Debs Boys

Daniel's Baptism

2012-02-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

Aunt Melissa who gave a talk on Baptism

Aunt Suzanne who gave a talk on the Holy Ghost

Chris came too!

Family! Ryan was being shy so he ducked out

of the picture.

Grandma Shumway and Eric busy making cookies for the refreshments.

Grandpa Shumway baptized and

confirmed Daniel.

Daniel was baptized on November 19, 2011. Grandma and Grandpa Shumway were coming down for Thanksgiving so it was a perfect time to do it. It was a very special day for us. Daniel asked my two best friends to give the talks, Brandon Bowers (Melissa's husband) gave the opening prayer, JC Tatro (Suzanne's husband and ward mission leader) conducted the meeting, and Ryan gave the closing prayer. When I asked Daniel what Grandma Shumway could do he said, "She's good at cooking so she can make the dessert." He then called her while they were still in Idaho and asked her to do that. Thankfully she was more than happy to.

That evening while we were sitting around the dinner table, we asked everyone what their favorite thing about the day was. Everyone said "Daniel getting baptized." Jesse said his favorite thing was seeing Daniel's face as he came out of the water. Daniel asked him what his face looked like, and Jesse replied, "Very happy." Jesse was smart and stood up so he could see Daniel's face. I didn't so I will have to take his word for it. It was a great day spent with family and friends.

Congratulations Daniel!!

Mexico Trip

2012-02-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

Jesse snorkeling

Debi cliff jumping. So fun!

Cenotes-Beautiful fresh water sink holes. You can clearly see the

bottom and this one is at least 10 feet deep.

Turtle Bay Cafe is where we ate breakfast every morning.

Monkey!!!

Jesse feeling sorry for the scarred tree. He thought it needed a hug.

Entertainment while we were stopped at a red light.

Horseback riding along the beach and the view from

our condo window.

Jesse and I went to the Cancun, Mexico area in October for five days. We mostly snorkeled but also went horseback riding, shopping, eating (a lot), and visited a nature reserve. It was a great trip! Being without the kids took some getting used to, but we managed. :) I did have a monkey pee on my and was viciously attacked by a remora though. I tried to be the remora's friend but he just wanted to bug me. It didn't end well. He won. While snorkeling we saw tons of fish, an eel, sting rays, and a sea turtle. The cenotes became our favorite snorkeling spots. They were beautiful and crystal clear! I have never seen anything like them. We decided we would have to go back sometime, but take the kids with us. They would love it!

I owe my friends BIG TIME for taking my kiddos while we were gone. Poor Eric got the flu, Daniel had allergy issues, and Ryan was a bit homesick. Good thing my friends are AMAZING and could handle all of that. Huge thank you to Melissa, Suzanne, and Cheri!!!! Don't know what I would do without all of you!

Needed a Reminder

2011-12-29T06:19:00.000-08:00

We had a day not too long ago where I was ready to throw all my kids out the door. They were all having a hard time listening, they were fighting all day, and they were so very whiny. It was a hard day. That night I went in to check on them and they were all so dang cute and innocent. I had to take some pictures to remind me of that. The next day was better. :)

Eric loves to sing!

2011-12-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

Daniel Turns 8!!

2011-12-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

Floating candles

Quidditch

Pinata

My BFF's who helped me pull the whole thing off.

Daniel wanted a Harry Potter party so we definitely had a Harry Potter party. We had games, magic, wands, costumes, and yummy food. I was so busy runnin the party that I am not sure how well it went. Daniel said he had fun and that's all that matters to me.

It's hard to believe my boy is eight years old! He has grown up so fast! Daniel is a fun, creative, smart, active boy. He comes up with ideas all the time and then plans out how he will implement them. He often needs some humbling because he thinks he knows everything but I am here to help him with that. :) His favorite things to do are read (especially Harry Potter), play with his friends, play on the computer, and tease his brothers. I know I can always get a hug and a kiss out of him. He is very loving and thoughtful when he chooses to be. He is also a huge helper. Being the oldest that has fallen on his shoulders. I am excited to see what the next eight years will bring us.

I LOVE YOU DANIEL!!!!

Broken Window

2011-11-21T09:23:00.001-08:00

The broken window.

Cleaning Daniel up. You can see a couple scratches.

The worst cut.

I was out getting the mail one day and heard a crash. I thought, "I hope my neighbor is ok. I will go put the mail down and then check on them." Then I walked into my front door and saw the "crash." Daniel had put his bare foot right through a window in our family room. We had glass and blood all over. You should all be very proud that I didn't scream or anything. While I was cleaning Daniel up he said, "Am I in trouble?" I told him we would worry about that later. Right now I was too busy keeping kids out of the glass and deciding whether or not he needed stitches. I decided he didn't but I may have been wrong. He has a good scar now. :)

Here is why my sweet, kind, calm boy who never does anything wrong put his foot through a window. Jesse has bird feeders in the back yard. The squirrels often get into the bird feeders. The boys have been instructed to scare the squirrels away. They usually do this by knocking on the window. Daniel's hands were full and he saw a squirrel getting into the bird feeders. What was he to do but kick the window?

Pass the butter please!

2011-10-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

Silly me thought I could practice the piano for a bit. Because I was doing that, I didn't notice the silence in the house until it was too late. He's just so cute though! When I took a picture of the butter, Eric promptly went and sat on the floor next to it for another picture. He even held out his buttery hands for the picture.

First Day of School

2011-10-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

They wanted to show off their backpacks.
So dang cute!

I am obviously WAY behind in my posts since it is October and this happened in August. Oh well! I still have to post a couple pictures of my cute boys. :)

It was definitely bittersweet to send the boys back to school. We had such a great summer. I was more worried about Ryan than Daniel just because Daniel has been to school before. My Ryan had never been though, and he's so sweet and sensitive. He was so excited and more than happy to begin though. That helped me feel better. Good luck boys! I sure love you both!

MY Black Eye

2011-09-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

If you know anything about me, you know I have ALWAYS wanted a black eye. I finally got one! I admit it's not much of one, but if you look really close you can see it. :) Feel free to ignore the freaky picture and just admire the black eye.

I played on a coed softball team, and I got hit right in the face with the ball while playing third base. It was so worth it! haha I can check this one off my bucket list.

Eric turns 2!

2011-09-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

Striking his pose
Eric was so excited about his soccer ball cake.

Bat and ball present

I love this kid so much! He is so full of energy, life and happiness. His favorite things are balls, dancing, singing, and his Daddy. Anytime he sees a ball he yells "Ball!' and takes off running towards it. The problem is that he thinks every ball is his. Actually, the problem is that he thinks everything is his. Since he is my Baby everything is. :)

I wish I could describe him properly. Eric rarely walks. He runs everywhere. If he happens to be walking, it's not a normal walk. It's more like a football player's strut. He also runs and then suddenly stops and strikes this really funny pose (pictured above). He loves to tease and does it often and well. Most of his little friends are girls, and he knows how to make them scream. He smiles his big mischievous smile through it all.

Eric learns quickly. Somehow it has become tradition that if he is sitting with his Dad, he is safe and doesn't have to go to bed. If he gets off his Dad's lap, he is fair game, and I can grab him and put him to bed. It didn't take him long to discover he just had to stay put. He has sat with his Dad for an hour at a time before he will finally get up and I can grab him. It's a game we play nightly and his bedtime continues to get later. We may have to put a stop to it soon before he doesn't get off Jesse's lap at all.

Eric is also very sweet. He loves to help. Throwing things away and taking care of his plate are things he does very willingly. He gives hugs and likes to cuddle after his nap. He becomes concerned when others cry and wants to help them. I can't get over how cute he is either! I love my sweet baby boy! Happy Birthday Eric!

Cars!

