Very Special Visit with Poppa

This was a very special week for our family. This year Jon was selected by our church to become a deacon. For those of you unfamiliar with what a Southern Baptist deacon does, they are a group of men that help the Pastor run the church. The Greek word for deacon means servant and that is what they do, serve where they are needed. We are all so proud of Jon and we were so excited that his dad could fly in to be a part of the ceremony.

Poppa got here in time to eat dinner and ready bed time stories to the kiddos.

Addie really enjoyed her time with Poppa. In the morning Addie went to school and Poppa got to spend some special time with Ben while Garrett took a nap. I used the opportunity to work on my shop at the Antique Gallery. Poppa saw how different Ben can be when he gets some one on one time.

All ready for our evening at church. A special occasion is a great reason to dress the boys up in matching outfits, even though they just went to the nursery.
Poppa and Garrett had a great time together. Garrett is feeling a little under the weather, but he loved all the extra attention from Poppa.
Addie was happy to take a picture, Garrett was hamming it up for the camera, Bennett was done taking pictures. He is such a stinker.
Poppa was able to get a couple more smiles out of him.
Even though it was a quick visit we had so much fun visiting with Poppa, we love you!

Trunk or Treat

Champion Forest had their Trunk or Treat last night. There were a lot of people so we just found some of our friends and stayed put. The kids got a couple of pieces of candy and that was all that mattered to them. We will go out trick or treating tonight for the full experience. Here is our Penguin, Rapunzel from the movie Tangled, and a gator.

I love these kiddos so much.
Here is a picture from two years ago at our first Champion Forest Trunk or Treat. Bennett as Boots the Monkey fell asleep in Jon's arms.
This year it was Garrett's turn to take a little nap.
Do you know who this is? That's right, Addison on her first Halloween.
This was less than a month before Jon deployed. We were living in our tiny little cottage in Colorado Springs.
It is amazing how much Addie has changed in the last 4 years.

My New Adventure

I have rented a space at a local antique store, Antique Gallery of Houston. The part of the store that my space is in is not necessarily antiques, but more random fun things. I have enjoyed shopping at the Antique Gallery since we moved here and everything came together recently for me to try my hand at resale. Jon and my parents have been so supportive as I have gotten things started. Jon and I moved everything that is in that space ourselves.

Some of the items I made, some I have been collecting over the years and some are things that I have found recently. I have been adding new things at least once a week.
I was a wreck until I sold my first item, and since then it has been a slow and steady pace.
I have learned a lot already from what has sold and at what price. Everyone at the store has been very supportive and helpful.
It is a wonderful set up because I don't have to be at the store, except when I want to drop off more merchandise. I am able to do as much or as little as I have time for.
It has been scary stepping out and trying something new. Finding the right balance of working on projects with the kids has been interesting, but I am having so much fun.
The kids love to go treasure hunting with me on the weekends, we usually all find some treasures.
The hardest part has been parting with items once I am finished with them. This is a magnetic board, the clothespins can hold prayer requests. I love this idea and I think I am going to have to make another for our house.
The name of the Store is Antique Gallery of Houston, it is at 21127 Spring Town Drive, Spring, TX 77388. It is just off 2920 west of I 45. They are open every day from 10-6.

I am booth Q 5 if you want to stop by and take a look.

1st Camping Trip

Have I ever mentioned what a great dad Jon is? He is wonderful. He got the tent out this past weekend and set it up in the back yard and slept outside with Addie and Ben. The last time we had the tent out it got set up in the living room so we weren't sure how the kids were going to do. They all had so much fun! Addie and Ben slept the whole night outside with their dad. I came home after everyone was asleep and went out to check on them. Ben had his little feet tucked under Jon and was out, Addie was a little bit more restless, but ended up settling down.

Of course they had to try out the tent as soon as Jon put it up. You can see Ben running and jumping on his Dad in the next couple of pictures. Jon said that is what Ben did when it was time to go to bed, but that he eventually settled down.




The kids were so excited about sleeping outside with Daddy, I am so glad that Jon is such a good Dad. They all had so much fun and I think I see more camping in our future.

Pumpkin Patch Outing

All of these pictures are thanks to my dear friend, Edlee. As the kids and I were running out the door the camera was just one more thing for me to carry. Edlee came to my rescue and took some great pictures of the kids.

On the tractor ride out to the play ground.

Ben was climbing all over the play ground.
He said he needed help getting up the rope ladder.
Garrett loved sitting in the grass and trying to eat it.
Addie's crazy hair.
Garrett tried climbing up the ladder, he thinks he is such a big boy.
Addie trying out the monkey bars.
Edlee told Addie to "Cheese" this was as good as she could do before falling off.
Ben's turn, he had a little more help, Edlee didn't let go of him.
He was still having fun.
It was a beautiful day, but the 90 degree weather made it a little hard to believe that it is fall. It is supposed to cool off some this week and I can't wait!

Nannie and GeeGee

Last weekend Nannie and GeeGee drove out for a quick visit. Garrett was very excited to get to spend some time with them.

We all enjoyed Nannie making yummy breakfasts for us. Hurray for homemade waffles!
All the kids got new Gators shirts too.
Addie found this sucker that I had hidden and she really wanted to dig in.
On Monday we ended up at Bouncin' Bears. This is one of the kids favorite places to go.
Garrett is so little he was in danger of getting run over so GeeGee put him up on his shoulders.
Garrett loved the view from up there.
Garrett did get to come down and play, he had so much fun.
We saw Ben occasionally, when he would run past us.
Nannie kept a lookout on one side of this inflatable so that Garrett could play.
She got Ben on one of his trips running by us.
Ben going down a little slide.
Garrett wanted to try out the slide, he loved it. He kept trying to climb back up the slide. He ended up going down this slide at least 10 times.
After lunch we stopped to get the kids some pumpkins. Nannie wanted the kids to get a good sized pumpkin each.
Addie wanted a smaller pumpkin that she could carry.
And Ben wanted to play in the dirt.
And then he saw this pumpkin that had already been smashed and he was very interested.
In the end everyone got a pumpkin and we headed home.
Thank you to Nannie and GeeGee for coming to visit us! We had so much fun.