Wonderful Friends =)

So, I keep putting this post off, because there's so much that could be said about my great friends here in Oklahoma. =) And I would like to post pictures, etc., etc., etc...But I don't think it's ever going to be the PERFECT moment where I have "enough" time, so I'll just go ahead and say it. I love my friends here. Most of them are new - VERY new - but they have already grown to be so dear to me!!!

Dina is...DINA! We can always count on her to fix us GOOD food...and make us beautiful quilts! =) She takes care of us! I want to take pictures of the four quilts that she's made us - and I WILL - but I haven't yet. She and her son Dusty (who we also love so much!) come over a lot on Tuesday evenings to eat dinner with us and watch American Idol. Asher and I went over to their house last season for the same thing, but now that we have Ainsley, and she goes to sleep at about 7:00 every night, it's easier for them to come here. And that way Beau can watch AI with us too (even though he's not really "into it"...supposedly! =)). Tonight we fixed burgers, hot dogs, and "armadillo eggs" (hollowed out jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and a little smokie and wrapped in bacon!) on the grill. Mmmmm! And we had brownies too! We were all stuffed, and we agreed that it is a good thing we only do this once a week. =) And Dusty! We love him for lots of reasons, but one of the main reasons is the way that he loves our kids! He's 14 and SO SWEET with them!!! Asher loves him too!!! And Ainsley's growing pretty fond of him as well. =) And by the way, he just won FIRST PLACE at the Regional track meet for shot put! Way to go DUSTY!!! The state meet is Saturday!

SHANNON! Today I was about to LOSE MY MIND around lunch time! I REALLY thought I was going to! I wanted to SCREAM! My kids were making me NUTS! Every day, Beau comes home for lunch, but he had one of his bosses in town today and found out right about lunch time that he was going into town with him...which was fine, but that about sent me over the edge. =) I NEEDED him! (But OF COURSE I wanted him to go have lunch with his boss!!!) About that time, Shannon called. I almost didn't answer it, because I was really in no state to talk. But I did, and I cried on the phone to her. I didn't mean to...it just happened. =) And she came out to see me. It was SO NICE! The kids went down for naps right before she got here, so we had a really great couple of hours just relaxing and talking. (And then they woke up right as she was leaving, and reality set in again...but I was better by that point.) And she brought me little treats too! She brought us a pretty hanging basket of impatiens - which I HOPE I can keep alive!!! =) And she brought me a stack of magazines to look at and two cds that she burned especially for ME! =) One was music from Twilight, and the other one was inspirational songs for mothers...so sweet! I needed that! =) She also brought some toys for Asher to play with! Thank you Shannon! You truly did brighten my day (and my kids' day too!)! Who knows what would've happened if you hadn't come!!! =) We had a lot of fun the other day too. They are building a new house, and I went over there and helped her glaze her kitchen cabinet doors. I'll post pictures so you'll know what I'm talking about.

MISS WUTH! (Or "Ruth" if you're not Asher =)) She's my newest friend here, and I know that we're going to become very close! I've mentioned her before, but she has two little guys around my kids' ages - three years and almost nine months (I think). And that is what bonds us...not to mention that I just like her!!! =) We've decided that we're going to have "Make a Wish" days for each other. Last week she came to my house and dusted my downstairs and cleaned my windows...and supervised the kids...while I got cleaning done too. It was GREAT! And this week, I'm supposed to go to her house to help her with whatever she needs - although I don't think it's going to happen, because my kids seem to be a bit under the weather. This past Saturday we went to Muskogee together to go to Hobby Lobby (sorry Shannon - I know you asked me first! =)). It was such a fun day. Oh! I also recently found out about a walking track in town (from Shannon =)), and Ruth and the boys met the kids and me there yesterday morning to get a little exercise. I'm glad she is in this season of life with me!!! =)

