'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas at the Miranda house.

Thankfully everyone is tucked snug in their beds. Merry Christmas!

The Ultimate Gift

Have you ever received a gift that was not so stylish, that wasn't very practical, that wasn't very thoughtful, it was only for a one-time use or maybe just down right not what you wanted? I think most people could answer yes to at least one of these questions. Since it is Christmas Eve and everyone has gifts on their mind I wanted to share some thoughts on the Ultimate Gift.

We have all been offered the greatest gift of all. Now the only thing that has to be done is open it and receive it with an open heart. If you have already done so, then you are wallowing in all the glorious mini-gifts that it brings. The Ultimate Gift is given to us unselfishly and with each one of us in mind to be the perfect gift. The gift is timeless, never goes out of style, absolutely practical, thoughtful beyond imagination, has more uses than just one time and without a doubt something you will want.

Jesus is the Ultimate Gift, the gift that keeps on giving. Open up this gift today and enjoy for the rest of your life.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Days Off & Keystone

Well, we are enjoying Ray's time off. He has been off since Thursday (his regular day off) all the way through Christmas day. I know the rest is great for him. It will be nice to not have to attend church this weekend. We don't usually get this many days in a row with him. The boys are eating it up.

We are headed to Keller to enjoy Keystone Church. This church holds a special place in our hearts. Keystone is the church we attended for about 4 months after we left Fellowship and before re-locating to Springcreek. Keystone was a place of healing and restoration for us. We instantly connected with the senior pastor, Brandon Thomas and his wife, Susan. If you get a chance check out their website. It is a God-filled place.

www.keystonechurch.com

Something Fun

Does anyone know what Grandma was drinking when she got run over by a reindeer in the Christmas song, "Grandma got run over by a reindeer".?

There really is a reason I need to know....promise!

One of Clayton's Funniest Moments Ever

Today I was driving with the boys to Sherman. We had been in the car about 20 minutes and Cooper had fallen asleep and Clayton decided he needed to poo-poo (his words). I asked Clayton if he REALLY needed to go since Coop had just fallen asleep. You see, sometimes Clayton gets bored of riding and decides a pit-stop is always a good call. I discerned that he didn't REALLY need to go and told him, "squeeze your bottom cheeks". I look in the rear view mirror and he is squeezing his face cheeks all the way down by his chin and yelling, "It's not working!".

I love him!

Family Tradition

Tomorrow the Miranda family will be heading out to the Children's/Adolphus Christmas parade in Downtown Dallas. This will be our 8th year and the parade's 20th year. This parade benefits Children's Medical Center and is tons of fun. Ray and I started going when we first dated and have continued it through the years. Now, Clayton is old enough to look forward to it. This will be Cooper's first year to attend. Last year was too windy for such a little guy. I usually get a good Christmas picture in front of the enormous tree inside the Adolphus hotel.

I am so excited that we have traditions that we are continuing and some new ones we are starting to hopefully leave a legacy for our kids. I believe the biggest and most important legacy we can leave for them is our lives which are centered upon Christ. This time of year is a perfect opportunity to remind them what this season is really all about.

The Experience of a Lifetime

An email that I sent out on Monday morning after the walk:

Well, we have done it! My whole team walked the 60 miles with incredible determination and positive attitudes. I could not have asked for a better group of ladies to walk this amazing event with for 3 days. The organization of the camp and entire event is indescribable. All of the communities we walked through (which were many) were very supportive. We had brownie troops (girl scouts), families, businesses, police officers and many others just about every step of the way with candy, water, homemade goodies and even trash bags. It is funny to think how much trash we accumulated in those little fanny packs. :)

Thank you all so much for your support and prayers. This journey has ended with many tears. Some tears of sadness for a disease that takes and affects many lives, but mostly tears of joy to have been part of this cause and finish something that started for me many years ago. I have been truly changed through this and words will never do justice to what I feel, but be assured that I am grateful, blessed and highly favored.

This email sums everything up. I could talk about this weekend for a very long time. It is amazing what God will do with 3 days and 60 miles of your life. I will be forever changed. No matter how hard it got I knew it did not compare to the fight these women (and some men) face everyday. My amazement also stands with the 3-Day organization as a whole. An enormous event that is highly organized and very well done.

If you ever have an opportunity to walk this, please do. Don't give in to the idea that you can't do it physically because you can. One woman did the entire 60 miles in a wheelchair. I will be walking again in 2009. For 2008 I have chosen to crew (volunteer). I would like to serve others since I have been served.

On a mission to make a difference......

