My Ozarks

My Ozarks! The hills of my inheritance
My Home! My heart soars at the first sight of you

I am part of you. We are one!

White River! Still Flowing! Clear and Cold

Let me lean again from your bank

and wash my face and bathe my soul

Her are my roots, My solid rock!

My faith here I renew

When the world has marked its wrath on me

I come back home to you.

Here I find peace like a lofty tree

with her boughs bent low by the morning rain

and commune with God in a silent voice

and from all pretense refrain

Once again I touch my feet upon that mountain sod

and climb that mountain to the top

and touch the face of God

There is a music in these hills

by no means audible to all

But each has his own little song to sing

and each hears a different call

By Virginia Dare

September 22, 1981

This is my favorite poem ever. It was written by my mom years ago. She's an amazing writer. I've thought of it a lot this last week. The kids and I got home from a 10 day trip visiting my family in the Ozarks. It's been a while since I felt like I could go there and really take it all in. Since the kids have been in our lives we've gone on no canoe trips or really left my parents house for that matter. But this time was different. The kids are older and it's a little easier to load them all up and get places. Unfortunately Troy had do get back to TX to work, but my sister, her 3 kids and I stayed the rest of the week. Kim and I had big plans this trip. We had a check list of places to show our kids and we did a pretty good job of accomplishing them. We made an awesome trip to see my Aunt Jeanette and Uncle George on their mountain. Yes, I did say their Mt. Well, we call it that b/c it's like they are the only ones there and they have about 500 acres on it... so I think it's pretty much theirs if you ask me. You even have to drive over a creek to get to the house! Yes! The mini vans made it just fine too! NO SUV gas hog needed, thank you! One funny question.. Rebekah, my 5 yr. old niece asked, "HOW do they get food?" Good question, all food comes from Walmart right? The kids loved swimming in the creek and it brought back so many memories for me and Kim. Watching our kids was just like all of my cousins and I swimming in Piney Creek as a kid. SO MUCH FUN! Thanks for letting us pile in on you Aunt Nette and for all the good cookin...Savannah's still talkin about the chocolate gravy!

We had a family party for Kendall's 2nd birthday! I love family parties! We never get to have them cause we don't have family here. I just hate it when I'm planning a party for my kids and people ask, "Oh! We just have a FAMILY party and it's so much easier." I just wanna say, we'll thanks for rubbing it in! Anyway, she had a ball and it was so fun for all the kiddos! Savannah's bday is coming in July and we are happy her family will be here too! Yeah for family parties!

I can't believe my baby girl is two! Miss Kendall I am so happy to be your mommy. You make all of our lives brighter and we are all crazy in love with you!!!

Troy had a sad Father's Day as far as I'm concerned. My parents drove me and the kids to

Little Rock and Troy met us there to get us home to TX. He says it was a great day cause he got to see us after missing us for a week and he got to eat breakfast with his daddy before driving to Little Rock. We are planning on making it up this weekend... shhh, don't tell him. (Although I think Duncan already has.) Troy, you are such an amazing dad. Every decision you make, everything you do... you always think of how it will impact our kids and family. You make me a better mom and you make our kids feel so loved. Thanks for working hard for all of us.. Oh goodness I thank God for you everyday! Mr. Conly thank you for setting an amazing example for Troy. I love you and respect you so very much.

And to my Daddy...

thanks for...

- holding the jump rope for the kids this last week... in the hot sun..

-racing me and your grandkids.. and finally letting me win, after 35 years!

-hugging me like I was still 8 yrs. old

-calling me and Kim and yelling at us for staying at Walmart too late, and locking the door so you'd know when we got home! It shows you still care even at 40 and 35yrs. old!

-driving me to Little Rock, no problem

-telling me it's all going to be OK

-putting your arm around me on the couch

-spending so much time with my kids...

-being SO much fun

-being in my corner, I know you'd kick someones butt if they hurt me.. I love that feeling!

-working so hard for all those years to provide for your family

-for calling me your baby girl..I am and always will be

I haven't always been easy, but you hung in there and didn't let me and Kim drift away. And look how great we turned out!!!!!!

Trying to adjust to the Texas heat...

