Returning to This Work.

I haven't touched this blog in two years.  There are lots of excuses I could give you, but the bottom line is I don't write, right. (For example, I'm not even sure if a comma goes between "write,right".) I would have never picked this up again...but for prompting. I have this friend that ALWAYS writes right. She said to me, "My work is grammatically perfect, your work is people perfect." That was 13 months ago (self thought: whew...a lot has happened in those months.)  Her brilliantly kind suggestion was to not let the fear of the unknown and the my perceived limitations stop me from sharing things that might encourage other mamas and papas... that might encourage myself. She is very persuasive, this right writer friend of mine.  So, I am ready to reengage this project. Thanks for coming with me.

Grace's 10 year old pics :)

These are pictures David Carpenter took of Grace for her ten your old birthday...my how time flys.

Building a blog...

SO...here is the deal...we do a ton of stuff around this joint...and we have no documentation. I am enjoying FB less and less cause it is well, getting old. So I am returning to the blog-land and see what I can make happen! This is Mavi begging for "don-dees" doughnuts.

A winter wonderland!

Well my sweet Texas husband had to call off work when he woke up to this "insane amount of snow". So he joined the home school day (after I had my pout about my women's bible study being called off). First we had a 1 hour delay at the Long family academy. That opened up time for chocolate chip pancakes and sausage breakfast. Then we did a science and math lesson. We estimated the snow fall on the back deck. I said 13 1/4 inches, Jason said 10 3/4, Gabe said 10 1/4, Grace said 9 1/2 and the WINNER WAS.....

GABE with the winning at exactly 10 inches!!!

Maverick, who is never found of being cold, stayed in! They played in the morning...did their home school...and went back out.

A Great Day to be a kiddo!

2008 Ornament Exchage!

Look Angela Carpenter thinks she is SOOOOO funny...Whatever!

Aunt Jo Best Dressed 2008. Heather Scellato was a very close second!

Amy was another Rookie this year.

Okay some pretty stink'n funny stuff went down this year. The Rookies torn up the veterans. No one was safe and I am here to tell you not even the host was safe!!!!! Pictured above is the 2008 Rookie of the Year, Jennifer Bond!

Notice Jenn and stinky Annette yammering in the corner. They got in trouble like 6000 times for talking! Notice Dawn Hudson. She looks very cute and sweet but all I can say about that is "4 balls". She even made me blush!!!

Rachel tricked them into looking bad. HA! Amanda...nice belly! Keep those pants up. She was stolen from atleast 5 times.

Kellie is happy 'cause she stole the boot!!!!! There were 35 people in my downstairs and it got warm baby. I think we all laughed our fool heads off. Five of the people fought it out for Rookie of the year! She won most beatiful ornament too. It was the best (we say that every year) party ever...thank you for making it great!

TEXAS or BUST

So here is my little boy going to TX. He was thrilled to see his dog Vinnie. We had to send him Jason's mom because of his bad joints. Gabe was thrilled! He got to go to his fist Longhorn game with Dad-o too. Hook'em

My dad and Grace were Shreky and Fionia...Gabe was Spidey and Baby's first Halloween was giraffe! Grace won second place in the Sams costume contest!

Road Side Pumpkin's

As an artsy person I savor the flavor of the fun of things. As kids...they just want their PUMPKINS. So I forgot about my need for drama and let them get road side pumpkins! Fall is in the air!

Dorky Kids

After much complaining about the jungle gym being too "babyish", my kids thought of a way to make it better...Rock on!

Life's a Beach!

There is more than corn!

Okay Indiana Beach may not be everyone's idea of a great escape, but I have to tell you we loved it. We camped there for 8 days!!!!! Aunt Jo and I had the kids until Jay got there on Friday! Oh man he had a great time. It was Home School week and we got to go to a special Cheif class and live it up with bumper cars. MY KIDS ROAD THEM A SOLID HOUR. I was fine until some punk-face slammed my baby boy Gabey! Then it was on like Donkey-Kong! I had Aunt Jo watch watch Mavy and I chased me down so 11 year old boy and showed him what Big Mama is made of! I think they took him out on a stretcher.

So Not all of us loved the water. Mav loved the sand part, but when we took him to the water sprayers....well things went bad!

One day we took the kids on a horse ride. Well, Gabe rode this pony named Macho Man. He LOVED that name! So cute! Grace rode an Appalousa (hence no tail). Her name was Miss Devel. I think Miss Devil might have been better. It was like the fastest horse I have ever seen.

Have your kids ever done something better than you? That is what I think about every time I watch Grace ride. She is so stink'n amazing to me! I just adore her!

BIG NEWS!

Gabers lost his first baby tooth. A moment of silence for the passage of a milestone!

(a mother weeps)

All in all-in-all...a great trip!