Saturday, January 7, 2012

ANOTHER SURPRISE VISIT

Anya planned a 'guys night out'. It was on the calendar forever. I cannot tell you how many times Brandon was not excited about this. Probably because it was PLANNED!

Anyways, he went outside and low and behold, it was Will! He flew in to spend a few days and baptize Barb, who is a friend of theirs and an acquaintance of ours. What a wonderful, fantastic surprise! Sara and the kids stayed in Midland. I'll bet that that was one of the hardest things that she had to do.

We were able to go to the baptism, which was a wonderful experience!

Here are a few pictures that I took that day!

Will, Barb, and her daughter Amber

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

A TWEENY BIT OF FUN

Faith is growing up! And with that, comes a bit of attitude. This is one of our crazy days where she is unhappy. I pulled out the camera to try and make her smile. I really think that she is under there!!!


Please pray with us so that we can survive these special years with her!!!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

FACEBOOK JOURNAL 2011

Memorable posts for 2011


January -

January 17th - Dawson said, "Happy Junior Luther King day Grandma!"

January 24th - Dawson (on Friday) after being told that he couldn't go to school because he was sick. (Eyes well up with tears.) "I have to go to school for Faith. That's what families do. They protect each other!" I'm so glad that my children love each other.

February -

February 4th - Dawson today: "I think I'm going to burp fire!"

February 6th - Dawson today: "Are your leg pits ticklish?"

February 22nd - Kate says today: "I can't wait until I can be a mom like you!!!"

February 28th - This weekend: Kate "Yes, you can kiss me momma, but only on my cheek. I have a sword on my lip!"

March -

March 2nd - Dawson today when he saw Kathy and Jerry. "Well, well, well. It's my dad's parents."

March 13th - Dawson today when he woke up at 10:45. "Did I set a record?" He really enjoys his sleep!

March 17th - After discussing with Dawson this morning about wearing green and pinching, he looks at me with crazy eyes and says, "You mean the leprechaun doesn't pinch you? The kids do that?"

March 18th - When asked for his homework yesterday, Dawson said, "The leprechaun stole it." I thought that his teacher was sending homework on Friday for spring break instead. This morning I found his homework. I told Brandon that Dawson is in deep doo-doo, related the story, and his reply, "And YOU believed him!"

April -

April 3rd - Kate today: "Dad, can you ground Dawson for the rest of my life?"

April 7th - Dawson to Brandon while he is playing a game on i-phone: "Dad, I can help show you how to play that game if you want!"

April 17th - Kate's new favorite phrase: "What the holy heck!?!?!"

April 20th - Came home to find Faith (10 yrs old) watching Strawberry Shortcake. It gave me a little smile, 'cause I like to watch little kid shows too!

April 25th - This weekend ... Kate "Mom, I don't want to be married, okay?" Dawson, "You need a husband (pause) to help you with the bills ... and the babies ..."

May -

May 2nd - Dawson: "I'm thankful that I'm not a girl." Me: "Oh yeah?" Dawson: "Yeah. Girls have babies through their tummies and I think that it would hurt real bad!"

May 2nd - Kate throwing a normally 4 year old fit over getting new shoes. Faith: "Do you think Kate has optimism?" Mom: "Optimism or autism?" Faith: "I think that it's called autism." Mom: "NO!"

May 5th - Today I told Kate: "Isn't it a beautiful day?" Kate: "Yes, the sunshine is here!" (as if the sun has been hidden for the last 2 months)
May 27th - K says yesterday that Dad and I have 'lazel' eyes!

May 30th - Yesterday, Kate smiled and whispered in my ear: "I'm growin' up so fast. I'm going to be a momma soon!"

May 31st - You know during a movie when the characters spontaneously brake out in song? Yeah, Kate and her friend, Kaden do that!

June -

June 28th - Kate this afternoon says to me: "I hate math. It's just so hard." Apparently she has already decided that she isn't going to do her math in her preschool workbook!

July -

July 5th - Dawson: "I'm going to teach K how to read!"

July 15th - Last night, kids were playing with a cat. Me: "I'm allergic to cats and dogs." Kate: "Well, I'm allergic to bears and cows!"

July 25th - I just asked Faith to run over to Ang's house. I am laughing so hard! She just moved to Kansas!

August -

August 15th - Found a new tactic to getting kids motivated to clean. Making bets that it will help you too. Have them watch 1 episode of HOARDERS. Their eyeballs will get big and you can then ask, "See why we HAVE to clean up and not save EVERYTHING???"

August 21st - Dawson: "Does school start tomorrow?" Me: "Nope, not quite yet." Dawson: "O h man !I think that my summer has been too long!"

August 30th - Kate talks in her sleep. This morning she said, "I like chocolate."

September -

September 16th - Yesterday Kate comes and says, "Mom, I have a baby in my tummy." Me, surprised, asks, "Really? Is it a boy or a girl?" Kate, "It's a girl!" Me, "What's her name?" Kate, "Her name is Snow!" She is just SO stinking cute!

September 21st - I have always thought it best to tell it like it is, not beat around the bush, and truly adopted the motto that honesty is the best policy. After this last week, I think that I better adopt the motto "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say anything at all!" Hopefully the children will follow suite.

September 28th - Kate had sedation dentistry today. When she got home she said, "Mom, I think I'll call you flower plant."

October -

October 17th - Last night, Kate: "Jesus doesn't want me to eat spaghetti. Heavenly Father wants me to eat popsicles!"

October 18th - Last night, Kate was talking to herself. She said, "I hope that Jesus loves me in pink!"

October 20th - Dad just asked Dawson if he could have any in the world for breakfast, what would he have. Dawson is super smart ... "I would have 2 slices of pumpkin roll and some oatmeal."

October 21st - Dawson was watching Youtube videos of Wipeout last night. He clicked on a UK version and immediately said, "They are speaking a different language." He totally could not understand it at all.

October 31st - Kate could not stop singing, "'Tis the Season to be Jolley." It was SO funny!

November -

November 9th - Faith announced today that she has 1,128% of her AR goal. Pretty impressive, but she still has almost 2 more weeks. I think that she is trying to set some sort of record! ;)

November 30th - Kate yesterday was packing her backpack. I asked her why she was packing her backpack. She said, "Just in case Grandma wants me to have a sleepover." So sweet!

December -

December 1st - Shopping at JCP with my neighbor, Kate says, "Anya, you just have to get it all. My mom says that if you don't just buy it all that it won't be there tomorrow and it's won't be at any other day either. Well, maybe Walmart."

December 2nd - Kate: "I am the smartest in the class because the other kids can't sing in the dark!!!"

December 19th - Brandon 'snuck' some wheat into the white bread recipe. This morning, Dawson said that it 'didn't satisfy his taste buds.'

December 19th - So, later when Dawson came home from school he said, 'Mr. G worked me out so hard, I thought I was on the Biggest Loser." And he was crying real hard. So sad!

Favorite quotes for 2011

January 9, 2011 - "If Satan can't get you to be bad, he'll make you busy."

February 13, 2011 - "The difference between a goal and a dream is the written word."
Gene Donohue

April 13, 2011 - "Dance like the photo's not tagged, love like you've never been unfriended, tweet like nobody's following."

July 19th, 2011 - “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” -Milton Berle

July 20th, 2011 - "Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in."
-Secondhand Lions

August 2nd, 2011 - "Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away."

September 5th, 2011 - "The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything."