The Eccles

Surgery...

2009-09-11T16:01:00.002-07:00

As I'm sure most of you know I had surgery last Wednesday! I had to have my thyroid removed due to several nodules on it that were causing my voice to be weak and were putting pressure on my esophagus. Anyhow... I'm feeling GREAT! went back to work yesterday and saw the surgeon today... All is well! My calcium which had dropped after surgery causing me to have to stay @ the hospital an additional 2 nights is now in the high normal range (which he is pleased about). He took off my bandage today, giving me my first view of my incision... it's not as bad as I expected it to be, but it's definitely not pretty! Take a look!

First Day of School!

2009-08-10T21:05:00.005-07:00

Today was the kids first day of school. Taylor started 2nd grade and Trevin started Kindergarten. They were both very excited for school but I think Trevin began to get a little bit nervous once we were on our way. I thought I was going to do fine... my baby being in kindergarten and all...but the entire time I was saying goodbye I was choking back tears, as I walked home I let a few fall and all throughout the day I was constantly looking at the clock anxious for 3:00 to come so I could go pick them up. I was very excited to see 2 smiling faces walk out the school doors and run to me with excitement about their day. Taylor said her teacher didn't really teach them anything today all she did was tell them the rules and Trevin said that he learned about scissors and recess... =) Here are a few pictures of their first day and a few from "Meet the Teacher" last week.

Trevin @ his desk!

I can't believe how time flies!

"Off 2 School"

Taylor & Mrs. Burlaka

Trevin & Mrs. Hatfield... He got the same teacher Taylor had for Kindergarten.... We LOVE her!

Disneyland

2009-06-19T21:40:00.005-07:00

Last weekend Shane, the kids and I went to Disneyland. Although we have taken them several times, I think this was probably their best trip. They are at the age and height that they can pretty much ride everything... and We DID! I can't even begin to count how many times I heard "That was AWESOME" throughout the day! =) We had a lot of fun and can't wait to go back. The kids are having a hard time deciding which ride they liked the best... Trevin says he liked Space Mountain because as soon as it started it was so fast his cheeks were pulled back. They both liked star tours, the Darth Vader show, Hollywood Tower of Terror Hotel and they loved the one where y
you are flying and you see all the different weathers ( Soaring over California ).=)

Trevin's Eye!

2009-05-25T20:04:00.003-07:00

Thursday evening after work we left for California. We didn't get into Kerman until 4am Friday morning then the kids were wide awake @ 8am. By the time we finally went to bed Friday night at about 11:30 we were EXHAUSTED!!! Our sleep didn't last long... at 1am Trevin fell off the bed and hit his eye on Mom and Dad's night stand. Needless to say after seeking the Fire Departments opinion we made our way to Children's hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 2am got called back at 5am and didn't even see a Dr. until 8:30am... 4 stitches and 2 hrs. later (at 10:30) we FINALLY left the hospital. Needless to say after only getting 4 hrs sleep the night before and sitting in the ER for 9 hrs we were beyond exhausted... Trevin ended up having a rough weekend... on top of getting stitches on his eyelid he also ran a fever most of the weekend. Thankfully he is finally feeling better... now Shane is sick! =( Regardless of the craziness of the weekend and the sickness that seems to be lingering, we are glad we were able to spend some time with Mom and Dad and also that we got to visit a little with Poppy and Grandma Joyce. Hopefully our next venture out to CA will be uneventful and pleasant.=)

Taylor is "7"!

2009-05-05T21:34:00.005-07:00

Sunday Taylor turned 7! We celebrated on Saturday at "Color Me Mine" where Taylor along with her brother, cousins, and friends painted pottery. I can't believe what a beautiful young girl Taylor is turning out to be... it seems like just yesterday I took her into my arms for the very first time after ALL those LONG HORRIBLE HOURS of torturous labor! =) But I must say... every second of that LONG labor was worth it... I would have done it again in a heartbeat if it meant the joy of taking our beautiful baby girl into my arms... Taylor has brought so much JOY, laughter, tears and DRAMA into our household, but we love EVERY minute of it and are so proud to be parents to the most beautiful girl in the ENTIRE world! Taylor Denae Eccles! We love you Sis!

Me and My Kiddos!

2009-04-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

Easter, Missing Teeth & misc. pics..

2009-04-14T21:44:00.004-07:00

These are for Grandma and Papa... they have been anxiously awaiting these pictures...!!!

Easter!

Taylor lost both of her front teeth! =)

Riding the ponies at a carnival we went to...

Missing 1 tooth!

Exhausted!

2009-03-31T19:20:00.003-07:00

Well, we have had a busy week... Last weekend PJ and Shawna were here, so we spent much or our free time hanging out with them... then they left wednesday night (early thursday morning) and Mom and Dad got here early Friday Morning. Unfortunately I was horrible and didn't take pictures, however we did have a lot of fun spending time with everybody and were sad (as usual) to see everybody go home. Anyways, today after school Trevin was not behaving and he ended up getting sent to his room for a while. After a little while I went in to check on him and this is how I found him...=)

He must have been exhuasted! Poor guy!=)

Anniversary, Vacation, Dedication and Shower

2009-02-07T14:01:00.006-07:00

Last week Shane and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary. We usually take vacation time around our Anniversary and try to do something together as a family. This year we were not able to vacation to any hot spot or take a Caribbean cruise or anything like that but we were able to travel to California. We had a very busy, busy busy week. Tuesday was spent driving...Wednesday & Thursday were spent hanging out with friends and family... Friday was spent driving (some more) to Stockton to stay with my brother and attend Landmark as his church... Saturday was spent at a Baby Shower for my beautiful baby cousin Erica... and Sunday Erica was dedicated in Kingsburg then after having lunch with the family we loaded up for more driving... We spent the remainder of the day sadly driving home after our wonderful time with friends and family. Although I am always anxious to get home after being away it is always sad to say Goodbye. Mom and Dad Thanks so much for letting us invade your territory for the week we always enjoy our time with you guys. PJ and Shawna thanks for letting us invade your home Friday Night. Although it went by in a whirlwind because there was so much going on, we enjoyed getting to see your town and your house. And last but definitely NOT least thank you Shane... You are amazing... instead being upset that we were not going to spend our 8th anniversary on some exotic vacation, you spent your vacation hauling us around. It's amazing that it has already been 8 years, it has seriously flown by. I am so thankful that God gave me you! I love you so much! Thank you for all you do for us... I love you Baby!

Christmas & New Years

2009-02-07T13:56:00.008-07:00

I know this has been long coming... So I will keep it short and sweet. Our Christmas and New Years were very busy and fun!!! We got to spend Christmas Day with Mom and Dad and then at New Years (as I posted previously) we had our annual Camp Arizona. However, as I also posted previously this year was special PJ, Shawna, Lex and Gentry surprised us and we ended up getting to spend a whole week with them. Enjoy the Pics.

In California...

2009-01-31T23:28:00.002-07:00

Hello all my blogger friends. I know its been a while and I have not made good the promise I made to post pictures of our Christmas and new years holiday. Sorry... I have been extremely busy with finals, sickness and now we are in California and have been her since Tuesday evening. We are having lots of fun and are sad to see our visit coming to an end... We will be leaving tomorrow afternoon after Sunday morning service in Kingsburg. Erica is going to be dedicated there tomorrow and then shortly after service we will be loading up for the long trip home. I PROMISE I will post pictures later on this week or next weekend of our holiday season and also of all our fun here in CA this week. So check back soon!

A Special Day...

2009-01-17T22:26:00.003-07:00

Today is a very special day... It's my Mom's birthday! I can honestly say that although many of you out there think you have the "best mom" I truly have been blessed with the "ULTIMATE BEST MOM". As a child it is sometimes easy to overlook the sacrifices and hard work a parent endures to ensure their child's each and every needs are met. Now as an adult I look back and realize that I am the person I am today because of the parent's God chose to bless me with.
-Mom-
I love you so much! I could never write enough words to express what an AWESOME Mom, Grandma and Mother-in-law you are. You are an inspiration to me... You have the most amazing heart, and you continually shower your family with unconditional love. When we're apart I miss you so much! Although I say its just the kids counting down days till they get to see you again... that's not true...I'm the same way too...to be honest so is Shane.=) Thank you so much for always being there for me when I need you... in fact although you were not feeling well yourself this week... you still found a way to comfort your sick child. As always when I'm sick I "need my mommy" so I called you at like 7:30 in the morning just needing to hear your voice. Just something about when mommy says its going to be ok... then it will... bottom line!
Thanks Mom for all you do and for being you... I have the best Mom in the world and there's only one other person who can say that and I will believe them...PJ =)
Love you Mom
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

What a SURPRISE!

2008-12-30T21:23:00.002-07:00

This week is our annual "Camp Arizona". Beginning in the year Ruth and Greg got married, the majority of our family has traveled to Arizona for new years and it has become our annual family reunion. Well, this year we were really hoping PJ, Shawna and the kids would be able to join us, however a couple of weeks ago we got the bad news that they would not be able to. Needless, to say we were pretty bummed. Well Mom and Dad have been here since last Wednesday, and they attended church with us on Sunday. There we are in church Sunday morning, (me on the platform) and to our surprise in walk PJ & Shawna... what a bunch of dorks we probably all looked like with huge cheezy smiles on our faces. =) Apparently when they dropped off Lex and Gentry at Sunday School, Taylor and Trevin were ecstatic also!!! We are so excited to be able to spend time with ALL of our family this holiday season! What an AWESOME surprise! Check back later for pics!