And Autumn!!! My Wal-Mart friend! =) For a LONG time, Dina was my only friend here...then there was Autumn! =) She also has two small kiddos - four and two, I believe. We don't get to see them quite as much because of schedule conflicts, but she is a special friend as well. She has been my spur-of-the-moment-movie friend a couple of times. Last week we went to see a movie, went to Chili's afterwards and talked there for a VERY long time before heading home. She's a talker...and I love hearing what she has to say! =) From the first time we got together to hang out, we talked about "deeper" things...and I like that. She's one of those rare "as iron sharpens iron" friends! Thanks for getting my number in Wal-Mart Autumn! =) Where would I be without you?! =)

So there you have it. I'll have to post pictures soon...so you can put faces with names. I'm so thankful that God is blessing me with these sweet friends!!!

Big Yawn...

I'm too sleepy to really post anything tonight (although I have several things I want to blog about), but I thought some of you might appreciate having something else on your "blog lists" under my name besides my last post title. I thought it was funny, but you can only appreciate it for so long. =)

Sorry this is such an empty post, but my brain is dead right now. It's been a decent day, but I must sleep now. =) Good night!

"Don't bite your balls!"

Usually it's Asher quotes, but I had to share MY latest. And no, it's not what you're thinking...thank goodness! =) Asher has had this thing since he was little - If he gets his hands on a Nerf ball, he takes a bite out of it! I figured it was just a "baby" thing, so I put away all things Nerf. But I decided to break out his Nerf football today, and what do you know? He took a huge chunk off the end. So I (naturally) said, "Don't bite your balls!" And I'm sorry, but that's funny...I don't care how old you are. =)

I do have to brag on one thing about him though. He's been writing "H"es like a mad man. He says, "H. H. Across." When he draws the lines down, that's when he says, "H". And then he says, "across" when he draws the line across. Brilliant! =)

Ainsley's newest thing is wiggling so much in her bed that she ends up in the top corner.

Now. Off to make some dinner...

My Manly Man

Showing his MUSCLES!

Fun Family Fitness =)

We went on a great family walk a few evenings ago.

Asher was saying, "They not hear me." about the cows that he was trying to get to say, "Mooooo" to him. And, obviously, he found a puddle of water before this.

Sorbet Cones!!!

This made us so HAPPY that Asher got to experience what every kid SHOULD experience...an ice cream cone (except his was sorbet...due to his allergies)!

A Few Overdue Easter Pics

Zerbert!

I zerberted Asher's cheeks, then he wanted me to zerbert his nose - which was a little challenging. =) Then he returned the same zerberts to me and then said, "Your teeth!" So he zerberted my teeth! Weird! It didn't really work, by the way. =)

"She's a princess, Mommy...just like YOU!" - another cute thing that came out of my boy baby's mouth.

We just returned from a very last minute trip to see one of my close friends and her brand new baby who was taken to Cook Children's hospital in Fort Worth. I won't share names or anything on my blog, because I don't think that's my place. But I will say that the baby boy is getting better. He was severely dehydrated and jaundiced, but he has been steadily improving and as of yesterday they thought he would be moved to a private room today. He was in the NICU, then in the PICU, and he will hopefully be released tomorrow. They had concerns about his heart, but those tests came back with no signs of trouble, so that's wonderful. And they're still waiting on results for another concern. Please pray for my friends and their precious baby boy. My friend had an incredibly difficult labor and delivery (I thought I did, but mine was NOTHING compared to hers!), so please pray specifically for her recovery and rest. Of course all new mommies are beyond exhausted and emotional - but she is way beyond the "norm"! I'm so proud of her as she's done what has needed to be done, but it is catching up with her, and she NEEDS rest! It is obvious that God has been carrying them through this time, and I'm so thankful for that!!!

A bright side to that surprise trip was getting to stay with my childhood friend Angie and her family! It was GREAT to spend time with them! Thank you Chase and Angie for opening your home to us - and for taking care of my kiddos!!! They had a great time playing in their WELL- STOCKED playroom! =) And the backyard was so fun as well. Ella, Angie's four year old, LOVED Ainsley, and Ainsley thought she was pretty great too! =) Thank you Ella for letting us sleep in your room!

