The Bright Eyed Brunette

Well, today is finally Easter Day!  We were warned all week long that it might be raining and yucky all weekend, and sure enough it was!  I had to make a very hard decision this morning on whether or not to take Trey to church.  After much debate, I decided that it is best he didn't go.  I mean he does have pneumonia.  But the selfish side of me wanted him to go.  I wanted our whole family to be there together, to have our annual Easter picture made at the church.  But, I knew that it wasn't the best thing for Trey to be out. So I got the girls ready (and Carl) and sent them off to church....without me or Trey. Carl and the girls.    They were photo bombed by Trey in this one! He doesn't look too sick in this one, and he doesn't have fever anymore, but he is still coughing, and certainly didn't need to be out in the rain.   I made him put on the clothes he was going to wear and take some pictures for me.  Here he is with his three baskets.  He is

A few years ago I started doing Easter baskets on Saturday night, rather than having to get up early on Sunday morning and do them.  Most Sundays are hectic as it is, and to add the stress of trying to make everyone look especially nice and make take to do Easter baskets is just too much.  I also wanted to keep Easter Sunday about the real meaning of Easter, not the bunny. So, here it is Saturday Easter Basket time!! My Mom and Dad brought these buckets over for the kids first.  She had all kinds of goodies in there for them.  Of course they all got beach towels (that's kind of their thing since we swim at their pool!), the girls got nail polish, jewels to put on their nails, markers, and candy. Trey got a Play-Doh set with a truck in it, a coloring book and markers, and candy.  They loved them, of course.  Carlie's towel had flip-flops on it, Makena's had cute little fish on it, and Trey's was pirate of course!   Grammy and Papa came down to check on Trey and

Carlie dyeing her eggs.  She tries to act like she's too old to do this, but I think she would get her feelings hurt if we didn't include her.  And of course she likes to decorate them :) This girl is so silly!  she had a good time dyeing her eggs and helping Trey.  We woke Trey up to dye his eggs, but he didn't mind.  You tell he doesn't feel very well here, though.   This was his favorite egg.  He put a pirate tattoo on it! Makena made this pretty speckled egg with a butterfly tattoo on it. It wasn't long before they (Trey and Makena) started getting silly with their eggs.  Trey made one look like Humpty Dumpty, and one a zombie.  Makena wrote all kinds of stuff on her eggs.  Carlie chose to keep hers "clean".  They did a great job and had lots of fun doing it!    Happy Easter Egg Dyeing Day! Beth 

Well I don't have a lot of time to blog, but I wanted to add a few random pictures I've taken over the past week. I had to sub for Trey's class Monday afternoon and they were wearing these sunglasses when I walked in.  Evidently they were traveling on their video and needed some shades!  Oh, and notice my son in the back....always the class clown! Today I had to take Trey to the ER.  They did a chest X-ray and we found out he has pneumonia.  All because of the stupid flu.  I WILL get his flu shot next year! Poor little boy was playing with his play-doh toy from Nanny on the couch, laying down. I hate him being sick. Shopping in Little Rock on Good Friday wore poor Carlie out!  Mom and I could have kept on shopping, but the kids were ready to leave.   I guess this time Makena managed to escape my camera.  Don't worry, I got plenty of her doing "Easter" things.  I'm saving that for my next post :)   Beth        

Today Carl and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary!  I can't believe it's been that long.  Of course, it seems like a lifetime ago, but also like it was just yesterday.  I can't possibly be old enough to be married for fourteen years!  He came home with two gifts.  One from him and one from the kids.  I think he did a great job, especially since I didn't really tell him anything I wanted.  He's so thoughtful and kind (almost all of the time) and I am so blessed to have him in my life.  Lately he has done a great job of taking care of me and the kids, as well as working.  I love him to pieces and can't imagine my life without him.  He's my best friend :)   Love You Babe!   Beth

I love going to weddings!  There is just something about how adoring the bride and groom are :)  Saturday, Trey was in a wedding at our church.  It wasn't a big wedding by any means, and the bride and groom are so young, but love was in the air!  In the midst of my health issues, I had to buck up and get my family ready for this wedding.  I'll admit it now, I didn't want to go.  I felt terrible, it was storming outside, and I just wanted to stay home in my bed.  However, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't go make sure my baby boy made it down the isle?!  He really wasn't sure about all this, especially walking with Ellie Kate.  Right now Trey is very ant-girl, but for a long time now he has been anti-Ellie Kate.  They are both the youngest in their families, and just don't see eye-to-eye most of the time.  I'd be lying if I said it's because they are both spoiled so rotten they stink! The girls also had a part in the wedding.  They got to pass o

