The Bright Eyed Brunette

Papa with Carlie, Makena, and Trey Carlie wanted her picture alone with him I look like I really cooked a big meal or something! The kids gave him a card and present   As soon as I found out that Papa's 84th birthday was on a Wednesday, I started making plans to have a dinner and cake and ice cream for him.  Grammy was working, Carl was working,  and my parents were out of town, so I planned to have it at our house with me and the kids (nobody should be alone on their birthday!).  I'm sure it wasn't as big of a deal to him as me, but when you turn 84 it IS a big deal!   I think he enjoyed the meal and especially time with the kids.  He has 10 great grand kids, but my three live closest and are very close to him.  Happy Birthday, Papa!!  We love you and hope you have many more :)   Beth 

Oh, Yeah, we made it through our first week of school!!!  I am very pleased to report that all the kiddos are loving their classes :)  Carlie seems to like being in with the older kids and is adjusting very well to being in with different kids.  She has already had a few quizzes this week and made 100's on all of them except History.  What is it with her and History?!  She made a new/old friend, Camryn.  Camryn has been to VBS at our church in the past and actually lives out here by us, but we don't really run in the same circles, so we hardly see her and her family. Makena is doing great too!  She has made a new friend, Oriah.  Oriah moved here with her family from Texas about three years ago and has previously attended the Catholic School here in town and her brother Meshach has attended our school, but this is her first year here at our school.  She is in the 4th grade and Makena is in the 5th, but they are in the same room, so they get to see each other all day.  Makena

It has finally arrived:  the first day of school!  Everyone got up, ate, got dressed, got our hair and teeth brushed, took pictures with Nanny, Grammy and me, and we still made it to school by 7:50!  That my friends, is record time for us :)  Here are a few pictures that I took to capture these precious moments: Three little lunchboxes packed and ready to go! T finally let me take a picture of him yesterday in one outfit....that was one too many for him! My three babies....I love them so much and am SO proud of them.  They are great kids :) Happy Back To School! Beth 

Carlie and Mrs. Edmondson Makena and Mrs. Schiederer Trey with Mrs. Odom Friday I took the kids to Open House where they got check out their classroom, talk with their teacher, and see some of their friends.  Carl met up with us just as we were leaving Carlie's class and we went to eat Mexican :)  The kids are really excited about Monday, and I guess I kind of am too!  It's always fun to start school....new beginnings.  It's great to know that they are at a Christian School and learn not only from a great curriculum, but also learn about the Bible.  It is such a blessing to be able to go there!  Friday night after Carl got in we had our first bonfire of the season!  The weather was pretty nice and believe it or not the mosquitoes were not all that bad ;)  Just as we were picking up to come back in, it started to sprinkle, and it ended up raining and Carl didn't have to cut Today.  We worked pretty much all day on cleaning the barn.  Not all that fun, bu

The girls were of course more than eager to do their pictures, T however, was not.  That is why we still haven't done it yet!  Hmmm....maybe a bribe would work!  He's been wanting Open Season 2 out of the $5 bin at Wal-Mart :)  We are super excited about Open House tomorrow night and about school on Monday :)  Beth 

Tuesday marked the beginning of our rice harvest!  Things are going great so far, other than it being a little muddy due to the 2 1/2 inches of rain we got on Monday (thank you Lord!).  Now here we are three days into it, and I'm ready for it to be over.  It's been a while since Carl was in the fields before school started, and it sure makes for long days with all three kids here.  We've kept ourselves fairly busy, but I'm glad that next week we'll be in school all day!  I know, I can't believe I just said that, but I can handle long Saturdays better than six long days a week :)  Happy Harvesting! Beth

My girls are really into doing their hair these days.  Makena decided that she was going to straighten hers.  Her hair is extremely thick and curly, and straightening it is NOT and easy task.  Carlie has some natural curl too, but she used the curling iron and made it more curly on the ends.   These are fun times but they often lead to us running a little late....I'm trying to teach them to start a little earlier....we're still working on that! This has been our project of the week!  Every day after Carl has gotten home, we have gone out to work on the deer stand!  This is kind of the family stand.  He wouldn't dare take us all at one time, but each person goes with him individually.  The kids really like to go, even though Carlie is the only one who has shot ever shot a deer.  We've all painted on it, and the kids have done a little drilling on it.  Me, I just mainly watch :) Trey has just started riding the big 4wheeler.  He looks so tiny on it!  He can'

We've been having a blast swimming this week.  Yes, it is the first week of August and we're not even that tired of it yet :)  Here are a few pictures we've taken in the pool lately. Trey and Carl....I know of plenty of people who can open their eyes under water, but I've never been one of those people! I'm not too sure what kind of move Carlie is doing here....maybe the Funky Chicken! Don't make too much fun of me.....they were baby goggles! I caught him just as he landed in the water from the diving board. Makena was cheesing for me Carlie was NOT having any of our shenanigans! But we had fun anyway! FUNNY FACE!!! Happy Friday, Y'all!! Beth