Don't Give Up on Me Yet

I know I said I was going to work at this blog thing, but it does get difficult at times.

My last blog posted my latest condition. Yes, I am still blonde, a little dizzy and I'm not sure if I am still sick in the head. I have a drs. appt. this Wednesday to follow-up on things.

The most important news of today:
Happy Birthday, Honey. Today is Ray's 37th birthday!
Our buddy Michael is 37 today, too. Happy Birthday to you both!

Okay, now for catch up.....

The 3-Day was an absolute blast! My team was absolutely wonderful and such a blessing. I will devote one blog just to the 3-Day very soon (I know many of you are not holding your breath).

Halloween was so much fun! Clayton was a black Power Ranger and Cooper was a monkey. Unfortunately, the monkey only lasted for pics and that was it. We went to a party on Tuesday and it didn't stay on much for that shindig either. Clayton had a great time trick-or-treating for the first time. We enjoyed our neighborhood so much. We will definitely do it again next year.

Friday night we had a great time with Michael and Michele watching the Dallas Stars get blown out on home ice. The game was good for the action, but the company was the best! We enjoyed our time and getting out with just adults. Friday night is $1 hot dog night so that was worth it right there. $1 versus $4.25.....a steal! Thanks Jerry for the tickets!

Soccer season is over and Clayton is having withdrawals. He had a super last game with 5 goals. After the game we went to Coach Bobby's house for a party/cookout. They received their trophies....definitely the highlight of the day. The one he received from WYSA is a cute bobble head trophy and the one from Coach Bobby is a traditional gold statue one that has his name on it. He has carried them both everywhere since Saturday. I think we are going to try teeball in the spring.

That's all for now.......

A Dizzy Blonde That is Sick in The Head

The title of this blog comes lovingly from my husband. The sad part is....it is very true today.

I have been diagnosed with labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis. Basically I have an inner ear infection that is causing incredible dizziness, lightheadedness and nausea. I contracted this virus due to someone I was around had a viral infection and my body took it in and deposited it into my inner ear. The plus side is that I am not contagious to anyone else. The down side to this is that it could last up until 6 weeks. I am taking my medication and praying hard.

As most of you know I have a big weekend coming up. The Breast Cancer 3-Day. I have full intentions to walk and finish this journey.

***A comical sidenote: the doctor says it is only a matter of when, not if, that I will faint at some point due to this diagnosis. I find this comical only b/c I know it is coming and they are so definitive about it. Thankfully I will know it is coming so I will brace myself and hopefully not be alone. :)

Little Joys

Yesterday was a fun day around our house. No big events, just being at home and being a family (minus daddy during the day).

The first joy of the day was videotaping Clayton saying his two favorite Bible verses. I have been meaning for so long to get him on tape and we finally accomplished that today. He then turned the camera on Mommy and we had a blast being silly. His two verses are:

• Be strong and brave for God is with you always.
• Our God, we thank you for being so near to us.
  

We love that our little guy has these in his heart to use when he needs them. He has used the first on two occasions that I know of. One being his eye surgery in May and the other one he used one Sunday when he didn't want to be dropped off at church. He said them out loud without being prompted. What a joy!

The second joy of the day came when Cooper ate a piece of pizza for lunch. The joy for him was that I let him go at it and didn't cut it all up into little pieces. The joy for me was watching him get so messy and loving every minute of it. The clean up wasn't too bad because I stuck him in the tub!

I am so thankful that God has provided for us in so many ways, but yesterday was especially sweet because my two little joys brought so much joy to me. Staying home is the best job ever!

Cooper's First Haircut

Tonight we went to Cool Cuts for Kids to get Cooper's First Haircut. We waited a little over an hour since we did not have an appointment. There were two families in front of us and they had 4 kids each. I can't imagine paying such a price for all 4 kids. I do this pricey haircut for the first one and that is it.

He did awesome and loved "driving" the yellow taxi. He wouldn't wear the cape so we went without it. Dora was on the t.v., but as most of you know, Cooper does not pay one lick of attention to the t.v. That is definitely a good thing unless you really need him to love it (traveling, haircut, showers, etc.). Clayton had a blast playing video games while we waited.

The second picture is of him standing up squealing in delight. I love to see him so excited. He is like his daddy....you don't see it very often, but when you do, it is soooo worth it. The first pic is of the end result. It is hard to tell that the beautiful curls have been cut, but the afro will be smaller and more groomed for sure.

Enjoy the pics!

