Summertime at GG and Papa's

In addition to all of the fun we've had here in Graham, we were also able to spend some time at GG and Papa's house this summer. Here's a look at what we did there (hint: there was lots of water involved).

Of course you can't talk about time at GG and Papa's without mentioning the road trips. So long….loss of patience at least once….crying babies at different intervals….thankful for naps….constantly spotting construction equipment…..so glad when we reached our destination! At one point I was at my wits end with Cooper chatting constantly. I told him that he could not talk to me for 10 minutes. So he instead sang what he wanted to say to me to the tune of the kids' song that was playing. Another time I pointed out a piece of equipment and Ace didn't see it in time, so he got crazy upset and I turned around to ease the pain. There's usually always an errand to do on the way to or from, and I use it as a stop point to stretch our legs. Somehow that one errand always seems to take an hour at least, but we're usually rewarded with some Chic-Fil-A afterwards (my go to spot on the road). And of course there's usually a plea to stop and potty while I'm on the Interstate or in traffic. 

 

Family swim time during one visit

Papa was baling hay during one of our visits so we joined in (or at least watched). 

Tucker's pondering his thoughts about being on top of a bale 

(*in case you were worried about my child's safety, don't be. Mom was squatting behind the bale holding him) 

Couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a shot of all three. Why haven't I framed this yet? 

 

 Practicing their dismounts…Ace preferred sliding to jumping.

 

Dalton counted the bales for Papa. Working with Papa is hard work 

so Ace needed a big drink of cold water. 

 Back to the pool for more fun!

We played "cross the crocodile river" and Papa was the crocodile. Ace would get so worried that he'd knock us off with his fidgeting. He's not into games like that in the water. 

 During our first trip the county fair was going on.  We bought the boys some tickets and they rode several rides, even the roller coaster. Cooper we expected to hop right on, but Ace did good too (with GG beside him.)

Sunning poolside and Cooper showing off his swimming skills with no floaties. 

 Mom and I took Cooper, Hank and Pearson to the movies to see Planes 2. I'll tell you it was exciting for me. Not the movie, but knowing that this would be my future….if I survive the toddler years! It was fun taking older kids somewhere. 

Our last swim at GG and Papa's. It's so fun to stay at a house with a pool. There was always entertainment, we felt clean after every swim, and the boys slept really well (the older two anyway)!

 Happy boy in the pool.

"Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’” John 4:13-14

Graham Summer Fun

    It's August now and we're about to begin all new adventures, but I still have fun memories to document from the summer, so I'll divide it between towns and go from there. Here are some summer memories we've made in Graham.

Our Tucker boy is growing, growing. 

The Justin Pitcocks came over for a visit…cousin fun.

 

Cooper did the Bible school circuit; he went to FUMC Graham, 

Loving Baptist and Ray Ray's Lutheran church in Corsicana. 

As you can see, it wore him out.

Ace's photography skills at a restaurant.

Evenings outdoors racing around the house and crawling around.

Tucker hit some milestones this summer. Crawling, sitting up in bed playing, and pulling himself to standing in bed (which doesn't help him go back to sleep very easy during the night), not to mention cruising, standing alone (for a short bit) and eating 'real food' off of our plates with his four teeth!

The lake was very low this summer and we had an infant, 

so we only made one family trip to the lake. But it was fun!

Tucker wasn't a big fan of the infant lifejacket but he tolerated it and fell asleep anyway.

The boys have climbed lots of fences and made many laps around the barns entertaining themselves. And playing with the cute kittens we have, Wooly Bully and Sven.

We had to say goodbye to friends that moved away. A last lunch together; 

all the little boys were at Gentry's beck and call. 

Haircuts on the back porch and swimming at the country club (as you can see Tucker gets pretty relaxed in the pool…he slept for about 20 minutes like this)

Cooper took swimming lessons (this was a cold day) and now swims in the pool without a floatie (I still wouldn't trust him in there without an adult, but we've made great progress).

Exploring the place when Tucker napped. We found some weeds that oozed white sticky stuff when you broke them, and played on a cool bridge in the pasture.

I experienced a hibachi style grill on a girls' night, and really enjoyed it!

Tucker's gotten his two upper and lower middle teeth. He's taken it pretty hard, 

and it's cost him lots of sleep, but he made it and looks pretty cute!

Ace got hit by a goat at a play day. He got to the goat to slap him and then the goat jumped right into his eye. It was a shiner but he was a trooper. (I missed it, because I was home with a feverish teething Tucker.) Mud…..Dalton's been watering the yard a lot to keep it nice and green, and the boys gravitate to the wet spots and any mud they find. Cooper became "mud man" and literally rolled in it. 

Church time! Our 'cool daddy' with his sun shades and Bible is ready to learn…and preach. We've been working on teaching him to sit with us in church (because he hates the nursery) and it's going pretty well. He plays with various things we bring, but the secret weapon is a mini box of raisins, gives him a snack and take some concentration to fish them out of the box! 

 Hank and Ava passed down their train table to us and it's been a big hit! Of course I've also had to teach more lessons on sharing…..

Daddy took Ace man to the barber shop to get haircut when I went to Ft Worth. 

It's growing on me but I still think I prefer it a bit longer. 

 

So this is what I look like when I'm surfing the web for good deals at night? Thanks Ace…

We are planning to go to the NFR in Vegas this Decemeber (just Dalton and I) so I've been researching hotel and flight prices to stay within budget!

A date night at the Wichita Falls Ranch Roundup. 

Such fun and a nice time to spend with just the two of us;

 thanks Mere Mere and Popsey for watching the kids! 

Tucker's learned how to open cabinets which makes for some interesting messes. He's great at entertaining himself….looks like I need to invest in more childproofing!

With Dalton's encouragement I've gone back to blonde, at least through the end of the year. 

After 3 hours at the salon it turned out very nice. (The first picture was one I sent to Dalton when he asked why it was taking so long.) 

This was a family picture Kallie took for us and even though it is anything but a typical posed picture we love it because it shows our family so accurately! I'm having it made into a canvas so we can enjoy it daily. Our life is crazy and busy and full, and even though things don't go perfectly or easily most of the time, we're in it together, and a smile makes it all feel better!

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praisworthy - think about such things." Philippians 4:8