he is in the Hula contest...he lasted 1/2 a second along with the other boys! Paisley got lots of goodies at her party!Paisley and Elizabeth love to swing and play in the backyard....that is Paisley's favorite place to be!

RA's, Gymnastics, Curtains, Scrapbooking, and other Random things

2009-02-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday nights my kids go to GA's and RA's. They are really enjoying it. Hayes has earned a backpack, pocket knife, and more. He knows his pledge and is really into it.
On Wed. nights I offer a scrapbook class at the FBC South Campus. There were 14 of us tonight!
This afternoon while working on Valentines in the backyard Oreo, our dog, found a snake! Does anyone know what kind it is....the neighbor thinks it's a copperhead.

My Stamp Shack sign fell down from the storms last night! :(

On Monday we turned in handmade cards to Lifeway for children in the hospital. On Monday Paisley earned her level 1 ribbon and is now in level 2 gymnastics.

This week Mom and I hung her HOME is built of love and dreams decor elements I gave her for Christmas. I think it looks great! (It's a hostess gift from Stampin' Up.)

Mom is making curtains for my house! Here is a sneak peak....so cute!!!

I found fake door knobs to use as the hardware. Fun!

Look familiar?

2009-02-10T04:59:00.000-08:00

This just freaks me out! Have a great day friends!

Making Valentine's for children in the hospital

2009-02-08T11:44:00.000-08:00

Today in Bible Study class we made Valentine's for sick children. They will be delivered locally to the Tyler hospitals.

Level Testing and 89th birthday

2009-02-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

Today Paisley and Elizabeth went to Level testing for Gymnastics. Later we went to Dwaine's grandma's 89th birthday dinner at Vaughan's Catfish with Uncle Doug, Aunt Elaine, Gran Gran, Dwaine, SR (FIL), Aunt Mary, and Aunt Joyce. (We missed you Gram Gram.)

Kitchen Update

2009-02-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

Here's an update on our house remodeling. The tile company (anchor bay tile) called yesterday and wanted photos for their website so I thought I'd post them here as well. (that's why the tile is in every photo)