Lots of Fun with Friends and Family

This weekend was packed full of fun events. I had a friend of mine and 2 of her 3 boys stay over since Ray was out of town(really only in Grapevine). We had a blast and laughed A LOT! Clayton thought the sleepover was so much fun...the only bummer was that they didn't get to sleep in the same bed. I know that stinks, but they would have never gone to sleep. The two littlest guys had a blast sitting and playing together too. I don't think they really notice each other until Cooper decides he needs a kiss or hug and then he is all over the baby.

Saturday morning I hit the floor running early to pick up our niece, Skylar, from my mom. Skylar stayed with us since her family was moving into a new house. She and Clayton are only 1 week apart so it has always been so much fun to watch them together. I have two favorite quotes from the weekend...

* Clayton is obsessed with the word booty for some reason and he finds any possible way to use it....sometimes it is correct and sometimes it isn't. As soon as Skylar got here he used it over and over. Mainly he used it to refer to her as "Skylar Booty". After an entire day of this we were getting in the car to head to church in the evening and Clayton called out, "Skylar Akins, to the car". Skylar comes running with a big ol' grin and says, "J.J., he didn't call me Skylar Booty....Amazing."

*Clayton has a hand held Leapster (video game) that he was given during his eye surgery in May. He loves this thing. I love that he loves it since it is educational. He was thrilled to teach Skylar how to use it. Unfortunately he gets his patience from me. She was not doing what he thought she should be doing. He looks at Skylar and I and lets out a big "UUGGGHHH". I told him to be patient and encourage her. He said, "If she would only use the fingers God gave her".

Soccer Game #4

Last night was our last Monday night game and game #4. We played the Pirates and had a ref that was whistle happy. He was a great young guy, but worked very hard to teach these little guys the real rules. Everyone was so confused. I think by the end of the game they did understand that they could not kick it to themselves on an indirect kick. There were several highlights to the game...the first being that Clayton had a lot of loved ones there to watch. Thank you Papa, Cara, Carrie and Jackson for coming to watch. The second being that he scored 4 goals! The last highlight was that at one point Clayton was playing 1-on-3. The other two boys on Clayton's team had other things to tend to while on the field. One little boy was staring into the beautiful night sky admiring the almost full moon and the other was busy holding a conversation with his mommy. These moments are what makes 4-year old soccer so stinkin' cute! Please join us for any of these great, Saturday, soccer moments!

Footprints of Faith

Wow, I can't believe the Breast Cancer 3-Day is only 33 days away. My team tried their first 15 miles today....whew! Everyone is getting prepared with their second pair of shoes, 6 pairs of socks, sleeping mat, fanny packs and lots of Body Glide. The team continues to fundraise with several already meeting their goal of $2200.

This journey started for me almost 7 years ago. I wanted to do the walk and attempted to gather a team from the school where I was the social worker. It didn't work out that year and fell off my radar screen for a short while. I continued to see the commercials throughout the years and really wanted to do it. The fundraising seemed to hold me back every time. Last year one of my Bible study groups decided to do it and I was pumped. Well, wouldn't you know it.......I got pregnant and all plans went out the window. Cooper was just about 2 months old when the 3-Day happened last year. I did help the team with their garage sale and went along for the journey in a supportive sort of way.

November of last year I decided 2007 was my year. I talked about it with Ray and began to pray. I wanted to do it, I wanted it to be in line with God's will for me and I needed Ray on board. So prayer happened and in January of 2007 I jumped in with both feet. I wanted to start the year off right....make a commitment, challenge myself and complete a big task. My next plan of action was to find just one more person that would commit to raising $2200 and walk 60 miles and sleep in a tent. You better believe people were knocking on my door! No, not really so I began to think, pray and be aware of any challenge takers. My first approach was one sunny day in January in the Target parking lot and Stacey Ingram was my victim. :)

Stay tuned for the rest of the journey......

Dancing Bones

I am reading Dancing Bones by Patsy Clairmont for my Wednesday night Bible study. The book is about living lively in the valley. She uses Ezekiel 37:1-10 as the focus. She is so witty and makes some great illustrations. Here is my favorite:

"From the mountaintop I can see the eagle soar, but I've learned that in the valley I can hear a sparrow sing. On the mountain I see trees like canopies, but in the valley I can sit in their shade and eat of their fruit. On the mountain I see lakes like small mirrors, but in the valley I can touch the relections and ladle the water to my parched lips. On the summit I see people like walking sticks, but in the valley I can trace a child's face and dab away tears."

I am truly enjoying it right now.....pondering lots of thoughts that it brings. I will keep you posted. Also, if you get a chance please pray about me passing this book on to someone ( I have them in mind already) that I think would be changed with these words.

