School Days, School Days, these are golden rule days....

Well, we have officially started school. YIPPEE!!! Who said fourth grade isn't hard? I know one thing, there is a lot of writing to do. Tyler complains about his hand hurting. Seriously though, I do not take for granted one moment the freedom to be able to homeschool my children. I know one day that may all change, so for now, we are studying away. Hope everyone has a blessed day!

Wow, I can't believe this year is flying by so fast. I just wanted give everyone an update on our lives lately. It seems we stay so totally busy and so consumed, I will be glad to be able to breath again. I have 2 photography classes coming up that I will be teaching. I am super excited about it. I am hoping this will open up some doors for me. I have this burning desire inside of me to pursue photography full time like with a studio and all, but know that it is not the Lord's will right now and I am perfectly fine with that. I have a much a much higher calling right now as a mother and wife. I am also going to be teaching a class for the yearbook staff at a private school. Tyler starts school on the 2nd of Sept. I think we are ready to get back into the swing of things. All of his curriculum has come in, so there is nothing stopping us now! I think people have a misconception about stay at home moms that homeschool.........it is WORK!!!! It is not like we sit around all day eating bon-bons watching TV. It takes a lot of time and dedication. It is just as much dedication for me as it is Tyler. Tyler is becoming quite the young man. I can't believe he is almost 10 years old. He is smart and funny and just an all around good kid. I pray the Lord keeps him safe and puts an hedge about him! OKAY.....here is the BIG announcement ..... drumroll please.......EMMA is potty trained......YEAH!!! We are officially on our 3rd week in panties. I know what your thinking she's old enough to be potty trained, what 's the big deal? The big deal is, she is my last baby and it was hard for me to let go! My last baby that will be 3 in November. Hard to believe. She is smart and cute as a button and so, so funny. She has this personality that infects everyone around her. She loves to sing( I like to think she gets that from me). She absolutely adores her brother, her TyTy. She is a little pistol. This morning she woke up at 5am and I put her in the bed with us..I was not ready to get up. She was in the most loving mood. She rolled over and very sweetly said,"I love you daddy." It was so unbelievably sweet. I think Brad got a little choked up. I mean she says that a lot, but this moment was like no other!! Thank God for my children who are healthy. I do not take for granted one day that I have healthy children. God you are so good!! Brad and I are well. Like I said we stay so busy, but are loving our lives!!! Just wanted to update everyone. Love you all and miss you dearly!!

Too BIG for her britches!!

She is too much. Emma is such an entertainer and comedian. Tyler was my shy, softspoken child, Emma is COMPLETELY opposite. She now "poses" for pictures and she is always putting her hands on her hips. She will put her hands on her hips and punch one side of them out and give you this look like in this picture. She is sassy and so girly. I love it now, but wondering if she will give me trouble later. Her new word is beauty. She says, I like your necklace, it is so beauty. All of my friends, she asks,"Is that your daddy?" And she is referring to their husbands. She is really so cute. She cracks Tyler up all of the time. When she is mad at him, she calls him Tyler but usually she so sweetly calls him TyTy. She loves clothes, shoes and jewelry. What is she going to be like as a teenager? We are potty training right now.....i know she should've been trained a L O N G time ago, but I just haven't. She is my last and I want to keep her a baby forever, but I can save $40.00 a month on diapers!! Anyway, enough bragging about my priss-pot.

I so love my children. What a gift from GOD! I am so thankful for healthy, happy kiddos!

What a great time we had vacationing with the family!! We stayed at a camp ground in Milton, Fl. My parents had their camper and we stayed in a cabin. The weather was beautiful and we had such a fun time. Brad, Kevin, Sarah and Maren were not able to go with us. Maybe we can all get together next year. I did get to spend time with my brother Scott and his family. This was my first time getting to see Maggie. They live in Mississippi so I we don't see them often. Maggie is so precious and I got to spend a little one on one time with her and it really meant a lot to me. Jack is such a cutie pie. I so much enjoyed getting to spend time with all of them, oh how I miss them. Well, I miss my parents so much too, it was so nice spending a week with them. I wish I could share all of the pictures with you, but there were almost 400!! Here are a few!!

July 4th vacation!!

SURF'S UP!!!

The kids, except for our Maren who didn't get to vacation with us : (

Tyler trying to help teach his cousin Jack how to ride a bike with no training wheels, it was a really sweet moment!

Me and my sweet baby niece, Maggie Laine Piland

Emma, Tyler, Scott, Jack and PawPaw standing in front of a coast guard helicopter at the Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida

Uncle Scott(my brother) reliving his dream!

Tyler trying to catch fish!!

mom and the kids in the ocean

Panama Jack

Beach Project!

Well, we went to the Panama City beach with Brad's mom. I would like to say we had a blast, but unfortunately, we did not. I ended up getting sick with a stomach thing and spent Thursday and Friday, well.....sick!! Brad really did a good job taking care of the kids and letting them have a good time. I think I spent maybe a total of 3 hours on the beach, I know...terrible, isn't it? Drive all that way. Anyway, we have another beach trip planned to Pensacola next Monday with all of my family!! Let's hope no one gets sick or anything else. So here are the pictures from the beach!! The weather was so perfect. The kids did really well traveling!!