The Bright Eyed Brunette

Picture before church The sun was in my eyes!! After he woke up on Saturday morning, I looked up and he was watching TV in his graduation cap :) Peace Out!! Bonnie, Stormy, Carlie, and Makena Faith all fit on one float! Still Love Birds after 13 years This is what my parents got T for graduation....his own pirate ship :) I caught her in mid air! Saturday was Daddy's turn to play with the kids in the pool!  I was there too, but Daddy was on duty :) Me with my Daddy and Papaw.  Please pray for him, he hasn't been feeling well and is exhibiting all the symptoms of having had a heart attack.  Keep in mind that their religion doesn't believe in doctors, so please pray for him.  I pray that he knows Jesus as his Savior, but I couldn't tell you for sure.  This picture has nothing to do with Memorial Day, but a couple of weekends ago Carlie was doing a little photo shoot with Makena and I captured this picture of her walking away

My Big Kindergarten Graduate! Trey and Mrs. Odom With his classmates....They were all pumped! My big boy still loves his Momma :) Most of the students in  the 4th and 5th grades....I know of 4 that were missing. Friday night was Trey's Kindergarten Graduation as well as the girls Closing Program at school.   The whole night is really dedicated to the High School Seniors.  Even the Kindergartners each said a little something to them.  Trey thanked them for helping him make a shot in the basketball game that he got to play with them.  Everyone thought it was the cutest thing :) The girls classes read a series of verses that when put together sounded like a letter written by God to the Seniors.  It was such a nice night and we appreciate everyone that came out and made it special for the kiddos. I can't believe that I now have a 1st grader, a 5th grader, and a 6th grader!   Where has the time gone?! Beth 

Squash with blooms Carl's new way of watering our garden :) Kena and Carl working hard And Trey was playing! Well a few weeks ago we finally got our garden planted and we are very happy to see those blooms on most all of our plants now!  The kids (well Makena and Trey) seem to enjoy helping out. It's exciting for them since they planted those seeds :)   Carl put some poly pipe down in the pasture and connected it to the engine out there and that's how we are watering it.....which is great because we don't have to mess with water hoses and all that stuff.  He just turns it on about once a week and it gets all the water it needs.  I can't wait until I don't have to buy anymore cucumbers and squash!!  Beth 

Friday night we all went to Hunter's Graduation in Cherry Valley.  I can't believe he graduated.  I think he was 2 when Carl and I started dating but it still doesn't seem like he should be that old!  The pictures of T and Riley in the sombreros are from after graduation when we went to AMECA to eat.  The kids had such a good time....especially when Uncle John got creamed in the face with some kind of dessert!  And the first picture on the grid is from school.  Those are our 4 high school seniors.  I've grown very close to all four of them and will really miss them next year! These are just a few pictures of Trey and his buddies.  And then the last picture is of the kids and the dogs....my 5 kids :) Since we have had summer-like weather, the kids decided that it was time to get in the pool.  Needless to say it was freezing, but that didn't stop them, they would get out and warm up then jump back in for a little while! This is one of my favorite summe

Carl and Trey were making the rows for the garden....I could have taken a better picture, but I was lazily sitting on my back porch! Carl was helping Makena plant her tomatoes Then Trey wanted to help too! And now they're growing so well!  This was actually taken over a week ago, so now they are much bigger :) A few weeks ago we decided to plant a garden.  We've always had a garden up until last year....last year nothing went as planned.  So this year, we got it goin' on:  squash, okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, peas, and carrots!   Yesterday we stared getting a few blooms on some of the squash plants.  We will probably have more squash than anything else and by the end of the summer, we'll be sick of it, but for now it excites us :) Beth 

I'd like to give a big shout out to all the Mother's today!!  It is such an important role.  I realize on a daily basis how much influence I have on my children, and I try to be mindful of that with every decision I make.  They are watching and learning. I happen to think that I have one of the best Moms in the world :)  She is so kind and generous, as well as completely selfless.  I don't know what I'd do without her! I'm also thankful that I have a great mother-in-law who did a great job raising my Carl!  He is awesome, and I definitely think we owe that at least partly to her :) My Mommy got me and Jamie a new pair of TOMS! I told you she was great :) Mom was opening her present from us....a new bag for the pool and a towel chair thingy....I know that doesn't explain it, but I'm really tired and don't want to go into it.  A class at school made this cute little flower pot (an owl) for me with a plant and a sweet little Mother's Day

They were learning about the Old Post sistern We saw lots of geese All the 5th graders having a picnic Jared and Makena Mrs. LeAnn with the 4th and 5th graders It was the perfect day for a field trip!  The weather was great (not too hot) and the kids were very well behaved too!  We haven't visited the Arkansas Post with a school group since 2009 so it was fun to go back.  They have made several changes in the Museum area and everything was very clean.  We looked for the 10ft. alligator that is spotted almost daily, but we didn't see it :(  We were supposed to go on another field trip with T's class (to the zoo) tomorrow, but he wasn't really all that interested in going since we were just there in March, so he's going to hang out with me and then we are going to pick the girls up early to get ready for Hunter's graduation tomorrow night.  We found out last week that we don't have school on the 17th and 18th (we had extra days)

Gracie, Hannah, Madeline, Skyler, and Carlie Pop and Bro. Jeff handing out the trophies to their team Makena, Skyler, and Carlie were so proud! Bro. Inzer and Carl.  I'm so proud of Carl.  He was a little nervous when he was handed the mic, but he did great.  We've come a long way, baby :) Hayden, Trey, and Cam were being silly.....because that's what boys do! Can't wait until next season! Beth 

Today was Trey's class field trip to Harding University to see David Kiser.  It was a lot of fun and I didn't have to drive, which made it even better!  The campus there is just beautiful.  We had a picnic lunch at Harding Park, and then headed over to the auditorium.  Trey really got into all the songs and dancing.  I looked up and didn't see him and he was in the isle with some of his friends dancing around!  It was allowed and even encouraged on this trip!  After leaving Mrs. Odom took everyone to McDonald's for a hot fudge sundae.  We rolled back into school just in time for the girls to get out.  It was a fun day and it felt a little odd to only be with Trey on a field trip...usually I have all three of them!  It was fun to just spend some time away with him :) Whit, Hayden, and Trey = TROUBLE! It's a race! Trey took a picture of Renzy taking a picture of Trey! This picture is blurry because he was in action!! It's been a week full of a