A Mailey Baby Birthday Bash

Mailey's party was so much fun! I was at a loss as to what to do with 2 year olds at first. Going to a jump place or to paint pottery is just out of the question, but they need some fun things to do at a party. Our back porch was a great place to have some fun, but if anyone remembers, we have had ELEVEN dogs in our backyard for awhile. Another problem was the fact that the high in the flatlands had been 105+ every single day. So I bought some fabric, some long plastic tablecloth rolls, scheduled the party for early in the morning, and prayed for the best! We wanted everyone to come make a mess with our little mess!

We set up three stations to work at. One was painting their handprint, one was filled with playdoh, and the last one was decorating their cupcake to eat. Each kid had an apron to wear, and they got to play and make messes along the way. Mailey got a climber and everyone loved climbing and sliding down. She and her sweet friends had so much fun!
Seeing her present for the first time


Decorations




Center signs




Julianne getting an unwated hug from the birthday girl. Mailey is very up close and personal!


Grant


Kendi Claree...it was her birthday that day, too!

Abby


Ainsley


Cohen


Sliding!



Abby, Calyn, Grant


Ainsley and Kendi


2 Candles


Cake!


Presents!


Thank you to all Mailey's friends who came and played with us. We love y'all!

And the Saga Continues

Tyson has been working a lot. By a lot I mean, every day but Sunday afternoons after church, and nearly every night until either 8:30 or 10:30 if it is a teaching night. I have really not let it get to me, you know, just kept plodding along, thinking that surely, one day soon, he would get one job that would be great. Great as in not straight commission where you can work 70 hours a week and make nada. Nothing. ZERO! Ahem. So we are tired. All of us have not felt like a complete family in some time. You can ignore it or push through it or make the best of it, but it wears on you bit by bit. Last week I really just woke up one day and felt different. I was tired of it all. I just got pretty down about riding this year+ long train to somewhere. I know God has a plan. I know God has His future for us. I think I was just tired. Not quite pity party style, but just exhausted. I knew that this is nothing compared to some of our single parent friends, and I pray for them and think about them constantly. Even moreso over these last months of such long hours and such high stress, because this is their life for now. There is no help on the way. I know that. I feel that for them. But I was just ready for something to give. Some breakthrough had to be coming.


This is NOT the break we needed. Tyson was four-wheeling in Colorado, decided a shortcut was the best route, nearly gave Eric a heart attack, flew off the vehicle, watched it tumble down the mountain, and this is the result. It could have been so much worse, especially if Tyson had continued down the mountain along with it. We are thankful for that. So here we are. Our vacation was cut short, we missed our sweet niece's wedding, the kids' hearts were crushed about not seeing the 4th parade and missing family fun in Georgetown, CO, and we are searching for a doctor here to do surgery as quickly as possible. Craziness continues...

Some prayers needed:
-Finding a doctor asap to get in with
-Surgery quickly
-Some way to make up for all the missed work that will happen in July
-A great job for Tyson
-Patience and endurance for me

I will keep you updated!

crazy may

Dads

Happy Father's Day to all the Daddys out there!

They all work so hard to support our families, to bless our children, and make our lives happier every day!

2

Today Mailey baby is two years old.
She is a mess and a handfull and a climbing genius.
She is beautiful and happy and hilarious.

Mailey has blessed us all beyond any words. She completely surprises us and cracks us up on a daily basis.

I have had people stop me and ask if she is my third...when only she is with me! I guess you third kids have some reputation!!

Here are some funny phrases and antics we have heard and seen as she is turning two:

"I taking a bathtub!! I taking a bathtub with Kenna now!"

"I love you, I love me!"

"Mommy, you hairs crazy."

"Tracen, get off a meeeeee!"

"Go now? Dink now? Shoes on now? Outside now?"

"It beckfast time!"(at 8pm)

"I need a baby, I need a milk, I need a puppy, I need a gape!"(grape...what she calles blueberries)

"You likin' me? They likin' me."

"You helpin' me wif dis."

"Look! Bug! Ya see em? Bugs! Eveywhere! I step it!"

"See friends?? I see em! They likin' me. Friends."

"Dis fingy. Ya' need a dis fingy? Open dis fingy for me?"

"Hug! Hug me! Kiss! A kiss!"

This child is just filled with happiness. She can get so excited and then get soooo upset in an instant.

She has pulled the dresser down on herself, she dove out of her crib, and decided to leap sideways off of the 4th rung of a playground ladder.

Her birthday present is a climber/slide combo everyone pitched in on, because she needs one, don't you agree??

She has no fear, but is not a fan of getting into the water.

As a puppy is nipping at her, she just hollers at it, "Puppy bitin' me!" and moves it away. No drama or crying, just gets it done on her own.

She still announces everything. We hear, "I climbin'! I slidin'! I fallin'!" all day long.

If she cries, you know she is really hurt.

She scrunches her eyebrows down in annoyance at us often.

She looks at you at random times and declares her love for you.

She loves going and doing and just being around people.

We love this girl so much!!!

Happy 2nd birthday to my Mailey, always will be, baby!

My girl

(jessicalanegray photography)


My sweet girl is going to Preteen Camp tomorrow morning at 5:45am.

How did we ever get to this point in our lives?

I am scared, nervous, worried, excited, proud, and already waiting for Friday to get here.

Pray for Makenna...and her mom...as she goes throughout the week.

I am asking God to really give her an undivided heart, all filled with Him.

What a HUGE step she is taking.

This is like the beginning of her growing up life.

I pray the beautiful young girl I know and love will shine through to everyone around her, and that they would see God's love in her life.

I love this girl!

Gone and Gone

Our internet bit the dust. Suddenlink was slow. My laptop was newish. The WEP key disappeared. Scott sent me a 14 message text trying to help. Today is day 2 with internet that works.

Yay.

How will I ever catch up???

No clue.

But I am determined to do so. Just stop reading...since you already have due to nearly a month of nada...unless you would like to be blinded by pictures of end of the year madness.

Recap:
Internet-gone
WEP key-gone
Life-running forward at a crazy rate of speed
Blog-boringly scrapbookish for awhile

Sorry.

To be continued...someday.