i phone pics and updates

Well, school is out for summer and we are busy as can be!

V had her end of year graduation from CDO at the end of May.  More pics of that to come, but this one was on my phone of her seeing me and my mom.  She was super excited to see us there!

 

Me and my partner teacher Courtney at our first Advocare mixer "Ladies Night" together!  Too much fun!

Polka Parade Fun!

Every Memorial Day weekend, our little home town has a fun celebration.  Polka fest is known for eating, dancing, and well...drinking.  We participated in the parade on Saturday morning and then went out for pizza. 

 

G thought it would be funny to interview the crowd.  He also gave us play by play account of the parade. 

Sisters!

Princess summer!  V was so excited when I got her Cinderella dress out of the washer.  It was like BRAND NEW!!

Our Wal-Mart gave out flags on Memorial Day.  V was so excited when they gave her 2!

Baby R is just too yummy and now 6 months old!

My smart child!  She loves Paw Paw's glasses!

V let me know how to draw her Daddy.  She was so nice and added the white mole over his right eye. 

June brought us some set backs...or so we thought.

G fell at school on the playground and we thought he fractured his left arm.  He wore a splint for a week.

Come to find out - it was not broken at all!  NO CAST!!!

SWIM TIME!!

Again with the set backs - Vivian fell and hurt her arm while I was brushing my teeth.  I was just sure that it was broken!  THANK GOD it was not broken.  The next day, she was still favoring it a bit.  The next thing you know, after lunch it was all better.  I asked her how it got fixed and she said "Jesus fixed it"  AMEN!!

Ice cream makes it all better!

Last day of school!  This kids was worn out!

V's best friend had her b-day party! 

She was so excited to get to see her and to play with her.

Princess time!

Fun running around the yard in the sprinkler!

Artie was off last week and we needed to go to Plano to pick up Advocare products.  V went with us and she is having a great time eating her enchilada!

Showing her the mecca of Advocare.

Christine and I at an Advocare training in Ft. Worth.  We had a blast!

Went to a b-day part and V got to see some of her friends!

Love the goggles!

First day of swim lessons - they are going good...but she HATES jumping off the side and going under.  We will see if we can last 2 weeks!!

Dinner with the family!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there.  I wanted to share (with permission) a letter that Artie wrote about me.  It was in my sweet card that he left out for me to find this morning.  He has a way with words that I will never understand.  I am glad he chose to use them on me today!
ENJOY!

A Few Beautiful Things About My Wife

There are not enough eloquent adjectives in our language to describe all the wonderful qualities that make up my wife, Laura.  Many of you know Laura, and you know her bright shining personality.  Full of the humor of life and the spirit of boldness and adventure, Laura brightens any gathering and brings laughter and warmth to those in her presence.

There are many things that you don’t know about her, though.  Just as you and I have those little things about us that make us unique, so does she.  I’ve been her husband for eight wonderful years now, but we’ve known each other since before we were born, it seems, and I’ve had the honor and pleasure of witnessing and experiencing those little things that make her special.

For instance, many of you will never get to see her sleep on her stomach.  It seems that the only way she is comfortable in rest is if she is buried and snuggled into the bed, with the covers tucked in on all sides and her beautiful face turned to the side on her cool pillow.  It brings to me a feeling of ease to know she is comfortable and safe beside me.

She is also very disciplined, if you haven’t noticed.  She rises every day at 5am and attacks a regimented schedule that would make a military commander proud.  She prepares herself, our daughter, our lunches, and whatever other tasks that must be completed before her departure – all before 6:30.  At 6:30 the school bus passes by our house and she’s on the road, going to her job as a teacher.

You also may not know that she is an excellent dancer with an uncanny sense of rhythm and a beautiful fluidity of motion, but she’s also very self-conscious.  She is amazingly alluring when she moves to the music, but she doesn’t think she is, and I think everyone would be amazed at her grace.

She doesn’t let insecurity stop her from doing many other things, though.  She has the same misgivings and doubts that we all do, yet she jumps from the cliff anyway to see what the landing is like.  It makes my heart swell to see her succeed at something she hasn’t attempted before and my pride grows for her with every victory.  The latest unknown frontier that she’s found herself standing tall in is for a task taken on for Christ.  She has learned to sew and embroidery in order to make extra funds for our church to use in outreach – and her creations are wonderful.

