Aunt Dee the Crafty Bee

Can you imagine that we have another family member that likes to take pictures just as much as we do!?!? LOL Well, Aunt Dee loves to take pictures when she comes to visit. She enjoys scrap booking and is very creative with the layouts.
Here are some of her works of art:

Halloween 2009
Andy & Tommy aka Mario & Luigi
(My nephews)


Holliday Lil' Eagles 2009
Kayleigh Baseball


The Eyes of A Child
Emily's Eyes


Oh So Pretty 2009
Nathalie
(entertaining herself at one of Kayleigh's baseball games)


Summer 1988
Albany Lake House
My brother Joseph, cousin Amanda & Me


Thank you Aunt Dee for being so creative!!
We love you!!

At First Sight

At First Sight
by: Nicholas Sparks

This book is a continuation of True Believer.

The love between Jeremy Marsh & Lexie Darnell is being tested.

As we all know, life has a tendency to throw curve balls when we least expect it.
Every couple has ups and downs, every couple argues, and every couple can't function without trust.

Lexie has a wise Grandmother (Doris) whose advice we can all take to heart.

When it comes to men, they can be rip-roaring mad or frustrated or worried about work or life, but in the end, they're pretty simple to figure out if you know what makes them take. And one of the things that makes them tick is an almost desperate need to feel appreciated and admired.

Hello Grandma Doris!!! I could have used that info. along time ago!!!!

More wisdom from Grandma Doris:

A man promises to do things to keep you happy in the hopes that you too, will do things that keep him happy. Men have certain needs, women have different needs; that's the way it was hundreds of years ago, and that's the way it's going to be hundreds of years from now. And part of that is trust.

I love it!! Thank you Grandma Doris!!!

This book brought me to tears!!! I was devastated at the way it ended!!
It is definitely a book I would recommend!

Don't forget:
1st read True Believer
2nd read At First Sight

Heart of My Heart

Love is Cousins:
Here are Valentine's we received:


Our sweet cousin Addy


Our sweet cousin Crockett

We have so many sweet & loving cousins & nephews!
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Love is Church:
My favorite Valentine gift was: Casey!!
He doesn't always get to go to church with us. When he asked what I wanted for Valentine's Day, I said, "Valentine's is on Sunday! I would love for you to go to church with us!" He did!! It was the best, most special gift of all!

We love our church! There are so many loving & caring families!
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Love is Family:
Here are just a few of their Valentine's:


Kayleigh w/ Valentine's from Grandmaw Elwanda


Emily w/ Valentine's from Mom & Dad


Nathalie w/ Valentine's from Nan & Pop Pop

We are so fortunate to have so many loving friends & family members!
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Love is music:
This is a song I learned in Elementary:
I will never forget this song, because our Music Teacher Mrs. Holcomb
taught it to us for a spring concert & then soon after she was killed in an accident.

Love is a very special thing! A smile, a tear, a soft summer rain.
It has no beginning, it has no end. I like it best when it's shared with a friend.

Love is, never stuffed up, never puffed up, never gives up when the goings rough.
It's the biggest little word you can say by the way.

It sincerity, it's charity the main variety, it's everything happiness is made of.
I like it best when it's shared with a friend!

We love teachers! They are a gift from God!

What do you love?!?

Basketball Beauties

The girls have really enjoyed playing basketball. It is the 1st time for both of them to play. Kayleigh has picked up on it easy! Emily is slowly getting better.

We have enjoyed going to their games & cheering them on! Every time the whistle blows, Nathalie will say, "Game Over!?!" It is so funny!

Kayleigh plays at the Downtown & East Branch YMCA, & Emily plays at the Family YMCA.
They enjoy watching each other play! Kayleigh will remind Emily to "Guard Your Girl!!" Emily will yell, "Alright Kayleigh!! They are so proud of each other!

Here are some pictures of them:

Photo Joe Picture It All

My dad is an exceptional photographer! He has entered many of his pictures into contests & magazines. Most of the pictures have been published! I can't think of a time that my dad hasn't taken pictures. He takes pictures of nature, animals, people, buildings. He has even taken pictures for sporting events, birthday parties, concerts and a few weddings.

Photography is one of his many hobbies!
Here are a few I found:

I love this one of the run down windmill.
This is beautiful with the sun rising in the background!
The mesquite trees growing up around the windmill, I just love it!


This one is inspirational.
The way the clouds have formed & shaped, Wow!
It is like a reminder that God is watching over us!


This is such a beautiful rainbow!
It seems as if there is no beginning or end.


God gives each of us unique gifts!
I am so glad my dad has so many hobbies & talents.
His gift of photography has touched so many lives.

Snow Time! Show Time!

Our friends, Joey & Holly invited us to go sledding!
We had such a good time! The kids had a blast!

Girls in their snow gear!


Going up to sled down


Kayleigh


John


Abby


Nathalie
*Notice the snowball hanging from her scarf*


I can't believe we have had this much snow!

SNOOPY!!!

For Christmas, Casey got us (me & the girls) season tickets to the Wichita Theatre!
The 1st show of the season was SNOOPY!!!



The show was GREAT!!

As a child, I always loved reading the Peanuts Comic!
The girls like watching the seasonal Peanuts shows:

A Charlie Brown Valentine
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
A Charlie Brown Christmas

This was our favorite song from the play:
"Everything You Can Be"


What a great lesson!
Don't be anything less than you can be!!

1st Birthday Blessing

This weekend we went to Matthew's 1st Birthday party.
He is such a sweet little boy, with a huge personality!


My best friend Brooke & husband Jody w/Matthew


Matthew w/Brooke enjoying his cake!!

Matthew is such a blessing!
We are so glad we got to be a part of his birthday celebration!

Stride and Ride

This past weekend, we participated in our first MDA Walk.
Our team name was MIMI'S MARCHERS.


The girls & I, Jess & Crockett, Trisha & my mom

The local new station KFDX was one of the big sponsors.
All the local high school cheerleaders attended.
The local hockey team mascot "Wildcat" was there.


The girls, MiMi & Wildcat

I would say the walk was a success!
We are glad we participated!

Dear John

Dear John
by: Nicholas Sparks

I wanted to read this book since I knew that the movie was coming out.
Well, the movie is out & I have heard nothing but wonderful things about it.

Now, if I can only get my husband to take me to see it!?!?

I must say, this is another great read!!

Here is the storyline:

When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets Savannah, the girl of his dreams. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty. But neither can foresee that 9/11 is about to change the world. Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country. Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life.

My favorite part of the entire book is a very important life lesson!!

Savannah and John are having a conversation:
She tells him, " My dad always said that when you're struggling with something, look at all the people around you and realize that every single person you see is struggling with something, and to them, it's just as hard as what you're going through."

I enjoyed this book, and can't wait to see the movie!!

Yeah For 100th Day!!

Today celebrated the 100th Day of the School Year!
Emily had a fun filled day of activities in her kindergarten class.

1) She counted out 100 mixed nuts by 1s, 5s, & 10s.
(Yes she washed her hands first!!!)
The mixed nuts were taken to school & added to many other items & mixed together to make a trail mix.

2) She put 100 of the same item in a brown paper bag.
She with our help came up with 3 clues so her classmates could guess what was in the bag.

Her clues:
1) Starts with the letter "S"
2) Is sticky
3) Is a reward

And the item in the bag: Stickers
She gave the stickers to her teacher, for their reward sheet.

Emily said her favorite part of the day was the trail mix, because her friend gave her all of his mixed nuts since he didn't like them!!

The next school celebration is Valentine's Day!!
I am anxious to see who the girls pick to be their Valentine!!