Goodbye Belleville

The last weekend we were together as a family in Belleville, we had a pizza and ice-cream social with our neighbors. It was so fantastic. The kids played together, going from one yard to the other. The adults, well, we sat in the shade. My friend Mary organized the ice-scream social and provided everything. I felt very loved-on by my friends. I never thought I'd say that I miss Illinois, but I do. The old book club girls and I went out for a margarita after the festivities.

Cypress Knoll Court is where Sam and I have resided the longest in our marriage. Plus, you know, we had Ben there, too. Most of the pictures I took of the kids were too bright and deleted, I'm sad to say.


Jack and Ben at Matt and Rachel's.

Sam helping himself to pizza.

Peter and Mary

Dos Gorditos time! Amy and Mary.

Amy, Mary, me and Melissa.

Jack turns 6 years old!

It's hard to fathom that I have a six-year-old. I feel like I was just in labor for 21 hours just last year. Jack has been a trooper, adjusting to a new house, our sometimes boring, summer routine. He has made a new friend, Eric, who lives right behind us. For his actual birth day, we went to see "Cars 2", just he and I. He had a happy meal for dinner (his choice). The following Saturday, we had his "party" of two cousins and his new friend, Eric, at Monkey Joes. Bouncy houses = happy Jack!

Before the movie with his ear protection.
Opening presents at his after-monkey-joe-party.

Checkin' it all out.

He wanted a cookie-cake, and that's what he got. Star Wars everything!

All the boys enjoying their pizza and "cake".

Ben sitting outside with the bigger boys.

Memom and Ben.

Waiting on his piece of cake.

My handsome 6-year-old Jack. Just as precious and beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. He's a wonderful big brother (most days), he loves Star Wars and scooby doo, pizza lunchables, chicken nuggets and anything chocolate. He says he wants to marry a chocolate covered girl.

He also claims he wants to marry his momma!

Big Tree on Campus

Just 5 minutes from our house stands this enormous, beautiful tree. Each time we pass this tree after it blooms in the Spring, I think, "that is the perfect tree". Looking for activities to do with the boys during our long afternoon and evenings, it was the perfect place for more pictures. I have also been looking for a good picture to use as Ben's "official" 2-year-old photo.


I think this is his 2-year-old picture ( along with a couple of others ).

Looking in one of the many holes around the tree. Snake holes? Not sure and I didn't want to find out. Jack sure did and actually put sticks down in a couple of them. Yikes!

Another good one for an "official" shot.

Jack wasn't very cooperative this go-round. I had less good ones of him.

Running away from my instructions, but turned out pretty good.

There was no parting with the stick.

This reminds me of one of Jack's 2-year-old pictures where he is squatting down and pushing a tractor.

This looks nice and sweet and all that, but they were disobeying and getting ready to head into all that nasty brush. They kept putting one foot in and looking back at me. Testers.

Field of Wildflowers

Putting aside that this field was full of rotten corncobs, snake holes and cracked open eggs (which Sam suspected were snake eggs), the wildflowers were too beautiful to pass up. I have to give credit to Sam as it was his idea. Driving to church, he noted that it would be a great place for pictures. Jack was very cooperative and Ben . . . not so much.


Oh, my handsome, lady killer, Jack.

Ben's hair was crazy, he didn't want to be touched, he just wanted to pick flowers.

Even though he looks like he might be suckin' on a lemon, he's still handsome.

Cutie-pie.

I like this shot. Jack would be a great child model. I don't think I'm biased either (ha ha).

I think this is the best shot of the day. He was so happy to pick as many flowers as he could for his mama. He was on a mission and ecstatic about it. At 5-years-old, he's thrilled to pick anything resembling flowers for me.

Brotherly love

This is probably the best one of my Ben.

Here ya go..

The two white flowers in the middle were for my hair.

My boys are good to me.

Precious Ben is 2-years-old today!

The following pictures are all from today, Ben's 2nd birthday.

He's saying, "cheeeeeeese" in this one.
I really, really, really had a hard time getting him to stay put for ANY of these pictures.

This is one of my favorites!

Reaching for the camera here.

Looking way too big for 2.

Busy, busy.

This is my other favorite.

Sure is windy out today...

Sure wish mommy would stop following me with that camera.

Happy boy!

Ben is such a blessing. He makes us laugh with his precious speech that is always expanding and improving. He is mischievous and has a bubbly, happy personality. He loves Cubby and Florence and especially his brother, Jack. He loves to greet Sam at the door every evening and go upstairs with him while he changes clothes. He loves Toy Story, Finding Nemo and the Little People. His favorite toys are his Lego's. Right now, his favorite thing in the entire world (other than me), is being outside.