swimming

Well, it's not grand, but it's a place to cool off.. or it was before this intollerable heat! We went and bought a little pool...well, big for us...for Karleigh to swim in, but we all love to get in at the end of the day and cool off! Here's some pics of my crew "cooling off" in the water (which was the same temperature as bath water at the time! lol)

9 months

WOW! Time flies way too fast! Up to this point I have been pretty good at getting pictures of Kole done on time, but the other day I realized that he was almost 10 months old and I had not taken 9 month pictures yet! Of course for many other people it would not be that big of a deal, but I already feel guilty that I haven't taken him to have his pictures taken "professionally" like I did Karleigh so to not get him at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months would be unforgiveable! 9 months has been a BIG month for us...Kole has learned to say "Mama, Kar, Dadee, bye bye, dun (done), and du (duck). He has also learned to crawl, wave, eat finger foods, clap his hands, and he had his first ear infection! We still are not pulling up, and we don't have teeth yet (though we're working on those). I love watching him...it's so fun to see him discover new things! SO, I finally did get some pictures of Kole...if you could have seen us...it was VERY HOT outside, but that is the only place I could set everything up. Kole, Jason, and Karleigh were in the pool, so I snatched Kole from the pool and tried to take pictures quickly so that we wouldn't get too hot! I will attach some of the results. They are not everything I was imagining, but they will do!

In My World: CRAWLING

In My World: CRAWLING

CRAWLING

Well, we now have a crawler in the house! Wednesday I was watching my friend's two children so she could run an errand. It was officially naptime and all the kids were cranky especially Seth (7months) and Kole (9months). The babies were in Kole's room playing when all of the sudden there was screaming coming from all 4 corners of my house! Karleigh and Evan were pretending to be lions and were clawing, roaring, and screaming. Kole and Seth were tired and scared of the lion roars coming down the hall so they started screaming too... While I was calming down the two Kings of the forrest I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye... It was my baby boy Kole who'd apparently had all he could take of the screaming Seth...he crawled right out into the hallway! So, at 9 1/2 months we are officially crawling, and let me tell you he can get anywhere he wants to go in 2 seconds flat! It's so fun to watch him, but sad too...he's becoming more independant every day! I sure do love that sweet little boy!

"photographer"

Last week I got a chance to take some pictures for a family from my church and they actually paid me. I can't believe I got paid for something that I love to do so much. I still have a lot of trouble believing that what I do is good enough to get paid for. I got really nervous and sick to my stomach the day that I was taking the pictures, but it all went really well! I think my favorite part is coming home and looking at the pics, and editing them to have a certain look. I am still learning photoshop...I need to take a class...but I love to use what I know so far! This family had wonderful places to take pictures...there was a pond, HUGE trees, a gravel road, and of course their new house... As I was editing the pictures I thought of so many other poses I could have used, and things I wish I had done, but all in all it was a good first. (I have been paid to take a child's pictures before, but not a WHOLE family!) The best part of it all is that a friend of this family saw the pictures and asked me to take their pictures too... More nerves, but it could also be a way for me to make a little money once in awhile!...here's a few of the pics!

Vacation

We just got home from 5 days in Branson MO. Branson is a 2-3 hour drive...depending on whether or not you get behind a big truck (or Grandpa Jones out looking for turtles) on HWY 7. We went with Matt, Kim, Evan, and Seth Moore. Kim and I have been friends for about 16 years, and Karleigh and Evan are best buds...most of the time! We stayed at Point Royale resort which was a little like a retirement community with some houses and condos on a big golf course. It was quiet and had really nice pools for the kids. Our condo was 3 bedrooms...Matt and Evan had the first bedroom, Kim and Seth took the upstairs loft, and Jason, Karleigh, Kole, and me took the third bedroom (which was huge). On Sunday we went to Lambert's in Ozark for lunch...we had to wait for over an hour, but it was some GOOD food! Then, we drove on to Springfield to the Bass Pro Shop for the rest of the day...just as we were getting ready to leave it came a MONSTER hail storm so we watched our vehicles getting pummeled through the huge glass boat showroom windows. Monday we had tickets to Silver Dollar City (thanks to Jason's Coke reward website)...and we had a full day at the city... Kareligh actually rode rides! (The Flying Elephants, The Lost River Ride, The Sunken Mine, The Teacups, The hot air balloons, and Fire in the Hole...which she didn't like) Evan fell asleep on the way out of the park, and didn't wake up till morning...not Karleigh...she and her daddy went swimming when we got back to the condo! Tuesday was a trip to the Fish Hatchery, fishing with the dads, and swimming! Wednesday went shopping at The Landing, ate a Famous Dave's BBQ, and yes, we went swimming again! The last morning we had to be out of the condo by 10:30...and yes, the cleaning lady showed up before we could get out...hahahahaha... We finished the vacation off with a trip to the outlet malls...where I spent a lot of money at Gymboree (CUTE CLOTHES), Karleigh got her first pair of real NIKE shoes, and even Kole got a few outfits! Panera was the last stop for lunch...OH I COULD EAT THERE EVERY DAY!!!! Wish we hadn't waited week to eat there! All in all, we had a great time, and made lots of memories with the kids...which is the important part! Now, lets see if I get any of this scrapbooked!

My Babies

Kole was dedicated on Sunday... we kept having to reschedule it over and over so we finally just said WE'RE DOING IT THIS SUNDAY! no matter what! There were 7 babies scheduled to be dedicated and ...selfish me... I was so disappointed! I wanted it to be special for him...and us of course! Karleigh's dedication was so precious, and I have it all documented in her scrapbook down to the sweet prayer that Pastor Moore prayed for her. When your baby is one of 7 it can't be very personal! Well, I stuck to my guns and kept the date, and a lady from the church called and asked if we wanted to have Kole dedicated in the first service (which is the one we always go to). WOW, of course we did! He was the only one, and the pastor held him and prayed for him...it was really sweet! I didn't think we'd have any family come, but Dad got off and he, Glennis, and the girls were here. Diana was out of town, but Jeff brought the kids and came too. Our neighbors even showed up. It was a special day that I will always remember!