2011-09-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for the little things; like toy cars. Eric won't watch tv (which is a good thing unless I am trying to get dinner ready). But, I have found something he loves. Rolling his cars down a pipe. I bought this pipe for Daniel, when we lived in Philadelphia, to use the same way. It's the best thing! I pull the pipe out, elevate it on the couch, and give Eric the container of toy cars. He will sit there for a long time rolling the cars down. I am very grateful for toy cars and especially little boys.

Thomas Reunion Family Pictures

2011-09-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

The kids! Yes, that's my sweet Eric being so sad in the front.

Steph, Tamra, Sarah, Debi, Cary, and Kelly
The girls!

Trent, Jar, Kevin, and Mike holding Jim

The boys!

Trenton, Jar, Kevin, Mike, Tamra and Debi

The Sibs!

Everybody!!

(Minus Mom, Dad, Nate, and Curty's family)

Thomas Reunion Part 3: Bear Lake

2011-09-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

Cousin playtime!
We had a lot of cousins being buried. That's a must at the lake.

Uncle Jim and Chad staying cool

Poor Jar-head!

Eric missed out on all the fun. He slept through the whole thing.

We went to the lake a couple times. The kids loved it! There were plenty of shells to find, and you could walk out forever in the water without it getting too deep. There was a lot of laughing, playing, and people getting thrown in the water. I decided that's how my family shows their love. I am very loved. :)

Thomas Reunion Part 2: The Caves

2011-09-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hanging out waiting for the cave tour.

Boys will be boys.

Ryan pretending to be scared. Luckily Daniel is there to take care of him.

Some formations in the cave.

The "touching rock" at the end of the tour. This was the only rock we could touch.

Uncle Jar and Talmadge are taking their turn.

There was a guided cave tour near our campground. We decided to go and I am glad we did. It was really interesting. There were 888 steps (I think) and I was fortunate enough to carry Eric the whole time. My back hurt by the time we left but I certainly wasn't the only one carrying kids. Thankfully Daniel and Ryan were full of energy.

Thomas Reunion: Camping

2011-09-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Cousins!

Daniel widdling a stick with his Uncle Kevin being a camera hog. :)

Kids love fire! Thanks Uncle Jim!

Eric with his cousin Talmadge

Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jar setting up. Sarah wanted to read the directions

while Jar acted appropriately insulted at the idea. He figured it out of course.

Tam and Jim brought their trailer. The kids were all very grateful.

It was a favorite gathering place.

This year we all met at Bear Lake for our reunion. We sure missed Curty and his family, Mom and Dad, and Nate. Although we somehow did manage to have fun without them. Thanks Tam for putting it all together! It was GREAT!

Shumway Reunion Part 4: Hiawatha Trail

2011-08-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

Heading to a tunnel

One of the gorgeous views.

Ryan got tired and joined Eric in the cart. You can see his

bike that we hooked up. Poor Jesse!

We stopped for a snack and Jesse pulls out a roll of his Mom's
cookie dough. It went VERY fast!

My boys!

Eric fell asleep during the ride. He enjoyed the whole thing.

I think this may have been at the top of my list of fun things we did. We drove to a designated spot with our rented bikes, biked downhill on a 2% grade for 15 miles, and then took a bus back to our cars. It was a very easy ride for the whole family. The scenery was absolutely beautiful as well. Unfortunately we did have one mishap. Grandma wasn't very steady on her bike. We went through some very dark tunnels, and on one of them Grandma hit the wall and fell. She is still suffering from that fall. She will hopefully fully recover soon.

Shumway Reunion Part 3: Park Day

2011-08-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

Cousin fun!

Eric being a big boy.

My family.

We all joined together for a day at the park on our third day. We played on the playground, had a great family game of soccer, ate lunch, and took family pictures. It was an easy going, fun day.

Shumway Reunion Part 2: Triple Play

2011-08-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

Eric getting ready to bowl.

Ryan rock climbing

Daniel rock climbing.

Eric being so adorable!

On day two we all went to Triple Play. It has laser tag, rock climbing, bowling, mini golf, go carts, and bumper boats. We were there ALL DAY and had a great time. Eric had a hard time taking turns on bowling. He loved pushing the balls down to hit the pins. Daniel and Ryan had fun everywhere. They both made it to the top to ring the bell while rock climbing.

It was a good day.

I do have to mention a story. While riding the bumper boats, our cousin Skyla was sprayed by another child. Her twin, Mika, would not have any of that. They called Daniel over and cornered this poor kid and all sprayed him until he begged for mercy. Then they continued to spray him. :) They did eventually let up and that boy didn't dare mess with the Shumways again. They definitely protect each other.

Shumway Reunion Part 1: Gondola to top of Mt.

2011-08-21T08:39:00.001-07:00

My boys!

Me and Ryan on the gondola.

We made it to the top! Time to play!

Playing in the snow in July.

We all took a 20 minute gondola ride up to the top of the mountain. Once we were up there we played in the snow, the bounce house, on the playground, and went hiking. It was great for all the kids to be outside running around.

Jesse was with a group that went ahead on the hike. Once I caught up to him, he was sitting down holding a sleeping Eric. I wish I had a picture of it because it was so dang cute!

Grandma and Grandpa Shumway's House

2011-08-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

Grandpa playing the accordian (with some help).

Grandma's garden; a family favorite.

Helping Grandpa thin out the trees.

New PJ's!! Thanks Grandma!

The four wheeler! Eric couldn't get enough.

Before Jesse's family reunion, we went to his parents' house for a couple days. The boys LOVE being there. Just see the pictures to see why. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for letting us come!

Mt. Rushmore

2011-07-31T05:39:00.000-07:00

SO FUN! We decided to drive to our family reunions this year in Kellogg, ID and Bear Lake in Utah. Daniel learned about Mt. Rushmore in school and had been really wanting to go. Perfect opportunity! It only added two hours to our three day drive. It was a good stopping point, and the boys were so grateful. They kept saying, "Thank you Mom! Thank you Mom!" Since they were being so good, I had to buy them ice cream on the way out. Good idea Daniel!

Fourth of July

2011-07-29T12:23:00.001-07:00

Eric LOVED the fireworks.
All the kids!

Debi, Jessica, Melissa, Suzanne, Kristi, Whitney

Daniel and Ryan with their "peace" tattoos.

My adorable family.

We have a July 4th tradition now. In Duncanville, a neighboring city, they always have bounce houses, a band, and fireworks for the 4th. We have been a few years now with our friends and really enjoy it. We bring games and food and just enjoy being together. This year we had so many families from church there. It was really fun. It was great to have the Tophams there since they moved shortly after. I also owe Kristi a thank you for supplying everyone with a patriotic tattoo. I love my country and am so blessed to live in the USA!

Nerf War

2011-07-29T12:19:00.001-07:00

On the Fourth of July our friends, the Tatro boys, had a nerf war. They invited Dads and their sons. Jesse, Chris, Daniel, and Ryan all went and had a great time. They had it at a park with a wide open field and trees also. They ended it with doughnuts and juice. I loved the idea!

ADORABLE!!!

2011-07-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

I just can't get over how cute he is!

It's going to blow!!

2011-07-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Have to love the mess!

My boys have been itching to do a project. I finally decided what little boy wouldn't love to make a volcano? It takes a while for the kids to make (a huge plus), and they get to have so much fun doing it! We don't have any pictures of the actual eruption because I wasn't here. Jesse did it with them and he couldn't exactly make the volcano erupt and take pictures at the same time. They loved it! We will have to find another project soon.

Jesse's Birthday

2011-07-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to you!
Arm and face painting

The slide! Eric wanted to go over and over again.

Ryan attempting to use chopsticks.

Eric enjoying some strawberry lemonade.

Daniel's creation. He ate the whole thing!

