Monday Night WWF

Monday night at the Duncan's. Since we don't have cable or satellite, we have to create our very own entertainment...which is probably better.

Typical

Below you see my fella showing off his manly physique. He's positive he is invincible!!!Notice Anna Kate in the left hand part of the picture...and see picture below...


The "Pouting Princess". She couldn't find the right shoes to wear with her dress which started all of the drama, then I told her that in 30 minutes she would have to take her Cinderella dress off to put on pajamas. Oh, the life of royalty!!!
Like I said, typical!!!!

Who Is the REAL Sonic?

A Day Out with Nana

Mom took a day off on a day when she had a doctor appointment and we got to spend the day with her. We went to Bob Evans for lunch and then went to the Ashland Town Center for some shopping and playing. The kids had a great time.



Waiting patiently for their food, they are getting some snuggle time.

Here Ben is reading to Nana. Nana taught kindergarten for a while (years ago--back when I was in kindergarten) and she used the same curriculum I use. They were going over blends they saw on the kid menu.
Such a boy! We played at the Ashland Town Center for a while and, of course, Ben was role playing here. He loves jumping off of anything!
I'm not real sure what she's doing here. Taking a rest, I guess! I just though it was a cute picture.

Thanks for the day Mom!!!!!!

A Visit

The Beckett family and Grace Peach came for a visit recently and we all had a great time. Anna Kate got to sit with Kristi while Ben got to play on the playstation with Andrew. Thanks for the visit guys. We had a good time!

My son is a genius?

No really, I think he is...or at least, REALLY smart! Yesterday I was doing my daily browsing of the blogs (it's an addiction--my day isn't complete without it) when he came up behind me and said "Mommy, I want a blog".

I said "Well, okay. I think we could probably set up your very own blog". I got us back to the main page where you sign in and said "Let's see how we do this".

He pointed and said "Mommy, right there, see? It says Create Your Blog Now." He was pointing to the arrow to start creating one.

After I shook my head in amazement, I decided that maybe I wanted him to have a separate e-mail address and said "Let's wait until daddy can set up a new e-mail address just for you and you can e-mail your friends" (Mimi, Nana, Max and, of course, Patty). At this point, I signed back in to my blog and he then said "Well, then, just go to New Post".

I'm not real sure I need to be teaching him...I think he's smarter than I am! I'm not even faster...which could prove to be a problem :-)!!!!!

I Chronicles 16:8-12

"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!  Sing to him; sing praises to Him; tell of all his wondrous works!  Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!  Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!  Remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles and the judgments He uttered."

No pictures this time...how convicting these verses were to me this morning.  We are doing a Bible study at church called "Celebrating Life".  Last week it was just kind of a hohum week for me but this week is a different story.  Last night as I was doing the checkbook, I found a mistake.  It really wasn't a major deal but these days, with gas at around 4.00 a gallon and my grocery bill at least 40.00 more a week, it stressed me out a little.  Scott and I gathered Ben and Anna Kate up and prayed that God would just continue to provide as He always has and thanked Him for His provision already.  Now, you may think, "Wonderful, they prayed".  But that's not how I always handle it.  Sometimes, I don't respond that way and it's easy to start feeling very sorry for myself.  I want to be sure that I am thankful for God's provisions in my life and that I remember the ways He has blessed us!  He has performed miracles, yes, miracles for our family.  Ben and Anna Kate are two of those!  Praise God!  He has provided transportation for us in the past through people that cared about us!  Praise God!  He has provided unexpected money for us when we needed it!  Praise God!  He sold our house in Lucasville in three weeks!!!!!!  Praise God!  He provided a very nice home, in a nice neighborhood, close to my family within our budget! Praise God!  

The list really could go on and on.  But how many times do I sit back and remember how wondrous those works are?  He is a wonderful God!  Can we go on two week vacations to the places of our choice?  Probably not right now.  Can we have all the things done to the house that we WANT?  Probably not right now.  But I have to remember...remember...remember how great God is.  My life is blessed compared to others who have nothing.  God has given me so much just in relationships and in things too.  Our church sent a team to Mexico this year to build a soup kitchen...what a sight those pictures were of the children!  They have so little that it was hard for me to come home and see what I had.

So here's my conclusion for today...(remind me of this later, will ya?).  God is so good to give me what He has.  Things don't really matter.  It's just more stuff, stuff that won't matter in eternity.  However, God has provided me with two little miracles that I need to exhibit thankfulness and reliance upon God in front of.  What can be more important than that, right now?  I need to remember God's provision and greatness in front of them and tell them and others like these verses say.  I need to seek His presence continually and rejoice in the Lord with them daily!

Tennessee Trip

We went to Tennessee over July 4 weekend to see very good friends, David and B.J. Ayers, and their girls, Katie and Hannah. We went to the Knoxville Zoo on Thursday and here are the girls posing with Ben and Anna Kate for a picture. I met the Ayers in 1993 when I met Scott and Hannah was just a few months old and Katie was around 2. B.J. quickly became a very good friend and we've been friends ever since. David and B.J. were going to River Cities up until November of last year when they moved. We sure do miss them but love going to visit!
Anna Kate and Ben both love the girls. Anna Kate, especially because they are teenagers and she thinks she's just like them. They are great girls!

We were in a building full of bugs, frogs and other such "lovely" creatures in this picture. This crazy girl is holding a hissing cockroach on her hand. You really couldn't pay me enough to do that!!!! Ben kept his distance, but he was fascinated!

Anna Kate LOVES B.J. Anna Kate wanted to be with B.J. all day at the zoo and B.J. obliged!

One of my favorite pictures!

After the zoo, we went with the Ayers to a community celebration for July 4. I just thought Ben was cute here. He's being Sonic. He loves to have his picture taken in character...I usually have to request that Ben show up for pictures if I want one of Ben being Ben.

On Friday morning, when we got up, B.J. was making puffed french toast. It was delicious!!!! I think I might have gained a few pounds while there!

David and B.J. have a Golden Retriever named Zoe. She is such a sweet dog, but it took until the day we were leaving for Ben to actually pet her. She is so laid back but Anna Kate and Ben were terrified of her. Then after Ben realized she was a good dog, he was willing. The poor pup had to stay tied up most of the weekend because Anna Kate was terrified. Sorry Zoe!!!!!

David and B.J. bought the kids umbrellas at an outlet mall in Pigeon Forge and when we got ready to leave Sat. morning, the kids were very excited because it was raining out. HOwever, by the time we left, the weather was clear. They still opened their umbrellas from porch to car. Then every time we stopped to potty, get a drink, or eat on the way home, they had to use their umbrellas! I must say, I have never seen such fascination with an umbrella!

We had a great time and will plan on going back soon. Thanks for a great weekend to David, B.J., Katie and Hannah! We love you!

Recent Visits

We've had several play dates recently with some of Ben and Anna Kate's buddies. They LOVE having company!

This is Annie and Charlee. They are sisters and are from Minford. Charlee is the one in yellow and Annie is the one in blue. Their mom is a good friend of mine and she had some work to do in Proctorville, so she dropped them off here to play and Ben and Anna Kate were so excited! Annie was born just a few months after Ben and they went to preschool together for a while.

The two pictures above are Max and Lilly. They are the kids of Becky. I've known Becky, I think, all of my life. We were probably in first or second grade the first time we met and then didn't see one another again until our freshman year at Marshall. I'm positive that God had us taking the same English class for a reason. Becky is one of those friends who has been through the ringer with me...and we've lived to tell about it! ;-) Our kids are so close in age. Max was born one year and one month before Ben and Lilly was born a year and a half after Anna Kate. They all love to play together and they keep one another busy while Becky and I visit.