Trevin's 5th Birthday Party!!

2008-11-30T01:55:00.002-07:00

How Time Flies!

2008-11-26T21:24:00.004-07:00

Yesterday Trevin turned 5. I am a horrible mother... The day flew by yesterday without me even getting a chance to sit down and write about it. Most of the day I spent on the verge of tears, and I finally broke down and let them flow that evening as we were sitting down to have cake together. I can't believe our baby is already 5... it has went by way too fast! It literally seems like just yesterday we were holding him in our arms for the first time. However, as hard as it is to believe its true... he is turning into our little man. So needless to say, although we are getting ready to celebrate on Saturday at Pump it Up, I am saddened by the thought that these past five years have gone by in a flash.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE GREATEST SON IN THE WORLD... TREVIN--- MOMMY AND DADDY ARE SO HAPPY GOD HAS GIVEN US SUCH A SPECIAL LITTLE BOY... WE LOVE YOU!

With Full Hearts!

2008-11-12T21:13:00.007-07:00

The conclusion of a long, stressful day, yet here we are with FULL Hearts!
Tonight as we were putting the kids to bed, I went in to pray with Taylor, as I finished my bedtime prayer, Taylor asked me...

"Mom, how old were you when you got baptized?"

"Um, 9 why?"

"Cuz I'm scared"

"Why, Baby what are you scared of?"

"I wanna hurry and get baptized?"
At this point she was fully crying and I also have begun to cry.

I proceeded to ask her why she felt like she needed to hurry and get baptized and she said...

"I'm scared Jesus is going to come and I won't be baptized yet" !!!

I wasn't sure what to say... I called Shane in... and he too became choked up with emotion.

How do you know if its the right time or not? I'm sure some would say to have them baptized as soon as they say they are ready. However, I think it's extremely important for her to understand the significance of baptism. Anyways, we explained to her that Jesus sees her heart and is very happy with her because He knows how important He is to her. And we are going to be praying for this desire to blossom and for God to help her have a clear understanding.

What an amazing feeling. I can not even begin to express the overwhelming sense of pride and gratefulness that began to flow through me. God has truly blessed us with 2 amazing kids! How fortunate we are, that our daughter at the young age of 6 has already developed a desire to live for God.
All I can say is "God thank you so much for trusting us with such special gifts! And help us as parents to always put You first and be Godly examples.

Sunday Night!

2008-10-16T21:20:00.005-07:00

"Precious"

"Handsome Little Men"

Taylor & Baby Caden

Nanna & Caden

Hello... It's been a while!

2008-10-06T14:29:00.004-07:00

Well it's been a while since I have blogged about the current happenings in the Eccles Family. Things have been crazy busy around here for us, Shane and I both just got over bronchitis, now Taylor has Strep Throat and we are just hoping and praying Trevin can stay well.
School is going great for all of us!!!=)
Taylor- is doing AWESOME, each week they have a homework packet and throughout the week we complete the assignments and return it on Friday. It seems like the jump from kindergarten reading, writing and spelling to the first grade level was huge, however Taylor has really caught on quickly and is doing GREAT!!!

Trevin- is loving going to school. He has a bunch of little friends and every time I see any of them in the hallway or on the playground, they are always screaming "Your Trevin's Mom"!=) I have recently discovered that Trevin is the oldest boy in the class, due to his Late November birthday. This can pose as a difficult situation or a positive one, we are really working towards the positive. Apparently it seems many of the children are followers and tend to shadow the behavior of many others in the class, being that Trevin is the oldest, his teacher is trying to help him to be a leader and make positve choices with the hopes of many friends following his lead. =) Wow, that seems like alot to ask of my little rambuctious son, that seems to find difficulty sitting still for any length of time and seems to me to be following the role model of "Dennis the Menace". LOL!

Shane- is doing great is school I think he has about 7 or 8 months left until he completes his Associates and then another 1yr 9 mos to recieve his Bachelors. Now he is considering going for his masters? We shall see...

I am about 1 yr and 4 months away from getting my Associates. No I am NOT going to go any longer than that...only 48 credits to go! =) I can't Wait!

Love and Miss everybody! Looking forward to the next couple months... we are expecting visitors... Next week we will finally get to see Papa & Grandma! we always hate the summer months cuz its Papa's busy season and they don't get to come visit... so its been about 3 1/2 months since we've seen them. WAY TOO LONG! Looking foward to Thanksgiving...Mom, Dad, Pj, Shawna, Lex & Gentry will all be here! I think this is going to be the first holiday we have all got to be together since we left California 2 years ago. WE CAN'T WAIT!

Expecting Our First Visit from the Tooth Fairy...

2008-09-15T15:21:00.005-07:00

Last night after church Taylor lost her very first tooth. I know, some of you are probably thinking how silly to put this on our blog, but if you only knew how huge of thing this has been for us you would understand. All last year in Kindergarten Taylor was in turmoil because all of her friends were losing teeth and she didn't even have one single LOOSE tooth. Well, finally in first grade she got her first loose tooth and had to let everyone know about it. Then as it began to get really loose she was a nervous wreck worrying about it falling out. Finally, last night it was pretty loose and her and Daddy worked together wiggling that stubborn little tooth free. Silly tooth fairy had no cash on her and was not prepared to make her visit last night, so we had to tell Taylor that the tooth fairy was off on weekends and was tired from church so she would have to wait to put her tooth under her pillow on monday night. =) She looks adorable Here are a few pictures!!! Enjoy!

Off to School!

2008-08-11T20:59:00.004-07:00

Well, Taylor started first grade today and Trevin had his first official day of preschool. Last week was still considered the summer program, so today was the actual first day. I can't believe my babies are growing up so fast. It seems like just yesterday I was the nervous kindergartners mom reluctant to leave my little one in the hands of someone else. Now here we are 1 year later, and Tay's a First grader and Trevin is in preschool. Anyways, lots has been going on here lately. I am working full time, at the same preschool Trevin is at. It's a great school, they are an accredited private school, and teach a structured curriculum. This year Trevin will be learning phonics and basic reading and writing. Here are some pictures of the kids this morning. =)

Meet Taylor's First Grade Teacher

2008-08-09T10:47:00.004-07:00

Taylor starts First Grade on Monday Aug. 11th. She is very excited to be a BIG first grader. Here is Taylor and Mrs. Johnson, her first grade teacher.

"First Day of Preschool"

2008-08-04T21:25:00.003-07:00

Today was Trevin's first day of preschool. (sniff)> My baby is getting big too fast! He had a great day! Although I work there at the school, I was a nervous all day that he wasn't adjusting well, but his teacher said he did very well! I will be taking more pictures later when his uniforms arrive. Enjoy!

Misc. Pictures

2008-08-04T20:54:00.007-07:00

Taylor & Caden Sunday Night...

Erica's first Church Service...
.

Check It Out!!!

2008-07-31T20:03:00.003-07:00

Hey guys, you should check out The Greatest Generation for a great slide show of Ashtyn, Taylor and Trevin having a great time!

Inspired...

2008-07-23T22:39:00.004-07:00

Well, I was over at Myndfood the other day and was prompted to share a story from this past Sunday Night at church. It was Shane's weekend to work, so after coming down from the platform, I collected the kids from their various spots in the church (when Shane's working they sit by themselves, one in the very front one in the back). Anyways, we found our seats, and hadn't been seated long when the kids began to have one of their feuds, I began to get nervous, things were getting heated and I could not manage to get them cooled down. So there they were in the middle of church: hitting, swinging, pushing, making faces, turning red in face, crying, pinching etc. Needless to say it ended up being one of those services... No sooner did I get back from one humiliating retreat through those double doors, and I found myself getting right back up and going right back out, each time with a unhappy child. Needles to say, by the time I got home I was frazzled, frustrated, disappointed, and wondering what I was doing wrong. Once home, I quickly fed everyone, and it was off to BED! As I was tucking Taylor in, and got down to pray with her she asked me:

"Mom"

"Yeah"

she said " How old do you have to be to get baptized?"

my breath caught in my throat, I wasn't really expecting this right now, but I laid down next to her and we had a heart felt conversation. Well, needless to say at the end of our conversation she told me, she was going to pray, I said OK go ahead!

She said...
"Jesus, take care of my family, Amen!"

(sigh)...(tear)... I became all choked up and teary eyed, and immediately the frazzledness (if that's a word), frustration, and disappointment vanished.

DEANNA IS 26 TODAY... HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE!!!

2008-07-07T17:30:00.001-07:00

Today is my beautiful wife’s birthday!

She turned 26 years old. I went the entire day without telling her Happy Birthday, and had her convinced I had forgotten. (I know, what a jerk!) I talked to her on the phone probably three or four times avoiding the topic at all costs, laughing each time after we hung up. My mother even called my work place and told me she had spoken to her and she thought that I had forgotten. My evil plan was working…

I didn’t get her much but I just want her to know that I love her very much, and she is without a doubt my strength.

Babe, I love you! I want you to know that at times I have not been the man you deserve, and I’m sorry. I also want you to know that you are my strength and the keeper of my heart!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!!!