We all had a great time for Jesse's birthday. We decided to just do what Jesse wanted. He was all for that and even declared himself the King for the weekend. The best gift I could give Jesse would be to not spend any money. So, the boys and I did nice things for him instead. The boys vacuumed out his car while I mowed the lawn. We then enjoyed doing things that day that Jesse wanted to do. We went to the Discovery Gardens at Fair Park and also enjoyed the butterfly house while we were there. There was a Juneteenth celebration (a Texas thing) in our city so we went to that as well. We also went out to eat at Genghis Grill. I have some funny videos of the boys trying to use chop sticks, but I couldn't load them for some reason. Of course we also made his favorite cake and enjoyed eating that. Happy birthday honey!

How do you sleep like that?

2011-06-12T19:51:00.001-07:00

Ryan

Daniel

I had some extra kids the other day and one was a baby. She needed to nap so I pulled out my pack-n-play. Well, I got home that night from something, walked into my room, and saw Ryan asleep in the pack-n-play. His Dad gave him permission. :) I laughed right out loud. I am so glad I didn't wake him when I turned on the lights and started taking pictures. Of course his brother had to try it the next night. On his way to bed he said, "Mom, be sure to take pictures when I fall asleep." Of course I did. I didn't let them stay there all night though. I pulled them out and put them into their own beds.

Summer Cuts

2011-06-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

BEFORE AFTER

Yes. Even my Baby got a buzz. I sure love my boys!

Ryan's end of the Year Program

2011-06-12T17:53:00.001-07:00

Ryan attended First Methodist School for preschool. We LOVED it there! The teachers and staff were wonderful. Ryan blossomed and became his own person. I thought it would be a struggle to get him to go everyday, but he jumped out of the car without hesitation when we got to school. He made some great friends while he was there too. Chase, Julian, Adam, and Gavin were his favorites. He even found a little "girlfriend" named Brooklyn. Brooklyn is actually in another ward that meets in our building. I have never seen Ryan blush the way he did when we saw Brooklyn at church. :) Ryan will move onto Kinder in the fall, but I am so grateful for the time he had in preschool. He learned so much. He is one kind hearted and smart little boy!

Daniel's Field Day

2011-06-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Tug-a-War!

We made these shirts in art class. I think they

turned out really well.

What a handsome boy!

Me and my boy!

Daniel's 1st grade class. His teacher, Mrs. Morris, will

retire after this year.

Eric and doughnuts

2011-06-12T17:34:00.001-07:00

Notice the powdery curtains.
He's had way too many doughnuts!

I volunteer at Daniel's school for "popcorn Friday" which is once a month. Eric joins me. He wasn't happy to be there this day. Another Mom had some powdered doughnuts and gave Eric as many as he wanted. So cute but so spoiled!

Time Out For Women 2011

2011-06-10T09:02:00.001-07:00

Melissa, Me, and Suzanne getting ready.

Me and Terra. So happy to be together again!

The Desoto Ward girls

All the girls eating together at Mi Tierra. Yummy!

The duck who kept biting Terra's behind while we were eating.

Melissa and Terra walking on the Riverwalk.

I am WAY behind in my posts. My mother reminded me it's time to catch up. So, I am going way back to April to start catching up.

I had SO MUCH FUN at Time Out For Women. It was in San Antonio this year. A group of us drove down together (4-5 hrs) and piled into a couple hotel rooms. We had such a great group of women. The conference was fantastic; especially the group Jericho Road. I loved watching a bunch of women turn into teenage girls while they were performing. Of course I had to join in on that as well. :) On the way home we stopped at the outlet mall and shopped and shopped and shopped some more. At least by my standards. For others it wasn't long enough. It was a perfect weekend and just the right amount of time away from the kids for a while. Any longer would have been too long. I love being with my boys!

I got a special treat that weekend by not only having my dear friends here go with me, but also having my friend Terra come down from Virginia. I have missed her so much and seeing her was icing on the cake.

A special shout out to my amazing husband! He found us a hotel close to the conference for a great price. He also helped get Terra here for me. THANK YOU HONEY!!

Ryan the soccer star!

2011-05-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

Ryan has really taken off this year in his soccer skills. He is good at reading where he needs to be on the field. He has scored several times and really looks forward to playing. It's been really fun to watch him. I have to admit that he is SO CUTE!

Eric likes to think he is part of the team. He is often found in line with

Ryan during warm-ups and in the team huddle.

100 AR Points!

2011-05-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

Daniel thinks he's so smart. I think so too. :) He is in first grade and reading on a fourth grade level. At his school, he earns what's called "AR points." Every book in the school library is assigned a certain number of points. Picture books are usually 1/2 to 1 point. Most of the books Daniel has read are 3 points. He earns the points by taking a comprehension test on the computer after reading a book. His goal has been to reach 100 points and he did it! He has surpassed that now, but he was so excited that we had to have a party for him. Way to go Daniel!

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

2011-05-04T18:24:00.001-07:00

Our neighborhood puts on an Easter egg hunt every year. The boys get all excited to go, and are then disappointed because it's not a "hunt." The eggs are just laying in the grass in plain sight. They of course still race to get as many eggs as possible. Once their baskets are full of eggs they feel better. :) Having the Easter bunny there was an added bonus as well.

Lasik

2011-05-04T18:17:00.000-07:00

After years of talking about it, Jesse finally got lasik. I had to get a picture of the goofy glasses he had to wear after the surgery. The boys and I received great pleasure from making fun of him. haha The surgery seems to have worked. Now we just have to get used to seeing him without glasses on.

Fort Worth Stockyards

2011-05-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

Texas Longhorns!

Waiting for the cattle drive.

Daniel and Ryan wanted to jump while I took their picture.

Preparing for his mission.

I love Eric's face in this!

My parents came down to visit in April. They were leaving for two years on a mission for our church and needed to see their grandkids before they left. At least I told them that and they agreed. haha We had to do something Texan while they were here so we went to the Fort Worth Stockyards. The pictures and videos say it all.

That was about the only "fun" thing we did while they were here. I really put my parents to work. My Dad hung a towel rack, fixed my cupboard, patched holes in the wall, installed a ceiling fan, and more. My Mom helped me paint my living room, cleaned my house, and folded the laundry. Such great parents I have! Eric looked for them for a couple days after they left. Grandpa was his new toy and he wanted him back. We sure miss them!

Oh Ryan!

2011-04-04T10:54:00.001-07:00

I remember washing some mud covered clothes and wondering where that came from. I figured it out once I downloaded these pictures onto my computer. Boys sure know how to have fun! I love my boys!

New York Cousins

2011-04-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Elizabeth!

We HAD to take bluebonnet pictures!

Pappasito's for dinner for Elizabeth's birthday.

Of course we would have gone without Elizabeth having a birthday.

Boys crawling in the tunnels at the zoo.

Such ADORBALE boys!

Nice lion.

Silly boys!

Painting letters for Ryan's room.

We were blessed to have some family visit us from New York for six days. Jesse's sister's husband had a conference down here and he brought three of his kids with him. So, while my brother-in-law Arthur was away, we all played. He brought Elizabeth, Josh, and Zeke with him. Ben and their mom, Shelly, stayed home. They were missed but we managed to have fun without them.

The week started off with an evening arrival. Before we could properly welcome them in, we threw them in the car and took off. Elizabeth and I headed to a college production of Phantom of the Opera. All the boys went to Jesse's boss's house for a settlement party. The boys played with air guns so it was a definite success. The rest of the week was mostly spent at home so the cousins could just play. We did take a zoo trip and a trip to the store to get supplies for Ryan's new Star Wars bedroom (a work in progress). We ended the week celebrating Elizabeth's 14th birthday. I attempted a flower cake but it didn't work. Where is Chris when I need him? :)

Thanks for coming! We thoroughly enjoyed having you!

