My little Longhorn Cheerleader!

Marci is a bit shy...I seriously don't know where she got this...maybe from Jamie...but certainly not from me!  LOL! :)  When she came home, asking...begging...to be a cheerleader, I thought it would be perfect for her to get out of her shell a bit!  So...she learned the cheers...she got the uniform...and was ready to roll for  her 1st game!  She did great!  We are Razorback fans, so cheering for the Longhorns was a bit challenging...but we handled it well! ;)

Marci hasn't worn a bow since she was 4...this was a challenge for her!

we may have to work on standing more "lady like" :)

the girls made a banner for the football players to run through!

Nonnie and Paige cheered the Longhorns on...Hook em Horns :)

what do you think these cleats are for?...you stomp em...you stomp em...gooooo Longhorns!

Pork Chop Pork Chop greasy greasy...we can beat your team super easy! :)

These girls are in our small group...they get to spend time with each other every Wed night.
Marci.......................Allie...........................Madilyn
Half Time show!

Homecoming 2011

Trace asked Lauren Davis to go to Homecoming this year.  I had the great opportunity to make my second mum corsage!  I just prayed that it would "hold up" to all the festivities...and to my knowledge, it did..YAY!  We went Wednesday night to Lauren's house to make the exchange of mum and garter, so that they could have them for school that next day.  They went to the PGMS Homecoming game on Thursday night.  And then on Friday evening, they met at the Hatfield's home for pizza, pictures and then went to the  PGHS Homecoming game.  Marci, Paige and I went to the game also...but we sat with some friends at another part of the stadium.  :)

Lauren made Trace's garter herself...she did a great job! 

Marci...watching the game!

Paige did wonderful...she sat at the bleachers and played til she was "give out"...at 10pm, after no afternoon nap and not feeling well...she let me know it was bed time ;)  SHe was a trooper!!  10 months-she weighed 18 lbs 4 oz at her dr appt this day! and let me tell you...she started waving her little fingers to say bye bye and it has melted our hearts!!  She says "ma ma" and mocks everything we do!  Oh how sweet this little girl is!!! SHe provided LOTS of laughs for us!

Special Visit...

I have one Grandparent left here on this Earth...and I'm so grateful for her.  It's also special that my children have had the opportunity to know their great-grandmother!!  My Mamaw Jerry and my dad...aka "Pops" surprised us with a visit the other day.  Paige showed off for her...and they had a great time bonding :)

One lonely tooth...

Marci is 7 years old and in 2nd grade...and has NOT lost a tooth until last night.  It's been wiggly for a couple of weeks and last night, she was ready for it to be gone!!  So, I wiggled and wiggled and out it popped!  She was so excited!!  We took a trip down memory lane with all of our tooth fairy memorabilla. 1st was MY tooth fairy pillow that my mom cross-stitched for me when I was small.  Then it was TRACE's tooth fairy pillow...and then MARCI's tooth fairy box! She put her tooth under the pillow and awaited morning time...to find $5!!  P.s.  Paige got her 2nd tooth yesterday...and it was the SAME tooth that Marci lost.  Must be a sister thing! :)

there it is...her lonely tooth!

toothless grin!

My toothfairy pillow from when I was little!!

Trace's tooth fairy pillow...it is pretty awesome...it has a pocket for the tooth...a pocket for the money...and a glow in the dark star that hangs out from under your pillow, so that they tooth fairy can find it easily!



The pillow reads "tooth fairy tooth fairy please be kind, in this pocket my tooth you'll find, take it out and leave for me a nickel, dime or maybe three"  Well...this shows my age AND the rate of inflation...forget the nickles and dimes...the tooth fairy brought a Green Lincoln to Marci!!



wowsers!! $5!  I told her that sometimes the tooth fairy goes BIG on the first tooth...she may not want to expect that for each tooth..there are TWENTY baby teeth mind you :)

The tooth fairy left the tooth...so it's here in good keeping!

Isn't this a cute little tooth box?!

Paige likes to mimic!

As the days go by Paige is forming her own look and personality.  For months we've said how much she looked like Marci...and don't get me wrong, she still favors her...as seen here in this picture.  I dressed Paige in one of Marci's old outfits and then let Marci hold up a picture of herself, wearing that same outfit when she was little.  You can see the resemblence, can't you?! ;)

Paige has started mocking us...we can blow bubbles and she mimics the gesture by doing the same.  We can make sounds and she will, in return, make the same noises.  We can shake our head and say "no no no no" and she repeats us by shaking her sweet little head from side to side.  We can wave "bye bye" and she waves her arm.  It's so sweet seeing her little brain work!!  Marci told her to "Stop" the other day and Paige, as clear as a bell said "Stop"...of course that one is probably straight coincedence...but it adds to the storyline, doesn't it? :)