-Cousins-

2008-07-07T16:29:00.002-07:00

Caden Myrick Teel & Erica Nicole Amundson

-4th of July Weekend-

2008-07-07T16:15:00.003-07:00

We had a great 4th of July weekend. We spent the weekend hanging out with Mom & Dad, Rick, Gina, Ash and Caden,Ruth, Greg, Michael and little Erica. We had a great time with everybody! Here are few pics from the weekend. Enjoy!!!

- Erica in Taylor's baby doll carrier-

We had a great 4th of July weekend. We spent the weekend hanging out with Mom & Dad, Rick, Gina, Ash and Caden,Ruth, Greg, Michael and little Erica. We had a great time with everybody! Here are few pics from the weekend. Enjoy!!!

-Erica Nicole Amundson-

2008-07-04T13:08:00.004-07:00

We have a new addition in our family! Wait, Wait... let me clarify. Not my immediate family...phew! Ok so anyways, Ruth and Greg have been blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby girl! Erica Nicole Amundson was born on July 1st at 12:35 pm, weighing in @ 6lbs. 6 oz., 20 1/2 inches long. She is soooo... tiny! But for being such a tiny little girl, she sure has long legs and arms, and big hands and feet! =) She is definately Ruths daughter!!!=) Here's a few pictures I took of her yesterday! Enjoy!

Weekend in CA & Caden's Dedication

2008-06-24T12:20:00.008-07:00

We left Friday afternoon and headed to Kerman for Caden's Dedication service. We arrived in Kerman Saturday morning at about 1am. Taylor and Trevin & Lex and Gentry were so excited to see each other, they didn't fall asleep until about 4 am ( thankfully they were sleeping in Papa and Grandma's room). Saturday we had lunch with Laura at our favorite ( Japanese Kitchen) and then spent the rest of the day hanging with all our family. Sunday morning was the dedication service in Kingburg performed by Uncle Bill. The service was beautiful, Bro. Teel ( Caden's grandpa Teel) spoke for a few minutes, Poppy ( Caden's Poppy Baglin) spoke for a few minutes and Uncle Bill talked for a while and then dedicated Caden. Rick spoke for a couple minutes at the end, and I don't think there was a dry eye in the building. What an amazing time we had! It was so neat to have almost all of our family in church together. Sunday night we went to church with Mom and Dad, PJ, Shawna, Lex, Gentry, Rick, Gina, Ashtyn, Caden and Kimberly @ Mom and Dad's church. Then we had a great time hanging out at Claim Jumper's after service. We took lots of pics. ENJOY!

We FINALLY met Baby Caden!

2008-06-03T19:19:00.002-07:00

Sunday night Rick, Gina, Ashtyn and Caden got into AZ with the help of Jen and John. We are so excited that they are FINALLY here. Here a few misc. pics of the kids and Ashtyn and Caden. Enjoy!

Trip to the Zoo and Imax

2008-06-03T18:37:00.003-07:00

Saturday we went to the zoo and afterwards went to the Imax. We had alot of FUN! The Phoenix zoo is huge and it was slightly warm so the kids were tired after about 2 hrs. We saw most of the zoo, and then left and went to the Phoenix science center and watched a 3D show on the Grand Canyon at the Imax. Enjoy the Pics

-Kindergarten Grad-

2008-05-22T17:39:00.004-07:00

Last thursday (the 22nd) Taylor was promoted from Kindergarten. She is now moving on to be a BIG first grader. We are so proud of her, she has learned a lot, and grown a lot this year. I sat through the whole ceremony and cried! As the years march on I'm afraid the days of her freely and willingly providing hugs and kisses are numbered. =( I'm afraid that soon she will not want me to wait at the gate to make sure she makes it to class ok. =( Soon, I'm sure she won't be running to give me a hug at the end of the day. But one thing I am sure of is that she will always be MY BABY GIRL!!! Congratulations! Tay we are so proud of you!
-I tried to put more video clips but I was having difficulties-
Maybe I'll try again later =)

Sunflower! =)

2008-05-20T13:27:00.002-07:00

I am a
Sunflower

What Flower
Are You?

"When my friends think smile, they think of me. There is not a day that goes by that I can't find something good about the world and my fellow human."

Misc...

2008-05-15T20:09:00.004-07:00

Well, Summer is almost here! Taylor will be having her kindergarten promotion on the 22nd. I can't believe it! she is growing up too... fast! Last friday they had mom's muffin day at her school. It was so cute! they sang a few songs and read the story I'll Love You Forever! I was literally in tears the whole time. It was VERY special! I was given a cute little hat Taylor made and a card all about me! I had a GREAT mother's day! I spent the weekend hanging out with my Mom ( the BEST in the
WORLD). I got a new camera from my honey! =) Finally! I have been in desperate need of one for a long time.
Shane and I are both college students now! I recently began attending Universtiy of Phoenix. Shane just began his 2nd academic year, and I am getting ready to began my 4th week. I don't know how Shane does it, He is doing AWESOME! He works like 60 hr weeks, is a AWESOME hubby and Daddy and is a full time student. I'm having hard time balancing my time to fit in schooling, and I'm home most of the day. About a year and half from now I'll have a AS in Medical Records, and in about 9 months Shane will have his AA and be starting to work towards his BA.
Trevin, is full of mischief and energy. He is going to be going to preschool this next school year. So over the next few months please keep his teachers in your prayers. =) j/k Well anyways not much else new in our lives! I posted some random pictures and I will post more next week when my Kindergartner becomes a First grader!

Taylor is 6!!!

2008-05-03T19:44:00.006-07:00

Today Taylor turned 6. She had 5 friends from school, 2 from church, Trevin and Michael over to play on a water slide we borrowed form Uncle PJ, Aunt Shawna, Lex and Gentry, the slide was a huge hit the kids absolutely loved it. On Friday I took cupcakes and we celebrated with Taylor's class. As we were about to leave and Taylor asked Mrs. Hatfield (her teacher) if she could come to her party=) I told her she was more than welcome to come, but I felt awkward because I know she has 25 students and didn't want her to feel obligated. Well, I gave her our address in case she decided to come, but honestly didn't expect her too. Well, she did show up, and brought her son who TA's in Tay's class, and brought her a Fox in Socks book by Dr. Seuss with a stuffed Dr. Seuss Fox. She is such a sweet teacher!!! I really appreciate her taking the time out of her weekend to make one of her students feel special on her birthday.
Thank you so much to everyone who helped make Taylor's day special. We all had a great time! Thanks Papa and Grandma for driving all the way out here and bringing the water slide and all you did to help. Thanks PJ, Shawna, Lex and Gentry for letting us borrow the water slide. And most importantly Thank you Taylor for being such a special girl!! We love you so much! You are our precious little princess, and we are so thankful Jesus gave you to us! Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!

"Welcome Baby Caden"

2008-04-09T08:14:00.005-07:00

Caden Myrick Teel has arrived! He was born today April 9th, weighed 8 lbs. and was 19 in long. =) Congratulations!!! Uncle Rick, Aunt Gina and Ashtyn. We love you guys, and can't wait to meet baby Caden!!!=)=)

Easter '08

2008-03-29T20:29:00.004-07:00

Sorry it's taken me so long to post these pictures. We had a pretty chaotic Easter. and then we left the next day for CA. Hope everyone had a good one.

Gooder!!?...=)

2008-03-12T22:06:00.003-07:00

Last night at bed time Trevin was not feeling good! He was very restless and was crying and complaining of a headache. Tay just recently got over a virus that caused her to have a headache so I figured he must have caught it. Well after about30 minutes of him obviously not feeling well, I finally told him to come lay on the couch. He didn't make it, he had to make a run for the bathroom and began vomiting. =( Poor Baby! Then he returned to bed and slept soundly the rest of the night.
This morning I had to leave for work before he was up, so as soon as I got home from work I was anxious to see how he was feeling. As soon as I walked in the door the first thing I asked him was... "how are you feeling bub?"
His reply was... "I feel gooder on this beautiful morning!!"
-He cracks me up-

Hello!!!

2008-03-03T21:13:00.008-07:00

Just wanted to drop a little message to say Hello! to all our family and friends. Miss you all! We are looking foward to this weekend... Mom, Dad, Pj, Shawna, Lex and Gentry are all coming for a visit. Can't wait!!!

This past weekend Michael came over to play with Trevin. They had a blast!!

Not Appropriate for school!?...

2008-02-12T23:32:00.003-07:00

Every week Taylor has to take something for sharing, the item has to begin with that weeks letter. This week is "U". Tonight we were trying to think of something besides... Umbrella or unicorn but were having no luck. So I teasingly told her "how about a pair of underware." =0
She said "Ewwww.. that's not propriate for school"...

LOL! so due to the lack of appropriate "U" items available she's taking an umbrella.

Livin' and tellin' at age 5!

2008-02-12T22:34:00.003-07:00

Yesterday after school Taylor's friend Tara, who goes to the same school as Tay and lives right next door, came over to play for awhile. Then Taylor went over to her house for about an hour. Trevin and I were in the back yard, and they were also playing in the yard. I (being the nosy mom that I am) was listening to the two girls talk, and I heard Tara ask "Do you wanna play make-up"? then they went running in the house. I wasn't sure what I should do... should I hollar for her to come home? or should I just let her be, and see how she reacts? So... I just left it alone.
Later when Taylor came home I said: "I heard Tara ask you if you wanted to play make-up"....
She said " I told her I didn't want to play cuz we don't wear make-up"!