Spring Break

2011-03-21T14:48:00.001-07:00

Daniel, Izaiah, and Ryan with their great finds!

Melissa (with Max), Whitney, Me (with Eric), and Suzanne
These ladies with me are AMAZING! They make my life so much better.

All the kids!

Eric with his girlfriend, Mireille. They kept holding hands.

SO CUTE!!

All my boys!

Because I frequently forget my camera, I only have one day of spring break with pictures.

Oh well!

Jesse was working crazy hours prior to spring break and we hardly saw him. We were gearing up for two months without him (he would be gone for trial) when his case settled right before spring break. He was then able to take the whole week off and spend it with us. Hallelujah!

Most of the break was spent at home hanging out and getting things done. We did go to an indoor pool one day to swim. Another fun day is pictured above. We went to Cedar Hill State park and played, hiked, and swam. The excitment for the day was when some of the kids got too far ahead of us on the trial and it took about 35 minutes to all get back together again. Of course it was completely the adults fault. We thought it would be fun to have our little leprechaun (Andre) go ahead and drop gold (candy) for the kids to find. They saw the "gold" and took off. Luckily we knew which way they were going; we just didn't see them for a while. They had fun and wondered what we were so concerned about. haha It was a really fun day though. I certainly came home worn out but happy. Thanks so much to the Bowers, Tatros, Tophams, and Izaiah Wilcox for joining us!

Sad Day

2011-03-21T14:26:00.000-07:00

Daniel wrote on the rock for their headstone. It reads, "Grave for Lola,

Shiz, and Tubaloth. They were loved."

I have to admit that I cracked up when I read it. :)

Burying the snakes.

We had a hard freeze here in February, and our hibernating snakes didn't make it. Thankfully our turtles did. Daniel was really upset about the snakes, and so we buried them beneath our cherry tree. Daniel says it is now our "memorial tree." You can see in the pictures that he even made them a headstone. :) Jesse is no longer that interested in having snakes so we have no plans to obtain more. I can't say I am that disappointed.

When Mom is Away...

2011-03-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

I left the house, and the last thing I said was, "Let Eric finish his crackers, and then he can go straight to bed." You can imagine my surprise when I returned home and got him up from his nap. He was covered in marker. I gave him a bath but it didn't want to come off. He had the marker all over him for a couple days. It was even on the top of his head. I found out later his dear, sweet brothers may have helped him.

.

Weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Shumway

2011-02-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to leave...
Saying goodbye.

Every morning I would wake up and find Daniel and Grandma on the couch reading books and/or talking about WWII. The whole house would be quiet and they were cuddled up together. They were precious moments.

With Grandpa lying on the floor, Eric couldn't resist falling on him.

The weekend was spent visiting, playing games, napping (poor jet lagged folks), and just enjoying being together. Jesse's sister Sharon and her son Sam joined us Saturday and Sunday. I guess I didn't pull my camera out while they were here. It was great to all be together for a while.

What? It's not a walking cast?

2011-02-08T15:56:00.000-08:00

Eric was given a cast that bends at the knee to prevent him from walking on it. Nine days after he got his cast on (the same day Grandma and Grandpa Shumway arrived) he started walking on it. I guess he needed to show off. After holding him for almost two weeks straight I was more than happy with this development. He went from a clingy, fussy little boy to a happy boy with just a few steps. Jesse said Eric probably thought he was never going to walk again. He doesn't know the cast will eventually come off.

P.S.The video shows him walking, but he is able to run now on the cast. It's pretty funny to watch.

Grandma and Grandpa Shumway Return!!

2011-02-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

Oh the waiting!

They're here!!!

After 18 months traveling around Europe for a mission for our church, Grandma and Grandpa Shumway return! They were able to get a three day layover in Dallas on their way home to Idaho. We were sure glad to see them! The boys had waited an hour for them to get through customs so they were REALLY happy to see them.

Silly Ryan

2011-02-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

Ryan found some scissors while I thought he was sleeping. He did a number on his hair. If you look closely at this blurry picture you will see two distinct sections that are missing in front. He said, "Look at my tooth-es." Daniel had just lost his two front teeth and Ryan must have been feeling left out. So, he made his hair look like it was missing teeth. Silly Ryan!

Eric's Broken Leg

2011-02-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

On a Saturday in mid-January, I heard crying that doesn't normally come out of Eric. It was the "I am really hurt" cry. I went to get him and my baby couldn't walk. Unfortunately, I had been through this before with Ryan so I knew he had a "toddler fracture." It took a while to convince the doctors that's what it was though. We went to an urgent care about an hour and half after the accident. They were no help. They told us to take him to his pediatrician if he wasn't walking by Tuesday. He wasn't. We took him in and the pediatrician referred us to an orthopedic. Finally someone who knew what they were doing! He said, "It's a textbook toddler fracture." If only everyone had listened to the Mom from the beginning. :) He got a bright green cast then and there. It will be on for four weeks.

P.S. His brother Ryan had a hold of his arms and put him down to the floor "medium." Eric must have twisted weird on his way down.

Eric's First Haircut

2011-02-08T14:34:00.000-08:00

Before...

During...

After...

After

The poor kid has hardly any hair on top of his head. On the other hand, the back is long and beginning to curl. Daddy couldn't handle it anymore, so we had to cut it. Eric did pretty well for his first time. The clippers made him a bit nervous, but he didn't wiggle too much.

Such a good boy!

Christmas Morning

2011-02-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

Daniel with his Monopoly game from Chris.

Ryan with his Star Wars figures.

Eric with his animal train (awesome find at a garage sale).

The basketball hoop! A black Friday deal.

We had a smaller Christmas this year than in the past. I much prefer it that way. I thought the kids might be disappointed, but they were great. They enjoyed the things they recieved and didn't complain. What more could I ask for? :) I think the basketball hoop was the best present. They have played on it EVERY DAY since. We spent Christmas morning being lazy and just being together. It was a good Christmas.

Getting the Christmas Tree

2011-01-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

Chris found our tree this year. It was a good one!

The hayride!

Added this year, was a huge bouncy thing. The kids (and Jesse) loved it.

We have to take time to sit in the big chair.

Chris and Eric checking out the donkey.

We still cut down a tree every year at a Christmas Tree farm. Jesse found this farm where getting the Christmas tree is almost an after thought. There is so much to do there! The kids love going and playing in the hay, sliding down the tube slides, playing in the tree house, going on a hay ride, and so much more. It's quickly becoming a family tradition.

Black Friday!!

2011-01-11T11:12:00.001-08:00

The back of my minivan when we were done.

I have never done Black Friday before, but there were several things I wanted to get

this year. I braved the night with my two BFF's, and had a great time!! I got everything I set out to get and a few more essentials. haha I finally got a treadmill, a basketball hoop for the boys for Christmas, a King comforter, and other random things. It was definitely worth the all nighter.

Ryan turns 5!

2011-01-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Getting ready to eat the cake.

Ryan wanted a Darth Maul cake. Chris took care of that for me.

Ryan's new swords.

Ryan's new bike.

Ryan is my sweet, kind little boy. He is in preschool where "everyone wants him" (as he puts it). He loves Friday's when he comes home with homework. He feels very grown up. :)

One of his favorite things to do is light saber fight. He has more light sabers than he knows what to do with. Ryan was always the one to shy away from a fight until recently. He has learned to wrestle and fight back with Daniel. Sometimes it's fun, and sometimes it ends in tears. That's just the way brothers are I guess. Although he fights with Daniel, Ryan is very careful and sweet with Eric. He allows Eric to "beat him up" and laughs the whole time.

