Exciting News....

Faith can ride her bike with no training wheels, it only took her a couple of evenings of practice & tonight we did not even give her a push...she just took off on her own & of course, Claire had to tag along!

I have to tell the story of when I first learned to ride my bike. I had been practicing all summer. On August 2nd, I was 6. I vividly remember waking up & telling my dad I had to ride my bike today. He said, "Hilary, you could not ride it yesterday, what makes you think you can ride it today?" (Very encouraging, huh?) I emphatically said, "I am 6!" He said, "Just b/c you are 6 does not mean you can ride your bike, you could not ride it w/out training wheels yesterday." I said, "Yes, but now I am 6!" He reluctantly got in the middle of the street with me & ran along side of me, gave me a push and let go & guess what? I rode my bike & as I was riding I was hollering "I'm 6!" I remember looking at Dad's face before I stopped in order not to hit the sidewalk, I think he was shocked but he told me, "Hil, you sure are 6!" Maybe it was really hot that August, of course, & he could not stand the heat if I failed so he did not feel like he should encourage me. However, see where stubbornness can get you. I used to tell my Kdg classes that with the "I think I can " story, great confidence booster, huh?

Faith cracked up at my story & told me, "I am still 5!" (As she rode off by herself, but she also gave herself the push, I am so proud of her, can you tell?)

First Day of Kindergarten

Faith was happy to rise this a.m. and get ready for school. I bought her a muffin from Dunkin Donuts but she said she was too nervous to eat:) AFter a bit of fruit, off to school we all went! She was a bit hesitant to enter Mrs. Brocato's room this morning, a little overwhelming with all the people! There were hundreds of cars in the parking lot & we had to walk a 1/2 mile, (we should have just walked from our house .)

Faith & Gillian were together at Trinity so they are thrilled to be buds again!

Faith said it was a little boring because they did not do any work yet & she enjoyed PD or PE, she could not remember what it was called. I am going to see her at lunch in the morning. They eat at 10:30, reminds me of when I taught. Won't she be hungry at 3:25?

See the child in the background, no clue who that is, poor thing, he does not know he made the blog!

Need to post...

but what about? The floor is complete except for 2 transition pieces that need to be ordered. The fridge is out of the den & back in the kitchen. However, it s not making ice...no clue why but except that it was off for 3 days? The washer & dryer are hooked back up but Craig needs to switch the hot & cold faucets, it is messed up. (1967 faucets, i am sure) If I run a load on hot/cold, it runs cold & hot...who rinses in hot? I told Craig & he said he would do it tomorrow but "in the meantime, just run it on the opposite." I thought that sounded good but there is no hot rinse!

Don't I live an exciting life? Hmmm...what else is new? Tomorrow I take Faith to meet her teacher and I have to work the "meet the PTA board booth." Did I mention I am co-chair of Cultural Arts, I am learning about that...soon. I will be stalking Regina Howell every hour or so to see if they have posted the teacher lists! Craig is off so I can make frequent trips a 1/2 mile down the road to school. (Did someone say freak-mom? Uh-uh, that is me.) We also will get our pre-boxed Regina Howell supplies that cost $49 & pick up our monogrammed Regina Chargers zipper bag. (I had a zipper bag, do you know how long those pouches have been around?)

An lastly, I am tired because Faith had gymnastics from 4:30-5:30 & soccer practice from 6-7 & Claire had gymnastics from 5:30-6:15. (quitting gymnastics next week) Will...he ate grass & someones funyuns (j/k, he had one is his mouth & I rescued him...however, he did enjoy Faith's Gatorade.)

Oh-oh! I forgot, I am also speaking at our women's conference on Saturday so I am writing my lesson - just stopped to post - better re-focus!

As I was about to publish this fine excerpt from my life, Claire woke up so upset b/c she had to go to the bathroom, she must have been 1/2 asleep b/c she had an "oops" on the floor!

New tile...

We are having new tile put in the kitchen. It is called Earth Gauge Slate, it looks really good. I am so excited. My fave pieces are the slate mixed w/the dark wood (color). Needless to say, it is nuts with the kids, Will dives for it each time you put him down. We went to my MIL's to play today but he refused to take a nap there. He fussed forever & I threw all my Babywise exp. out the window & just let him get up! We came home for his afternoon nap, he did not cry once & slept for 3 hours! He is such a man, loves his bed!


These 2 pics are of the kids on Sunday...I loved Will's little "big boy" shirt. Claire did not want her pic taken - this is how she feels about the new floor. Faith..all I can say is she starts Kindergarten next Monday - completely separate post. :)

New website!!!!!!!!!!!

