Big Spring Waterpark

This past Friday we decided to meet up with Johnnie and the kids for some summer fun. We had a blast!! I am trying to see how many pictures Blogger will allow you to use for one entry. There are a lot of pictures, but we had a REALLY good time!!

Kate was a good big sister and took Wade down the little slide....many, many times. He always came off wearing this Big-O-Smile. :0)

So sweet!!

Later in the day the boys were told not to swing on the ropes....Excuse me? If you hang ropes in a play area what do you expect the kids to do but swing on them?

Chris was the self-appointed babysitter.

The lilly pads were a big hit! The kids said it was like playing Wipe-Out. Luke was able to run across a few times without falling.

...but not everytime!

Playing with the underwater camera.

Rachel's turn at Wipe-Out.

Kate decided to use the ropes as monkey bars. Smart girl!

Tenley won the Most Determined Award. She worked and worked to get across.  She did it a few times, but she ended up with blisters as proof of her hard work.

Sydney also went across. She had her own way figured out. It worked like a charm!

Madison had a great time jumping to her Momma. She was adorable in her little swimsuit!

Self-portrait. All my pictures had a water spot. I need to check the lens better next time.

It was a Stansell train down the slide!

Wade asks every day now if we are going to the waterpark. We will have to go again very soon!

Happy 12th Birthday Rachel

Happy Birthday Rachel Aubrey!!

Our first baby is TWELVE years old today!! I guess that is better than my last baby being twelve, but still TWELVE!!! She is really growing up on us and fast!!

One of her birthday gifts was a phone. We might have temporarily lost our minds. We will just have to see how it works out. She has wanted a phone for a LONG time now. Her reaction was priceless!! She was very very excited!!

This is going to be a big year for us. Rachel starts junior high in the fall. I know I am not ready for that, but she seems to be ready and excited. She plans to play clarinet in the band, violin in the orchestra, and do athletics. Sounds like she will be too busy to get in trouble. Haha

Rachel is five foot five inches tall, which makes her taller than her momma. I am getting used to it....I guess I have no choice. I still out weigh her by almost 20 pounds though. I am sure she will catch up with me soon enough.

Some of Rachel's loves are piano, swimming, volleyball, basketball, her friends, watching Dancing With The Stars, eating out, shopping, school/office supplies, make-up and doing her nails. Her favorite foods are chicken nuggets, hamburgers, steak, twice baked potatoes, gummie snacks, and ice cream. She has started doing some cooking and baking. Hopefully, she will end up being a big help in the kitchen...if she feels like it. ;0)

These are the looks I get a lot. They mean I REALLY don't want to, but that is the phase we are going through right now. I am sure it only gets better. Life with a pre-teen. 

We are so proud of the young lady Rachel is becoming. I pray that these pre-teen and teen years go smoothly. We are really missing her today because she is away at church camp. We love you more than words can say Rachel!! Happy Birthday!!

Field Days

Field Days are something the kids wait for all year long. I am not sure if it is for the games or the snow cones. I can remember field days when I was in school and how fun they were. This year was Kate's first Field Days...well officially the first. She has been going to field days for five years already. She even participated when she could. 

Snow cones!!!

 With her friend Julia.

Luke's turn.

Luke with his friends Ian, Malachi, and Roman.

Rachel's turn.

Rachel did the softball throw for her field event.

Rachel ran three races. Her big race was the 4X400 relay. I was nervous and wondered why she wanted to run that race. She said she could make it around the track without stopping. She really surprised me by how well she ran!!

She is wearing the yellow shirt with the pink shoes.

This is right after the start.

 She kept passing everybody.

Rachel is out in front.

Way out in front at about the 250 yard mark.

She did eventually get passed in the last 50 meters of the race,

Her team finished 2nd!! I was so excited to see her run that well. I asked her if she was surprised and she said, "Oh Yeah!!"

Rachel with her friends Jordan and Bailey.

I can't believe this is Rachel's last Field Day. Sad for Momma. :0(

A friend of ours sent these picture to me. I just love how hard Rachel is running.

Chris's Birthday

Chris has had a big week. Graduation and then his birthday a couple of days later. He was actually off of work for his birthday. We went out for lunch and then caught a movie while Wade was at Children's Day Out. Then we had lasagna and cake for dinner. 

The kids thought it would needed to put 38 candles on Daddy's cake. I just happened to have enough so we did it.

The cake looks like it is on fire!!

Chris needed some help blowing out his candles. Kate looks a little scared.

Thirty-eight candles produce lots of smoke.

Lots of smoke.