A Day that will Live in Infamy (at least for me)!!!

James called me "Mama"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Utensils When You Have Two Hands!

James is very much enjoying the new skill of feeding himself.  Toast, pancakes & eggs are great, but cheese seems to be his favorite.  Yes, the cottage cheese is messy but, you're only little once!

4th of July

Randall and I have been watching a movie miniseries, John Adams, coincidentally finishing it as we listen to Sparks in the Park last night. Wow, what an endeavor our founding fathers embarked upon and at such an early age! These men were not professional revolutionists, but statesmen in their 30s & 40s with families and everyday problems, much bigger problems than we could ever imagine. Our lifestyles are very comfortable compared to the conditions of their day. As we celebrate July 4th, I am struck by a John Adams quote: “I would to God there were more ambition in the country….by that I mean ambition of the laudable kind, to excel.” As parents, teachers, and humans wouldn’t it be wonderful to instill in our children and ourselves the desire to excel; not to sit by idly as our great nation is vastly changed. Our founding fathers’ original idea included morals and values, those derived from our Maker. I am thankful today for their contributions that allow us to live in this free society, but am aware as history teaches, “change” creates great cause and effect. We must stand up for our beliefs and excel in that pursuit for our future generations! Thanks Daddy for the great movie recommendation!

On that same note, check out Hobby Lobby/Hemisphere's Founding Father's July 4th Ad:
http://www.hobbylobby.com/assets/pdf/holiday_messages/current_message.pdf
How refreshing to see a company stand up for their beliefs without the worry of political correctness.  Anything I need that can be bought there will be.  It's just too bad they don't sell groceries.  :-)

Baby Alivia

Our newest niece & James's new cousin has arrived. Baby Alivia born
yesterday, weighing in at 7lbs, 13oz & 21 inches in length. She is
very sweet and we are proud to welcome this new addition to our family!

Good Clean Fun!

James Thomas graduated to the adult bathtub this week and is having a ball!  Needless to say, he is all boy!  During our first big bathtub experience he decided to go face first and drink the water.  Scared me to death, but not James, he's all smiles and splashes!  :-)  Here are a couple pics....

Norfork River: Ready or Not, Here We Come

We recently traveled to Gene's Trout Resort near Mountain Home on Norfork River to do a little trout fishing with our friends from Mississippi.  James met his new friend Matthew!  They are exactly the same age.  Although it took them a day to get to know each other, we think, they became fond friends.  They would try to bite, play chase and had a small tug of war over the coveted "adult" cell phone.  Randall and Paul caught a lot of trout while the mommies hung at the cabin with the boys.  We had a small grease fire for entertainment and Megan hunted a "not sure if it's poisonous" snake.  :-)  It was a lot of hard work traveling with an 8 month old, but a great time!  Thanks to Paul, Megan & Matthew for traveling so far for a visit! Here are a few pics.  We love Matthew's red hair!

Play Hard, Sleep Hard!

James is the JOY of our lives and is everywhere and into everything! Here are a few pics!