The rest of our Spring Break was pretty uneventful.  We went to the library and met Carl for lunch one day, went and bought groceries and ate with Carl again on Thursday, and then Friday we didn't do too much.  I have been having some health issues going on for the past 3 weeks (other than the flu) so Friday was a resting day for me.  The kids didn't mind too much,  It was rainy and cold, so Carl was home with us too.  He seems to keep them (especially Trey) entertained :) Makena had a sleepover at her friend Harlee's house that night and the rest of us had a wedding rehearsal to attend! Trey was to be the ring bearer in the wedding on Saturday.  It was really cute because my niece, Ellie Kate, was the flower girl.  I'm getting ahead of myself, though. I'll make a special post for the wedding later :)  Some of the books the kids checked out at the library.   So, it wasn't the most exciting Spring Break, but at least we didn't have to wake up early

Well this is Spring Break 2013!  Yeah, everybody is pretty much better (still battling a few coughs and snotty noses) and ready to have a little fun.  Too bad we don't have any major plans :( Monday was pretty much a gross day.  Thunderstorms and rain on and off all day long, however, my sweet Mother decided to take the kids to see a movie! This was the movie of choice: Oz The Great and Powerful in 3D!! They said it was awesome.  Even Trey liked it.  Get ready if you're going to see it though, it is a VERY long movie.  Like over two hours long.   Today was a little chilly but still pretty, so Trey wanted to have a picnic on Fort Munger   Sillyness! The girls didn't want to participate in our picnic, so they stayed in (BORING!!) and ate the lunch of their choice :) Makena's happened to be Ravioli (YUCK). Carlie had Chinese! Notice the phone is not too far away. This afternoon Makena had an orthodontist appointment to get her braces!

Ahh, it's finally Spring Break and to be honest, it couldn't have come at a better time.  School was just wearing on and on and there has been a flu outbreak for the past two weeks so we have been short of teachers, help, and some days kids!  Trey tested negative for it one week and then positive for it last Thursday.  He didn't get the flu shot this year because he was sick on the day they gave it at school (remember the Thanksgiving Program we missed) and I never got around to getting it for him(epic parent fail!). Makena has had a touch of something too and missed about three days of school.  I thought I was in the clear and the Friday came.  I started getting sick, but was in big-time denial about it.  I mean if you got outside at all this weekend you know that it was a beauty.  Temps in the upper 70's, sunshine, and blue skies....so there was no way I was going to be sick!  I made it through most of Saturday and we went out to eat with my parents and grandparents a

Well, after a fun filled weekend, it was finally time to head South.  Carl's injury did put a slight damper on things, but we still had fun!  Before we left the kids were begging to ride the trolley, and you know as parents, we aim to please!  Besides, we had to find some lunch :) Carl and Trey were all snuggled up together.  We were thankful for heated seats that day!! Me and my girls.  They are so much fun now!   While we were on the trolley, we saw this plane.  I thought it was a little strange and the kids wanted me to take a picture of it, so here you go. I know, I've already posted some of these pictures, but I had done a photo grid picture of them and couldn't separate them because I had deleted them already!  Anyway, the bottom left picture is the last place we went before we left.  It's a favorite of ours, Blues City Cafe.  They have great food and service! And I just love their motto, "Put Some South In Your Mouth"!!     We C

Carlie chillin in the hot tub.  That was the deepest hot tub I had ever seen: 4ft!   Makena had to try out the hot tub too! Trey loves swimming :) The whole time we were gone it snowed off and on.  It just so happened that while we were in the pool swimming it was coming down pretty hard.  The kids though it was cool.  We all know how I feel about all that cold weather and such....YUCK!!   We had to make a trip to Target! We were pooped after a long day on the town :) Makena wanted to climb in bed with me and watch Duck Dynasty!  They just can't get enough of it :) This is in honor of all our Duck Dynasty watchers!   Good Night, Jack!   Beth    

On March first the family headed to Memphis for the annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show.  We usually go up on Thursday and stay through Saturday, but this year since Carl had just had surgery on Monday, we opted to just drive up on Friday and stay the night.  The kids had an awesome time.  I tried to have fun, but I have to admit I was still a little worried about Carl and his knee.  He has been having pain the back of his calf, not actually his surgery area.  Here are a few of the pictures I snapped. Almost there! Here we gooo! Trey found a big old rat! Trey was gathering up all the goodies he could find :)   Driving his Big Green Tractor (still one of his favorite songs)   When we were eating lunch at Cracker Barrel Carlie and Makena found stuffed animals (yes, more darn animals!). Yes, they were actually getting along...it was a MIRACLE! Last year Trey got his picture made with Jase from Duck Dynasty at the show and this year Willie was there!  We did