Excuse me....

Yesterday I took my 3 kids plus 1 more to the pool because playing outside isn't an option when the heat index is 110. Well..... I put sunscreen on them but didn't put any on me.... well..... we were the 4 lobsters sitting at church last night! I am just proud Granny didn't see them or else I would have probably gotten a whippin'! I seriously put it on Kaden's face TWICE and he was more burned there than anywhere.... can you say BAD sunscreen! I took a couple of pics with my phone but have yet to master the whole phone-to-computer-to-files-to-blog thing.... trust me.... it was pretty bad! Oh, and my sun burn must have instantly aged me to 45 years old because I was praying for a girl in the alter that looked to be somewhere around 20 years of age and an older sister looked at me and asked me if I was her mother!.... this was not good for someone whom is having an age crisis .... I was almost offended by that one! I nicely said "Ummm, no" and tried not to cry.

That paragraph mostly sums up our weekly life thus far into summer.... church-pool-church-eat-church-sleep super late (the kids- not JD and I)-church- and repeat. I have adapted to getting up in the morning and ironing clothes on the just-in-case we go to church. My kids have 3 questions "Are we going to church? Whose church is it? Are they gonna have food?" They finally gave up on trying to talk us out of going since that isn't optional most times (unless we go to the mountain.... then they get to stay with Nanny)

Since the last post we have baby showered Jacob and RaeAnn for baby Joycelynn whom is to arrive in August (poor momma..... summer is no fun when you are with child!) We have -well- we have..... the whole church-pool-eat thing ..... nothing else really monumental..... how boring.....

We have an upcoming trip to Nashville (woo-hoo... be jealous.... I know you ALL want to vacation to the Bass Pro Shop with me...(insert really big sarcastic laugh here) with JD's employer, but as of last night my kids had begged and pleaded a beach trip out of JD.... so I have high hopes of finding somewhere to stay a long weekend that has sand and ocean.... so far those hopes have been dimmed by no vacancy.... but I am still working on it!

Happy 2nd week of July! I hope you all are more exciting than me.... as I proof-read this I am thinking I need to get a life. Well... I love my life..... and I am not asking for excitement.... because in this house that comes in the form of a 5 year old jumping on a baby bed and almost knocking out his front tooth.... so I will stick with the church-pool-eat thing and not complain Thank you very much :)

Now where were we.....

Oh yes... Memorial Day was covered.... now it is Father's Day .... (we will pretend it wasn't almost a month ago.... just go with it.... :)

Father's Day followed our week of revival- therefor nothing fun and exciting was planned. JD had a major test to take for an insurance class and (of course) he had not studied but less than half of what he had to know.... and the test was on Monday (did he ask me when he REscheduled the test for the Monday after revival- WHY NO!- that would have been too easy because I would have said "Let's think about this JD... you will be dead and your brain will be too tired to cram study like I know you are going to do" but who asked me- I am just the know it all around here!) Anywho... our weekend consisted of JD eating, sleeping and breathing that book until he thought he had it (which he did... he aced it actually..... he also had alot of people praying he would so I am definitely giving the Good Lord  credit for that one!)

And I have pictures.... JD is not going to be happy that I shared..... but this isn't JD's blog now is it ;)-

Pardon the "we got ourselves ready" look my children are sporting...at least Kyle has his My Dad Rocks tee on :)

JD has fussed and fussed that we have no flash lights with batteries... so Kyle and I picked him
up some at the Dollar Store that morning.... and Kyle that we got him something BIG :)

Father's Day breakfast of chocolate gravy and biscuits....

And now I am caught up.... except that I forgot my camera yesterday so Marquetta has the 4th of July pics on hers.... so that will take a little while for me to get those.....

We went to her house and grilled and cooked and made ice cream (and enough food for an army). Grilling the hamburgers was an experience... with JD, Chad, Emily and myself trying to figure it out... I almost lost all my arm-hair over Emily's hamburger..... it was pretty funny- but you had to be there...

