Just two more days and.....

we will be hitting the pool practically every day and just spending good, wholesome, quality time together!  I keep looking back at Summer 2012 photos and I am drooling, waiting for the time when we can go!  It's been warm enough here for a dip in the pool.  We go every.single.year, just to dip our toes in.  My kiddos ALWAYS talk me into letting them get in.  So yes, my kids strip down to their undies and jump in!  It's still a bit too cold for me though!

Here are some photos from our "dip" in the pool!

My trip to Florida {Ruthie post}

Hello this is Ruthie.  I will be telling you about my trip to Florida! 

Whenever we got on the road, it was so long that I was so bored. When we got to Louisiana, we got to see the Duck Commander!  But the people weren't there, but it was still fun and a little bit sad.  We took pictures with a lot of signs like Mississippi, Florida, and Louisiana.  Then, we were driving so long, I asked if we could rent a hotel!  We did!  I fell asleep really quick.  We woke up and we went to the car and drove some more and we were in Florida- FINALLY!  We saw our first seagull, first palm tree, and I got to touch a palm tree!  I drank some Florida orange juice!We were driving to our hotel.  We saw a lot of cool things.  I asked if we could see the ocean.  We saw the ocean, but it wasn't very pretty.  Then, we saw the ocean and it was BEAUTIFUL!  I was asking if we were almost to the hotel.  I asked that the whole time because Aunt Steph and Uncle Skeeter told me I could go see the ocean to pick up some shells.  We finally got to the hotel.  Amethyst and I were racing out of the car begging, "Are we going to go to the beach yet?  Are we going to go to the beach yet?  Are we going to go to the beach yet?  Are we going to go to the beach yet?"  Aunt Steph had to check us in first.  Uncle Skeeter was wanting to wait on Aunt Steph to go to the beach with us.  Aunt Steph was finally done.  We walked to the beach and I tried to pick all the shells up but I couldn't.  Aunt Steph said, "Ruthie we got a whole week!"  I just kept asking for a little bit longer when they said to go.  I kept trying to get more and more shells.  My bottom was wet.
We went to the hotel and unpacked and looked off the balcony at our good view of the ocean!  We went driving around the town and we saw some really cool things like: A bridge that went from hotel to hotel.  You didn't have to climb stairs or cross the street.  All you had to do was go through the tunnel.  It was above the road.  If you are confused, no cars went through it. We saw apartments and they had all kind of different colors like: red, orange, green, and yellow.  We found something to eat.  After we ate, we went swimming at the pool at our hotel.  We tried to get more minutes in the pool and we did.  Before bed, we prayed.  Aunt Steph said that tomorrow we can wake up and go to the beach.  Aunt Steph and I woke up early and went to the beach.  It was in the morning, so there wasn't very much people, but it was peaceful and we could get all the shells we wanted to.  The people who were asleep didn't get them all!  We woke up Uncle Skeeter and Amethyst and then we went to a museum.  It had all kinds of airplanes!  It had Blue Angel airplanes.  I got to see an engine of an airplane.  After the museum, we went to go see the lighthouse. It was really tall and we got to get a picture by the sign of it.  I put lotion on that morning b/c my body was itching, and then my arm was started to itch again.  Aunt Steph took us to Dollar General and we got some wipes and itch cream.  Then Amethyst said, "My legs are itching!"  I put the medicine on.  When we were driving down the road, my arm stopped itching!  We went putt-putt golfing.  We went to the hotel and got our bathing suits on and went swimming.  We said our prayers and went to bed. 
I woke up Aunt Steph again to go to the beach.  We went there and Amethyst came along with Uncle Skeeter!  We went to Gulf World.  I got to take pictures with the sea lion and the dolphins!  We saw a magic show, a dolphin show, and a sea lion show.  The sea lion show was pretty funny!  At the dolpin show, there were steps that said, "SPLASHING ZONE" b/c the dolphins will splash you.  I sat in the splashing zone.  I was going to volunteer, but I didn't because I thought we had to swim with the dolphins and I thought I would drown b/c I don't swim that well.  You didn't have to swim though.  We went back to the hotel and went to the pier.  We saw wild sting rays.  They were almost to the shore!  We took some pictures.  I heard a girl say, "Sea turtle!"  But, we didn't find it.  We went to bed after the pier and we said our prayers.  I asked Aunt Steph if we could go to the beach but it was raining.
We went to Ripley's Believe It or Not!  It was kind of weird.  I didn't believe very much stuff in it.  My favorite thing we did was go to the beach! The beach was really pretty b/c it was green and it had baby blue in it and it was sooooo pretty!  The sand was as white as snow!  I asked Aunt Steph, "Are you sure that's not snow!"  I also asked if we could go sledding on it.  I missed Mommy, Daddy, and Randy a lot, but I was having so much fun!
My mommy sent me notes every day.  I had sand in my bed and it was like my mom already knew it!  Amethyst asked me the second night if I had enough sand in my bed!  We bought some hermit crabs, one for me and one for Randy. I bought mommy and I  matching necklaces.  I got Daddy a Duck Dynasty shirt. We finally went home.  We saw the Duck Commander for the last time.  We got to Aunt Steph's at 10:00 at night.  Mommy and Daddy came there and I gave Mommy the first hug!  That's my story about Florida!