We got home LATE last night and are enjoying lounging around this morning before we get back into the swing of things...which I plan on doing this afternoon. Hope you're all doing well and enjoying this sunshine (Shannon!!!)!

My Girl

Yippeeee!!!

So, we have a new camera! Dina came over this afternoon and SURPRISED us with one that she and my in-laws, Mark and Barbara, went in on together! Thank you all SO MUCH!!! We're very excited to have it, and now we can document Easter '09 properly. =) Actually, we already started tonight...

We had dinner with our new friends, Marc, Ruth, and their two boys, Luke and Nathan. We had a great time. Luke and Asher even had an Easter egg hunt this evening. It was pretty cute and lots of fun! Thanks for having us over Marc and Ruth! We enjoyed our evening with all of you very much and look forward to more very soon! Ainsley and Nathan even had fun together! They were SO CUTE sitting in front of each other, reaching for the other one's face or whatever.

And now that both kiddos are asleep (finally!), I should get to work. You know, the Easter Bunny is coming!!!

Happy Easter! We're so thankful for Jesus and the lives that we've been given through Him!!!

Today I...

Right now, I am lying on the couch (loveseat, actually...I'm not quite sure why I chose the shorter of the two. =)), in a living room that is getting darker as the sun disappears for the day. Ainsley is cooing herself to sleep, and Asher and Beau are back in our bedroom watching tv and playing a game. So, it's quiet down here, and I'm doing "nothing". It's a good end to what has ended up being a good day. I was checking blogs, and Amy, my sister, tagged her readers to share about our "today". So here's mine:

Today I...

Ate: Raisin Bran; chocolate pudding cake that Dina made for us - yummy! (yes, BEFORE my lunch), bean and rice quesadillas (made especially for the cheese-less Asher), tilapia, and corn; graham crackers dipped in milk (one of my favorite snacks - perhaps a little strange for a 32 year old); milk duds and popcorn (one milk dud with each bite of popcorn - my favorite movie snack!); and no dinner so far - I guess I should remedy that!

Felt: purposeful as I tried to get ready first thing this morning to go the store (then Ainsley was ready for a nap when I finished actually getting ready, so I never went); relaxed and a little lazy when Beau realized about half way through the day that he had the day off because of Good Friday - We put the kids down for naps and watched one of our new favorite shows, "Lie to Me".; excited that Beau wanted to go see a movie with me if we could find a place for our kids (THANK YOU SHANNON AND KIAH!!!); frazzled as I was trying to get us out the door in time for the movie; happy to be at a movie; in suspense as I watched the movie; bummed that Ainsley was not a "good" baby while we were gone; relaxed again to sit and do "nothing" at home - yet not completely, because in this "felt" section Asher came downstairs, and Ainsley has started fussing some in her bed. So my evening as a mother continues...=)

Listened to: Disney channel shows in the background, our other show and movie, my kids playing, jabbering, singing, and crying =)

Watched: "Lie to Me" (great show!), "Knowing" (glad we saw it: suspenseful, intense, thought-provoking, emotional)

Loved: that my hubby wanted to go on a date - I like to "go" more than he does, so when he does too, it makes me really happy! The funny things Asher says and the way he says them - like when I say, "No Sweetheart." And he says, "Yes Sweetheart." Or I say, "Hi Boogidy-Boo." And he says, "Hi Boogidy-Mommy." My beautiful, rosy-cheeked, chubby baby as she discovers new things every day - today it was her hands!

Hoped: that someone would want to watch our kids so we could go to a movie =)

Enjoyed: meeting my friend Shannon's kids! I'm a FAMILY person, so not knowing a friend's family just seems incomplete to me.

Wished: that I could keep my house straight! That Asher would obey! (He's been tackling Ainsley a lot - and things like that!)

Wondered: if I would actually make it to the store today - and I didn't. =)

Drank: lemonade, water, milk, Dr. Pepper

Wanted: a shower - and I GOT one! - not a small task these days =)

Looked: in the freezer to see what we would have for lunch (Tilapia, it was.)