I was so PROUD!!! of her. And of course, you know me, I started getting all teary-eyed and gave her a hug and told her how proud I was of her, and how happy Jesus was and how much he loved her.

Our little girl, the only pentecostal girl in a school of over a thousand students is not ashamed to only live a christian life but to also share it. I pray as she is growing and maturing physically and mentally, she will never outgrow her desire to live for Jesus, and to share with those around her. =)

-It's moments like these that brighten a Mommy's Day! I love you Tay!!

Vacation...

2008-02-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

We spent the 26th of Jan thru the 30th in Kerman with family and friends. We had a really good time with everyone. It seems it has been a while since we have actually all been together, and even though due to weather conditions we couldn't do what we originally planned, we had a GREAT TIME! On Monday Mom, Dad, us, Pj, Shawna, Lex and Gentry all went Bowling and Ice Skating. Well, we all bowled except for Dad (party pooper) and everybody except for Mom and Dad started out skating... Trevin hadn't even got on the ice and already wanted his skates off, Gentry and Shane I think went around once, PJ stayed out for a while longer then the other guys. But I must say the women of the family showed up our men out on the ice rink. --I guess you could say one of the women showed up everyone else at the bowling alley too. Wasn't me... the kiddos did better than me. Go on over to Myndfood to see Shawna's record breaking score... =) After all the fun we met Poppy and Grandma Joyce at Tahoe Joe's and had a AWESOME!! dinner with everyone. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make our vacation and time in Kerman special. We had such a GOOD!!! time with everyone and were sad to go. But we are hoping we can have everyone here next time. (hint,hint)

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It's Our 7th!

2008-01-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

On this day 7 years ago. A vow was made to honor and cherish. And I can truly say that the past 7 years have been amazing. I have been given the best Husband anyone could ask for. Thank you so much BABE for all you do! I LOVE YOU! I am looking foward to MANY more wonderful years.

Prince Charming

2008-01-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

Trevin has turned into quite the "Little Prince" . Sunday night after church as we were sitting around the kitchen table, Taylor proceeds to tell us that she wants me and Shane to both go to work tomorrow so that Amber "their watcher" can come watch them because she "likes Amber". Well Trevin who up until this point had been pretty quiet, says "I liked her dress tonight!"

I said "Whoo-Hoo Bub! you did? what was she wearing?"

Trevin " I think she was wearing Red"

Shane asked me "Was she?"

I said "Yes"

Shane " Is she your girlfriend bub?"

Trevin "Yes"

So of course we laughed and teased him and told him we were going to tell Amber, and we went on about our business.

Well Monday rolled around and Amber did come over and watch them. As we went to get in the car to take her home that evening -Trevin opened and held her door for her, shut it for her when she was in and then as he was climbing into his seat he says " I can do whatever I want for her cuz she's my girlfriend." and later that night had to tell his daddy all about how he liked her green shirt that day. =)

Crazy kid! such a romantic! I'm just trying to figure out where he picked up all the gentlemanly mannerisms. Definitely not from Daddy. lol just kidding Babe!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-01-17T15:50:00.001-07:00

On this day just a few years ago was born a very special person! My mom. The BEST mom, mother -in- law and the BEST grandma in the whole world!!! I know that is probably a very abused and used phrase but in this instance it's not just words it is TRUE!! WE love you very much MOM! Since we are not able to be there with you today, I need you to do something for me. Hold your arms out in front of you, now touch your left shoulder with your right hand, touch your right shoulder with your left hand and SQUEEZE!!! Happy Birthday Hugs from all of us. WE LOVE YOU! Hope you have a wonderful birthday.
Love
Shane, Nan, Taylor and Trevin

Ice Skating field trip!

2008-01-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went on an Ice Skating field trip with Taylor. I was a little nervous because its been about 10 years since I've been ice skating, and Taylor had never been. But all went well, I stayed on my feet, Taylor fell a few times but for being her first time she did VERY GOOD!

Enjoy!

-Taylor's Class-
-Taylor, Seth and Ryan on the bus ride back-

con't...

2008-01-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Already on her own- after only about 2 min. on the ice =) she's a pro.
oops!
A girl that works there helping her

The most beautiful skater!

Tea?

2008-01-10T20:01:00.001-07:00

The Love's of my life =)

Taylor is Totally Terrific!

2008-01-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

This week is Taylor's Totally Terrific week at school. The whole week is "all about Taylor". We took in a poster board of pictures of her. She took in a favorite book, and Mrs. Hatfield read it to the class. On Tuesday I went in and she presented her poster board, and she did an interview. The point of Totally Terrific is for the class to get to know her a little better. She did AWESOME. I think I am a total nut case, I found myself several times during her presentation wiping tears from my eyes. I just can't believe it, my baby girl is so smart, talented, beautiful and hilarious.
One of her pictures was of her and Ginger and when she was telling about that one she said "This is me and my sister" Mrs. Hatfield just kind of looked at me like, 'I didn't know she had a sister?' So I had to tell Taylor to explain that it was her dog. It was pretty CUTE!
Here are some of the Taylor's answers to her interview questions:
They asked her birthday, favorite color, food, book, movie, game, animal; her favorite animal was - a baby giraffe
Her favorite thing to do with her family is- have a tea party with her real glass tea party set.
When she grows up she would like to- stay up as late as I want , eat cookies, drink hot tea and watch a movie. lol
She has always wished that- a bird would land on her finger like Snow White. =)
At the end of her presentation and interview the kids had to each draw a picture and write a sentence about her and they were later all bound and put together as a book for Taylor to keep.

Then it was snack time, it was kind of like a celebrate Taylor Day! We took Cookies, Mandarin oranges and juices for the kids. (all things she loves). It was a really special time for Taylor and she really enjoyed sharing her family, friends and things she loves with her friends.

Christmas AGAIN... and New Years!

2008-01-10T19:10:00.001-07:00

Hope had a Happy New Years!!! We had a BLAST! Mom and Dad came on December 27th and stayed until January 6th. We had sooo.... much FUN with them while they were here. This was the first time they have stayed at our house, and though I'm

sure they didn't get much rest due to our lack of a decent bed for them, we are hoping they continue from now on to stay here. We had Christmas with Mom and Dad on Saturday, and throughout the week spent time with the family at Greg and Ruth's House.

On Tuesday evening, we decided we wanted to go bowling, No one else was interested so Mom, Dad, Shane, Me and the kids had a blast. Taylor and Trevin did good and ended
-precious kiddos bowling-
up having scores only slightly lower than us adults,Dad was a party pooper and didn't bowl, Mom was nervous so she sat out the first game. We got her to join the second round, and she wished she had played the whole time. She LOVED IT!! and was pretty good at it too! Here are some pics from our New Years!

-dad enjoying his favorite pastime-

Christmas cont...

2007-12-26T14:58:00.001-07:00

The best gifts ever... the ones made for us by the ones we LOVE!!!

Above- An angel made of Taylor's footprint and hand prints.

Below- A candle jar with snowman made of Taylor's fingerprints.

I loved Them!

Christmas

2007-12-26T14:23:00.001-07:00

Hope everyone had a great christmas. Ours was very Nice! We couldn't be in Kerman with our family this year so we had our own christmas at home this year. We opened gifts in the morning, fixed a small Christmas dinner in the afternoon and in the evening had our friends Grace and Juan and their daughters Victoria and Hannah over for dessert and to play games. It was a very nice and relaxing day. I spent most of the day in front of my laptop watching, listening and visiting with family in Kerman CA. and Macon GA via the webcam. =) It was so neat to be able to see everybody, and that they were able to see Taylor and Trevin. Hope everyone had a good christmas, Miss you ALL! Can't wait 'till this weekend, we will be spending a whole week with the majority of our family, It will be a blast! Those of you who won't be attending camp AZ this year- =( WE WILL MISS YOU!

-3 Princess's and a Prince-

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2007-12-23T22:52:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas...

Hope Everyone has a good Christmas!

With Love,

Shane, Deanna, Taylor and Trevin

Another Joke

2007-12-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

A man was wandering in the woods, pondering all the mysteries of life and his own personal problems.

The man couldn't find the answers, so he sought help from God.

"God? You there, God?" he asked.
"Yes. What is it, my son?" God answered.
"Mind if I ask a few questions?" the man asked.
"Go ahead, my son, anything."
"God, what is a million years to you?"
God answered, "A million years to me is only a second."
The man asked, "God, what is a million dollars worth to you?"
God replied, "A million dollars to me is worth only a penny."
The man lifted his eyebrows and asked his final question. "God, can I have a penny?"
God answered, "Sure, give me a second."

How to pick a PERFECT TREE

2007-12-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Two blondes went into the forest to cut down their Christmas tree. After a few hours in sub freezing temps and a couple of close encounters with some wolves, the first blond said to the second, "That's it, next tree I see, I'm cutting it down, I don't care if it is decorated or not."

What's new with us...

