April Showers bring May Flowers!

Well we should have some awesome May flowers with all the stormy weather we have had! It seems like everday this week it has been rainy, stormy, and windy. The wind is the worst! Gusting at about 40 mph at times is really rough!I am holding out hope that tomorrow will be nice. We are planning to go to the zoo for the morning. I know your probably thinking that we go there all the time. Well, when you spend the money for the season pass you have to get your money's worth out of it! It is a great way to get out of the house and just have some good free fun! Well, aside from the price I paid for the pass anyway! So tomorrow we will take out with our pinic basket (aka cooler) and have some outdoor fun.

We have had lots going on this week too. On Monday all the boys got hair cuts. JC REALLY got his cut. It had been so fuzzy! His hair texture is like mine, it gets really quinky, curly in the humidity and when wet. It had been quite a while since his had been cut too. So here is a before shot...

And here is the after...

It has taken a little getting used to. It is very short. But with hotter days ahead it will be cooler for him. And it won't have to be done again for a while so that saves the money too! The hair stylist said this would actually make it grow a little thicker. I think that will be good for him. His has been kinda thin and baby fine.

Sunday Drew say in church with the children's choir, Generation Praise. They will be performing a musical for the church in a few more weeks and they sang a couple of the songs from that. The children's ministry was highlighted all through the service. There was a testimony given by young lady who is 12. She had been sick for some time back in January and so her parents decided to take her to the ER. Well before they could get her there she collapsed. They took her on by helicopter to LeBonheur. There they discovered that she had 2 brain tumors and did emergency surgery to remove them. They did not know if she would ever wake up. Miraculously she is completely healed now, just about 3 1/2 months later. She shared that she had never prayed much before the surgery but now she realizes how powerful prayer is and that God really does perform miracles. It was such an emotional time. I cannot imagine a dry eye in the church. It is so awesome to hear about major miracles like this that God does, but sometimes we take for granted the little things He does for us each and every day that are just as miraculous. Here is a picture of the choir singing...

In addition to the boys new dos, I got a new hair color on Saturday! It is a little darker and more like my natural color. It still has some lighter highlights through it. I wasn't really sure about it at first but Jim really liked it. So we are good! I also got new glasses. We decided that I would take a break from contacts for a while. So I got 2 new pair of glasses and they came in on Monday and I was able to pick them up. I actually took a picture of myself in them, I hate pictures, but I thought I would share them. I took them of myself, so they are not that great.

I am planning a haircut soon and am thinking about making a change, so stay tuned!

Spring Fun Field Trip!!!

Yesterday we went with Drew on a field trip to the Memphis Botanic Garden. I was so very excited because the only time I have ever been there was for a party at night, so of course you cannot enjoy the bueaty of the place at night. It was absolutely gorgeous! I had so much fun and I really think that if we went back in a couple of weeks there would be even more flowers blooming all over the place.

I am going to share pictures of it now and then write some more...

Just after getting off the bus.

Our little group of boys rushing towards the fountain. They all said they wished they had brought their swim trunks!

This pic is for nana and poppy! These were the most massive coy I have ever seen!

Feeding the fish

They were pretty violent with the eating! They were just diving on top of each other to get the food.

There were still fishing coming from across the pond!

Jim and the boys looking at the big lake. They had actually gone down to see a turtle. They were all wishing they had a fishing pole!

Drew and his buddy, Elijah. They were learning about nest.

Planting grass seeds.

Stop at the bridge on our nature walk.

Drew's class on the bridge.

The class sitting in a made up, but actual size, eagle's nest.

Pretending to be an eagle.

Learning about eggs.

Drew tasting caviar! He actually said he liked it!

Well it was really a wonderful, beautiful day! We had so much fun. We were tired at the end of it but it was a good day. Now it is the end of the work day for me on Friday!! Yippee! Jim and I have the annual Band Banquet tonight, which is fun because we get to dress up and just enjoy a nice meal together without kids! And no clean up afterward!! More to come, we have another busy weekend ahead and will be spending time at nana and poppy's house tomorrow. I am sure there will be fishing and other outdoor activities ahead.

Spring is here!

Well it is certainly spring like or even early summer like outside today! It is a gorgeous 87 degrees today. We enjoyed this morning by going to the zoo with some friends. Well, the boys and I did. Jim had an honor band this weekend. I really missed having Jim around this weekend since it has been so very nice. Yesterday afternoon my sister and I took all of our boys to the park and ate a picnic dinner. That was nice and allowed us to really enjoy the outdoors. Although I think yesterday the atmosphere was more humid and heavy feeling. The boys certainly enjoyed it greatly! The playground at the park we went to was a little too big for JC to navigate on his own so I had to do all the climbing and sliding right along with him. Fun and I am sure quite a sight for those looking on!

With all our fun we have had I am now quite worn out! After the zoo and lunch the boys and I went out to Collierville for me to pick up something at the mall and then to Target to buy a birthday gift for a party that Drew will be going to tomorrow. We are enjoying a relaxing evening now. Dinner is done and cleaned up. Everyone is bathed and ready for bed. The boys are going to bed in about 10 minutes and Jim and I have a movie to watch tonight. It is nice to have him home early enough tonight for us to have some time together. I am going to post some pics and videos now. Some are just from over the last several weeks.

Leo hanging out in the yard

My nephew, Nathan, caught this frog in their neighbor's pond. Some of you will remember that this actually used to be my parents' house and that the pond was dug by Louis. This frog was MASSIVE! And there are many more like him there!

I took this just as we got to the zoo today. I kept telling Drew to smile. He looks like he is in pain in the picture!

Our crew at the zoo today, minus JC who was in the stroller!

My BFF, Stephanie, and her youngest daughter, Becca.

The meercats are always fun because they love an audience!

The sun was in our eyes really bad. But, the flowers were just so pretty and made the perfect backdrop.

The gang again. This was after our train ride. We had a great time all together. Stephanie even had an extra kid with her. They were all REALLY well behaved. One of my best zoo visits ever!









This is a video of JC playing with the dancing Elmo. This Elmo is pretty special to us. Jim's dad, Papa, gave it to Drew for his first Christmas. This also turned out to be our last Christmas with Ray. Drew always loved the Elmo. A couple of weekends ago while Jim was at a band function, JC just discovered the Elmo in the closet and brought it to me. I put batteries in it and he just laughed and got all excited about it. It was a neat moment to see him enjoying it so much and made me feel like he got a little piece of his Papa that morning!