Birthday Cake for Autumn!

Darrell asked me to help him with Autumn's 12th birthday this year. It was so much fun making her cake! Of course Neil helped me so much!

Happy Birthday Autumn!

Happy Birthday Johnathon!

He was even at our wedding! John was born 4 months and 1 day later!
We had no idea what lay ahead, but we could not get enough of our John John!

Here is a picture of a picture. He was about 2 weeks here. It was Christmas time. We were still learning what we were dealing with. John was born with half his heart. I think that was the main problem, but there were several other things wrong too. He ran (literally) right over his doctors predictions for him!


At one point he had a feeding tube placed in. But it wasn't for long.



These next few were from a hospital stay. My parents went to visit him
and took lots of pics with him.





Obviously, they were taken before his first heart surgery. There is no scar running down his chest. This had to have been taken before he was 6 months. He sure was swollen though.


Grandpa and Grandma were, by far, two of his favorite people!


Family weekend out at Grandparents house! I think he was happiest out there.
He'd just run and run.

Another family weekend.

Chucky Cheese was awesome! Make A Foundation gave Johnathon a wish, and since his 2nd surgery was 2 weeks away, we planned a Chucky Cheese day 2 days before we left for Dallas. He had an absolute ball! Make A Wish was happy to do this, but they let us know that when he got back from Dallas, he was getting a bigger wish. We were blown away by them. Unfortunately, Johnathon didn't get to make his big wish.

This picture is bittersweet for me. It is taken in the lobby of the hotel in Dallas. We had just scrubbed him clean and got him ready for his surgery. He was terrified, but we wanted pictures of this sweet baby.

Everyone was on edge. We knew it was a very serious surgery. We were told, he probably won't make it, but if he did he could come out of it dealing with a whole slew of problems. We didn't care, we just wanted our Johnathon. This surgery had snuck up on us because he had been doing so well. He had started to decline pretty rapidly about a month before this surgery.

Holding grandbabies!
(See his 3!! pacifiers? He loved them!)

Johnathon never recovered from his surgery. He went in Thursday of June 2006 and that Sunday he went into cardiac arrest. On Wednesday he went to be with our Father.

Someone emailed this letter to my mom, and she pasted it on to me. I am thrilled that John touched other lives, because he sure blessed mine. It is so hard for me to talk about him, I'm crying right now, but I am thrilled to shared my angel of a nephew with you!

Dear Billie,

Cindy G. shared your Email with me because I’ve wanted to share with you, for some time, how your little Johnathan touched my life one day.It was a Sunday morning a week or so before Johnathan’s Dr. appt. in Dallas. I was sitting on the floor in the 3 year old class at the Comanche Trail Church of Christ. Montessori method is used in that class, so everyone works their bible pieces on carpet squares in the floor. I was sitting on the floor in front of a bible work piece when Johnathan walked in. He came over to me and stood by me. I placed my arm around him and began to explain to him how the equipment was to be worked. He was grinning from ear to ear – never saying a word - listening, but smiling all the while. About that time, another boy entered the room, but not so happy. He was crying and getting more and more upset. Johnathan looked over at him, still smiling, but not saying a word. Another teacher went to the boy who was crying, trying to engage him in the work, to comfort him in any way to get him to calm down. About that time, a bug began to crawl across the floor, directly in between the 2 boys –(despite how disgusting that might sound ). Both boys began watching the bug make it’s way across the rug – Johnathan smiling – the other crying. Johnathan moved away from my arm toward the bug on the floor and I thought for a moment he might bend to pick it up but instead he raised his foot and stomped it back to the rug, aiming for the bug…. but he missed. The bug continued his journey, the little boy, however, was no longer crying. His eyes, as well as everyone else’s, were on Johnathan. Johnathan’s smile never waned, he raised his foot and aimed again, only….to miss again. This time though, a bubbly giggle escaped from his throat. He continued to repeatedly raise his foot in an attempt to smash the bug…..without success. Each failed attempt increased his giggles until he finally threw his head back and laughed that wonderful, kind of infectious laugh that comes from pure joy!!! A small sigh came from the little boy who had been crying, the corner of his mouth turned up and a giggle bubbled out …then the whole room exploded in laughter, as everyone watched Johnathan’s carefree spirit spread sunshine!!

Although I was laughing, there were tears in my eyes for the blessing of having been touched by this precious little child’s loving spirit! I often think of Johnathan and the gift of joy he gave to all of us that day! I’m sure he inherited his Grandma’s ability to laugh out loud ~ and I was blessed because of it!! I bet in heaven he keeps everyone LOL Hugs!!

