Memorial Day Fun

What a great Memorial Day Weekend! The weekend was filled with a lot of rest (and recoup from the croup) and quality time with family. On Monday, John grilled out hamburgers for his mom and dad and his brother's family. We had burgers, potato salad, pasta salad, baked beans...but the best things were the s'mores for dessert. YUM!

Once again, the boys had fun in the mud puddle in the front yard. I think this was Austin's first time to really get this dirty and I think he loved it! As you can see, he got really wet and dirty and had to have a bath before he got in his daddy's new truck.

"What are little boys made of? what are little boys made of? Snips and snails and
puppy dog tails....that's what little boys are made of."

I love this pic. Dalton is relaxing by the "pond" waiting for the fish to bite!

Okay, so what is Memorial Day without sprinklers? Dad turned on the sprinklers and Dalton loved that. I have to admit, I enjoyed running in them too! There is something about sprinklers that bring out the kid in you! We both came in soaked and water logged, but had a great time.

"I not sick anymore!"

This has been a crazy week. On the way home on Tuesday afternoon, Dalton started having this dry barking cough. It seemed like it just came out of no where. By that night, his fever spiked to 101 and on Wednesday afternoon, it got up to 103. Needless to say, Mom and Dad were a little alarmed by this and took him straight to the doctor. We told Dalton on the way where we were going and what the doctor would do. He said "Doctor not hurt me?" We assured him that the doctor would not hurt him. He was very brave (in fact, he acted much better at the doctor's office than he does when he gets his haircut!)! When the doctor came in he introduced himself to us and said "I am Dr. Chu." Dalton said "I Dalton!" and then proceeded to tell the doctor where to sit! John and I were cracking up at him! Dr. Chu checked his right ear and paused for a sec to talk to us. Dalton looked at him and said "You look at my other ear?" I think the doctor, at this point, was a little taken back by him! Dr. Chu said he thought it was a classic case of croup and started to write out his prescription and wrote Dalton's name at the top of the paper. Dalton was watching him write and said "That my name!" He is doing better, in fact, the fever has broke, but he still has a hacking cough and runny nose. He told me, "I not sick anymore!" (cough, cough, cough, sneeze) We are very thankful that this is the first time we have had to take him to the doctor for a sick visit all winter. Thank you Lord!

I had been planning for a over a month to take off work last Thursday to go to my annual "Dr. Lawrence visit" and then afterwards Dalton and I were going to spend the day with Lisa and her 2 boys, Braydon and Dillon. But, I have learned you can never plan anything for certain with kids in the picture. I did drop by Lisa's on the way home to drop off a late (very late) Christmas present and she had a birthday present for Dalton. She sent him a bubble wand, puzzle, and this shape sorter with hammer. It was a great "picker-upper" for a sick little boy.

"Thanks Lisa!"

Even though he was sick and had a fairly high fever this week, he still found the energy to act silly. He found Dad's socks and hat and put them on to ride his horse. What a silly boy!
Okay, I love this picture! We got to keep Addison and Riley last Sunday afternoon. The girls are acting like they are going to sleep to try to talk Dalton into taking a nap. I do not think he is buying it! HA!


P.S. I hope you have your computer speakers on because I have my favorite Kris Allen songs (and Danny Gokey!) posted on my playlist!

"Rain, rain, go away...little Dalton wants to play!"

Rainy days are not much fun to a little 2 year old boy whose favorite words are "I go outside!", but what they leave behind turns out to be great! Our house sits at the bottom of the hill and we are the lucky ones that get everyone else's water from their yard. Dalton thinks this is great! He loves to go "fishing" in the water puddle in the front yard and it's been so deep last week that he could wade in it! His imagination is running wild these days. He "catches fish" and "cooks" them for me for supper. It's so neat seeing his imagination come alive. Here are some sweet pics of him "fishing" in the front yard. I am constantly reminding myself that boys need to get dirty and let him be a kid. As you can see, he is doing a great job at both!





I had a great Mother's Day weekend. I took off at 1:00 on Friday and enjoyed an early start to the weekend. I got home and John had the entire house cleaned, laundry done, and he and Dalton went and got flowers for me. On Saturday, John treated me to a makeover at Glo in Little Rock. I have been wanting to get some new makeup and after talking to some friends at work about Bare Minerals, I decided to try it and I love it. I talked my friend Lindsay Carlyle into going with me and getting a makeover too. We had to go to Glo without makeup and I told Lindsay she must really love me to go with me somewhere without me wearing makeup. I took some before and after pictures....

BEFORE....

...AND AFTER

Dalton was standing in the bathroom with me the other morning while I was putting on my makeup and said, "Momma, you so tute (cute)!" He may be a little stinker at times, but he can also be a sweetheart to his mommy! It's moments like these that I hope to always treasure. Dalton, I love you so much and I am loving being your mommy!

"I not cry...I laugh like Elmo!"

Anyone who knows us very well, knows that Dalton has issues going to get a haircut. He is a pretty good boy most of the time, but getting a hair cut is traumatic for everyone involved. Most of the time, John and I both take him and he sits in my lap. I hold his head still, John holds down his hands, and Dalton cries the entire time. Afterwards, I usually feel like I either need a cigarette or something stiff to drink (and I do not even smoke or drink! Ha!) I scheduled the appointment for Saturday and we started talking about it (and praying about it!) on Thursday. I let him pick what he wanted if he did good and he said he wanted ice cream. (At this point, I would give him the world!) I told him he had to be still, put his hands in his lap, and not cry. Grandma kept him on Friday and told him not to cry, but to laugh like Elmo.!

So, Saturday morning we went at 10 to get his haircut. John was working at the church that morning and was on his way to help, but would be a little late getting there. Dalton sat in my lap and kept saying , "I not cry....I laugh like Elmo!" He did great at first, but cried a little bit saying, "It tickles!" He wanted to stand at the window watch for dad to come. Thankfully, my beautician has 3 boys of her own and is used to it! She just cut his hair as he looked out the window waiting for dad to come. It was so sweet! Even though he did cry, I could tell he was really trying to be a big boy. We went to lunch at Dixie Cafe and he got some blue ice cream. I was so proud of my little man!

What a big boy! High five!

Enjoying his sweet reward....

and even sharing some with dad!

On Saturday afternoon, we went to my nephew's, Tanner, 9th birthday party. Tanner has started taking drum lessons and has a drum set in his room. I got some pics of Dalton playing Tanner's drums.

My oldest nephew, Jansen, Dalton, and birthday boy, Tanner.

Aunt Gi-Gi (Gina) and Dalton