"What a Beautiful Mess"

As I walked into the living room a little bit ago this is the mess I came upon. I couldn't help but smile when I heard the music playing in the background on my computer. It was Diamond Rio's "What a Beautiful Mess!" I love that song, but how appropriate for this situation. I love my life...messes and all! I have heard from so many people that have raised children to leave the messes and just enjoy them as much as you can. This was one of those moments. Even with all my nesting tendencies lately, the mess still remains! We will get to it eventually!

Lauren and Nolan: Inseparable

I love how well Lauren and Nolan get along. They love playing with one another! As they get older I can see them treating each other like real siblings!...you know they love each other, then 5 minutes later they hate each other....then they love each other...then before you know it they are fighting again about something! Nolan can't really fight yet, but he sure is picking up some defense mechanisms from his sister! I keep telling her that she better be nice because pretty soon he is going to learn to fight back and he will not hold back! She will learn! I love each of these pictures. They are a few of many that I have of the two of them. I hope they will love Owen just as much as they love each other. This is the part that is so rewarding about raising children!

Lauren caught a fish...Nolan did too shortly after

Nolan helping Lauren out

At Mamaw and Papaw's petting Maddie

The house got quiet so I went to see why!...this is what I found

Walking into church

I love my two toddlers!

Independence Day 2009

Our 4th this year was fun! We went to the base lake like usual and watched fireworks. Our neighbors came over for a barbecue before and then we headed for the base lake for music/karaoke before the show. The kids enjoyed themselves running around and finding dirty things to play with. Since it had just rained, the frogs were out! Yuck! Nolan followed them around...he got pretty close to the road at times...we had to keep a close eye on him! The fireworks show was great, like it is every year. The rain almost ruined the night, but it left us a short slot so we could celebrate our country's independence!

Rusty (our neighbor) trying to get Lauren to kiss the frog!

Bleh! Petting frogs is gross!

Joe is always so good at taking pictures of fireworks

The kids passing the football

Me and my babies. Owen is under there somewhere too!

Our First Family Campout

For a late Father's Day gift, we went camping as a family to Knob Noster State Park. It is right outside of base, so we thought that would be a good place to start, just in case the kids didn't like it and we needed to go home. The kids had no problems with it. They loved it in fact. Nolan got so dirty and sticky with marshmallows! Lauren rode her bike and played with her friend Elena most of the time. We spent a lot of time around the campfire. The raccoons were everywhere and really brave. They would come right up to you if you would let them. A little scary with trusting kids. I think at one point Nolan chased it so he could pet it. He must have thought it was like a cat or something. It was pretty hot and muggy that night, so sleep was not great, but Im glad we went.

Though it's not very clear, this picture is funny! Riis threatened her husband Chris that if he didn't move their tent out of the trees that she was going home. Apparently the raccoons kept rubbing up against it. The final straw was when she was sitting there with the zipper open and one tried to walk right in while she was sitting right there! There were screams!...and then Joe and Chris quickly got up and pulled the stakes to move the tent elsewhere!

Our beautiful campfire!

Roasting hot dogs and pork and beans

Nolan getting ready for bed

Lauren and her friend Elena catching fireflies

Lauren got thirsty on our walk to the park

Not sure why I went pregnant!

Lauren and her Daddy

It's Official!

It is now official!...As of July 1, 2009, Joe is a Staff Sergent! His promotional ceromony was a little different than the typical ceromony. Normally promotion ceromonies are on the first of each month. Since the 1st of the month fell on a Base down day, they moved the date to the day before (so on June 30). That would have been fine, only the announcement of the date change was not forwarded to everyone...including my husband. I guess he was not the only person uninformed of the date change either. Several were missing for their own promotion. Joe was a little upset with the miscommunication, but ended up being pleased with his small and private ceromony in his shop. Best of all, he didn't have to wear his blues! He says they are so uncomfortable. I think they are sexy and that he should wear them everyday! ....haha! It was nice to attend with the kids and to have the spotlight on just Joe. He deserves it. He has done such a good job at work. I am so proud of him and his success so far.