Brenda Carver

Happy Birthday!

Johnathon would have been 10 years old.
Happy birthday baby boy!

Not a day goes by that I don't think about you.
We love you and miss you so much!!!

Christmas!!

I finally caught yall up on all our pics the last few months. (Actually not! I just realized I left out halloween and pumpkin carving.) I haven't been taking pictures lately, but hopefully, I will get some family pictures taken soon! I got a new present, which I will show you later. So excited about it! I do have pics of us decorating our tree, so I'll post those. I didn't take pictures over the Thanksgiving holidays. We just spent time with family, which was nice. We learned we have a new niece or nephew coming in June! Congratulations Fili, Teresa, and Cadence. So happy for you guys! Mom, Sabrina and I headed out around 4 am on Black Friday and had so much fun shopping. I didn't get much, but got some big items that saved us a lot of money! So, very happy about that!

Anyway, look for our halloween pictures soon! There are tons of them, so I'll get to those later!

My new kitchen!

When we started our mini makeover, we had NO idea how big it would turn out to be. I completely LOVE my green living room and yellow dining room! It's the perfect color! We still haven't finished the kitchen, but it's getting closer. All Neil has to finish is the part were he pushed back the paneling above my cabinets. What we didn't realize we would have to do is, redo the oven area. My oven went out a few months ago, and it was cheaper to get a better and bigger stove than a cheap tiny wall oven to replace my old one. So here it is.



We still have to touch up around the drawers that Neil made, but that will get done. I love it and Neil did a fantastic job! Now, the only thing is, is I'm not loving my white kitchen cabinets. I'm ducking as I say this, don't hurt me Neil. ;) But I think I want to paint it all a bluish gray color instead. And we are gonna have to get new counter tops, Neil said this not me! Because the stove didn't fit in the old cook top's whole. But I am loving that we are getting the house to match our personalities finally!

Night away (Random post)

A few months ago, the girls and I went away for the night with my mom. We went to see one of my cousins getting married. This was the second night since I married Neil that we had been apart. Sniff! The first was the weekend before when Neil went with my dad on a motorcycle trip. They had so much fun, and apparently Dad is planning a longer trip now. Dad? Seriously??? Anyway, this is a pic of Emma and I when we were in bed, playing with my phone. I love my girls so much.

30!!!!!!!!

A week before my birthday, my sweet momma called up Neil and said she wanted to give me a surprise party! It was convenient to do it the morning of Emma's birthday party, which was also her birthday. (Mine's 2 days later.) So, thank you Emma for sharing your special day with me! I was surprised. The only things that set me to wondering was 1. Neil made me do my hair and makeup before I went to Lubbock early that morning with Sabrina, (Thank you Neil!) and 2. Sabrina was taking FOREVER to get home. We headed down 82nd, and she turned around to get the guys coffee. Then when we hit the highway, she went 60-65 mph. I told her she could speed up, so she would. I would look away and she would slow down. She later told me she kept looking to see if I was looking. I was. Then when we got home, she went a different direction. They never take a different direction.

Anyway, when we got home, I walked inside and wondered why it was SOOOO quiet. I knew my parents and grandparents were there, but there was NO noise. I looked in the living room and my grandma was trying to scooch over, and I turned the corner and saw LOTS of people.


I was shocked!

Look familiar? We have that same look in our eyes! LOL!


Here I am beating up Sabrina with Emma's gift wrapping.


Everyone singing Happy Birthday to ME!

I never know where to look when the spot light is on me.


I even got to blow out 30 candles on my very own cake. I haven't done that in at least 13 years. (I think.)

I was shocked at all who showed. Thank you everyone for making me feel so special! I had one of the best days that day!

Turning 30 was no big deal to me. It didn't bother me at all. I am where I thought I would be, mom, wife. I am so very blessed to have the things I always wanted out of life!

Bbbbuuutttt, there was one tiny, little, itty bitty thing that bothered me. I GOT MY FIRST GRAY HAIR!! I very lovingly named it Neil, and yanked it out! It was very pretty. The silveriest, silver I have seen. But it's gone! And I dyed my hair very promtly!

Emma's 8th Birthday!

We got to rock Emma into her 8th year this year!

Emma decided she wanted to have a rock star birthday party. And it was SOOOOO much fun! We asked her friends to come dressed as a rock star and we topped them off with hair and make up when they came over. My mom did their hair.