Soccer Fun

We had game number three last night. It was a nice change from the heat and sweat of Saturday mornings. They don't keep score of the games so I just keep track of Clayton's goals. I do know we lost the first game on the 8th of September....it was very obvious. Our little guy did not score and was very disappointed. Last Saturday I think we probably won and Clayton scored 6 goals. Last night might have been a tie and Clayton scored 2 goals. He gets so excited when he scores and usually runs to the middle of the field and does a forward roll. We are using soccer for lots of life lessons such as sportsmanship, losing, fairness and encouragement of others. He really does well with dribbling the ball and maneuvering around others. The pics that are posted are from the first game. Coop is loving the games, too. He enjoys sitting in his stroller and watching all of the action.

Long Overdue

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit at the end of August. We have not seen them since 4th of July. They brought Danielle with them and the long weekend visit was tons of fun (as always). We introduced Danielle to Webkinz (thank you, Ingrams, for introducing us) and she loved it. We went to the Wylie Flower Shop and Grandma bought her a black cat and Clayton came home with a new bulldog. They enjoyed being with the boys and seeing how much Coop has changed. Grandpa compared Coop's walk to Foster Brooks. For those of you that don't know who that is.....basically he thinks Coop walks like he has had one too many. :)

Lots of Catching Up

I know it has been a while since I have shared all of our busyness. I will catch you all up with this blog and post a picture blog later today or tomorrow. Well, since I last blogged here is what we have been up to:

• First of all, Happy Birthday today to my mom. We will be celebrating with her next weekend. Hope you have a fabulous day! We Love you bunches.
• We got Landon off to college with just a few tears. He is busy with ROTC and he is a member of the Saddle Tramps. The Saddle Tramps are an all male organization that support all athletics at Tech. He is having a blast and we hope to see him tonight in Denison at my dad's house.
• Clayton has started soccer. GO TIGERS!!! He had his first game last Saturday and they played great. He has his pictures and a game this afternoon. The other team last week were a little more advanced than we were, but we had a great time. I hope to get a post on the blog with pics and narrative this weekend.
• Cooper is up to all kinds of stuff. He is pointing with his pointer at anything and everything and then gives you a very long narrative about whatever it is that he sees. He climbs anything he can get his knee on and then has a blast falling off. Thank goodness no trips to the ER just yet. He is so quick I usually get to him during the fall. We are discussing his first hair cut which needs to take place very soon. Don't worry, just a trim.....the curls are staying!
• Ray has been busy at work and lovin' it. He just had a small group launch that 104 people attended. Way to go! Connection at any church is big, but when you are a large, growing church it is incredibly important. He has a tough job and a true calling. You are awesome at what you do, honey. Keep up the great work!
• I will try to sum me up quickly. I have been busy with my 3-Day Breast Cancer walk. I have about 6 more weeks to keep training and fundraising. We (as a team) have had 2 fundraisers that have given us a total of $2900. That is huge! We did a skate party and a garage sale. I have been playing with the boys, keeping up with 2 Bible studies, hanging out with friends and loving everything about my life! I do truly feel blessed everyday.

That is the Miranda family in a brief nutshell. I really am going to try and keep up to date on the blog because we do have fun things to share just about everyday. August was incredibly busy for us and now I feel back in the routine. Hope everyone is enjoying the slow cool down in weather and taking advantage of the outdoors.

Until we meet again........

Just a thought

I just sent some of these words to my dad in an email and thought I would post them, too. It is really sinking in for me that Landon is off to college in just a few days. I am giving all of my worries to God because He loves him more than I do. He is headed our way today to tell Clayton goodbye. Clayton is fully aware of Landon leaving...it should be interesting. Clayton is so happy in a lot of ways because Landon will be a Red Raider and he loves showing off his guns up, but he is also fully aware that the next time we go to Nana and Papa's he will not be there.

I am working on my tear control for this weekend. I will definitely need it. Tears just kind of come when they want to.....don't worry I will be fine (landon, if you are reading this). It is so exciting at the same time! I loved Tech and he will too!

I'm out.

Just Pictures

Big Brother duties can really wipe you out!

My sunshine & me

Big buddy, Dylan & Clayton

Miss Katie

Just hanging out

Coop and Papa

This is where he sat to watch Clayton open

Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

Well, our little guy celebrated his first birthday today. He will not officially be one until next Saturday, the 18th. We moved things up a week for his Uncle Landon who will be leaving next Saturday for his new journey, Texas Tech.

Coop truly enjoyed the cake and had a blast. He wasn't very into the presents, but Clayton was more than happy to pick up his big brother duty and open them all.