We bought some really good fireworks. The kids love doing our own just as much as watching a big show of them. Someone in the neighborhood did an hour of HUGE fireworks and it was better than driving all over town and getting stuck in all the crazy traffic. It was as good as it gets in my book (except when Kyle grabbed the hot part of the sparkler stick and burned his fingers... you know he never makes it out of anything unharmed!) He is okay now...

So Happy Monday/Tuesday (I am so confused today.... as I am most days ;) I hope you all have a good, short, 4-day week!

Told ya....

I am barely making it before Independence Day... but here are the pics from Memorial Day :) We have our annual church picnic at Simmons Park every year on Memorial Day. It is now the only day out of the year that I attempt to play volleyball and softball (which I didn't play... or did I.... I really can't remember... how sad!!)

The grillmaster

He actually did really well...

Oh the joys of motherhood....

Saturday was Jordan and Tallie's wedding. We love ALL of the Harkins kids and have now witnessed all 4 of them as they began their wedded lives. I had everyone ready- all in pink because I like to match (and the smart thing is... everyone wears the same colors.... you have fewer loads of laundry.... my free tip of the day) We find the place (think over the river... or lake... and through the woods... and down a creepy gravel road...) We unload everyone about 15 minutes before the wedding begins. We walk up the gravel road and up a hill of grass... in heels... well- me in heels... jd left his at home ;) and the sweating begins! It was HOT! Like the kind of hot that makes you feel faint kind of hot. This is where my fun begins....

Kaden (in his cute pink polo and linen pants) has a diaper mishap about 2 minutes before the ceremony begins (I am talking- pee down to his shoes) So- he, Kyle and myself go hiking back to the car to get changed. JD and I decided they would be fine in the car watching a movie because at this point I missed the first 10 minutes anyway- I buckled the boys in (Kaylee WAS NOT about to miss seeing a bride- she is wedding obsessed!) threatened Kyle's life if he dare got out of his seat for any reason- turned their movie on and walked back to see the rest of the wedding. I topped the hill and grabbed a fan to attempt to cool off (the sweat had taken over- I am very hot natured and at this point I was about to collapse) and caught the beginning of the exchanging of the vows. I stood there alone (as in- no kids pulling on me) and listened and fanned.... when I hear someone holler "MOMMA" and I froze thinking "You have GOT to be kidding me!" I turned and politely walked as fast as I could before a scene was made... and he screams again "MOMMA, I neeeeed you" (before you flip out thinking the car is being stolen... this wasn't a scared cry or a hurt cry I was hearing from my child... it was the cry like "I need toilet paper" cry... and I was about to die!) I look to see Kyle hanging out the window of my car (where he is still buckled in his seat) and he says "You have to push play so our movie will come on!" And what could I say... he was just minding for once in his little life.....

And I said "Forget it" and sat in the car until the wedding was over. Yep..... we were there.... I know a few saw us..... even if it wasn't the bride and groom!!!

Next time I take 3 kids to a wedding that is outdoors at the end of June..... it won't happen....... maybe when they are teens.... but even then I will really have to think about it....

And this is how cute they looked before we left..... it didn't last but that is what deceiving pictures are for!

 
 
There you have it. Once again- a very real, true, raw moment in the life of Drea..... never a dull moment... never ever never ever never.....

In our hearts forever...

It is still unreal to think that Bro Dennis McAnnally will no longer be here. He was such a good man. I never heard him say anything that wasn't kind. He was so good to JD and I- he just encouraged us along. He will always have a special place in my heart because he played a special part in the night I made it right with the Lord. It was Friday night of Skyline's revival. The air conditioning had been broken most of the week- and it was the 1st week in June - so to say it was hot would be an understatement! Bro David had worked with the lost all week and was give out (he had to be give out... he was sitting on a bench and I rarely knew of him doing that during alter call before his health declined) Bro Dennis said the Lord spoke to him and told him to tell Bro David to go pray for me because I was going to make it. Bro Dennis did just that- he told Bro David "I believe if you would go help her, she will make it" Bro David came to my side and said "Look around at all these people praying for you (I still hear it ringing in my ears) They believe you can make it!" and he turned to catch Bro Eddie Arnold walking away and he said " He was going to sit down but I think he will stay if you will believe the Lord..... Are you going to believe Him?" and my reply "I will  try" ..... and two minutes later I did........ Praise the Lord I did! The first person I caught around the neck on my way up from the floor- Sis Lillian Stephens. It is unreal to think that 16 years later-  4 of the people who played a big role in the night I made it have all passed away. I guess that is why they call it "Precious Memories".