As you can see she got way into character. My girls LOVED it! Thanks Grandma for playing along! One of Emma's BFF is the Superintendent's daughter. I sat behind him at church the next morning and he was telling me how much fun Carly had. And he asked, "Who was that lady dressed all in black, with her hair all done?" I just started laughing, and he asked if that was my mom. He thought that was pretty cool. So funny!


And Aunt Sabrina and I added the makeup. Every girl loved this part. After the hair and make up stations, they went into our dining room where I had a make shift stage set up, and they sang and danced for everyone.

Then it was cake time.

Emma wanted a guitar cake. Which, that's easy enough, but you see that black oven right there? It was broke. It quit working on me a few weeks before Emma's party, and we were waiting to see if Neil got the job before we went to get a new oven. So, a very sweet friend of my lent me her kitchen for an afternoon. Now, a beautiful stainless steel oven is where my cooktop goes, and my microwave and two new drawers are where the old oven was. Love it!

Gift Time!

Emma wanted a guitar so bad, so Neil and I bought her a starter one. We plan on having her take lessons as soon as I find someone I can trust to give them to her. She was so excited!

The rock star party was a complete hit this year, and I was so glad Emma was happy!

She's not so much a baby anymore!

After the party, we found Emma making up Kade's face in the makeup station!

(Doesn't Emma's hair look cool?) I guess Kade wanted the Hulk look. And I'm happy to announce, this sweet little boy was given a good bill of health. That noggin of his has no tumors, masses, or whatever Amarillo thought they saw. So, for that we are truly thankful! Thanks for all the prayers on his behalf!

Lily decided to match Kade.


Cousin pics!


Emma modeling a new outfit, too sweet!


Happy 8th birthday Baby Girl! Seems like yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital! I love you!

Homecoming 2009

As I've mentioned before, both girls got to participate in mini cheer leading this year. They performed at the Harvest Festival and Homecoming half time and the pep rally. Every year they do floats for each class.



I don't think kindergarten did a float, but here is 2nd grades. Emma was so proud of it. She said they even put dry ice in the grill to make it look like it was smoking.


This is when the winner was announced. Can you guess who it was? It was so funny. Lily looks so sad, but I really don't think she cared.


This is the girls doing one of the dances. I know it looks horrible, but I was trying not to show anyone else.

The girls looks so sweet in their cheer shirts and mums.

Congratulations Neil!

I wanted to add real quick, that Neil started his new job today! Congratulations Babe! We are so incredibly proud of you. Thank you so much for working so hard so that I can stay home with our babies! We love you!!!

Happy Blogiversary to ME!

I wasn't gonna get on the computer today, but I was thinking last night that it's been about one year since I started this blog. So, I just had to get on and say YAY! It's been a lot of fun documenting my little family this year, I've enjoyed sharing them with you. I know I've been slacking in posts the last couple of months, but I hope after the holidays, I come back refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of things.

Happy Holidays!

So sweet!

No, I'm not starting October pics yet, but I wanted to post this pic that I took tonight. I sent the girls to bed early, they were so tired. They went to a slumber party last night, so they were spent. Emma was getting a tissue and I asked her if Lily was asleep and she went to check for me. She came back grinning, wanting to show me something, so I went to look, and turned around and grabbed my camera. At the party they made eye masks, and apparently Lily needed a little bit of a light blocker.



Isn't it cute?? I love the eyelashes, so sweet. Emma wore hers too, but she is under pillows. Unfortunately, when I took Lily's off, because I was afraid she'd choke on it, I broke a strap. So, I'm gonna have to fix it. Anyway, too cute not to share. Now to go get Emma's off without waking her...

Ok, I had to add Emma's picture too. So cute!



Poor thing, I think I blinded her. Might need to add padding on those things with this mama around.

Wow! I'm a bad blogger

Life has gotten in the way of this blog, so bare with me while I catch up. May take a while. The month of October was crazy for us this year. Thankfully, this post should finish out September's pictures, and we can move on to October.



Sometime in September, we went to watch hot air balloons. We were hoping to watch them take off, but the weather turned bad and they put them up pretty quickly. We did get to watch them air up two balloons, and then one hit the other and deflated it, so there was just one for the most part. We just sat and watched them give shorts rides up and down for awhile, but the girls didn't stay interested long. They were happy swinging.


Emma and her class read a story on cowboys, so they had a cowboy day at school.


She actually wanted to wear a skirt that day. I was shocked! She sure looked cute!

And....
I caught the girls torturing my poor Chowder.


The girls really thought he needed to wear this dress, so Neil helped them dress him.

He had a hat, necklace, dress, and dress shoes. He looked miserable. He was very good with them though.

Ok, now on to October.... :-)