Power Castle has a new website! For those of you who do not know about Power Castle, it is an outreach to inner-city children in the Beaumont Area. My husband, Craig, started it over 9 years ago. It has grown tremendously over the years, due to the goodness of God! We still have some kinks to work out on the site but it is exciting to see it "live!" We look forward to the future as God continues to reach youth and their families. Maybe it should have a blog?

P.S. I am so glad I am not blogging about a hurricane, though I do pray for those people in Dean's path.

Not feeling any better...

about hurricanes...some of you may see us (all 5) real soon...and we may stay awhile!

It is busy around here: county meetings, cancellation of activities, school board decisions, everyone buying lumber . . . pure drama as everyone gears up. I heard a joke earlier...please notify the fed govt to head to the Gulf Coast *now*so they can be here by the time it hits next week! Actually, we did get help here after Rita, I cannot complain. My experience & knowledge says, it can still change its course in the next few days, but if it hits to the west of us, we get the storm surge. (especially at Cat 4 - 5 ) I pray it fizzles out & causes no damage to anyone. We appreciate your prayers too!

Let's face it...

it is hurricane season...uughgh!

This is a pic of Hurricane Rita, such fond memories of those long, hot, no-electricity, no roof, dirty fridge, wet clothes & stressful days. (Did someone say insurance adjuster & peace in the same sentence?) No need to completely re-hash the story but my Dad (aka Safety Steve & Weather Channel freak) decided to warn me of the evil lurking in the Gulf. It cracks me up that he is so frustrated about hurricanes & the fact that we live here but yet, he is the reason I am here! Did I just appear in Bmt. alone? No, he planted our family here in 1969, not to mention he grew up a 100 miles west, which is not hurricane-free! Not that he is to blame, this is where we are supposed to be, God has a plan for us here, therefore, He will take care of us. (I think I am talking to myself now!) I did get new floors after the last hurricane. I sure would like to keep them but we would like to re-do the bathrooms!

When Ma buys shoes...

this is what little girls choose! Notice the difference in the girls' choices...and some believe kids are all alike...summer shoes are on sale :)

We have news! A new addition to the fam...

a golf cart! (I know some of you were wondering "what kind" of addition?!) Actually, "we" do not own it, my in-laws got it for the beach but the kids think it is theirs! We are so excited but I also have visions of Faith & her friends riding in it down the beach in about 5 years...ouch!

Where is everybody?

My girls went to the beach today, can you tell Will missed them? He was so sweet looking for them.


Take note of the 2nd picture, it took a snapshot for me to notice the yellow crayon on the door...going to wipe that off right now!

When I blog.....

this is what happens in my house...as you can tell, I am on a roll today!

My Hot Summer Nights. . . .

I know when you read this post title, you wondered how *hot* a night could be for me...this is it...but I wouldn't trade it for anything! (Craig loves it too, he is just looking cool in the pic.)

My children w/my creativity...

Just had to share a few pics when they let me dress them! (I think Mere still dresses Abby, as you can tell.)

Whose "itune" is this anyway?

Anyone else have Galilee by the Sea on their playlist? Their fave is Ha-Le-La-Le-La-Le-La-Jah and You Alone Are Worthy. (Btw, Faith calls my gizmo an ipatch (?), she is her mother's child!)

My "ITune"

So, a few unnamed people made fun of my lack of techno-tivity. I showed them, I am now the proud of owner of an iPOd nano. (Uhhh, they, some of them, bought it!) I even managed to get this pic off the internet, I am so techno-savvy! Won't I look cool working out in the morning? (Who am I kidding? I *do not* want anyone to notice me at 6:00 a.m...) Also, according to Craig's Power Castle Special Forces team, the *color* I got is so very important. I got black, I think the teens were disappointed, they felt like I needed hot pink? I am very happy w/ the color, who thought it was a big deal? I am still trying to work the dial deal....)

My girls & their creativity...

This picture.....this is why I pick out their clothes each day. We did not venture out today, as you can hope. Faith usually does a great job of choosing her outfits, she knew she was dressing up. Claire...she wants to wear this to run "errins" in the morning. Who shall win?

Whateverograms for the Heart

Remember my post about the arteriogram & angiograms? Well, my MIL had her procedure & she got the exact same results as my Mom, no blockage! She has had a reaction to the iodine from the test b/c she is allergic but we are so thankful she is healthy. Thankfully, our moms are as good on the inside as they are on the out!

Mini - Vacay

We made it to Hot Springs to meet the fam, we are having lots of fun: swimming, playing at the park, napping & eating, of course! The ride there? Not so good, the girls were great but Will did not care for the car ride, he has always done well but it must be his age, he is a bit busy. The girls adore their cousin, Abby and Claire calls Nate her "uncle-boyfriend." Also, the Williams are best buds!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM OF THREE

who else thinks that claire looks just like her mommy?!

happy day, hil!

love you,
aa