Say Cheese...

Jonathan mentioned to me earlier this week that it was about time to get the kids pictures taken professionally again. It is so stressful that I mainly just do it at Christmas time anymore! Well, I decided that he was probably right and we had appointment scheduled for 11am today at JC Penney's in Greenwood! (Jonathan was conveniently busy today and went to the Brickyard qualifications with my dad and brother!) Mom was gracious enough to go along and help! (By the end of the day, I think she was wishing she would've gone to the race track...)

We arrived a few minutes late, traffic was terrible for a Saturday. However, as usual, they were running a little behind and we had to sit and wait for our turn.

The kids were all dressed alike and I had them take off their socks and shoes as I wanted them barefoot in their pictures! Paige kept saying to Grandma, "I want my sockies on..." The twins have never done great with their pictures and won't usually smile at the camera. However, today Peyton was in rare form and was smiling really big. Paige on the other hand, kept biting the insides of her cheeks so she would not have to smile. The photographer about stood on his head trying to get a smile out of her. (She reminded me of a book I used to have as a kid called The Princess and the Pea. No matter what he did, he could not get her to laugh!!!) Anyway, we got about 2-3 good shots out of the whole ordeal and were on our merry way!

We quickly ate lunch and then went back to Penneys to view our portraits. They had a little table for the kids to color on while we waited to view our portraits. They weren't ready for us still and the kids began to fight before I even began to look at my pictures. Mom grabbed her camera and got an action shot of Parker letting Peyton have it...

Peyton decided to throw an absolute "fit" while I was choosing the pictures and Mom had to leave with them and took them all the way to the vehicle. I could hear him screaming on the elevator the entire way downstairs. I was feeling mighty proud...

I decided that Peyton was not going to ruin our day so I went back outside, got Mom and the kids, and back into the mall we went! We just hit a few stores and when I was standing in line at Christopher and Banks, I heard my dear middle child once again. Screaming in the middle of the mall. He was throwing things and causing quite a scene. I told the lady that was my child screaming and she quickly rang me up so we could leave.

We decided that we didn't want to experience him throwing a tantrum a 3rd time and called it a day. Believe me...Daddy owes me a shopping day alone!!!

The twins both fell asleep within minutes on the ride home and looked so innocent in their car seats! How could he have been so bad just a few minutes earlier?! Not sure where Peyton gets this but we are going to HAVE to break his will very soon... :(

Jonathan is on his way home from the track and probably burnt to a crisp. Poor dear... He's had such a fun, stress free day! Hope he isn't expecting dinner when he gets home!

13 years ago today...we got engaged!

He is softspoken and I am a chatterbox

He loves a story and I love to laugh

He whispered "Will you marry me" and I shouted "YES!"

It all started in July of 1991 at Holiness Heritage Youth Camp in Muncie, Indiana. I went to youth camp and was waiting for someone else to show up. Jonathan also came to this particular youth camp and was also looking for someone else. Neither of these people came to this youth camp and by the 2nd night of camp, we were soooooo glad! We ended up sitting together on the first night of camp and were sneaking and holding hands by the end of the week! (Isn't that hilarious...we had to cross our arms and sneak and tough fingers!) I kept saying that I wasn't going to fall for him because he was younger than me but he was too cute to resist!!!! :) That started our relationship and we dated for 5 years.

(What he looked like when I fell in love...)

On July 21st, 1995, we went up to Jonathan and LuRhe Edwards farm to spend the day. That weekend marked 5 years since we began dating. We had talked of getting engaged and I thought he would probably ask me that night over dinner. He had been outside with Jonathan Edwards washing this huge John Deere tractor. I was inside sampling chocolate chip cookies that LuRhe had made. Jonathan came inside the house and wanted to know if I wanted to go for a tractor ride with him. I said, "sure" and with a mouth full of cookies, out the door I went! We went driving across the wheat field and I'll spare you all the details! He ended up asking me to marry him out in the middle of the wheat field and pulled my watch out of his pocket!! I gladly said "Yes!!!" We did end up going to dinner later that evening and ate at Cattleman's Steakhouse.

(Taken the day after we were engaged. Sporting our new watches...)

On our way home, we stopped and told his parents. They were happy for us and not surprised. I can't remember their exact reaction. We then went on to my house and told my parents. I remember them just sitting there and staring at us as we told them. No congratulations, hugs, we are happy for you, etc! Just a stunned look!!!!!!!! :) They were very happy for us and by the next day they were giving out congrats and hugs to us both!!! (They loved Jonathan dearly, just weren't thrilled with the idea of me leaving home!) We gave them an entire year to get used to the idea though, I think that helped! Now they would never want me back...

(I can't believe we were ever that skinny...)

We were engaged for a year and were married the following July! We thought our wedding day would never come and both counted the days until we were married! It's hard to believe we have now been married for 12 years...but, I'd do it all over again honey!!!!!

Love ya!

Recent photos around here...

A girl on Parker's ball team had "Parker" for a last name. We thought it looked cute when they sat side by side on the bench...
Receiving their trophies... Peyton managed to break Parker's in half before the night was over! A big thanks to Papaw Thompson for fixing it for Parker.
The Ponies...
Taken July 4th...
It's impossible to get a good picture of them... Now you know why I rarely take them in for Studio pictures!

Snaggletooth...

Parker was sitting at the breakfast table at Grandma Sheila's this morning, waiting for her to fix his cinnamon toast when he said he felt something in his mouth. He said he spit his tooth out on his plate! (Gross!) He can't wait to put it under his pillow tonight! He said he thinks it is worth $0.25! (He said that Bugs Bunny told him that on a Looney Tunes video!) We have it made... The first of many toothless grins!

