Preach It Sister!

Gracyn LOVES to sing. When she really likes a song, she belts it out for all to hear. It's one of the many things that I love about her! :)

She was singing...at the top of her lungs...while floating on her back. The family right next to her got a nice serenade of,

 

"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. I wonder how he could lub (love) me a sinter condemt unqueen.(sinner condemned unclean) Oh how marbelous,(marvelous) oh, how wonderful, and my song sal (shall) eber (ever) be. Oh, how marbelous, oh how wonderful, is my sabior's (savior's) lub for me!"

They also got Jesus Loves Me, Trust and Obey, Twinkle Twinkle, and the ABC's. They would clap for her each time she finished a song.

Her other favorite song is "God's Not Dead" by the Newsboys. Whenever it comes on the car, I turn it up and we all have a nice jam session. Even Hudson gets in on it. Gracyn will bust out the song--usually at the top of her lungs--wherever we are. We'll be cruising down the aisles at HEB and she'll start singing/yelling, "God's not dead he's soorley (surely) alibe (alive). He's libin' (living) on the inside, roaring like a lion!! We get a lot of smiles and wide eyes! :)

Precious girl! Oh, to have the boldness of a child--to sing at the top of your lungs about how much Jesus loves you! I pray that she continues to share the love of Jesus with everyone she comes into contact with and that they can see His light shining through her.

Swimming at Nana's

We've had a blast this summer swimming at Nana's neighborhood pool. We meet Nana, Meme and the cousins there every week for a super fun day! There's never a crowd and the kids have a ball playing together. We start off in the baby pool....but after lots of whining from EVERYONE, we venture out into the big pool. They ALL love it!

All ready to go!

 

We pack a lunch and snacks and make a day out of it. They take GREAT naps that afternoon! :)

Brier doesn't care too much for the water. He'd rather have all the attention from all four of us than play in the pool.

Who doesn't love eating a bowl full of Cheetos by the pool?

She even shared! Towns would swim up to her with his mouth open and she'd drop one in.

Today was our last day with Ava...she starts Kindergarten next week. Graycn is REALLY going to miss her!

Happy Birthday Meme!!

Turning 60 is a big birthday--so I thought we should do something special for my mom. We threw her a surprise birthday party...and we pulled it off without a hitch and got her good!!

 

The only thing was that she was embarrassed that she was a little under dressed for the party, but I didn't know how to tell her to put on nice clothes to come over to my house for dinner without it being a huge give away! I even called my dad to tell him to make sure that she looked cute and if not, to tell her to change--even if it hurt her feelings a little. He said that he thought that she looked great--she was bummed because it's what she'd had on all day--she didn't really do her hair--and hardly had any make-up on. Not really what she'd look like if she'd known ALL her friends were going to be there for a party! Next time, I might have to think twice about my dad as a fashion expert. :)

I called her best friends, Suzann & Tommy and they came to town to surprise her too--she was so shocked to see them there! It was great to see old friends that we've known for a long time and for everyone to be together again. It was such a special night...one I'm sure my mom won't forget!

Nana made her favorite coconut cream pie. 

  

Opening presents...

Hudson helped me make a cake....

 Do you think he liked it?

 

Ava spent the night after the party. These two can't get enough of each other!

 Happy, Happy Birthday Meme!

Bye-Bye Daddy!

   Gracyn and Hudson love to say good-bye to Drew every morning. It's just about the sweetest thing you've ever seen. 

 

They run out the front door and sit on the step and wait for his car to pull out of the garage, and then start waving with all their might!

  

 

 Hudson is usually yelling, "NOOOO Daddy....NOOOO work!" and usually has a few "bye-byes" in there too. Gracyn says the same things over and and over again--"Bye-Bye Daddy," "Have a good Day," "I love you Daddy," "See you tonight!" It's always in the same order and she just repeats herself. He rolls down his window, yelling and waving goodbye to them as he drives off. They sit there and watch him until he turns the corner. Drew just loves it! 

I can't think of a better way to send him off to work each morning!

An Apple a Day......

Here's my newest creation for our front door thanks to Pinterest. It was super easy and my mind is racing with all the holiday possibilities....

 I'm hoping that this saying is true--and I'm chowing down on apples to keep the doctor away!! I've had Strep 4 times this summer--and if I get it again, I'll have to have a tonsillectomy. :( I'm praying that this last round of antibiotics will finally knock it out! I can't believe the first day of school is right around the corner! Where did the summer go?

 

Phone Pictures Clean Out

 I was going though all the the pictures in my phone and found some that I never posted. So, I just thought I lump them all together into one post. Bear with me....there are quite a few! :) 

These are from Gracyn's last day of dance class. She'll start up again in the fall at a different place. She's really missed it this summer--we watch impromptu recitals almost daily. :)

 She got a certificate and medal on her last day.

 She took dance with Alessandra--her mom Jennifer and I met way back in middle school and the girls are 6 days apart and great friends!

 There was this old rocket riding toy at a restaurant we ate at. Gracyn wanted to climb in and Hudson quickly followed. It was so old and looked broken, so we didn't think that it worked. My mom flipped a switch and the thing started going! The look of shock on ALL of our faces was priceless!

 Here's what we do at the pediatrician's office while waiting...put stickers on the paper...

 ...climb into and out of the cabinet...

 

 ---and go for rides on the stool! Hey....whatever it takes, right?

 We were eating lunch at the Chick-fil-a in the mall one day and the cow came out to say hello. These two were beside themselves!!

Hudson was really excited to play dress up the other day. I texted these pictures to Drew--thought he'd get a kick out of his son all decked out! :) Oh, what fun to have a big sister!! 

We went to the dentist for check ups--everyone did a GREAT job! NO cavities and NO tears! Gracyn got a new Hello Kitty watch as a prize and Hudson got a piggy bank.

 

Concert

 Doesn't she look like she's all ready for a concert? At least that's where she was headed the other day. I asked her who she was going to see in concert, and she told me "Bon Jobi." (A girl after my own heart--I've taught her something! Ha!) She packed up her purse, grabbed her keys and got in her car to go. 

I mean the floppy hat just screams rock and roll, doesn't it? :)

She sat there and yelled, "Rock On!" (Not sure where she picked that up?)

She posed and asked me to take her picture. 

And of course Huddy wanted in on all the attention too!

ROCK ON!!

P90X Buddy

Drew has a workout buddy that gets pumped when it's time to exercise. Here he is trying to do push-ups. 

"E" for effort!!

Someone REALLY loves his Daddy and wants to be just.like.him!

As soon as he sees Drew getting everything out, he'll run upstairs to get his socks and shoes on. Here they are doing chair lifts.

 

He picks up the 5 lb. weight and tries to mimic Drew...it really is the cutest thing.

Tape Race Track

 Thanks to Pinterest, the kids had a blast playing with the masking tape race track that I made!

 

Gracyn was very busy making "traffic."

She was quite the bossy pants and didn't like how Hudson wasn't following all her commands and was playing his own way. We're working on that....

"Honk, Honk!!"