2007-12-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

Alot has been going on here. Taylor is doing EXCELLENT is school. She is still loving it, and she is picking up on the phonogram sounds, she is able to read short words such as I, We, Can, Dog, Run etc. and she can spell (sounding out) several words. The picture is of a little game her and Shane played he told her the word and she sounded it out. On a few of them she got confused with the K and C or O and A, But that's because in phonics these letters sounds are very similar and sometimes exactly the same. So Mrs. Hatfield is not concerned that the words are spelled correct but that they are hearing the correct sound and are able to identify it. We are so Proud of her! She is doing AWESOME!!! When she goes back to school from christmas break it will be her "totally terriffic" week. We have to make a poster board with pictures of her with family, friends, siblings from birth till now. It will be on display, and the whole week they be recognizing Taylor. That will be cool! I will be going to the school that week to take snacks and for a presentation of Taylor so I will take pics. Check back Later!
-The left side is what Taylor wrote and the right side is where Shane wrote them when she was done. #9 is supposed to be stop. -

Shane- will be completing class #3 and #4 in about a week and a half. By Dec. 22nd he will have earned 12 credits. Only about 108 remaining. =) Way to go Baby! He aced his first 2 classes and so far is doing just as well in these 2. Work for him is going good, they've been extremely busy lately getting ready for a walk through with the President of the company. So that ought to be exciting.

Trevin, He's as Cute and as ever! I think he's kind of bored with Tay being gone during the day. He is usually following me around talking my ear off, or in the kitchen using a stool to reach the cabinet where the snacks are and helping himself. Not to worry though, Even though he probably opens quite a few snacks before I realize what he's up to, I think he rarely consumes them himself. If you have seen my dog lately you would understand what I mean. After the first of the year I am contemplating putting him in preschool. Although he says he wants to wait until next time (next year) I think once he got there he would really enjoy it and it would be good for him.

Me, Well I have recently taken on another store, so I now do the books for two stores. I am kind of in a trial period with it right now seeing how it is going to work out. I know We'll enjoy the extra money, but I think its going to be kind of tough working 2 stores around Shanes work schedule. But we will see. Tuesday the 18th our Choir, Chorale and drama team will be singing and performing at a boys facility. So that should be pretty cool! But I can't take pictures. Sorry! We are not allowed to take anything in with us except for our ID.

Well, hope everyone is having a good holiday season!

Things You Never Knew Your Cell Phone Could Do

2007-12-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies.

Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST
Subject: Emergency

The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile; network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND
Subject: Have you locked your keys in the car?

Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!"

THIRD
Subject: Hidden Battery Power

Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument willshow a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

FOURTH
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #. A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your serviceprovider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people>stealing mobile phones.

And Finally....

FIFTH

Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

Very Touching Christmas Story...

2007-12-07T20:55:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I was rushing around trying finish some shopping. I was stressed out and not thinking very fondly of the weather right then. It was dark, cold, and wet in the parking lot. As I was loading my car up, I noticed that I was missing a receipt that I might need later. So mumbling under my breath, I retraced my steps to the mall entrance.

As I was searching the wet pavement for the lost receipt, I heard a quiet sobbing. The crying was coming from a poorly dressed boy of about 12- years-old. He was short and thin. He had no coat. He was just wearing a ragged flannel shirt to protect him from the cold night's chill. Oddly enough, he was holding a hundred dollar bill in his hand.

Thinking that he had gotten lost from his parents, I asked him what was wrong. He told me his sad story. He said that he came from a large family. He had three brothers and four sisters. His father had died when he was 9-years-old. His mother was poorly educated and worked two full time jobs. She made very little to support her large family. Nevertheless, she had managed to skimp and save two hundred dollars to buy her children some Christmas presents. The young boy had been dropped off, by his mother, on the way to her second job. He was to use the money to buy presents for all his siblings and save just enough to take the bus home.

He had not even entered the mall, when an older boy grabbed one of the hundred dollar bills and disappeared into the night.

"Why didn't you scream for help?" I asked.
The boy said, "I did."
"And nobody came to help you?" I queried.
The boy stared at the sidewalk and sadly shook his head.
"How loud did you scream?" I inquired.
The soft-spoken boy looked up and meekly whispered, "Help me!"
I realized that absolutely no one could have heard that poor boy cry for help.
So I grabbed his other hundred and ran to my car.

Stupid Liberal!!!

2007-11-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

The employer introduced himself to his new gardener.
“I am a professor of logic,” the employer said.
“Oh. What’s that?” the gardener asked.
“I shall give you a demonstration,” announced the professor.
“Do you own a wheelbarrow?”
“Yes,” replied the gardener.
“Then I infer you are a hard worker,” the professor continued.
“And from that fact I infer you have a family. And from that I infer you are conscientious and responsible.
And from that I infer you are a conservative. Am I right?”
“Wow!” exclaimed the gardener. “That’s right! So that’s logic?”
“That’s logic,” preened the professor.
Later the gardener met up with one of his buddies and told him he had a job with a professor of logic.
“Logic?” his friend asked, “What’s that?”
“I’ll show you,” the gardener said. “Do you own a wheelbarrow?”
“No.”
“Stupid liberal.”

We are Cavity FREE!

2007-11-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

Today Taylor and Trevin visited the dentist for their cleaning visit. We found this awesome pediatric dentist, before we got there the kids were a little nervous, but they begged to stay when we were done. =) I had to remind them we were in a dentist office, not an arcade. The place was brightly painted, It had a cracked ceiling that looked like a rocket had just been launched through it, huge flowers and stuffed animals decorating the place and about 5 diffrent arcade games. Then as if I wasn't impressed enough by the waiting area, we walked into the back and each little area was a different color , With flowers and stuffed animals everywhere and 2 arcade games for the kids to play as they wait on other siblings. It was impressive. Anyways, the whole reason for this post believe it or not was not to tell you how cool the dentist office was, but to tell how incredibly proud I am of Taylor and Trevin because they were told that their teeth look perfect and they are cavity FREE! Way to go Tay & Trev!!

Trevin Is 4!!!

2007-11-27T11:13:00.000-07:00

This past sunday Trevin turned 4. Wow, that is so CRAZY!! Our Baby... is getting so Big! It seems like we spent most of the past weekend celebrating. Sunday morning we took cupcakes to sunday school for him to celebrate with his class. Sunday afternoon Grandma got him a little cake and we put candles in it and sang "Happy B-day", Sunday night we did our normal, went to McD's with all our friends and let the kids play. And then on Monday evening we had a little party with some of Trevins friends from church.

He had so much fun, he was really excited because his friend Anthony was able to come, so for once he actually had some boys to play with. (He is usually the only boy amongst a bunch of girls. )

We all had a really good time, Thanks so much to Uncle P.J, Aunt Shawna, Lex and Gentry for letting us borrow your bounce house. The kids LOVED it!Special Thanks to Papa and Grandma for making the long... trip out here to be with us for Thanksgiving and Trev's B-day! We Love You Guys!

Have you turned in your list?

2007-11-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight after putting the kids to bed, I waited about 5 minutes and then eased into Taylor’s room. I flipped on the light and shut the door. To her great surprise there I sat next to her on her bed with a notebook and pen. She was squinting because her eyes were trying to re-adapt to the light, but I could still see the expression on her face like, “What is going on?”. I told her to whisper VERY quietly so that her mom and Trevin could not hear. Then I asked her, “What do you want for Christmas? You get to pick 5 things, whatever you want!”

She thought about it for awhile then said, “I was hoping someone would ever ask me what - I ever - I wanted!” She continued, “I really need a new Tea Party Set, BUT it has to be GLASS, not fake.”
2. Dress up dolls – “Disney Princess ones”
3. A small stuffed baby donkey – “To sleep with”
4. A Bed Canopy for HER bed – “Pink, Purple and Yellow”
5. Little Vacuum – “With the batteries already in it”

I then moved on to Trevin’s room with the same act, and received the same look. Here is the list he gave me…
1. A Spiderman Toy
2. A World like a Ball – “Globe” – apparently he seen this amazing thing at Sam’s Club and has not stopped talking about it for 3 days
3. A Tractor – “Yellow”
4. A Bike – “Green one”
5. A motorcycle “Red”

I then moved on to Deanna’s room with the same act, and received the same look. She said she had already been working on her list in Microsoft Word for a few months and that when she gets it completed she will email it to me.

I got an A+ on this paper! It took 7 years to complete.

2007-11-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

Me On My New Motorcycle...

2007-11-18T23:21:00.000-07:00

Deanna thinks motorcycles are dangerous. I enjoy riding though.

YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!!!

2007-11-18T23:19:00.001-07:00

Are you ready for this? Talk about technology. This is a WORLD clock that not only tells the time, but happenings around the world as it happens. Check this clock - http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf

You May Have Heard These...

2007-11-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

Is the glass half empty, half full, or twice as big as it needs to be?

de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n. Three wolves and a sheep voting on what is for dinner.

The world really is not any worse. It is just that the news coverage is so much better.

The company I work for is like a tree full of monkeys, all on different limbs at different levels. Some monkeys are climbing up, some down. The monkeys on top look down and see a tree full of smiling faces. The monkeys on the bottom look up and see nothing but Butt-holes.

Our Government, like diapers, should be changed regularly and often for the same reason.

Today's thought: If someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles to frown, but it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and whack them in the head.

Experience is what you get just after you need it.

Q- What did the instructor at the school for Kamikaze pilots say to his students?
A- Watch closely. I'm only going to do this once.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Life is what happens while you are making other plans.

"Diplomacy: The art of saying 'Nice doggy' until you can find a stick."