Joe complained about his arms hurting for a couple days afterwards!

John Deer Tractors and a Country Drive

Last Saturday we went out as a family on a long country drive. We got a pizza and ate it at the park (in the shade of course!). It was so hot...our car's thermometer read 99 degrees and Im sure the heat index was much hotter! Nolan and Lauren enjoyed seeing all the farm animals and going fast on the windy country roads. Just as we were finally headed home we passed a John Deer store. Joe turned the car around and let the kids sit in a few of the tractors. They loved it. Me being the party pooper didn't want him to stop, but it ended up being fun for us all! Joe is a good daddy!

The Air Show

Joe had to work the air show a few weeks ago, but we still found a way to enjoy it together. Lauren and I packed a lunch filled with sandwiches, chips, grapes, celery, and capri suns. Joe was able to use his lunch break to take us out on the flight line to show us some of the planes he works with. Afterwards we provided shade for him with our hatchback! We must have stayed there 4-5 hours, but it was worth it to be together for the day!

Lauren is our photographer

Nolan had lots to point at there! That little finger never went down the entire time!

In a C-17, one of the planes Joe loads

The kids loved seeing "daddy's planes!"

Mowing with Papaw

Papaw teaching Nolan how to mow

This reminds me of when I was little

Zach (cousin) and Lauren riding with Papaw

Lauren is also a graduate!

Lauren also graduated from preschool. Okay so not really, but for the year she attended. Unfortunately for her, she has two more full years of preschool. Her birthday, along with the rest of our kids falls right after the cutoff date for kindergarten. She loves school, so Im hoping she doesn't get bored before kindergarten starts. For her graduation the kids sang songs, repeated the pledge of allegience to the flag, bible, and christian flag. I was so impressed how well she memorized them all! Also they walked out individually with their caps and tassles to receive their diplomas. Very cute!

A Surprise Visit from Grandpa!

A few weeks ago Grandpa surprised us all with a last minute visit. He called around 8pm on a Friday night and asked if we had plans for the weekend. Before we returned his phone call, Joe and I were just joking around saying, "wouldn't it be cool if he were calling to say that he was here!" Well, we got our wish! My mom was out of town, so he had some extra time on his hands. He drove all night and stayed all day Saturday. The kids love their Grandpa. He did various Grandpa activities with them such as playing playdough, going to the park and taking walks. His visit was short, but very enjoyable!

ALS graduation

Joe recently graduated from Airman Leadership School (ALS). ALS is a 5-6 week course that each airman must go through to rank up to Staff Sgt. He did very well in the course and is so relieved to be done! The course was very intense filled with early mornings and long days, tests, marching in formation, push-ups on the hour every hour, and weekend service projects. We missed him during that time, but are glad to have a stress free daddy back! He will sew on Staff July 1st! Yay! We had two goals when we first moved here at Whiteman. Our first goal was to have all of our children at the same hospital (Western Missouri Medical Center). Our second was for Joe to make Staff before we got orders. Looks like both our goals will be met with no problem. I am so proud of Joe and his hard work to make the best of his career in the Air Force. We are hoping for new orders very soon! Fingers crossed!

A funny moment with Lauren

This morning as we were leaving for an appointment Lauren said, " mommy those birds were fighting back there!" I replied, "Lauren I dont think they were fighting, I think they were mating." She questioned what mating was. I replied, "mating is what they do to make babies." Her response to that was, "No, them not laying down!" We tried to get her to explain why the birds would need to lay down to make babies, to see what she would say, but she never did explain! We just thought that was so funny for her to say. Not quite sure what all she knows, but little kids are like sponges as we're learning! We must be very careful!

Our little sponge of joy!

Trip to Branson

This happened awhile back, but I never got to post about it. Joe's little brother, Ben came out to Branson for a school trip. Their show choir was in a competition down there and since we live so close, we got to go watch! We enjoyed watching and also the extra time the teacher allowed us to have with him between and after competition. Here are just a few pictures we took while we were together.

Ben stetching and then doing a little showing off afterwards!

Ben in action!

Joe and Ben

This burger was so huge and if I remember right, he ate it all!