Willow Tree

While I was in Ohio recently to pick up Trevor from spending the summer with his grandparents I was able to visit with a few of my aunts. My Aunt Jane also collects Willow Tree figurines. Anyways, she had bought two of this particular one and gave me the extra one. This one is entitled Happiness. I really love being able to add this one to my own collection. Thanks a lot Aunt Jane.

More of Erianna's visit

Here are some more pictures of when our friends spent some time with us here in NC. We really enjoyed having them here with us for a few days.



Tanner didn't want them to leave. So when it came time for them to go, he took his play handcuffs and hooked Sivil to the tree. She thought it was funny to be handcuffed to a tree.


Here is Eric, Sivil, Sivetra and Erianna.



While Erianna spent a few days with us we took her to a local park and let her see some of the animals there. This animal is called Jacob's Sheep. I don't ever remember seeing anything like this before, so thought it was worth taking a picture.

Alexis, Eri, and Tanner.

Alexis, Tyler, Tanner and Erianna on the train.

Erianna and Alexis

Eri and Alexis are having a ball playing and doing things together. Eri's family came to our house early Saturday morning. They have some assembly to go to in Greensboro. They left Erianna with us for a few days. The girls got matching dresses for themselves and the baby dolls. So on Sunday they were excited to be sisters and dress a like. Alexis loves to have her hair braided with beads put in it. So Sivil (Eri's mom) braided a few into Alexis's hair. So Alexis was happy to have a few braides to look like Eri. We have a few things planned to do while Eri is here. We've really missed seeing her and her family since we moved back to the States, but this has helped us reconnect a liitle more with them.






The sun was very bright and so they did not want to look up at the camera for their picture.

Family

A while back I looked outside to see what Tim was doing and this is what I saw. So I went back into the house to get the camers. The steering shaft went out on the mower and so he was pulling the mower around the yard while it was hooked up to the tractor, the mower was still cutting. It was a funny site to see!! I just never know what he is going to do, but life is interesting with him around and I love how he comes up with ideas on how to get things done. (He only mowed a little bit like this though so that he wouldn't tear up the mower)


My sister and her family came and spent a few days with us. They were going to Florida to go to Disney. They left the baby, Braydon with me while they went. Anyways, the younger boys love tractors. They were excited to see we had a tractor, so when Tim got home from work he took the boys a ride on the tractor and even let them drive it. They loved it. Here is Luke with Uncle Tim.

Jakob driving the tractor with Uncle Tim.

Then we loaded all the kids up in the cattle trailor and Tim took them for a ride.

While my sister was in Florida we gave Braydon his first pickle. (We can do things like this when she isn't around. Ha!!). I did tell her what we did though later on. Here is Braydon after he first taste of a pickle.

More pickle faces. He actually loved the pickle and when Tim decided that Braydon had ate enough he took it away and Braydon threw a fit. He wanted the pickle!!

My little Buddy, Braydon. After he got use to me we had lots of fun. I actually forgot what it was like to have a little one in the house. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it over all and I wish he was back at my house. So Patty bring him back down to NC.

Braydon all worn out.

The same day my sister left to go back home then my parents and a couple of nephews came to my house. So we have had a lot of visitors, but I love having them around. Here is my Dad, Lyle, Mom, Karen, sister, Vikki, nephew Michael, Tyler, Tanner, Trevor, Alexis and nephews, Caleb and Joshua. We went to a park and so had to get a picture of everyone together.

The bear was posing for us.

Mom, Michael and Vikki

Tanner playing in the water at the park.

The boys all pitched in to help Tim cut and haul wood. ( Some of them needed a little "encouragment" to help, but they did help). Here is Michael and Tyler splitting some wood.

Since we still didn't have the riding mower fix yet the boys wanted to push mow the yard, it gave them something to do. I'm glad they wanted to do it because I sure didn't want to push mow the yard. Here is Caleb mowing part of the yard.

Thanks to all my nephews for their help around the house. My mom even put them to work on cleaning the house one time. It was funny to see the boys cleaning the bathroom and doing the dishes, etc. My kids have to help do that around the house so it wasn't anything new for them and I know my nephews have to help at their homes also, but it was still funny to see them working because grandma told them to.