Vegetarian: Native American name for a lousy hunter.

Tonga Toast Recipe

2007-11-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of my dad…

Hello

I was looking for a deep fried french toast recipe that I could freeze and simply bake later for a quick breakfast. Kim had bought a bag of it from the yellow truck that delivers to people and is expensive.. Swensons or something like that. We deep fried french toast at Carrows but I liked this other because it was dipped in a batter or crumb mixture of some sort and baked very nicely in 10 minutes.

Stumbled on this Tonga toast recipe and thought the kids would like it for a special treat breakfast.

This sweetly decadent breakfast is one of the most talked-about menu items in Disney World. Served at Disney's Polynesian Resort for more than 25 years, it is on the menu at the Kona Café.

Tonga Toast Recipe

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1 loaf sourdough bread (8 inches long)
* 2 bananas, peeled
* 1 quart canola oil, for frying

PREPARATION:
1. Mix the sugar and cinnamon with a fork until thoroughly blended; set aside.
2. Slice the bread into four 2-inch-thick slices.
3. Cut each banana in half crosswise, then each piece lengthwise.
4. Place a bread slice flat on the counter and tear out just enough from the middle (do not tear all the way through) to stuff half a banana into it; repeat with each slice of bread.
5. In a large pot or deep fryer, heat the oil to 350 degrees F;
6. Gently place one bread slice into the oil for 1 minute, or until light brown.
7. Turn and fry for another minute on the other side.
8. Remove bread from the pot and toss it in the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
9. Repeat for each piece.

Best regards,
Dave

I can't wait until I'm singing these blues...

2007-11-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of my dad…

Baby Boomer Blues - It was fun being a baby boomer... until now. Some of the artists of the 60's are revising their hits with new lyrics, to accommodate aging baby boomers.

They include:

Herman's Hermits--- Mrs.. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Walker.

Ringo Starr--- I Get By With a Little Help From Depends.

The Bee Gees--- How Can You Mend a Broken Hip.

Bobby Darin--- Splish, Splash, I Was Havin' a Flash.

Roberta Flack--- The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face.

Johnny Nash--- I Can't See Clearly Now.

Paul Simon--- Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver

The Commodores--- Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom.

Marvin Gaye--- Heard It Through the Grape Nuts.

Procol Harem--- A Whiter Shade of Hair.

Leo Sayer--- You Make Me Feel Like Napping.

The Temptations--- Papa's Got a Kidney Stone.

Abba--- Denture Queen.

Tony Orlando--- Knock 3 Times On The Ceiling If You Hear Me Fall.

Helen Reddy--- I Am Woman, Hear Me Snore.

Leslie Gore--- It's My Procedure, and I'll Cry If IWant To.

And my favorite: Willie Nelson--- On the Commode Again

I'M NOT A DOG LOVER!!! I just love my dog...

2007-11-14T23:51:00.000-07:00

I’m not a “dog lover” by any means, ask anybody that knows me and they will agree. My wife is quite the opposite (as with most subject matters) in fact she is the epitome of dog lovers. I do admit that I “like” Ginger very much and would probably cry if anything were to happen to her; which is far more loving towards any animal then I was just a few years ago.

I noticed a “Featured Headline” on the Yahoo home page: “Foods that harm pets… Giving table scraps to your pet can cause health and behavioral problems.” And: “Safe Thanksgiving for dogs”. I have to say I was most intrigued by these titles. This would explain Ginger’s heaviness and her abnormal behavior! So I began an exhausting 10 minutes of research about dogs and table scraps and learned a few things.

Ginger was a very “cute” puppy. I remember when she was very small; we decided when we bought her that we were not going to feed her “people” food. Well only a couple of cute looks and whimpers broke us of that idea. Now she isn’t so small. I told Deanna that we should take her back and get our money back because they said she was a miniature. Anyways I learned that feeding your dog table scraps leads to many problems.

By giving your dog table scraps you are setting yourself up for years of begging at the table.
When you decide enough is enough, the begging and cute tender looks in your direction become crying, whimpering, barking and other attention grabbers.
Very unhealthy; many human foods are not good for dogs and can harm them. Dogs will eat almost anything, but that doesn’t mean it is good for them.

Dogs are naturally pack animals. Dogs view you and your family as a pack. Packs have a hierarchy and it only has one leader (The Alpha). If you allow your dog to eat when you do or with you the dog feels as though it is moving up in rank. If this continues you dog will take on threatening behaviors such as growling and snapping. Dogs should always be fed last and not given any table scraps.

Toxic foods to avoid giving your dog…

Chocolate: Small amounts causes gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea; large amounts causes coma and death.

Grapes/Raisins: Even a small amount can severely damage the kidneys.

Garlic or Onions: Fresh, powdered or cooked lead to damage of red blood cells causing anemia.

Macadamia Nuts: More gastrointestinal upsets, lethargy, vomiting and muscle tumors.

Mushrooms: Can cause shock and death.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes of all kinds in the smallest portions can cause severe gastrointestinal upsets.

Raw Potatoes, Nutmeg, Turkey Skin and Caffeine are the remaining foods that are dangerous, they cause coma and death.

Hope this was a little helpful…

Here is your invite

2007-11-12T00:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my adorable nephew!

2007-11-07T15:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday Dear Gentry....
Happy..Birthday to YOU....!!!!
We Love you!
Hope you have a FUN Birthday!

What Did You Do For Halloween?

2007-11-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween. We didn’t go out this year, we went to church and then passed out candy. The kids were content with giving out the candy rather then going door to door. They were very upset by 9:00 when there was nobody coming up to the door.

Finally...

2007-10-21T23:09:00.000-07:00

"The Life of our Home"The most beautiful part of our home, are these little lives that abide there.

We love you Tay & Trev!

2007-10-21T22:49:00.000-07:00

Finally the promised pics of the house!

Thanks!

2007-10-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

Well, as Shane previously posted Mom & Dad were down last weekend! We had a really good time, but as always our visit wasn't long enough=( It's always SO SAD to have to say goodbye=(. Thanks so much Mom & Dad for all your help around the house, we really appreciate it! Poor Mom & Dad... Dad just got done with his "season" and came here to visit and relax a little and we had him working HARD! putting up fixtures, awnings, repairing misc. things, working on vehicles phew! no rest for the weary huh? he was probably wishing he was back at Morning Star. Even Mom was out there trimming trees and doing the lawn. Thanks Guys you are the Best! The house looks great!

Can't wait 'till Thanksgiving!

Love ya Guys!

Save your money, send your child to a PUBLIC school in Peoria, AZ

2007-10-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

We had our first parent/teacher conference today with Tay’s teacher, Mrs. Hatfield. I was totally impressed with Mrs. Hatfield and Coyote Hills Elementary. I have to admit I was not completely sold on sending her to a public school, I know first hand how terrible they are - just look at the way I turned out!

I now fear not; I was amazed at the amount of things they are teaching the kids at such an early level. By the end of kindergarten she will have learned to write short sentences, by the end of first grade Taylor will be writing two paragraphs with related content. By the end of second grade she will be proficient in writing in cursive. What really blew me away is at 3rd grade every student has their own laptop at their desk for use in the class! I did not touch a computer in school until I was in 6th grade. I am completely impressed with the school so far. I’m also happy to be saving $400 per month.

I’m sure Deanna will post more of the less dreary info from the meeting…

The majority has NOT spoken...

2007-10-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

The last poll I put up was about your average time spent on the net, I had 10 voters. This time I put up a poll about your level of excitement while spending time with your in-laws. So far the majority has decided to take the fifth and not vote; in essence your silence is your vote.

Call me weird but my in-laws have been gone for 37 hours and I miss them; I can not wait for them to return next month!

Paul And Becky - I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

2007-10-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

For the last few days I have been very excited about a visit I was going to receive by two of my favorite people in the world.

It started last Sunday night after church. Our “gang” gathered at our normal eating establishment and I announced that my in-laws were going to be visiting for a few days. Every one stopped peeling off their monopoly game pieces, and almost instantaneously I heard, “Uhh-Ohh!…” another said, “I’m sorry…” and yet another said, “Ohh Noo!” and one other said, “Well you can stay at my place if you like…”

It continued at work, I proudly announced that my in-laws were coming to town and I LITERALLY got the exact same comments.

What is it with these people? Do they really not like their in-laws? I am not trying to score any points here, I did all the brown-nosing before I was married, I really did look forward to seeing Paul and Becky! I feel sorry for those of you who dread spending time with your in-laws.

They arrived at my house last night while I was at work. They were gone by the time I got home and then I had to go to work very early this morning. So I didn’t get to see them until lunch time today. I was bummed that I had to wait so long. I had planed to give each of them a great big bear hug when I seen them. After further consideration I decided to wait and see if they were equally excited to see me before administering a back popping hug. They were not as excited so I didn’t do the bear hug thing.

I really do appreciate the time I spend with Paul and Becky and I’m happy they are here. I’m going to hate to see them leave in a few days…

Cabela's & Applesauce

2007-09-30T21:35:00.001-07:00

Finally!!! the promised pics of Tay's field trip and applesauce making. Sorry its taken so long. We've been moving this weekend....Not Fun!!! But we are enjoying the new house and it is looking great. Keep checking for pics in the near future.

Enjoy!...

making applesauce...