Ryan is a complete Daddy's boy. He always lets us know that he is "Daddy's Ryan." During the day when Ryan is cuddling with me, I say, "I knew you were my Ryan. That's why you're cuddling me." His response is, "I am only cuddling with you because Daddy isn't here." I love that he loves his Dad so much. I also know he loves me too. :)

It's hard to believe he's already 5. I keep telling him to stop growing but he refuses to listen. He is a joy to have in our home. Things are calmer with Ryan here. I LOVE YOU RYAN!!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-10T06:20:00.000-08:00

Craft Table
Soccer game

The Elders joined us too!

The Bowers

The Tatros

The cutest baby ever (aka Eric)!

The most handsome boys (Ryan, Jesse, Daniel and Chris).

A foot got the rolls before they made it out of the car. :)

I am so far behind in my blogging! I guess I had better get one in while I have the chance.

Thanksgiving was great! We had family, good friends, good food, and games. My fabulous friends decided there were way to many of us to do Thanksgiving at someones house. We ended up at the church which worked out very well. I didn't have to get my house clean, and with everyone bringing food, I didn't have to cook it all. That's the way I like it! My friends also enjoy decorating (and I don't) so they even took care of that. I was very spoiled this Thanksgiving.

We did miss our usual group. Jesse's sister and parents usually join us, but his parents are still serving their mission in Germany. Hopefully next year they will all return for Thanksgiving.

Idaho Trip

2010-11-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

Visit with Grandma Nina. Four generation picture.

While we were driving, Eric liked to hold onto Grandpa's hand. Too cute!

Dad, Tamra, Chad and Mom

Dad, Eric, Me, and Mom

Eric with his cousins Chad (left) and Blake (right).

My sister, Tamra, and I decided to surprise my mom for her 60th birthday in October. It was perfect! My mom wanted to take her kids and their spouses (the ones in Idaho) out to dinner for her birthday. Tamra and I decided to show up at the restaurant as well. We arrived while they were all waiting in the parking lot. Mom was so surprised! We also surprised her with the fact that she would now have house guests for the weekend. Thankfully she didn't mind to much. We mostly hung out and talked, saw other family members, went shopping, went out to eat, and just enjoyed being together. I am SO GLAD I was able to go. It was a great trip, and Dad was happy to have Eric and Chad there to entertain him. It was also great to catch up with my grandma, my brothers Mike and Trenton, and their families. Love you Mom! Hope you had a great birthday!

When it's quiet. . .

2010-11-19T18:59:00.000-08:00

. . .you better find out what the kids are doing.

I was working around the house the other day when I realized I couldn't hear the boys anymore. Not a good sign. I found them in the car. They had all their "kids" buckled up and were taking a "family trip." They played together for the longest time without fighting while vacationing in the car. It was so cute! I love moments like that.

Time Out For Women

2010-10-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

LOVED IT!!! I was so excited to go to this because I would be spending time with my AMAZING friends. It went beyond that though. I had no idea how much I needed the break until I was there. The whole thing was very uplifting and helped me get my priorities straight. Of course the time in the hotel with friends was fabulous too. :) Thanks for going with me girls! I can't wait until next year!

Unfortunately I forgot my camera at home. What I came home to was definitely picture worthy though. Jesse had all three boys for the weekend and did an amazing job with both the kids and house. What a man! The video and pictures below show how much fun they had while mom was away.

Eric Sliding

2010-10-06T06:02:00.000-07:00

The other day I walked outside and saw Eric in the middle of the slide climbing up. Jesse and I ran over to get him, but decided to let him finish his climb. He made it all the way up. I took this video the next day. Eric no longer climbs all the way up. He has discovered if he climbs up and lets go, he can slide back down. He much prefers sliding to "reaching the top." He takes after his brothers. They are all a bunch of monkeys.

Aunt Melissa

2010-09-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Aunt Melissa is my BFF here in Dallas. My kids adore her and always want to go to Aunt Melissa's house. She is AMAZING, KIND, SASSY, SWEET, LOYAL, GORGEOUS, SELFLESS, SPIRITUAL, HILARIOUS, FUN, and the list goes on and on. I don't know what I would do without her. She's the greatest!

Aunt Melissa also loves her Dr. Pepper. Can you see how much influence she has on my children? haha Love you Melissa!

Poison Ivy

2010-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Our nature boy got a little too close to the nature. Poor kid! It's all over his body also.

Daniel turns 7!

2010-09-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

Chris got Daniel a Star Wars fishing pole.
Jesse got Daniel some binoculars and a nature journal.

Daniel, Chris, Westley, and Ryan

Daniel blowing out his candle

The cake!

I have a dear friend who makes the most AMAZING cakes! Daniel asked if she could make his birthday cake. I told him I was his mother so I would make his cake. He didn't like that idea and continued to ask if my friend Mardi could make it. Since Mardi is the sweetest thing, she offered to help me make the cake. Daniel wanted a Texas flag cake so that is what we did. I know the cake isn't as good as Mardi would make it, but I was sure happy with how it turned out. Daniel was too and that's what matters. :)

We decided not to have a party this year. I am a little partied out. We did let Daniel invite one friend over for the day and he invited Westley. We also let him choose an activity and a place to go eat. Oddly enough, Daniel wanted to go to the driving range. We all piled in the car and went. It was really fun actually. Watching Ryan trying to hit the ball was especially entertaining. Of course watching Jesse and Chris get frustrated was entertaining also. For dinner Jesse took the boys to Tons. It's a mongolian BBQ place. It was a "no girls allowed" dinner since Eric wasn't feeling well. It was a great day!

I still have a hard time believeing my little boy is seven. Daniel is smart as a whip and loves to debate (just like his father). He is also very kind hearted. When someone is feeling sad, he will do silly tricks to try and cheer them up. He has enough energy to supply us all, but has decided to keep all of it himself. He plays with Ryan and makes up games such as "college mates" and "town." He is my precious boy and I am so grateful he is part of our family. Happy birthday Daniel! I love you!

Ryan's First Homework

2010-09-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Ryan is in preschool this year and has homework every Friday. He LOVES it! He came home and got right to work. He is so cute when he concentrates. His tongue is usually out, but whenever the camera came up the tongue disappeared. He's my adorable, precious boy!

Catherine

2010-09-06T13:41:00.001-07:00

Daniel has his first crush. Her name is Catherine. He comes home everyday with notes from her such as the one above. Jesse wondered if it's time we invited her over for dinner. haha When Daniel told me he had a girlfriend, I asked him why she was his girlfriend. I told him there are a lot of girls that are his friends. His response was, "It just feels different." And it begins.

You know you're getting old when...

2010-09-02T14:06:00.001-07:00

you trip and fall on your face while racing your six year old. Then, with your skinned knee, you can't sleep all night because it hurts so bad. Why doesn't kissing it better work anymore? Why don't I heal as quickly as I used to?

So yesterday when I picked up Daniel from school we decided to race to the car. We took off and I stepped into a hole. My glasses went flying, my pants ripped, and I was bleeding on my elbow and my knee. Of course this all happened in front of the whole school. As I was laying face first on the ground I realized I had better get up quick before people ran over to make sure I was okay. I got to the car and showed my boys my "owies." They were impressed once they stopped laughing. I then limped around all evening with a very stiff knee while Jesse took his turn laughing at me. I kept thinking how ridiculous the whole thing was since it was just "skinned knee." I actually had to take some Motrin to sleep that night. Man I'm getting old!

A Couple Firsts

2010-08-27T18:08:00.001-07:00

Daniel lost his first tooth. It as very uneventful. There was no holding him down or tying his tooth to a string and slamming the door. He was watching tv, came into me, and said "Mom I was playing with my tooth and it started bleeding." I looked at it and noticed it was already out. He took the tooth out of his mouth and became one excited little boy. :)

Daniel's first day of first grade. His Dad took him to school and he was ready to go. He came home and said, "That was the best day of school I have ever had!" I asked him what he did and he said, "Rules and drills." haha What a great first day!

My Baby is One!!

