Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

Josh and I finally made it out to Arlington for a Rangers game this weekend!

Granted, the game turned out to be ugly as the Rangers lost to the Angels...but it was so fun seeing the game and players live. I am very impressed with the family-friendliness they have incorporated into the whole game experience, and most excited about the sponsorship of the "I Am Second" Christian campaign all across the Ballpark. We even watched a little of the Christian band "Mercy Me" play before the game and sing the National Anthem.

Napoli batting, Moreland on deck, Nolan Ryan in red at his seat:

Andrus and Kinsler:

Wilson:

...and we sat the closest to Josh Hamilton. (If you are not familiar with his incredible testimony, Google it!)

Jim Knox even interviewed somone a few rows up from us :)

These men have been in our home every night this summer, so it was fun to finally be in theirs :)

'Joice!

Our favorite song to sing-clap-and-pump our hands to right now is "This is the Day the Lord has Made"...and we really do have so many things that make us "'joice" and be glad about every day! It rained a little again yesterday, so Brenna Beth was quick to sport Audrey's rainboots around the house...after Audrey wore them to the store with her orange shorts and tank top :)Another song that has brought many laughs this week is "Baby" by Justin Bieber. I can't say that I have ever actually heard the real song, but our little friends have serenaded us enough with it that Brenna has found it pretty catchy and will now squint her eyes and dramatically sing "Bebe Oooooh!" Wish I had a video version for you...trust me, it makes you happy :)
Grasshoppers make the girls really happy these days, too. Audrey cares for them in her bug cage, and Brenna tells them, "Hi Hopper!" Then Audrey is always intent on letting them go free, legs intact.We all came down with colds this week. Audrey said she didn't have enough "algae" (energy), and then later said she was having "algaes" (allergies). Brenna has enjoyed blowing her nose with "ashoos" by herself, of course. Brenna loves to tell you "I happy" and Audrey said she shows people she cares by being thankful. I learn so much from both of these sweeties. What are you happy and "'joicing" about these days?

Wonderfully made...

This week, we have been talking about how special God made each one of us!The kids loved tracing themselves and decorating their unique self-portraits. Audrey gave herself some beautiful brown hair and a smiley face...not to mention a whole sheet of red, white, and blue stickers adorning both of her legs.Kinsey gave herself glamorous rings and sticker jewelry.Harper was incredibly sweet to help the little ones with the stickers.

Yes, these children are truly "wonderfully made." Psalm 139

Playday Pals

We have some new changes in our little playzone this year...

We will still have Kinsey and Danica coming over to play, but Caden started his Pre-K class today. It is already weird not having him here since he has walked through our door ever since he was 1! We welcomed new friends Harper and Garner into our wild world, and they are super sweet...and cute, huh?!

We have lots of fun days ahead this year!

"Lord, who am I to teach the way

To little children day by day,

So prone myself to go astray?

Lord, if their guide I must be,

Oh let the little children see

That I am leaning hard on Thee."

--Leslie Pinckney Hill

Bless This Mess

Four sticky spills, a batch of Magic Mud, five small bruises, a dozen crumbly cupcakes, thirteen balloons, 3 emptied bookshelves per day, two busted snowglobes, 7 dishwasher loads in 4 days, and one horrific poop mess later...and we survived our first week of babysitting this year!Audrey: "Look, Mom! Footprints!" It's hot sauce, mind you.Brenna: "A mess! A mess!" Watercolor water.
And ready for more? Bring it on...and bless this mess!

F-R-E-E

"Free" was my favorite new word this summer.

If you remember, I got on a coupon kick and did pretty well for myself. My highest savings in one visit was $90, and I probably averaged $40 the rest of the visits. Overall, with sales and coupons, I think I probably saved us $500 this summer. Our grocery bills remained about the same, but I just came home with more food for free! Here are a few things that I didn't pay much or ANYTHING for:

--napkins, bread, paper towels, paper plates, batteries, fabric softener, candy from the cart-boy, a whole box of diapers, a year's worth of vitamins for $9, pizza with a pizza cutter

A few other free things this summer: two Texas Rangers tickets, a tour of the Comanche Post Office courtesy of our neighbor Bunny, two hamsters with a cage courtesy of the other neighbors, a car wash--mostly because we got stuck in the drive-thru, 6 DQ ice cream cones, a stay in New Mexico at my aunt and uncle's house with free grandparent-babysitting back home :)

Last week, the girls and I ventured to the Brownwood Mall because we were obviously desperate to do something :) We shared a Chick-fil-A meal for $6, bought two girly shirts for $6, and spent about the same amount on the quarter riding machines. We like livin' large, huh?

Now in an effort to stop sounding like a cheapskate...I am proud of our biggest purchase this summer: a really nice washer! And I am not the only one who finds it largely entertaining...

The box has become a prized possession around here, too...

So I will keep searching out the deals (since that is our name afterall ;), and if you know where I can find any big huge boxes, please let me know!

Tangled

The title of our new favorite movie is appropriate for this post since it's all about a couple of princesses and their hair...

First of all, little princess B has decided that she does not want to wear a ponytail anymore, at all, never. She rips her hair down after only minutes of fixing it.

Therefore, her hair is a little out-of-control and hangs in her eyes badly.

Luckily, I talked her into a compromise: clipping the front with a bow. Not a rubber band, not a clippie. She liked the bow idea and says, "Es pitty!"

Have you noticed how light her hair has gotten this summer? Now, Princess A likes her hair to be fixed, she just doesn't like to get her hair fixed. Brushing her hair is a chore usually, and she is very very tenderheaded.

We did try a new "do" this week that she was very proud of (and I was, too!) I french-braided her hair, and it was not too shabby for my very first time :) And it actually managed to stay up almost all day even through her wild tricks. She called them Indian Braids :)

Summer Finale

We have ended our summer this week with two pool parties and picnics with great friends!

Eastland Pool with Nana, Layton, & the Utterback family:

Caden's 4th Birthday Party:

Summer 2011 was just amazing! Hope you had a great one, too!

RAIN!

Our response to the rain today...

Thank You, God!

Livin' It Up: Library

We have loved the library this summer! The girls enjoy everything about the experience from gearing up to pulling books off the shelf to handing them to the librarian for check out to reading them over and over and over.A few favorite selections this summer have been the "Fancy Nancy" series, "McDuff" series, "Clifford" series, and books by fun new authors. We've read about hungry number-munching monsters, crocodiles, sheep in jeeps, crazy hamsters, and a bunny that flew airplanes :) They recognize the library every time we drive by and always ask to go back. It just celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.

I am so glad the girls love reading and learning...but I do not look forward to the day this picture is taken of them walking out the door to go to school!

Livin' It Up: Mountain Getaway

Josh and I stole away this weekend for a much needed break from the Texas heat, drought, and busy little girls! The girls were thoroughly entertained by Mimi and Pop :) We stayed at my aunt and uncle's vacation home for the fifth time in four years! We are beginning to think that we like it there :) This was the morning view from the house (times 8 more elk on the mountainside).

The weather is amazing there right now, raining every afternoon dropping the temperature into the 60's! We enjoyed driving around with the sunroof and windows down, eating outside on the porch, visiting a few shops, and spending time with our good friends, the Weavers.

The clouds were the fluffiest and the skies the bluest I have ever seen (these pictures don't do it justice). The Land of Enchantment did just that this weekend!

Lovely

"God saw all that He had made and He loved them. And they were lovely because He loved them."

--The Jesus Storybook Bible

Livin' It Up 8: Go Fishin' & Start a Band

And they think we're just fishin' and playin'...