Cabela's
... more Cabela's
All the kids are anxiously waiting to begin the tour...

2007-09-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

Chloe, Kyleigh & Taylor
Taylor & Kyleigh

Taylor & Brylee coloring

Ready for Lunch!!

As of Late...

2007-09-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a while and I keep hearing "when are you going to post something?" so this is for all you Eccles lovers out there...

We are all doing really good, I'll update on me & Shane first and quickly, cause I know who you all are really interested in. Shane just completed his 5th week of school, and in 4 weeks he will be completed with the first 2 classes and will already have earned his first 6 credits. =)

Not much new going on with me, We will be moving in our new place this week so we are all pretty excited about that. (when I get it all done I'll post some pics). Also this week I will be attending Taylor's first field trip with her. All of kindergarten will be going to Cabela's (which is a sporting goods store) I know your probably thinking "why there" well we have been there and it a VERY cool store the kids will have a good time! (I'll take lots of pics). Also I am going to be helping make applesauce in Taylor's class this week, so that will be fun =). I guess I was wrong to start off this paragraph as if nothing was exciting in my life. My week is packed full of excitement!!!

Taylor is doing really good in school. She still loves it!! She says her favorite things are "Center time" and Mr. Mitchell's class which is PE. Center time is usually at the end of the day, they are allowed to play in the little centers that are set up in each classroom. Taylor usually always picks "housekeeping" (the little kitchen area). Each station, even though they are playing, they are learning some type of skill whether it be coordination, developmental, counting, matching, grouping.

About a week ago Mrs. Hatfield sent home a sheet of practice paper that she wanted the kids to practice writing their names on it each night and then send it back when it was full. So every night we would sit down, and Taylor would write her name. She did fairly well writing it before school started, but I am VERY PROUD to say that she has learned to write her name the Proper way. I posted a picture from the first couple weeks of school and also the practice sheet. She is doing very good!

She has begun to bring home these little pamphlet books, that say things like

- I can run, I can jump, see the dog run- simple words like that and they use pictures to help them read and she can already read those little phrases.

We are so proud of you TAY keep up the good work!!!

Trevin has become a romantic. He has recently decided that he wants to get married. The other morning, he comes to me carrying this little contraption that he has created and he says "look mom, know what it is?" and I said "No, what is it?" Well lo and behold its a flower and he decided its to be used when he gets married. Yep, he said he's going to get married when he gets big like Papa, and guess who he's going to marry... GRANDMA!! So grandma hope you like the flower Trevin created for you.

How Much Is It Worth, Really?

2007-09-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

I was trying to think of ways to lighten our monthly expenses and I surprised myself in the things that I thought of and didn’t WANT to think of.

I thought about discontinuing my subscription to mlb.com, and did. No more baseball games live over the internet. Oh well.

I thought about discontinuing our water delivery service and didn’t. I’ll continue to pay $25 per month to avoid drinking the city’s stinky water.

I thought of canceling our house phones and just upgrading our cell phone plans, we use our cell phones most of the time anyways.

I thought of a few other things that I did or didn’t cancel, some being REAL necessities.

One thing that NEVER crossed my mind was canceling our internet service. What makes the internet worth paying almost $50 per month? It would be impossible for me to really cancel the internet because I’m working on getting my degree at the University of Phoenix. Plus, Deanna uses it for banking and blogging and whatever else. So, I thought it would be fun to mention it to Deanna to see her reaction. She did not even hesitate to shout “NO YOU ARE NOT!”

Let’s say I was attending a campus instead of distance learning… Would we REALLY need the internet? Banking, communication, checking the weather or football scores and highlights and reading the latest news was going on long before the internet.

This dramatic NEED of the internet isn’t new by any means but is it really a NEED?
Could you survive without the internet? How much time do you spend on the internet? Is the internet worth it? What say you?

"Happy Birthday Uncle PJ"...

2007-09-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

"Happy Birthday To You, happy birthday to you
Happy Birthday Uncle PJ
Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!"

-PJ-
Hope you have a good day. We love You!

"Tea Time"

2007-09-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

Just Having a Tea Party! Hot tea loaded with milk and sugar and our makeshift tea cakes (poptarts) =).

Hey!!!

2007-09-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody!! I haven't logged on to our blog in a few days, today as I logged on I did what I most always do first, check out all our friends blogs for new posts. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to check out "Bits and Pieces" there is a awesome move of God going on in Macon Georgia (very touching). Speaking of awesome moves of God, we had a totally awesome move in our service last night. We had Bro. Wolfram (I think that's how its spelled) he is a former missionary to the Philippines and he talked about "spiritual greed". We had a healing service. Many people testified of the healing they received immediately (migraines, pains etc.) one guy has diabetes and he said he felt strength come over his body, one lady who wants a baby and hasn't been able to conceive was seeking a miracle, so we are believing for many more testimonies to come.

As for us we are all doing good! Taylor did good on her little presentation last week about the letter "A". She told me she left out the part about captain hook though. I guess the kids didn't guess Alligator either, she said they guessed "frog". Last Thursday we had a parent information night at the school. I was very impressed by the things they are teaching the kids and the way it is being taught. I was a little upset when we first found out Taylor wasn't going to get into private school, but I feel much better now, this school has very structured classes and they teach phonics (which to me is a BIG plus).

I had a really good time on Friday night at the Chonda Pierce concert. As predicted she had us laughing and then almost crying. Just this past year she had another bout of depression and I think it has really deepened her desire to share her testimony. From what I hear she did something at this concert out of the ordinary, after sharing her testimony she had a altar call. You know, she may not be Pentecostal, she may not have all the same beliefs we have , but she said some things that even touched my heart, and I even had goosebumps. I encourage you, if you have the opportunity to see her in concert, go , you will enjoy it!!!

Look who's Going to be a big Sis!

2007-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations! Uncle Rick, Aunt Gina and Ashtyn. We love you guys and are excited about the arrival of little baby Teel.

Those Penny Cost People, At It Again...

2007-09-04T21:16:00.001-07:00

Very interesting article about our progress from a worldly view...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_re_af/new_religion_vs_old_gods

What say you?

Just Another Update

2007-09-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody I haven't posted in a while so I thought I'd give you little update on whats new with us. Taylor and Trevin are both doing Great! They are rambunctious as ever, so as Papa says "At least we know their healthy". By the way Papa & Grandma we miss you guys alot!!! HURRY UP AND COME SEE US!!! That was a message passed on from Tay & Trev. You know I think Trevin has found someone in Grandma who when no one else will give him what he wants he knows she will. The other day we were having breakfast and the kids were arguing over who was going to sit next to mommy. So finally to put a stop to it I had to say "Trevin it's Taylor's turn" being that he had sat next to me at dinner the night before. Well he was NOT

happy about that so he looked at his sister with that little pout of his and said "I wish Grandma could come here, she would sit next to me". Man, did that ever make me feel bad. So I re-arranged everybody's plates and situated it so I could sit in the middle.

Taylor is still LOVING school, infact she was really upset that she had a extra day off this weekend she told me "Mommy, I don't like having 3 days with no school. I love school". Tomorrow they are starting Sharing days. Every tuesday Taylor has to bring something small enough to fit in her backpack for sharing and each week it goes with a letter. Tomorrow is "A". She wanted to take Ariel but we couldn't find all her clothes ( I didn't think Mrs. Hatfield would appreciate a half dressed mermaid). So we found a Alligator. She has to have 3, 3-5 word sentences to describe her item to the class and they have to figure out what it is. So we played pretend school and I (Mrs. Hatfield) asked my student; "So Taylor what did you bring for sharing today?" her reply was "It's green, it has four legs, it has a tail, a big "A" mouth, it lives in the water and it ate Captain Hook". =)

Shane's job is going good, it is finally slowing down a little bit so we have more of a normal schedule now. He's 3 weeks into school, and although I'm sure he's not enjoying it near as much as Taylor, I think he kind of enjoys it, and he's doing good. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK BABE!

As for me. I've just been cleaning out, trying to get ready for our move in just 3 weeks!=) This friday night I will be going with quite a few of our church ladies to a Chonda Pierce concert. I am REALLY excited about that. I've never seen her, but I heard that she is hilarious. What I'm most excited about though is just getting to know the church ladies a little more. =) So it should be fun, I'll post later and let you know.

Asynchronous Communication

2007-09-01T00:05:00.000-07:00

I am new to the forum world and I really enjoy it! I was first encouraged by my wife to read PJ’s Blog a few weeks ago and I’m glad I did. It is amazing how fast a network of regular contacts can grow. Sometimes ones you would least expect. I think I have communicated more with my brother in-law (even with 7-10 word posts) in the past month then I have in the previous 7 years. Also, sometimes with people you have never spoken to before in your life. Who is Katie Booker? And she is probably saying “Who is Shane? And why is he posting comments on my blog about my fish?”

To: Shegazelle, I do not know you either but thanks for your Blogging efforts, my wife is motivated so much about Dave’s program that I got my weekly allowance revoked indefinitely. :)

I think threaded discussions are great because of the conveniences. People can communicate with each other with completely different schedules. I’ve seen some of the Myndfood posts with a 1 or 2am time. I like a lot of PJ’s topics but I have yet to read one that I would like to discuss over the phone at 2am!

So everyone keep it up! Its fun, its healthy, its refreshing… its asynchronous communication.

