Catching Up

It has been a crazy couple of weeks!!! Two weeks ago was our church's Backyard Bible Club. I helped with one of the clubs, and it was SO much fun!! We had an average of 20 kids every day, and I'm not sure who had more fun, the kids or the teachers. It was tiring, but we had a good time, and the kids were amazing! Emily worked VERY hard at memorizing 29 verses in 4 days, and was awarded a brand new Bible with her name on it. If I were a good mom, I would have pictures of this, but I don't.
Last Sunday night, a dear couple friend of ours had their 7 day old baby, Josias, air lifted to Cook Children's Hospital in Dallas to treat a couple different infections that he has. Please pray for this family as today marks day 7 of their hospital stay, and they are looking at at least 7 more days. Mom and Dad's names are Faith and Josh Longoria, and they are so tired. They have been sustained by God's grace, and are such a great example of trusting in the Lord. Pray that they will find rest and be able to come home soon.
Sarah was preparing for a trip home to SC this week, and my mom mentioned how she wished Emily could come with her. I laughingly mentioned it to Sarah on Thursday afternoon, and she said, "She can come with me, I don't mind." I thought she was crazy to trek 1300 miles with 3 kids. Well, partway with 4 kids. She dropped her nephew off on the way. But, after a lot of talking, we decided to let Emily go. She was so excited, and she was reunited with her Meme and Papa this evening. Again, a good mom would have pictures of her leaving, but it was too crazy.
So, that's what we've been up to. Brian takes his promotion test this Friday. Please pray for him to be able to spend this week studying and preparing. I'm not sure how long it will be before we have results, but please pray that this year he will be able to put on his next stripe.
Hope ya'll are having a good week. Remember those around you who are suffering and thank God for your health, and the grace and mercy HE bestows in your lives!

My Difficult Child

Sooo....Savannah will be 3 in September....and she's not potty trained. I know, I know, she's a little old to not be potty trained. Emily was 3 months shy of 3 before she potty trained, BUT, she potty trained in 12 hours. Seriously. She had one accident, and that was it. She never had any more trouble. I figured I'd let Vannah wait and she would be as easy. Not so much. We've tried on several different occasions. We've tried several different methods. Nothing. Not even once.
So, my mom sends her a "Potty Book". It's a cute book about being a big girl and getting rid of diapers. This is how the conversation went. (It was right before nap time)

Me: "Look! Vannah!! Meme sent you a book about being a big girl and going pee-pee on the potty! Do you want to take it to bed with you and look at it?"

Vannah: "I don't want it."

Me: "Why not? It's a new book!"

Vannah: "No...I don't want it!!"

When she woke up.....

Me: "Van, go show your new book to Daddy!"

Vannah: "No, I don't want to."

Me: "Why not?"

Vannah: "Cause, I don't want it."

SO! We now know that she gets what she is supposed to do...she just doesn't WANT to! :) Anyone have any suggestions? Please don't suggest letting her run naked, or spanking her into doing it because we've tried both, and they don't work. Anything else???

Vannah

Here are some pics of my Vannah. Had to post them...she's too cute.

Juice and July 4th

Ok, so the title is stupid, and I really only have one thing to say about Juice. We got a juicer!! I'm super excited about it because I have a certain 2 year old who shall remain nameless that doesn't like vegetables. She will not eat vegetables. For all of you pious parents who are thinking, "She will if she got hungry enough." I say, no, she wouldn't. We played that route with Emily when she was 2. She would eat that cooked carrot, and would not move until she did. Two hours later of her crying with orange drool dripping off her chin, we gave in. The next morning, she was hoarse from crying. We decided then and there, that we would never make our children eat something (after trying it once, of course). Side note: Emily still hates cooked carrots. She'll eat them raw, but not cooked. Anyway, I'm off the point. So we got a juicer, and the girls LOVE it!! Here, they are drinking, apple, carrot, spinach juice.




We had an incredible Fourth of July. We had planned on going back to Hot Springs, to see Brian's family, but had some unforeseen truck repair payments come up, so we decided to take a mini vacation down to Dallas/Fort Worth. We went to two children's museum (one of which we got in for free!) and watched fireworks at the Cotton Bowl on the Fourth. Then, yesterday, we slept in, went to Whole Foods Market for yummy fresh ground peanut butter, ate breakfast at 11:30, then shopping at Grapevine Mills Mall for the rest of the day. Ok, so, yesterday, was mostly for mommy, but the rest of the family had fun, too. We hit a great sale at the Disney Outlet store, and the girls got stuffed Bolts. They were SO excited!!

The first museum was the Fort Worth Cowgirl Museum. Brian and I thought it was lame, but the girls had fun.







The second museum was the Dallas Nature and Science Museum. It was much more fun...and free! All because we are Bank of America members. Yay!





It was SO hot!! We got to the stadium 2 and a half hours before the show started. They only opened half of the seating, but eventually, all 45,000 seats were full, We had great seats, but, MAN, those bleachers get hard after a while. It was obnoxiously loud. Not the fireworks, but the music that went along with it! The girls were not amused.


The carousel at Grapevine Mills Mall. We went there before Savannah was even thought of, and it cost 50 cents...it's TWO DOLLARS now. Sheesh!

It was so nice to get away for a few days and just enjoy being together!!

On a side note, Savannah is just getting over (still not completely) being really sick! Here she was at her most pitiful. :(