Many of you who have seen Laura know that she is short of stature and wears the trappings of femininity with a loveliness and grace.  She is every bit a woman and loves to adorn herself with all the qualities that make women different from men.  As big and strong and steeped in all things that make a man a man as I am, she still awes me with her strength.  This little, feminine, soft, beautiful person has a spirit of granite and a will of iron.  Many of you know of our struggles with having a child and many of you don’t.  Let me just say that I was truly humbled by Laura’s strength and perseverance…. What had me on my knees a broken man was simply a speed bump for her.

So when you encounter my wife, keep these things in mind.  She is a comforting soul who will make you look foolish if you try to match her schedule.  Her discipline is only matched by her incredible love.  She is a better dancer than you even if you never get to see it, and she will try something new before you will…. And she’ll beat you at it.  She loves Jesus and the lord is her shepherd, so if you step up on her thinking that you’re going to break her, you are going to have a long, limping, painful walk home.  She has more life and strength in her little finger than most of us have in our hearts,  and I love her for it.

 

 

  

Lovin' life and headed on a journey athat I never imagined!

Things in my world have changed....for the better!  Mentally and physically...things have changed.  I am on a new journey for me and for our family.  Artie and I both have been physically changing.  I started something called the "24 day challenge" and I lost 12 lbs on it.  Artie has lost over 30.  I have continued to use some of the products that I decided (since I was going to be using them) to be a distributor.  Why not get a discount from using products that I have come to LOVE!
Advocare is also helping out our family financially.  I am trying to add to our income right now and this is a wonderful way to do it.  Helping others get healthy and also provide more income for their family...what better feeling can you get than helping others!
https://www.advocare.com/130316011/default.aspx
I wanted to let you know about some of the products I use!

I know...who in the world wants to do a cleanse.  ME!!  I have done it 2 different times and my body feels so wonderful after doing it!  As I like to say, "It is the most uneventful cleanse you will ever do."  If you know what I mean.  ;-)

I lost 6 lbs on the cleanse.  It is the first stage in the 24 day challenge.

SPARK!!

I can not say enough about this product.  I have stopped drinking all soft drinks, diet and regular, and Artie is off all coffee and soft drinks.  This drink adds so much energy to my day that I have not gone a day without it since December!  It has more caffeine than a soft drink but it is SUGAR FREE and has LOTS of vitamins.  That is the BEST part! 

 

 

MSN MAX3

I take these vitamins daily for appetite control and energy. I have lost an additional 10 lbs after the challenge while taking these. 

 

I

 Omegaplex is just that.  Omega 3 fatty acids.  This is so good for your heart and your brain.  By taking these, I am cutting my chances down on ever getting Alzheimers.  I like that!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!

I bought the skin care line by AdcoCare so that I would be able to let those that wanted to buy it how it works.  I have used many different products by many different "name brand" expensive companies and dept. stores.  I can hands down say that this has worked wonders on my skin!  I had little lines that were creeping up around my eyes and on my forehead.  They are now smoothed over and filled in!  Since I turned 35 (several years back), my face has been SUPER dry.  The moisturizer is the BOMB!!  It is spf 50!  That is great to a girl who does not want premature aging!

 

There are lots of other products that I use but not on a daily basis like these.  Check out my site...I know there is something for you!  If you are wanting to put some more health in your life or to even earn some extra money on the side, please contact me.  I can let you know about this wonderful opportunity that has changed our lives...AdvoCare!

https://www.advocare.com/130316011/default.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This post is brought to you by the letter "B"

April around here means BLUEBONNETS!

My parents' yard is always just full of them!

I love to get pictures made in them and here is how this year went!

 

Artie was a champ this year and showed up for a picture or 2...

This is now pictures normally go!

V and her daddy...she listens to him so well...much better than me ;-)

April also brings b-days!

G had his party at my parents' house this year.  Can you tell the theme??

Such a small opening!

Something smell around here?

BOYS!

Cousins

Tackle the guy that thought he was young enough to get in the bounce house.

My brother and his sweet baby girl "C".

The travelin' gang back in fine form...a TRUE lumberjack always wears their SFA attire at any occasion where your picture might be taken!  It is all about support!

"F" and "C"

Someone tried her hand at the pinata.

Need I say anymore?