Vacation Highlights and Photos!

Here are a ton of pictures from our vacation! I took over 400 pictures but only chose 169 to share with you! Aren't you glad?!?! :)
We had a blast with Randy and Missy Dunn and their boys. We were busy every day. This is the first time I have ever been to Pigeon Forge and never once went to an outlet mall! The kids just didn't care to spend their time shopping so I sacrificed for them!
We spent 3 days at Dollywood, 2 different days at the NASCAR go-kart track, and one day at the Aquarium in Gatlinburg. We did the Dixie Stampede on our last night there and Parker got chosen to go down and chase chickens! His chicken was really slow and he ended up kicking his in the tailfeathers!!!
We had some hilarious moments on this trip, one highlight was when Randy Dunn literally drove his mini van into a concrete gas station wall! I think he pulled in close enough, don't you???
A funny Missy moment happened at the go-kart track. She was in line and going to take Parker on a ride. When it was their turn, the person working there told her she wasn't tall enough to take a passanger with her! She said, "I am almost 40 years old and can drive a mini-van but can't drive a passanger in a go-kart?" He told her that Parker would have to ride with her 11 year old son, Aaron!!! So...he did! Missy was sure Parker would've been much safer with her than Aaron...oh well! ;)
Another funny moment happened at Dollywood and I wish I had thought to have someone take our picture! I was sooooooo hot that day and my jean skirt was made of a very thick material and was touching the top of my feet! I made a comment..."If I had a pair of scissors, I would cut this skirt off!" Jonathan found a pair from a blacksmith and he went to cutting! I kept telling him to make sure he didn't cut if off too short! I was making wise cracks about him making sure it was straight! He told me to be still or he would give me a split!!! :) I could feel the heat roll off me when he removed the lower half of my skirt! We gave the Blacksmith a good laugh as we gave him his scissors back and the lower portion of my skirt! for a souviner!
One day we were all on a packed elevator and Paige was shoved all the way in the back. No one probably even knew she was there until...she belted out in song, "Jesus love is bubbling over!" We acted like we didn't know her and were cracking up!
A scary moment happened at Dollywood too. Jonathan, Aaron, Parker and Tyler decided to ride the Mystery Mine one afternoon. The rest of us went to the playground. Sometime later, Jonathan and Aaron came walking towards me and I looked at him and said, "Where's Parker and Tyler?" He said, "Aren't they with you?" (Parker had gotten scared and so he and Tyler chickened out...They were to go find us!) As soon as he realized they were gone, he and Aaron went back towards the ride. A panicked Randy and Missy went running after them. Randy quickly found the boys as they were standing there close the the Mystery Mine ride where Jonathan had left them! They were just getting ready to ask someone with a name tag where Jonathan was! At least they were that smart!!!
We had a great time on our trip and I won't continue to bore you with the details! We ended up getting Season Passes for Dollywood and are planning to go back in the fall!

Vacation in Tennessee

Havin' a great time...

We left Indiana at 8:30am Sunday morning, had a picnic lunch on Jellico mountain and arrived safely here Sunday afternoon. We spent the evening just hanging out at the condo and preparing for our big week! Since Sunday was our anniversary, Jonathan and I took a ride down the strip while Randy and Missy watched the kids. We were out looking for coupon books and Jonathan spotted an Elvis impersonator and just had to pull in and listen! (He even got his picture with the old man!) What a romantic anniversary evening together!
We spent the first 3 days of our week with Dolly at Dollywood! Two of the days we stayed until the park closed! (We wanted to get our money's worth!) Yesterday, we got drowned in the pouring rain. Just as we were boarding a wooden roller coaster, it let out a "gully washer" and we were in trouble! The ride was going so fast that the rain really hurt our faces as we rode! It kept raining and we finally had to just get out and walk in it. We were a beautiful sight when the day was done!
Today we spent a fortune at the Aquarium in Gatlinburg but the kids loved it! While we were standing in line, I saw Roger and Connie Fortner of the McKamey's walk by me! I should've stopped them and gotten my picture with them! :) I never did see Peg or Reuben though!
We had lunch today at No Way Jose's and I think if someone ever suggests that place to me again, I will say..."No way Jose!" :) It doesn't compare to the Mexican back home!!!
Tomorrow the guys are getting all day wristbands at the Nascar place and planning to ride go-karts until they drop! We got a taste of it on Monday and Parker loved it! He is tall enough to drive himself! (Yikes...)
We have tickets to the Dixie Stampede on Friday evening and then will return home on Saturday! Parker wants to stay for at least 10 more days!!!! :)
I have some hilarious highlights that I will share as well as some photos of our trip but am getting completely aggravated with this dial up so that will have to wait! As Angie Davis said, "I feel like I am back in the stone ages!"

Happy 12th Anniversary to us...

We are spending the week in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee with Randy and Missy Dunn and their boys! Planning some time at Dollywood, Dixie Stampede, the Aquarium, go karts, shopping, and lots of eating out!!! This is one of our favorite vacation spots and we are so excited about a week away from the daily routine of life! (We are both taking our laptops so I am sure I will find some time to post an update or two!!!)
In the meantime...have a wonderful Sunday and a great week!

Happy Birthday America!

WELCOME!

Please welcome my good friend, Amy Shearer to our world of blogging! Check her out at www.Shearerspotlight.blogspot.com