OK...back track post #1....

Hmmm.... I think it is pitiful that I am this far out of whack..... but oh welll.....

Kaylee successfully passed 2nd grade! She made All "A" honor roll all year! She is a smarty pants (in more ways than one ;) I love that I can send her to school without a worry that she will act and perform to the best of her ability. (ummmm... Kyle on the other hand......) Her teacher told Stacie earlier this year that Kaylee was the perfect student... except that she is so SLOW! Stacie's reply "Have you ever met her daddy?"

We are very proud of our now 3rd grader (gasp..3rd grade....where's the warning sign that kids grow up like a flash of lightening... BOOM... your little 5 pound baby is in 3rd grade and it is almost instantly!)

I helped with Field Day activities also... we were given 2 beach balls and a cd player and told to be creative...lucky for me there were other moms there that were creative.... I just stood there and blocked kids from walking through a fire ant bed!

Kaylee's bff Katie Jo

Kyle was showing off his break-dancing moves! He is a MESS!

And Kaden is still Kaden.... more attached to his pacifier than ever (he is the huge kid with paci in his mouth and dragging a blanket... I am SURE I said my kids wouldn't do this.... I have ate those words on more than one occasion!) He has no interest in potty training (nor do I...) He has decided he loves his daddy (almost) as much as me. He is also Mr. Meany lately.... terrible twos are definitely working on him!

Next post.... Memorial Day..... hopefully before the 4th of July ;)

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!

Ain't that what its all about......

Here I am again.... I won't say (blah blah blah) about neglecting my blog because obviously busy summers and blogging aren't a good combo. I will do it when I can- spare time these days is almost unheard of...

Revival was great! We had 4 new souls delivered by God's grace. (One made it Wednesday before revival so he counts too :) We enjoyed being with Bro Jimmy and Sis Tawana and Bro Edwin and Sis Dean. They are some of the most precious people (and SO funny too!) I hope they left us as blessed as we were to have them.

I worked super hard to get my house together and had NO visitors come home with me (uh-hum.... LACEY!) We live in too far away from church..... and it makes me want to move ..... I love having company! We did have the Hill's and the Gaines' over- 6 adults and 11 kids..... so that was some good entertainment :) Who would have thought 10 years ago that we would have 10 kids between us all ! (it was 11 because Heather brought extras... you know... she doesn't have enough of her own so she borrows other children every now and again :)

And Happy belated Fathers day to my husband and my daddy. They really are two of the best dad's I know.
(Funny kid story) Kyle was all sad Saturday night because he didn't think we had a gift for JD to open for Father's Day. Well, JD knew I had bought him some cologne and I told him I was going to wrap it and let it be from the kids- so he told Kyle "Go ask Mom if she has me a present" Here comes Kyle in the room with me and I handed him the already wrapped box and told him what it was. He was so excited, he took it straight to JD and said "She did get you a present" JD asked him" Can you tell me what it is?" and Kyle said "No, but all I can tell you is that it smells real good!" JD busted out laughing! Kyle IS NOT the secret keeper!

Today is catch up day.... catch up blogging, laundry, bills, cleaning.... I wish sleeping but I have slept late 2 days in a row and it is not for me..... and notice blogging is first because it is the easiest on my list!

***I have loads of pics from Kaylee's awards day/field day and from Memorial Day... but I don't have time to wait on them to upload... so I am going to part once again saying that I will back-track and catch up... don't hold your breath on when that is going to happen!

Happy Monday! If any of you have nothing to do today, you can drive ALL the way to my house and I will have something for you to do I promise!