2010-08-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

Getting ready...
Trying to decide what to do with it.

Figured out what to do with it without a problem

Going, going, gone (mostly all over the floor)

My precious boy! I can't begin to describe how much I love you. You make me and everyone around you smile and laugh. You are such a joy!

I love how excited you get when your Daddy comes home. We can all hear the FAST pitter-patter across the tile floor as you race to get to him. He's always happy to see you too.

There are so many things you love. First and foremost is FOOD! You love to eat your own food and everybody else's. We laugh and laugh as you stand next to someone who is eating and grunt over and over. The longer it takes for you to be fed, the louder the grunt gets. It's quite entertaining. You also love balls. After you dump the bucket of balls out, you will chase them all over the house. Of course you love your mommy too. I love how excited and happy you get when I walk into the room. It completely melts my heart.

I can't believe how time has flown by this past year. Thank you for being such a great baby! I have had to wake you from naps, constantly put you in your car seat, and put you down when you want to be held if your brothers need something. You have survived it all and are still a happy boy. That's a statement I hear a lot; "He's such a happy baby." Yes you are.

Your first year has been wonderful and I can't wait for more to come. It's going to be great! I love you sweet boy! So much!

Fun with Cousins!

2010-08-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ryan, McKell, Tyler, Daniel, Austin, Ellie, and Maureen
Daniel and Tyler sleeping in the tent (in the living room).

Ryan and McKell were inseperable! Even in the birdbath.

Ellie and Randy (Jesse's brother)

Of course we had to have some water and mud. The kids put the hose on

the slide and slid down. A mud puddle formed at the bottom of

the slide. They did this a couple times over the weekend.

Biliding forts and playing "war" was also a popular activity.

The snakes had to make an appearance also.

My AMAZING sister-in-law, Maureen, has been traveling around the country with her kids for nine weeks! We were lucky enough to be one of her stops. They were here for 3 full days. The kids had SO MUCH FUN! We just hung around the house and let the kids play, play, play. My brother-in-law, Randy, would join his family on the weekends so he made it down also. We did leave the house to swin and, of course, make a Pappasito's run. Thanks for coming! We loved it!

Jesse's Handiwork

2010-08-01T16:26:00.001-07:00

Even the box turtle pen has tons of plants.

Notice the bird feeders as well. Another hobby.

There are two Tiger Swallowtail butterflys in this picture.

Jesse's terraces

A LONG time ago I posted about my Dad and Jesse taking out our deck.

I am now finally posting what Jesse did to replace all that space.

Jesse has really enjoyed making butterfly gardens. He researches what plants attract butterflies and hummingbirds and then plants those plants; often from seed. We now have beautiful flowers and plants all over the terraces he built (where the deck used to be) and all over the back yard. We also have several different types of butterflies and birds. He has done a wonderful job improving our yard. I'm glad he has the interest. If it were up to me, our yard

wouldn't be much to look at.

Stay-cation

2010-08-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

This summer we had our first immediate family vacation. There were no family reunions going on that we could attend so we played here in Texas. Jesse had TEN DAYS off which is unusual. We took full advantage of the situation and filled every day. Below are the highlights. We did more than what is posted below, but I recorded the main things. We did several things around the Dallas area and took three days in San Antonio.

Our boys were GREAT! They played hard and rarely fought. They were appreciative and fun to be with. I am so glad we did this. Jesse of course planned it all and did a fabulous job. Read below to see the highlights.

Dinosaur Valley State Park

2010-08-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

At Dinosaur Valley we started with a picnic and then went out on the trails. We saw some dinosaur tracks on our wayt to the trail (hence the name dinosaur valley). We were promised a mile long hike, but there is just something about Dads and taking the scenic route. haha We walked longer than planned, but once we were back to the river the kids forgot all about that. They swam and played for a long time. All three of my boys are fish. They love the water and could be there all day. The best part was finding a swimming hole on the river that ranges from 12 -21 feet deep. We will definitely be back there.

Dallas World Aquarium

2010-08-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

Silly boys!
Manatee

Notice part of the anaconda in the back.

Typical Ryan

Typical Daniel

A sloth that was out of a cage just

hanging out in a tree as we walked by

Eric feeding the birds. He wasn't quite

sure what to think of that.

Handsome boys!

The Aquarium is a favorite of our boys. We rarely go because it's a bit expensive, so we added it into our stay-cation plans. As usual, we all loved it! The favorites are the manatees and the anaconda (of course).

Natural Bridge Caverns

2010-08-01T15:50:00.001-07:00

On our way home from San Antonio we decided to make a side trip to the Natural Bridge Caverns. We were all pleasantly surprised with how amazing the caves were. The pictures don't do it justice. The boys put the caves above Hurricane Harbor. They obviously REALLY enjoyed them.

Sea World

2010-08-01T14:59:00.000-07:00

I made the huge mistake of forgetting my camera on Sea World day. We had so much fun and stayed ALL DAY! We all had different parts that were our favorites. Daniel loved the Steel Eel which was a scary roller coaster. The first time he rode it his face turned really red and I thought he was going to cry. I had to put my arm on him and continuously reassure him that it would be okay. He immediately got off and ran to get in line again. It was much better the second time. Ryan's favorite part was riding the Shamu roller coaster with his Dad. They sat in the back and it went really fast. :) Eric loved the animals. He would spot them and just stare with wide eyes. He would often reach out and try to grab them. Adorable! Jesse loved riding the roller coaster with Ryan. He also enjoyed the parrots and macaws that flew over the crowd in the Azul show. My favorite part was the show called Azul. Beluga whales and Pacific white-sided dolphins were used in the show. They also had divers and bright colorful costumes. Loved it! The shows we saw are pictured above.

Our Hotel: Westin Resort

2010-08-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

Ryan playing in the bounce houses.
The boys swimming.

Eric enjoying the pool.

The view from our room.

Daniel chillin' on the bed.

Thank goodness Jesse is the travel man! He found a fabulous hotel in San Antonio for us to stay in for two nights using points from our credit card. It had several pools with a water slide, an area with bounce houses that were up daily, a kids club where the kids could do art projects, a game room full of board games, and a gorgeous view! After we drove down to San Antonio on Monday, we spent the rest of the day playing at the hotel. It was perfect!

Hurricane Harbor

2010-08-01T14:41:00.001-07:00

For the first day of our family "stay-cation" we went to hurricane harbor. We left Eric behind with friends, and just took Daniel and Ryan. The boys LOVED it! The best part of my day was when we got rained out around 4:00. We went beneath a shelter, sat on some chairs, and watched the storm roll in. The best part of all that was having Ryan snuggled up on my lap. I love snuggling with my boys! Unfortunately I forget my camera which happened several times during our vacation. :(

Cakes!!!

2010-07-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

Frosting the cakes with friends.

Ryan's Duck Cake

Daniel's Dolphin Cake

Debi's Daffodil Cake

Eric found some frosting.

Thanks to our AWESOME friend Mardi, the boys were able to decorate some little cakes. Mardi has been taking cake decorating classes and has made some amazing cakes. Daniel happened to see one and immediately asked if he could take cake decorating classes. He said, "I want to learn how to make store cakes." Unfortunately, he is a bit young for that. Thankfully we have friends like Mardi who make our kids' dreams come true. haha She had us over to teach us a few things about cake decorating. We had so much fun! Here are the results.

4th of July

2010-07-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hanging out waiting for the fireworks.

All the kids.

Daddy and Eric (who kept pulling his Dad's hair)

Daniel and Ryan enjoying the slides

We had a great time celebrating the 4th with family and friends. We went to a park in Duncanville where they had bounce houses, water slides, live music, and fireworks. I was anxious to see how Eric would react to the fireworks. He didn't smile or cry; he just stared, and would occasionally reach out towards the fireworks. So cute!

