We Love the 4th!

Happy 4th of July!  It definitely doesn't feel like the 4th, because it's been in the 80's for the high temperatures...crazy for Arkansas!   

Tried a little matchy-matchy photo shoot this morning, here is the best I got :-)

Then, Aubrey went from sitting on the floor, to this...

...to this!  Standing all by herself for the first time - and I caught it on camera!

More on Our Trip to FCA Camp

We pulled out of our driveway at 4:55 Monday morning.  We had to be there no later than 5 pm so we gave ourselves extra time to make the 9.5 hour trip, keeping the time change in mind.  We stopped several times, felt rushed and tense, but overall everything went fine.  Got to camp before 4 pm, I felt very rushed and like the check in process was unorganized, part of that was our fault since we didn't have everything filled out, but we really went into this blind.  Especially me, I had no clue what I was getting myself into, and I don't do well with that.  I like to be prepared.

Anyway, we got checked in but they told us to run to the children's meeting because it had already started.  By the time we got to our room (which was like a hotel just with no tv, and actually a little more spacious,) there was just a few minutes before dinner.  We had a car full of heavy luggage to carry down a mountain.  Thankfully JD helped Josh with this.  Aubrey had lost it at this point.  I was losing it.  Langley was delirious, but just wanted to do the opposite of whatever we told her.  Example: L- "I hungry."
Me; "I know baby, after daddy gets back with our stuff we can go eat."
L- "I not eat!  I go on my trip!  I not eat." Accompanied by crying/whining/throwing self down on floor.

We had no time to set up the pack and play, arrange the room, find anything, figure anything out.  All I could think was, "everything I dreaded is happening."  So, that first night, Josh and Langley went to dinner and chapel and Aubrey and I stayed in the room.  I had to send her babysitter away that first night because I just couldn't handle it.  Aubrey was screaming and so upset that she hyperventilated.  Just like the first night of our spring break trip - which resulted in her having croup.  I finally got her calmed down.  I don't know if it's she's overly tired, scared of the new surrounding, uncomfortable in the pack and play - or a  combination of those.  But, man that first night was awful.

We slept enough for me to be able to face the next day.  After breakfast, Aubrey's babysitter came, Langley went to her class, Josh and I had chapel, then our huddle time.  The men did competition then bible study, the women did bible study then activity.  I actually went back to the room after bible study;    the first day was to check on Aubrey, the second day was to pick up the contract on our house and deal with the realtor and all that; by thursday I just figured it was too late to do bootcamp or yoga :-)  If I ever get to go back I'd like to do an activity.  So Tuesday and Wednesday were much the same.  After lunch we would take a nap and shower before dinner.  After dinner was babysitter/chapel/Langley's class. After evening chapel I would go put Aubrey to bed and Josh would go to the "social" for a little while then pick up Langley.  It was 10pm by the time they got back.

Thursday instead of breaking up in our small groups, the women had a guest speaker.  Also that afternoon we did the family fun olympics, because Aubrey had taken a almost 2 hour morning nap and we new we could survive!  And, that night I actually went to the social for a little while.  So glad I did and got to visit with Amanda and John.

Ya'll God was in every detail.  We are so thankful we got to spend the week with the Parker family and also I got to know the Engstrom's.  In addition to these friends, in my small group were wives of coach's from the Colt's, Eastern Carolina, University of Houston, Wake Forest, plus other jr high and high schools.  It was a great group and was encouraged by each of the ladies.  They 100% understood the lifestyle of a coach's wife and they loved Jesus.  Now, I was the only basketball wife in my huddle, but it was so nice to be  with and to worship with people in very similar circumstances.  Such a blessing.  And, I am totally cheering on their teams!

I'm so glad we went.  We needed it.  Such good memories.  All the work and effort it took to make this trip happen was totally worth it. And we are so thankful to those who provided this trip for our family!

More info can be found here http://richlandfca.org/coaches .