Kellye

Growing Too Fast

I had Savannah wear the same outfit she wore the first day of school, can you believe the change in just 9 months! Today is Savannah's last day of first grade. I just cant' believe it! This year flew by so quickly. Here she is the first day of school with her Strawberry Shortcake backpack, which she ditched the middle of the year. She came home one day saying she didn't want to take it anymore. After much probing she finally admitted it was just to babyish. WHAT?! REALLY?! Apparently everyone else had Hannah Montana or High School Musical. From then on she carried another bag she already had. Her hair has grown. She had her first bad hair cut experience two days before school started. We thought the lady understood what "just above the shoulders" meant. Savannah cried and cried. It was so short she could barely tuck it behind her ears. She has only had two, maybe three hair cuts since. Now she walks around petting her head and flipping her hair all around b/c she thinks it's so long and soft. It's pretty funny really. BUT she will still put it in pig tails, yeah!! Her new question is, "Mom, is there something on my face? Is my hair messy?" It's a funny question especially since most of the time she has her pants unbuttoned, because it's too much trouble and her underwear is hanging out... and her shirt is covered in syrup from breakfast or ketchup from lunch. She is my messiest child! But by golly she wants that face clean! It's been a great year, with another great teacher. Thank you Lord for Mrs. M this year! Be good to teachers, they really work way harder than we could imagine!

On another note, our 9th anniversary is tomorrow.. YEAH! We are heading to my parents with a load full of kids and the stuff that comes along with it! Fun huh? I sure didn't know 9 years ago we'd be here now, with 3 kids! It's a great place to be and I'm ever so grateful! We do plan to go out while we are there. Happy Anniversary Baby! You better know I love you!

Life is good.

Duncan's First Fishing Trip

It's been so busy around here. We've had lots of end of the year stuff. Duncan had a program at his school, which was adorable. He sang cowboy songs and we had a potluck dinner, cowpoke style. It was so cute watching him around his preschool friends. He goes to the Senior High School Early Learning Center program, so their are lots of teens that are in his class working as a part of their Child Development class. He says it's like High School Musical. Well.. he was definitely lovin' the teen ladies in his class on Wed. night! He hugged and kissed every cute HS girl there goodbye! He also just finished a session of swimming lessons and Savannah has her last tennis lesson tomorrow. I'm glad schools out Wednesday and we can chill for a while! I have very few things planned for the summer. I figure we'll hang out at the neighborhood pool as much as possible.

Troy and Duncan went on a big fishing trip to Toledo Bend in LA this weekend. Troy's parents were able to meet them there too. They had a ball. They stayed in a cabin, but tried tent camping the second night because Duncan wanted to sleep in a tent so badly. He made it till 11:00 and then decided the cabin was better. He told Troy, "Dad, I know you gave me a lot of chances, but can you give me another chance another day?" I think he figured if he didn't make it that night, there may not be another chance to sleep in a tent. It was just too hot for him Troy said.
Troy wanted for Duncan to really have fun fishing and from what I've heard, they did. Duncan caught the biggest fish and from what Troy says they caught about 60-70 total! Duncan has been waiting to go on this trip for a while and he was SO cute telling me about it. He got to drive Pop's boat, swim in the lake with his daddy and eat lots of goodies around the campfire. A little boy's paradise. I must say Troy enjoyed it too. They both were still thick as thieves when they came home last night.. and mighty tired too.

While the boys were off being boys the girls and I had fun too. Friday after school we went to the pet shop to see the puppies. They were all so cute. I am so ready to get a dog! Kendall went NUTS over the puppies too. Savannah is one animal lovin' girl! She isn't creeped out by anything! She'll press her face up against all those tanks with the creepy scary stuff that hide in their tanks and then gets so excited when she sees it. I on the other hand was freaked out whenever I spotted the critters in the cage and nearly had a full blown anxiety attack! I hated every minute of being in that dark little area, but I sucked it up and tried to act like I thought it was as cool as she did. We then rented Pippi Longstocking and stayed up till 11:00 watching it. Can I just say I love the fact that she likes creepy things and will pick out Pippi Longstocking over Hannah Montana at Blockbuster!!!



Paula came over Saturday night and brought all the fixin's for a beach party. She basically had all you'd need for a luau! So we had one! It was fun and the girls thought they were hot stuff. We had a 6ft palm tree, leis, blow up crabs and fish and yummy Popeye's chicken to eat! Paula brought her new puppy too, Lola, and she just made me that much more ready to get a dog. We ended the night with us all watching Pippi again in our bed. What fun! We love you P! Thanks for spoiling us! FYI, Paula is another member of the NSU crew and the one Kristin and I visited in NYC last fall. She's now back in Big D and we are ever so happy about it!

Well, it has taken me all of the afternoon to write this between all the stuff I have to do. It's nice to come back to it and read it after I've just split up a fight, put someone in time out or tried desperately to come up with a logical consequence to fit the crime. This blog sure paints such a pretty picture of our family ;) .... I hope you enjoyed the recap of the weekend and the tidbit of truth about it all. Just keepin' it real people... just keepin' it real...