Woo Pig

While the boys are at the baseball game cheering on the hogs, Sis and I are snuggled up at the hotel. We've had room service twice. Hey, a girls gotta have dinner and dessert! Now we're snuggled up watching Ava's favorite show, Live PD. It's the perfect Friday night. 

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2016 is in the books. It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. Time slow down! Ella and Lilly came up for Cookies with Santa at Whitson-Morgan. The babies still sat on Santa's lap for me but they don't look like babies anymore. Bob the elf came back and played some fun tricks on the kids. He hung their undies on the lights and toilet papered the Christmas tree! We spent the weekend at Poppy and Nana's then came back to celebrate at home Christmas morning. We all had a great holiday!

Party Animals

Ethan had his first official "friend" sleepover.  Cannon and Coale came home from school with Ethan Friday after school.  They played video games and went swimming (Brrrrr!)  Ava was right in the middle of the boys all night long.  I kept waking up throughout the night hearing the boys upstairs.  Each time I would think to myself surely they will go to sleep soon. Boy was I wrong!  When I finally got out of bed at around 7:00 they were still going strong.  Coale confessed to taking a nap sometime in the early morning, but Cannon and Ethan declared themselves party animals!  They did polish off a 12 pack of cherry Dr. Pepper sometime during the night.  I'm not sure if that contributed to the "party" but I'm sure it didn't hurt. We also had a little excitement at about 7:00 in the morning.  We felt an earthquake! It was a 5.6 centered in northern Oklahoma.  Poppy didn't realize what hit us!

After the kiddos left, all of the partying caught up with Ethan.  He is currently sacked out with puppy.  He may be growing up but he still is my sweet baby.

Whitson-Morgan Stadium

Tonight we watched the Clarksville Panthers take on the Lamar Warriors.  The past few years Lamar has dominated Clarksville.  This year, with our new coach, Clarksville took back the Battle of 64 trophy! We were also honored to take part in unveiling the new turf on the football field.  The school was able to raise enough money through private donations to purchase the new turf and looked great! The stadium was renamed to Whitson-Morgan Stadium in honor of our donation! Go Panthers!

Daddy, it looks...

For the last several weeks we have been working diligently on the new Chicken McMansion for our newest pets. We are so close to finishing it! Ava walked in the shop today and proclaimed, "Daddy, it looks like an a-fessional!". I think she means it looks professional. Love that little pink-eyed stinker. Lol!

New Year's Restitution

As Chris slept soundly and snoring, my 2 angels and I waited for the ball to drop and ring in the new year, in New York of course. There's no way I would make it to the real midnight in our time zone! As we sat together talking about what a new year might bring, Ethan asked me what my New Year's resolution would be. Ava looked at us puzzled and said,"What's a New Year's restitution?".  I said it is something that you are going to try to do better this year than last year. She stops and thinks for a minute and then decrees, "My New Year's restitution is to sing and dance. Because that's what my talent is!". I love that little stinker!

A little midnight (or 11:00) selfie

Angel Baby Goes To Kindergarten

I knew this day would be a rough one.  Ava has been having quite a lot of separation anxiety since the day we toured kindergarten back in the Spring.  She has been clingy and not wanting to be away from mommy and daddy.  It's almost like she knew the last days of her being a "baby" were coming to an end.  I've worried and worried about when the time came to drop her off.  How would she handle it? Would she be scared? Would I cry?  There is nothing worse than knowing I have to leave her when she is upset.

Well, I am happy to report that she did great!  She was nervous, but I think the excitement she felt made it okay.  Ava did great walking in, but when we got to her classroom she looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I don't know if I can do this."  There was a fleeting moment where I thought to myself, "We could just leave now. Maybe homeschooling wouldn't be that bad!".  When I regained my composure I knelt down and said "Ava, you are going to do great.  I am so proud of you."  Then I remembered the words Ethan said when I dropped him off for his first day of kindergarten and said..."Ava, you've got this."  She said, "Okay, mommy.  I love you." and walked to her seat.

I am so blessed beyond words to have two of the most amazing children in the world.  Everyday they make me smile and laugh.  Ethan and Ava bring such joy to my life.  My heart swells with the love that I feel for them.

Time is going by so fast.  My emotions are running high today because I know we are starting a new chapter. It seems like yesterday, when we went to the hospital to have Ava.  I will never forget how proud Ethan was of his baby sister.  He ran into the waiting room and yelled, "Hey everyone! Ava Claire is here! She's here!" That kind of sums up how I feel today...LOOK OUT WORLD! AVA CLAIRE IS HERE!

Ava and Mrs. Arbaugh