Jesse's Birthday

2010-06-23T18:07:00.001-07:00

Servant Daniel with his King Father
Ryan decided he didn't want to be a servant anymore.
Being King is much better.

This is what the King did on his birthday (with Eric).

It was HOT while we were at the zoo.

Enjoying the jeep outside the Lion cage.

My man just turned 32 on Saturday. It was a day full of work and fun. Daniel and Ryan each made Jesse a crown so he could be King for the day. Jesse really enjoyed that. We were his servants all day. Jesse is a hard worker, and his birthday happened to fall on Saturday when he does a lot of work around the yard. Lucky for us! We cleaned up the backyard, mowed the lawn, did the edging, did the blowing after the lawns and edging, took care of the turtle, cleaned out the snake cages, replenished the bird feeders, and did some of the watering of his plants. That allowed Jesse the time he needed to watch the World Cup. haha After all the work was done, Jesse wanted to go to the zoo. Yes, he really chose this without any help from his children. He enjoys the zoo. We ended the day by going out to eat as a family. Thanks for all you do honey! Happy birthday!!!!

Weekend With Friends

2010-06-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

We did A LOT of swimming...

and relaxing...

and playing...

and butterfly catching...

and just having fun by performing surgeries on each other.

Of course we can't forget the ghost stories before bedtime.

The tent was a hit.

Our church did a reenactment of the pioneers crossing the plains with the youth of the church. Of course they only did it for three days instead of weeks on end. It was still very hard and exhausting pulling handcarts in the Texas heat. Some dear friends, Melissa and Brandon, were asked to go to be a Ma and Pa. That means we got there kids while they were gone. YAY!! We had a great time while their parents were off working hard.

While the rest of us were cleaning...

2010-06-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Eric decided to undo what we had already done.

He Did It!!

2010-06-09T09:20:00.001-07:00

Chris graduated!!! He will return to Taiwan soon for the summer. In August he will come back for college at the University of Texas in Arlington. He had applied to UT in Austin, but was told there wasn't room. They said to go to UT Arlington for a year and then he will be able to go to UT Austin the following year. That is his plan. The boys are already mourning his absence even though he hasn't yet left. They have made it clear to him he has to come home and visit. Thankfully his school is only about 20-30 minutes away. He will be living on campus though. We love Chris and will miss him!

Favorite Thing

2010-06-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

I LOVE watching and hearing my boys play together. Something about it just makes me so happy. Today they were all playing in the sandbox together. Unfortunately I didn't get the camera out in time to get Ryan in the picture. I love my boys so much and thoroughly enjoy watching them learn, grow, work, and play. They are the best!

New Hobby

2010-06-06T19:13:00.001-07:00

The boys have a new hobby. Jesse has planted plants all over the backyard to attract butterflies. It worked. Jesse then made a butterfly net to catch them. That worked too. We now have a butterfly collection that keeps growing. Daniel is especially into it. He can name all the butterflies and loves seeing them around the yard. Boys certainly make life exciting!

Last Day of School

2010-06-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

Daniel with Ms. Dixon
Daniel has finished his first year of school. I can't believe I now have a first grader! His teacher was Ms. Dixon and he had a great year. He is reading very well and made new friends. He loves to learn and enjoyed having homework everyday.

Daniel was tested to be in the gifted and talented program. After his test I asked him how it went. "Easy-peasy," was his response. He then continued by telling me there was a whole section he didn't even need anyone to instruct him on. I thought, "Oh no! I hope he did it right." He did. He was admitted into the program with flying colors. Next year, in first grade, he will be in an academically accelerated class. He needs the challenge, so I am looking forward to it. He's a smart little boy. I hate to admit it, but that mostly comes from his Dad. :)

Camping

2010-05-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

I took the boys camping this weekend and we had so much fun! I haven't been camping since I was 12 years old. Jesse told me it doesn't count because we stayed in a shelter and didn't put up a tent. I say it counts because I took my three boys by myself. :) We went with a few other families from church. I loaded a ton of pictures below so enjoy.

Melissa relaxing

Hanging out at the lake

Scott taking Daniel fishing. Thanks Scott!!!

Brandon getting Eric secured for our hike.

Ryan being a Jedi Master

Eric slept remarkably well despite the heat

The kids playing BINGO our first night there. Thanks Melissa!

Our shelter with the lake right behind us. PERFECT!

Ryan is so happy with his glow sticks and doughnuts.

Making smores

Mary and Scott relaxing

Cutest ever!!!

There was a spot right behind our shelters where the kids could swim.

They called it their private swimming pool.

Daniel caught a minnow with one sweep of his net.

Daniel feeding the ducks

Daniel's Piano Performance

2010-05-16T11:18:00.000-07:00

Daniel had his first piano performance at our church talent show. He played "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas." Even though he knew the piece backwards and forwards, he had a few mistakes. He was very nervous and excited about playing. At dinner before the talent show, I asked Daniel what his favorite thing was that happened that day. His response was, "It hasn't happened yet." He knew playing was going to be his favorite thing. :) Good job Daniel!!

I tried and tried to upload the video of his performance, but it just wouldn't work. :(

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

I had the best Mother's Day ever this year! My kids were EXCELLENT and wanted so badly for me to have a great day. Jesse had told them a story about how he and his sister made his Mom cry on Mother's Day when he was younger. My boys were shocked and were determined to not let that happen to me. haha

I woke up to a whispered, "Mom, can we give you your presents now?" Daniel wrote out reasons why I am the best mom with a poem and his handprints on a page. Ryan made his hand out of plaster and decorated it with sand, sequence, glittery shapes, etc. And Eric somehow managed to get me an IPOD. haha

After church we met up with friends at the park. We had an enchilada potluck dinner and then all played soccer. Oh! I can't forget to mention the chocolate cake and ice cream too. It was the BEST!!

I was also able to talk with my mommy. We live too far away from one another, but thankfully we have modern technology to keep us close. My mom is the most amazing woman. Now that I have kids of my own I see that more and more. She continues to worry about all of us and mother us. I am so blessed to have a mom who taught me to have fun, not get so worked up about things, and to choose the right. I LOVE YOU MOM!

Check out Eric swinging. He loves it!

Fun with Friends

2010-05-06T12:22:00.001-07:00

My friend Melissa and I switch off for date night. One of us will go out one week while the other watches the kids. The next week we switch. I love it! It saves on babysitters and our kids get to play. I had the kids this past week so we decided to make a fort. They also wanted to watch a movie so we made the fort over the tv. The kids had a blast! Luckily Chris was home to help me make the fort. Forts just make everyone happy.

Black Eye

2010-05-01T06:36:00.000-07:00

My poor Ryan hit heads with a "big kid" at school on the playground. I wonder if it really was a big kid, or if the boy in him just thinks that the way it should have happened. :)

Bluebonnets!

2010-04-25T14:50:00.001-07:00

Happy Baby!

Beautiful!

Having fun.

This is serious business!

My handsome boys!

Me and Baby Eric

Jesse found a great patch of Bluebonnets mixed with Indian Paintbrush. I was worried we were going to miss getting pictures this year, but we just made it. These fields of flowers impress me every year. They're gorgeous!

HE'S CRAWLING...

2010-04-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

...and getting stuck in tight spaces because of it.

Soccer

2010-04-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Daniel and Ryan just started soccer. When they found out they had the same number they were so excited. Ryan said, "Daniel! We're both number two! One and one!" It will be a great season.

Happy Easter!!

2010-04-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

We have really enjoyed this Easter weekend. Yesterday was spent doing egg hunts and coloring Easter eggs with wonderful friends. This morning has been focused more on Jesus Christ. We went through the story of Easter using the "Resurrection eggs." The boys really enjoyed opening the eggs and telling the story. They knew the story better than I realized. We are now looking forward to enjoying General Conference. We are truly blessed with so much! Happy Easter!

