The Houseboat

Jarrod's parents bought a houseboat on Lake Ouachita (Arkansas) the year that we got married and each year since, we have gone with a group of our college friends to enjoy a weekend relaxing and playing together on the water. I don't know that there has been a year where we were all accounted for--which is this season of our lives...this year (our 8th trip)we greatly missed the Cummings and the Stringers who both had beautiful new baby boys to care for at home.
I truly love the lake, really I love any lake, but this lake is PERFECT--it's super clean, it's clear, it's HUGE and it's absolutely gorgeous. This year was a little hectic because we went at the end of our trip to visit my parents--this meant that my children were with us,which is generally a "no-no" this particular weekend on the boat. (Can you imagine 12 children on a houseboat for 3-4 days??? No thank you, my own make me nervous enough!) However, Logan spent most of his time with Pops and Mimi and Elly spent a fair amount with them as well. Here are some pictures of Logan fishing and Elly exploring.


Porters, Hemphills, Dyers and McClures

Wordless Wednesday

9 Months

Well, our sweet Miss Priss turned 9 months just before our trip. The week before we left, I started to call the Doctor because I was becoming quite worried about her developmental delays. Something told me to hold off and I knew that we had an appointment when we got back, so I didn't take her. Apparently little miss heard me because on our trip she started
1. climbing
2. pulling up
3. cruising along furniture/bags/anything that she could find
4. eating tablefood like a HORSE
5. and the day before our doctor's appointment, she finally started crawling on all 4's. (June 7, for the baby book)

So, at 9 months (plus a few weeks) she is crawling, drinking very well from a sippy cup (Sunday night, we had a meal with rotel and she drank the ENTIRE sippy cup of water at dinner--I have lots of witnesses!), she has an excellent pincer grasp, she's eating everything that we eat and mostly feeding it to herself, cruising, pulling up, dancing, saying "Mama" "Dada" and "Yaya" (for Logan). She can wave bye bye on command and sign all done and more. She has gained a little over a pound and is weighing in at 15 lbs, 8 oz. and is 27 1/2 inches long. She's 5th percentile weight and 43rd in height.

I say it at every "month" post: she's precious. We love her so much and could not imagine life without her and all that she adds to our family! We praise God that she is healthy, happy and such a joy to be with all day!

Trip to Murfreesboro

We had a great time visiting my parents. There is something comforting in knowing where the people you love are--being able to picture them in their house or around town. Visiting their church, their office and some of their favorite restaurants and grocery stores just gives a sense of peace, at least for me. My parents moved into their house the week before we got there, so there was plenty to do. We got a little unpacking done, got the garage rearranged, got some shopping in, and a lot of eating done. We also visited church with them, visited David's temporary office and did a little sightseeing. Of course there wasn't enough time, but there never will be. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip.

"It Died"

When we were at my parents, we went to a neat little village called "Cannonsburg." It gives the history of the town, has old log cabins and a little museum. It also has two pavillions of OLD tractors. We got to this one and Logan looks at me and says, "Mom, I think this tractor died." (Because it was just the "skeleton" to him.)

Elly Pulls Up

Well, Little Miss Sunshine decided on our trip to my parents that it was finally time to pull up. She also thought that it was time to "dive in" the box that she was pulling up on, but I couldn't get a picture of her feet in the air, so you'll have to settle for these.

Swim Lessons

Well, I have A LOT to blog about...we've been crazy over the past month--end of the year program, fun day, class parties, school actually getting out, leaving the next day to go to my parents for a fun visit and then ending that trip with my kiddos staying with Jarrod's dad and his wife and us being with our college friends for our annual "boat trip." Not to mention the milestones of Logan's half birthday and Elly turning 9 months...Its been fun, but we're grateful to be home and back to some degree of normal.

The latest adventure is our sweet Logan started swimming lessons on Monday. If you know Logan, you know that he will not in ANY way, shape or form put face or hair under water. He HATES it...well, on day three of swim lessons, I look over to see him hold his breath and go under--all the way under and come up with a HUGE grin on that precious little face. Today, day four, he was swimming halfway across the pool with his face in the water by himself and then "diving" (okay, really reaching down with his face under water) for rings. He loved it so much that when they got into the hot tub for "play time" he swam back and forth in the hot tub with his face in the water until it was time to get out. I can say--this was worth every penny just to see how happy and comfortable he now is in the water...and we still have a week left! Awesome...I was so sure that this was going to be a major battle!! Thank you God for such a great blessing. Here are a few pictures of his second day. (Being the great mom that I am, I forgot my camera the first day...)