The Princesses

There is a certain 3 year old in my house that loves all things princess.  So, my mom came up and took all us girls to a local dinner theater for a "princess show."  We ate lunch and enjoyed the show.  It was all local actors, but really a nice venue.  I hope Josh and I can go for some dates!

These pictures are mostly terrible, but good enough to help my memory.  Yes, Aubrey was there, in a matching dress, but I have no pictures of her.  I was too busy wrestling her and keeping her quiet :-)

We had such a fun afternoon!  Thanks for the experience Mimi!

Insert good transition here...Aubrey is 14 months old today! She is teething like crazy (still only has 2 you can see.) not walking, becoming a great eater, sleeps good (still 2 naps a day when we are home,) loves to play, loves puppies, tries to repeat everything we say but it all mostly comes out "dada" just with different inflections, waves, claps, gives five, hugs, kisses, and loves people.  Still very loud and impatient, loves bath time, started paying more attention to tv, and is pretty attached to the paci.  Love that baby girl so much it hurts!

Our Trip to "the Mountain."

This is really just going to be Part 1 of our trip last week.

Let's just say, we didn't want to go, the enemy was filling us with lies and worry, the trip started out rough.  God broke through all that.  He wanted us there, He provided the way, and we were blessed by this experience.

The week ended on a high note.

Here are just the pictures.  I'll have to process the whole trip later.  I have a to-do list a mile long as we are "back to reality" here at home.


The girls traveled pretty well.  We left our house at 4:55 am and drove straight through.  Neither of them slept much at all in the car, so when we arrived, Aubrey completely lost it.  Hyperventilated.  It was awful.

As I said, things got better.  Langley had the time of her life.  She was so exhausted she couldn't even function, fell down a million times, and was obsessed with "Halle-cake."  AKA  Halle and Cate.

Just a random picture of the place.You can't really tell, but the mountains and trees and creek were beautiful.  Definitely a change of scenery from NEA!

Note that they have on jackets.  While it was 100 degrees at home, we wore long sleeves until at least lunch time.

This one really ended up being good and having fun.

Here we are in the cafeteria.

This.  Pure joy.  Brownie all over her and in her teeth.

Josh and Aubrey beating us down the mountain to the family fun olympics.

Ya'll.  Langley had so much fun.  First event was a game were you take your shoes off and put them in a pile across the field and you have to race to find them, get back to your starting place and put them back on.  She did it, really we were amazed how fast she did it, and she laughed the whole time.  She laughed so hard during leap frog we were dragging her underneath our legs and she was just undone.  Oh, it was too much!

Langley's attempt at taking mommy and daddy's picture.

Race with a swim noodle between the legs.  Laughed the whole time.

Aubrey with her personal babysitter.  This girl was a gift from the Lord.  She loved our baby and baby girl loved her. I told her on the last day 1)  I was definitely requesting her again and 2)  if we ever go big time, I want her as my nanny!  Ha!

Leaving.  On an emotional high.  So blessed.  So thankful.

Just a Phone Dump

During the sickness, like the 3rd doctor's appointment that week, the one where  Aubrey had the ear infection.

She was sick, but we were so glad there was no pneumonia, so I took her to Madelynn's 1st birthday party.

Reading with Mimi.

The only show they've watched together.  Barney.  Super.

She was having a rough afternoon, so I resorted to dragging her around the house with a diaper box and resistance band.  Do what you gotta do.

Just me and the girls one afternoon.  Langley cuddled up by me on the couch and Aubrey sitting in her own little chair.  Just a precious moment.

School Days

Langley moved up to the 3 year old class last week.  She was so excited and continues to love school, being in Miss Tanya's class. We tried to get some pictures before school that day :-)

And, I'm so thankful we are done with "sammy the seal" breathing treatments before school each day!  Currently, we are all healthy and down to just 1 medicine once a day in our house.  Praise Him.

The Best Daddy

Father's Day 2013