Helping Dad

2010-03-24T19:14:00.001-07:00

Every weekend Jesse has some project to do. The boys often follow him around and "help." This time they were trimming the crape myrtles. I'm sure Jesse couldn't have done it without them.

Spring Break!!!

2010-03-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I still haven't completely figured out my blog. Because of that, you will be looking at our spring break in reverse. haha We had a GREAT spring break with GREAT friends!! We decided to stick around here instead of travel. It was a good decision.

DAY 5: Home

After running around having fun all week, we decided to end the week at home. It was nice to relax and catch up on some things that were being neglected. The boys are even getting along! It was a good way to end our fun-filled week.

DAY 4: Dinosaur Valley State Park

Ryan pushing his little friend Elise.

My favorite picture!! Brinnley is adorable!

Chris and Daniel on the playground
Chris and Daniel at the look-out. Ryan was being grumpy
and didn't want to have his picture taken. haha

Ryan and Daniel playing in the river with the dinosaur tracks.

Everyone!!!!

Fun picnic! The day was absolutely gorgeous!!! We were
so happy to have Rachael with us! We don't see her nearly enough.

DAY 3: St. Patty's Day Treasure Hunt

Daniel found the treasure (after watching where it was hidden). haha

Jaxon and Ryan being silly.

Eric enjoying the beautiful weather at the park.

DAY 2: Swimming at Lancaster Pool

I forgot to take pictures at the pool, so we did it in the car on the way home. :)

Daniel

Eric completely wiped out. He did enjoy the water though.

Ryan

DAY 1: The Dallas Zoo

Daniel getting eaten by a crocodile. Thankfully Westley

is there to save him.

Kids being kids.

Little Prayers

2010-03-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

Jesse has been working nonstop for the past two weeks. Weekends included. The boys have REALLY missed him. One night he came home at 9:30 and we joked about how he came home early. It's been a bit crazy for him at work.

Last night Daniel said the family prayer. He prayed that "things would slow down for Dad at work." When the boys called Jesse to say good night, I told Jesse what Daniel prayed for. This morning Jesse reported that he went into see his boss about a half hour after Daniel's prayer. She said she was feeling good about where they were and that maybe he wouldn't have to work on Saturday. I LOVE IT!! I gave Daniel a high-five this morning. haha This change was unexpected, in my mind at least, because they are going to court on Monday.

After his boss told him that, Jesse told her about Daniel's prayer. Jesse asked her how she felt about being mind-controlled by a six year old. Her response was, "Maybe that's what I felt." Thank goodness for little prayers!

Dad's #1

2010-03-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

The other day I was sitting with Ryan and Eric. Eric was smiling at me, so I said, "Oh Eric! Are you smiling at your mom? Do you love your mom?" Ryan gets a confused look on his face and said, "He must think you're Dad." Dad is still #1.

Eric laughing

2010-03-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

Utah trip!

2010-02-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

I know it has taken me a while to post these pictures. I just had so many and I couldn't decide which ones to post. So, I just posted a bunch of them.

My sister, Tamra, and I both have January birthdays. For our birthdays we visit each other. She is in Utah and I am in Texas so every year we trade off. This year it was my turn to visit her in Utah. This is a NO KID weekend (except for nursing babies). Well, the one traveling doesn't have kids. I had such a relaxing time! We mostly hung out, but we also went out to eat and got pedicures. So fun! The rest of my family that lives in Utah all came to Tamra's house on Sunday. It was wonderful seeing everyone. I thoroughly enjoy the time I am able to spend with my siblings. Thanks for a GREAT time Tam! Your turn to come here next year!
Eric with Tamra's kids. TJ, Olivia, Alexa and Max.

Eric with Aunt Tamra (eight months pregnant)

Max and Jordan

Wow!!! We had to take a picture of Jim actually working. haha

Pirate Max

Kadree and Zoe

Uncle Kevin with niece Jordan

Curtis holding Eric with his daughter Kadree and wife Nicole

Eric with Aunt Sarah and his cousin Talmage

Don't ask.

Eric with Uncle Jar-head and Aunt Tamra

Olivia, Alexa, and TJ put on a play for me when I got there. I was the CUTEST thing ever! The best part was at the end when TJ announced his part in the play by saying, "I was the obstacles." haha The play was called, "The Case of the Missing Dog."

Ouch!

2010-02-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

Poor Jesse!

Daniel's get well card to his Dad. Notice the bleeding head. haha

The mean pole!

Jesse's diligent nurses.

This morning Jesse had a little accident. I was sitting up in my room and hear Jesse say, "Lub, can you give me a hand?" Yes, he calls me Lub. Anyway, I also hear Chris say, "Are you hurt?" I hurried downstairs and found a bloody Hubb (yes, that's what I call him). He is leaning over a now red sink rinsing off the top of his head. The boys are surrounding him firing questions at him. I come in to get him cleaned up, and quickly get annoyed with the boys and ask them to step back. My ever patient husband calmly says, "They just want to see." I figured if they're not bothering him I shouldn't let them bother me.

We got the bleeding slowed down and moved him to the couch. The boys quickly ran to the kitchen saying, "We're his nurses," while gathering wet paper towels to continue cleaning their Dad up. Jesse is going to rest for a while and thankfully does not need stitches. We took pictures of the actual wound, but Jesse said they're too gruesome to post. I thought they were cool, but I will let him decide since it's his head. :)

Because of the snow storm we have a lot of broken branches around the yard. Some are on the ground while others are broken but still hanging on to the trees. Jesse is self-sufficient and likes to take care of such projects on his own. He has a long pole with a saw on the end (see picture) that he uses to cut down high branches. It got stuck this morning while he was working. He pulled on the rope to get it down and the pole fell and hit him in the head. Hence the bleeding profusely from a head wound.

Debs Boys

Daniel's Baptism

Mexico Trip

Needed a Reminder

Eric loves to sing!

Daniel Turns 8!!

Broken Window

Pass the butter please!

First Day of School

MY Black Eye

Eric turns 2!

Cars!

Thomas Reunion Family Pictures

Thomas Reunion Part 3: Bear Lake

Thomas Reunion Part 2: The Caves

Thomas Reunion: Camping

Shumway Reunion Part 4: Hiawatha Trail

Shumway Reunion Part 3: Park Day

Shumway Reunion Part 2: Triple Play

Shumway Reunion Part 1: Gondola to top of Mt.

Grandma and Grandpa Shumway's House

Mt. Rushmore

Fourth of July

Nerf War

ADORABLE!!!

It's going to blow!!

Jesse's Birthday

How do you sleep like that?

Summer Cuts

Top Reader

Ryan's end of the Year Program

Daniel's Field Day

Eric and doughnuts

Time Out For Women 2011

Ryan the soccer star!

100 AR Points!

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

Lasik

Fort Worth Stockyards

Oh Ryan!

New York Cousins

Spring Break

Sad Day

When Mom is Away...

Weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Shumway

What? It's not a walking cast?

Grandma and Grandpa Shumway Return!!

Silly Ryan

Eric's Broken Leg

Eric's First Haircut

Christmas Morning

Getting the Christmas Tree

Black Friday!!

Ryan turns 5!

Thanksgiving

Idaho Trip

When it's quiet. . .

Time Out For Women

Eric Sliding

Aunt Melissa

Poison Ivy

Daniel turns 7!

Ryan's First Homework

Catherine

You know you're getting old when...

A Couple Firsts

My Baby is One!!

Fun with Cousins!

Jesse's Handiwork

Stay-cation

Dinosaur Valley State Park

Dallas World Aquarium

Natural Bridge Caverns

Sea World

Our Hotel: Westin Resort

Hurricane Harbor

Cakes!!!

4th of July

Jesse's Birthday

Weekend With Friends