Oh, one more thing, Emoticons come in handy when posting in forums as used above as body language such as a smile cannot be detected otherwise…

What do you think?

Power Hour @ Christ Temple

2007-08-31T15:12:00.000-07:00

In a previous Post, posted by Shane he mentioned The Children's Workshop we had at church this summer. It was a 8 week long program, especially for the kids, that took place outside every Wednesday evening under a huge tent. The whole time during the eight weeks as Shane mentioned Taylor totally looked forward to this service. We and other parents worried that maybe the kids were getting too hot, but they never complained. The program ended a few weeks ago right before school started, and this past Wednesday night the director (Bro. Mills) put together a special service to share the outcome of the workshop. During the 8 weeks our Sunday school buses made rounds and picked up kids from all over the Phoenix area. Not only did they transport them to and from church, but fed them a meal each night ( being the only meal some of those kids received that day.) Out in the workshop they had activities, singing, little sermons (lessons) and each evening they had a alter call. This program ended up being a huge success. Bro. Mills announced Wednesday that during the 8 weeks many kids were reached, many experiencing God for the first time, and 8 bus kids were baptized. He also said that In the past 4 weeks on average we have had anywhere from 20-40 visitors at Sunday school and most services over half of those have been children. Wow! amazing huh! Imagine all those lives touched. So although it was extremely HOT! out there He said it was definitely worth it.

To Recess or not to Recess, that is the question...

2007-08-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

There is a buzz in town right now about the record the Phoenix area just broke. 29 days this summer at 110º or higher. Their has been a Heat Advisory in place for the better part of the last three weeks.

This morning while taking Taylor to school I was listening to a talk show on KEZ 99.9 (very similar to 98.9 in Fresno) and mothers of students were calling in to convey their concern. One mother said that she thinks having recess at school was wrong and it should be banned. She went on to say that it was not healthy for the kids and if one of the kids died of heat exhaustion it would be the school districts’ fault.

The following mother that called argued the opposite. She insisted that recess be kept in place. She continued by saying that she has lived in this area all of her life and that they never had any heat related issues while playing at recess. She also said that naturally, kids know when to slow down and seek shade.

I have to say that I’m not sure which side I am on in this argument.

All summer long our church had a “Children’s Work Shop” every Wednesday night out side under a huge tent. Taylor loved it. On the way to every church service she always asked if it was Wednesday. At 7pm when it started it was on average about 105 - 110. I remember the same type of controversy arising Sunday nights after church at our hangout about the “Children’s Work Shop”.

The heat is something that people who live in this area have adapted to.

Until Taylor started school I did not know that it is recommended that all students carry a water bottle with them.

When I first started working at Staples the first thing I did was set up interviews to hire help. Every single person I interviewed brought a water bottle with them. I remember thinking how rude and improper it was and literally ripped up their applications after they walked out, even though they may have given a good interview. After about the 6th or 7th person that I denied a job because they brought a water bottle to the interview it dawned on me. I still feel like an idiot…

Anyways, what do you think? “Recess or no recess?” “Children’s Work Shop” or no “Children’s Work Shop?” “Hire or don’t Hire?”
-Shane

A day at Rio Vista Park

2007-08-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

Today was early dismissal at school, so the kids and I decided to take advantage of the afternoon and spend a couple of hours at Rio Vista Park. The kids had a blast! Since its 107 degrees today the typical swing, slide area was not appealing to us, so we spent our time hanging out at the water area where there is water shooting out of the ground and out of all kinds of other contraptions, and also at the pond feeding the ducks. Enjoy the pics!!!

2007-08-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

Taylor & Brylee

2007-08-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

Miss Taylor & Miss Brylee happily leaving school, sadly leaving each other. Today as we were leaving school we walked with Brylee and her mommy and brother towards where we parked, we reached Brylee's car first. So Taylor and Brylee said their goodbyes, then they gave each other a hug. AWWWW!!!! It was really cute. Thought you faithful readers would enjoy a pic of Tay and her friend!!!

Update...

2007-08-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

Everybody has been hollering at me "Hurry up and update your blog we want to see more pics." Since we really haven't had anything real exciting (which could be a good thing) going on here, I decide I would just put some misc. pics and give an update on whats going on with the Eccles. First of all Taylor is doing awesome in school, she still loves it and has several friends but one in particular that she is always with, her name is Brylee. Brylee won't even go to the playground in the morning until Taylor is there, and from the way Taylor talks, (and apparently Brylee also to her mom) they are together all day- lunch, recess, PE, library, etc. Trevin is doing good, I think he's a little lonely during the day with Tay gone , but he has managed to find things to do to fill his time, aside from tormenting the dog by pulling her around the house on her leash, or trying to sneak his way into the kitchen for a snack every time I turn my head, his latest interest is his train set that he received for christmas a couple years ago. Until now it just sat in his room hardly touched, recently he started pulling it out into the hallway and building it up, tearing it down, and buliding it up again. He can spend quite a bit of time there. As for Shane, those of you who don't know he started school this week!! Way to go Shane!!!!! He is doing University of Phoenix online. So in about 3 yrs. he will have a bachelors in business management. =) And for me well I'm still working part time about 3 mornings a week, on the days when Shane closes so he can watch the kiddos. That's working out good I like what I'm doing and hey even though its not much, every little bit helps. Well hope this will satisfy for at least a couple days. I know, I know with kids as cute as ours you guys are all having withdrawls not seeing them , so I totally understand the need for a Taylor and Trevin fix. Enjoy!!!

Through the eyes of a child

2007-08-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

You know- as adults sometimes I think we fail to realize how our little ones minds seem to comprehend things going on around them. We have taught our kids ( as I'm sure most do) the things Jesus likes, the things He doesn't like, things we can do to make Jesus happy etc. One of those many things that fell in these categories was the cutting of the hair. Why girls don't cut, and boys do. So since then Taylor and Trevin have always used this as a guide not only in our home, but also in every day life, as to decide who's a boy and who's a girl. If their hair is long , its a girl, if its short its a boy. And as we all know even though it should be this way, its NOT! So yesterday as Trevin and I were running errands we made a little trip to the bank. We had to wait a while so after a few minutes of sending his cars flying across the bank Trevin decided he was tired and wanted me to hold him. I already know that he is very open and says OUT LOUD exactly what he's thinking so as I was picking him up I was praying to myself ' God please don't let him say anything.' You see- we had a Male teller that was dressed in male attire (shirt and tie) but his hair was almost as long as mine and it was down. So I already knew he would notice. Sure enough as soon as he was sitting on my hip, he looks at me and says (loud enough for the teller to hear) "Mommy, that girl has a tie on" So in my own nonchalant way I try to say something like "Oh NO NO bubba don't touch the stuff on the counter that GUY will get mad" hoping he would get my drift . And being the smart boy he is, he did get it. But he didn't stop there, He continued to study this person who is supposedly a man then he says to me "Mommy, why does the guy have is hair down like that then" (down is long in Trevin lango). What could I say? not a thing. So I just kind of smiled at the guy and said "I don't know bubba, I guess he wants too." the guy just politely smiled. Yesterday I was quite embarrassed, but the more I thought about it I decided if anybody should be embarrassed that guy should, even a 3 year old boy realizes that long hair does not belong on a man.

-I just ADORE my kids!!!-

First Day of Kindergarten

2007-08-13T21:18:00.000-07:00

On the way to school

Lining up to go to class

In Class- We love you Sis!!!

Today was Taylor's first day of Kindergarten. She has so anticipated this day that she woke up on her own today before 6 am, came in our room and woke her Daddy up and said "Daddy, I'm going to school today, I have to hurry up and get ready so I don't be late." All in All Taylor had a really good first day, before she even made it to the classroom she had already made 2 friends. Too bad this enthusiasm for school doesn't last all 13 years. =)

Meet the Teacher

2007-08-09T22:09:00.000-07:00

-Mrs. Hatfield & Taylor-

Tonight was "Meet the Teacher Night" for Taylor's school. Starting Monday August 13th she will officially be a kindergartner at Coyote Hills Elementary. She is so excited. The school is really nice and her teacher, Mrs. Hatfield, is very sweet. Right now we are going to be driving about 3-4 mi. to school each day, but in September we are going to be moving into a house 1 block away from it so we will be able to walk her to and from. I can't believe it, our baby girl is going to kindergarten, I don't know, are these mixed emotions I'm having normal? One minute I'm totally fine, and the next minute I'm nervous, one second I'm excited and the next I'm dreading it. But this isn't the first and definitely won't be the last time we feel this way, I imagine throughout each milestone in our children's lives these same feelings will always remain.

Memories II

2007-08-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

Our baby is no longer a baby. He is becoming such a big boy. Trevin will be turning 4 in November. I can't deny that God put in OVERTIME creating this little man. Trevin is all boy, it seems every other month we are in the emergency room for one thing or another, our most recent trip was about 2 weeks ago, to have cactus needles removed from his back. This little guy keeps us on our toes. Papa & Grandma often say that you can almost see him thinking "ok what can I do now" with that little smile of his. But all that said, he is about as sweet as they come. Within the past year Trevin has really opened up alot, he loves to say his memory verse at sunday school, has made so many new friends, and loves to be the one to pray over our food. Lord Thank you so much for blessing us with two wonderfully amazing kids!

-Our Little Prince being kissed by the Princess-