Upward Soccer

Upward Soccer is an organization that was created to bring people together for a child's sport's sake..but since it's in a church setting, those involved get to hear God's word and feel the love that a church has to offer.  Our church, Heritage Baptist Church, is all about winning the un-churched to Christ.  Our whole goal is to make "church" not feel so "churchy"...we want the un-churched to feel comfortable.  Our staff  has gone to the extreme by creating this type of atmosphere!  So...with Upward Soccer...we have 1000 people on our campus, that may or may not be involved in any kind of church...that gives US the opportunity to show the love of Christ to those that visit our campus.  And just maybe the unchurched will feel comfortable and want to return!  Trace is too old to play Upward Soccer and it wasn't quite Marci's thing, when she played a couple years ago...but we went out this morning to support and volunteer.  In 20 minutes, there were 653 on our campus...and that was just for the 1st game! WOW!! GOOOOO JESUS!!
We also had a SURPRISE...and what a surprise it was!  One of our members, Glyn Thrash, SKYDIVED and landed in the middle of the soccer fields.  If you can imagine the look on the face's of the children, it will give you goosebumps!  I have to say that I just betttt that we were the ONLY soccer games in Texarkana(or anywhere for that matter) that had a skydiver!! :) 

Glyn Thrash...skydiving in on our Upward Soccer games!

He was in the air doing lots of flips...he put on a show!!

Look at allllllll those people...they were scurrying around like little ants!!

Marci stands with Glyn Thrash...our awesome skydiver!!

Trace helped at the concession stand...that fit him perfect since snacks are his favorite pasttime! :)

Kids' Devotional

 I've always had good intentions of doing a Bible story/devotional with our kids..a little devotional that opens up conversation and teaches us about how our relationship with God is supposed to be...and the ways we can continually make it better.  It's such a nice way to wind down the day...HOWEVER, we have good intentions but life gets in the way....especially at bedtime.  It seems like the devil always wins and something gets in the way and eventually our devotional gets put on the back burner :(  So...I decided that a morning devotional might fit our lifestyle a little better...and when a better time, but in the car, on the way to school...the kids are buckled...they can't move...So...we added a devotional to our morning drive.  Trace absolutely DESPISES having to read the devotional...he's not a morning person...but he does it anyway...after all, I am the mom...and he is the kid! :)  Marci, then, reads the scripture...and we pray.  I really hope that we can keep this up...it's such a great way to start the day!

After I took this picture and really studied it, although it's a simple snapshot...I love how the morning sun is shining in on Marci's hair...the sun...just one of the many pieces of God's handiwork! :)

Labor Day Fun!

Our Labor Day was a very relaxing day at home with the family!  It was a gorgeous COOL morning!! 

Trace:  He  had some neighbor friends over to hang out...the windows and doors were open...music was playing...it was perfect!
Marci:  I always enjoy doing things with our kids that I enjoyed doing as a kid.  When I was young, and the windows were open, I'd pull around on my bicycle like it was a "drive-thru"...I'd pretend to be a mom on my way to drop off my kids at day care or pretend it was a fast food restaurant.  So...Marci, on this particular day, would drive by the open window and pretend it was Taco Bell...and I'd hand her some food/drink.  I hate I didn't take any pictures...but maybe she'll remember it without pictures, just as I do...and maybe she'll play "pretend drive-thru" with her kids one day :) Marci also had a neighbor friend over to play...
Me:  I had it on my agenda to get as much scrapbooking done as possible...and this I did.  I take SO many pictures, that I have filled up 1 baby album for Paige that contains birth-6 mos!  So...I started on a 6-12 mo album for her.  AND my mother-in-law did a "Nursery Rhyme" album for her...I love these albums, b/c all I have to is insert the pictures...I've got this one almost full also!  I know it's a little over-the-top but I can't leave out any of these precious memories!!
Jamie:  He has been remodeling the hallway...it's going to look amazing once it's completed...it's just taking some time to get it there.  He worked on that and he shampooed our carpet.  Our house doesn't have much carpet, but what it does have can get dirty quick.  It all looks much better.  We also steam cleaned all of our tile and cleaned the whole house!!
Paige:  She started standing on her own for a few seconds...she is a busy bee and "eats" everything on the floor.

After the day was all done, we all felt accomplished!! yay!! 

Here are some of the snap shots that I take...see why I can't leave them out? :)

Paige has discovered her tongue...she can twist it around, stick it out, use it to sound like a motor boat...

See that tongue again! Marci loves to read to Paige...it's so sweet!!

It's beddy-bye time!! Night Night!

Paige is like a little puppy, looking for leftovers...she got underneath there to get some Cheerios.  You'd think we don't feed her...but her chunky legs will tell you otherwise! :) and... Look at that crazzzzzy hair!  She wakes up and it's going everywhere!  We can put it up in a ponytail now! :)