Tag! You're it.
Leave me a message if you take the tag.

P.S. Ainsley is officially asleep...FINALLY...after "talking", silence, and fussing a little off and on for quite a while. Whew! Always a good part of the evening. =)

Ainsley

There is nothing more magical than swaddling Ainsley up (yes, she still likes it - even at six and a half months...although she pops her arms out now...anyway...), putting her paci in her mouth, her eyes immediately fluttering like it's the best thing in the world to her, laying her down in her bed, and not hearing a peep out of her until she wakes up from her nap. Granted, this does NOT happen every time I put her down, but it's SO AMAZING when it does! I LOVE it!!! She's turned into such a manageable baby - compared to her first couple of months of life. I'm thankful for that! =)

She's doing the funniest thing today. She's making this very high pitched squealing sound, and it's so funny, so I laugh at her, and she keeps doing it. For the first time, I've wondered if she's actually trying to entertain me. I'm not sure if she is, but that's another one of my favorite parts of being a mommy - your kids trying to make you laugh. It's so fun! =)

Now...I'm off to work HARD! I've gotten a fair amount done around the house this morning, but I've got to get the downstairs and hall bathroom spic-n-span, because we've got company coming over this evening. Mr. Jim (one of our retired volunteers who has helped us out here at the camp a TON) and Randy, or "Sarge" as Asher is calling him - the new man who has recently been hired here at the camp and now lives here too. We really like him and are so thankful that he's here!!! AND...he was a Marine, so he's REALLY clean - which this camp needs! But I'm a little intimidated about my house not "measuring up" to his standards. =) Oh well. It is what it is. =) Hope you're all having a wonderful day!!!

Noooooooo!

We have a DEAD camera! That is NOT GOOD!!! We must do something about this QUICK! There are too many things to document EVERY DAY at this stage in our lives! So sad!

On a happier note...Asher told Beau yesterday, "Daddy, you're a genius!" Yes, he is, I agree! Literally. I really think he is!

He also told Beau the other day, "I'm not sure, Daddy." Cute. I had never heard him say that before.

Today we had a really fun afternoon at a newly discovered park in town (thanks to Autumn!) with new friends of ours - Ruth and her two boys, Luke, 3, and Nathan, 8 months?. It's great to have a friend who TOTALLY relates to the day to day things I'm experiencing - the misplaced clothing, the late-in-the-day showers, the hormones, etc., etc., etc... And Asher was super impressive to me as he climbed the rock climbing wall at the playground over and over and over. =)

Beau got home today, and he asked me if I was "so tired", because I normally am when he gets home, but I actually felt better today than I normally do at that time of day. Sometimes spending time with friends really energizes me. I enjoy being at home too, but I love friendship!!!

And speaking of, Dina and Dusty came over this evening for dinner and American Idol...and to bring me my new quilt! Thanks Dina! I love it!!! Now I can cover up with something other than my favorite Christmas quilt - that she also made for me. =)

Also speaking of friends...I have recently reconnected with a dear friend from high school, Dani. She was an exchange student from Brazil. My best friend from when I was little bitty, Melinda. (She taught me how to stand on my head. =)) And my best friend from high school, Holly. My little family and I may even go see her and her little family in New Mexico in the fall. We'll see, but I would love to! =) There are countless others I have recently connected with also, and it's been SO FUN! I love facebook!!! I have been blessed so richly with friendships throughout my life, and I love that so many of those connections have not been lost over the years - just misplaced. I love you friends!

And on that note, I really should retire. I have been staying up way too late lately. Too bad you can't just switch off your kids until you're ready to get up in the morning. =) Good night!

New Pics...Finally!

New pics from the last month and a half: http://picasaweb.google.com/beauandsarawaters/2ndHalfOfFebThruMarch0902?feat=directlink

WE'RE EXPECTING AGAIN...

to have rain tomorrow...at least there's a 50% chance.

Hopefully the title GOTCHA...APRIL FOOLS!!! =)