Tooth and leg

Alexis lost her first tooth on Thursday. She was eating a roll ( and no, it was not hard, it was a soft roll). Anyways, she was biting into it and felt something hard. So she found her tooth in the bread. it was funny because we weren't expecting it to come out for a while yet. She is one happy little girl!!

For the past ten days I have been laid up and not able to get out and about. Today is the first day that I've been able to get out. On Saturday, June 12th I fell off of our back steps and gashed up my left leg on the shin. I ended up in the ER and had to get eight staples put in. It was not a fun experience to say the least, but thank the Lord that it wasn't anything worse. So it has been a bit of a rough week. I haven't been able to walk much without the help of Tim, the kids or a crutch. So I've had a lot of attention for the past ten days. I am very thankful for Tim being there to help me through this and the kids also. They have been so good to help around the house. They have had to cook, do the dishes, do the laundry and clean the house. Alexis said that I needed to get better and get back to doing some work. She was tired of doing work. Also the ladies in our church have brought us in some meals and that helped Tim and the kids a lot. Yesterday afternoon I had to go and get my staples out. Alexis went with Tim and I ( she wanted to take the staples out, but the DR said no). I have to admit, getting those things out was very rough. One of the them didn't want to come out and I was crying and about to break Tim's hand from squeezing it so hard!! So today Tyler drove us to the library and we are on the computer. I still have a lot of healing to do on my leg because when the took the staples out it wasn't all the way healed shut and may split back open. So I have to be careful with that. And it is still a bit hard to get around, but at least I'm out of the house for a bit.

Tim made me this crutch because I was having a hard time getting around. It really came in handy. He is so thoughtful to do things like that for me.

Trip to Ohio

On June 1st Trevor, Tanner, Alexis and myself headed to Ohio to spend time with my sister Patty and a friend also. But first we went to my sisters house. My sister Patty and I for most of our lives have not gotten along very well, but the past couple of years we have been talking and getting along much better. I am thankful that we are now getting along and talking. My baby sister is a special person to me. So I was really looking forward to spending a few days with her and her family. And to meet her baby boy, as I hadn't seen him yet. Thanks, Patty, for letting us stay. We enjoyed our time with you.


Here is baby, Braydon. He is such a sweetie. I am going to get to watch him in July while the rest of the family goes to Disney. yeah!! We are looking forward to spoiling him.



Jakob and Alexis playing outside on the cars and tractors. They had a lot of fun together.




Little Luke. He even let me watch him occasionally. He is a mommy's boy and doesn't like to be left at home without mommy.




Alexis and Braydon.

The whole gang. Left to right, Trevor, Michael, Braydon, Tanner, Alexis, Jakob, Patty and Luke.

My little sister, Patty and me.

Tanner and Jakob

On Friday I left my sister's house to go to my friends house, Shelley. Now Shelley is my sister also. I've known her for probably 19 years or so. She is my best friend. I love spending time with her and we always have a great time. We can pick up right where we left off the last time we saw one another. She is a wonderful person and I am thankful that I can tell her anything and be able to talk to her about anything. Love you Shell.

One of the reasons I was going to Ohio was Shelley's aunt and uncle were celebrating their 50th anniversary. Her whole family is special to me and I love spending time with them. I don't have any pictures right now of them because my camera is broke and I have to use an old one that the flash doesn't work on so I could only take outside pictures. Shelley is suppose to email me some pictures of John and Faye.

Here is one of John and Faye's granddaughters. Her name is Ronnie. Her and Alexis hit it off and played together off and on for the few days that we were there. She really enjoyed playing with Ronnie

Me and Shelley.

Thanks, Shell, for letting us stay. I had a great time. Love ya.

My birthday present

My friend, Tammy got me another Willow Tree figurine. She gave this to me for my birthday. This one is titled Angel of Friendship. I am so thankful for our friendship that we have. My kids all bought me some candy or food for my birthday, but of course it was all kinds that they liked. Tyler got me some reeses peanut butter bars, Trevor bought me some blueberry pop tarts, which he loves, Tanner bought me an ice cream scoup, and Alexis got me some jolly ranchers candy. So they have enjoyed eating the candy and using the scoup for ice cream. Tim gave me a real sweet card and let me go to Ohio to spend time with my sister and friend.