Here are a few pictures from my trip!

It was finally his turn!

Randy turned the big F-O-U-R on the 14th of April.  He is the last one in our family to have a birthday.  Mine is in January, Ruthie's is in February, Randall's is April 5th, and so Randy finally had his turn!  The poor guy asked all.the.time. when was it going to be HIS birthday.  Well, the day finally rolled around!  The first three weekends of April were booked!  The first weekend we had my sweet nephew's 1st birthday party.  The following weekend we had my nephew's wedding, and so this past weekend we were finally able to celebrate Randy's!
He made sure to let us know he wanted it at the park, like last year. It was a GORGEOUS day!  We had everyone out.  He is of course obsessed with superheros: Captain America, Thor, Iron-Man, Bat-Man, and Spider-Man.  He wanted an Avenger's party theme, so we went with it.  We do not go all out for birthdays when it comes to decorating.  We just enjoy seeing family.  My sister made an adorable cake!  I wish I would have taken a photo of the inside with my big girl camera, but I failed.  I did get one with my S3 though! It truly was an amazing day!  Thank you Lord Jesus for allowing Randall and I to raise Randy.  I pray that he becomes a man of God just like his Daddy!

Here is his cake:

The inside:

Being eatin' by big sis:

Randy is not fond of the way we sing.  He wasn't impressed last year either!  We sing LOUD and wayyyyy out of tune!

He did enjoy opening gifts though!  What boy doesn't!

And here he is riding his bike with his cape and mask.  Needless to say, I LOVE this little guy!

A.l.m.o.s.t. t.h.e.r.e!

First off, thank you all for being so kind to me with my last post.  I wasn't doing it to get a "you are doing a great job."  I put it out there to explain how I have to depend on God to lead me.  I can't do this on my own.  I have to let Him take control.  I don't know how many others out there feel this way, and I hope if they read this, they learned they aren't alone.

Summer is almost here.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel as we finally reach MAY!  I can already feel the warm hot sun on my face, hear the kids splashing in the pool, and I can feel the long cozy naps that happen after a long day at the pool!  I am READY!  However, for now we have 17 days left.  I think I can, I think I can!

Ruthie is in Florida right now with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and my niece!  She is having a blast.  Some think I am crazy b/c I sent her during the school year.  However, I know the learning experience will be great, and she will see so many new things!  The last time she went to the beach, she was just about 16 months old!  She was way to little to remember anything!  She has had quite the experience so far.  I hope to let her type up a blog post when she gets back and I want to let her share her photos!  I thought that would be fun for her!  Let's just say this mamma is struggling with missing her.  The first few days were ok, but yesterday, every post her aunt posted on Instagram, had me in tears.  I am ready for the big hug and kiss and the many stories she will share!

Randy and I are quite lonely now that she's gone.  We have been keeping busy outside.  It's been a gorgeous week, only to be changed by the weather at the end of this week.  He is still playing t-ball and he has improved so much.  Not only in the hitting, but also in the fielding category.  So proud of the little ball-player he has become!

Randall was recently put back on what I like to call the crazy shift.  3 on, 3 off, and every fifth shift will be nights.  UGH.  We truly enjoyed the Mon-Thurs, 7-5 shift.  We loved having him off with us every weekend and every church service.  Please be in prayer for him b/c he hates it when he has to miss being fed spiritually at church.

Now, a post isn't a post without some photos right?   I don't want to let you down in that area!

We had practice earlier this week, and I love watching him learn and grow!  He is doing so good!  Surprised I was able to snag this shot!  All taken with my Samsung S3, edited in Instagram. 

Peek-a-boo boy after a dirty night at practice!

New swing set = long evenings outdoors!

This is how the cool guys rock bedtime: gickeys, glasses, and Mamma's bed!