We missed you, Grandpa and Grandma!

Happy 18th Birthday

This post should have been on Saturday, but I just didn't get to the computer.

My younger brother, Landon, turned 18. This is such a huge milestone. He can do many things at 18 that he has not been able to do before. He can get into places, he can register to vote(I hope he will), he can sign up for the military, he can go to college, and he is technically an "adult". These are just a few of the many things that 18 brings. Landon is off to college next month....Texas Tech, of course and he is signing up for the military....sort of. Landon has been blessed with a full Army ROTC scholarship. I am so proud of him! This brings bittersweet feelings for me. Mostly sweet....he will learn so much, make great friends, begin a wonderful future and have opportunities that most of us will never have. The not so sweet for me is that he will have to be far away at times.....across the world.

Landon was born when I was 13 and became "mine" very quickly. I walked him around and held him WAY more than I should have, but I had someone to take care of and I was thrilled. I feel like in a lot of ways I have raised him. My dad and stepmom are wonderful parents and have always been present. I have just had the opportunity to be sister, friend and parent when needed. I changed his diaper, wiped his nose and even wiped tears at times. Words do not adequately express what I feel for him. I truly believe God blessed me with Landon for lots of reason, but one that I think of often is that God knew he would bless me with 2 sweet boys of my own. My boys definitely have a wonderful uncle to look up to many ways. He has turned out to be such an amazing young man and I look forward to watching him grow.

Happy 18th Birthday, Landon! I love you dearly and you will always have a special place in my heart. Know that you are loved by us all, but especially by your Heavenly Father. Keep your eyes on Him and your focus will be just right.

A Couple of "Firsts"

There will be many posts from our vacation to El Paso I'm sure. Ray lovingly calls El Paso the vacation capital of the world. Not so sure about that, but it is a great place. One huge reason is....Grandpa and Grandma live there. The boys were loved on and spoiled for a full 10 days and they loved every minute of it. Our biggest moment while we were there was that Cooper started walking on July 2nd. We were so excited for Mr. and Mrs. Miranda to be a part of a "first". Cooper just took off....his first attempt was 11 steps. He walked from Daddy to Grandma with Uncle Jay in the middle, just in case. From that moment he was off to discover a whole new world upright. Clayton's "first" was Daddy and Grandpa took him fishing with his cousin, Danielle. Grandpa had gotten him a pole, tackle box and all the fixins. They headed out to Rainbow Lake for a great time. They didn't catch anything, but that seemed to be okay. Clayton just wanted to fish. I'm not sure he knew he was suppose to catch something. :)

Wonderful News

Clayton had an eye appointment on Thursday that gave us great news. Dr. Stager is removing the bi-focals out of the glasses and we will be back to patching up to 2 hours a day. We are so thrilled with this news. This means the surgery worked and the eyes are getting better. We don't go back for 6 months. We have been going to the eye doctor every 2-3 months for almost a year and a half. Clayton has been a wonderful patient and such a trooper.

Lots to Post

I will be working this weekend on getting posts up about our trip to El Paso. We had a blast and enjoyed the West Texas weather. Many milestones took place. Stay tuned.

All the Practice Paid Off

I know this post is a couple of days late, but no less important and exciting to write.

Clayton's musical performance on Thursday evening was truly a highlight for me in all his four years. He did a fantastic job, had a great time and looked SO big and grown. We had a terrific turn out...mommy, daddy, Ya-Ya, Papa, Uncle Landon, Aunt Leah, Uncle Bob, Jay, Cara, Carlien, Micah, Aimee, Lainey, Pat and Trivia(Clayton's 2nd favorite dog).

Clayton walked out on stage, got situated and then began waving to the crowd pretending like he saw someone he recognized. Everyone was waving so he figured he would wave, too. He belted out the words to every song just like he had rehearsed and the hand motions came right along with it. I have been accused of singing along and doing the motions myself...they shouldn't have been watching me, right?. A little over halfway through he finally spotted our row and couldn't contain himself from waving way up high and calling out a few names. His face just lit up and the words came out a little louder. He would sing a bit, wave, sing a bit, wave.....so stinkin' cute!

My two favorite parts of the evening were the fact that I got to sit with my parents and Ray to watch my firstborn in his first performance. I'm sure for my parents it was truly a joy. Something about grandparents and grandchildren...I can only imagine. My other favorite part was when the children sang and signed "Jesus Loves Me". This was the first song Clayton learned and sang all by himself as a little, bitty guy. I hope Clayton always remembers the words to this song and clings to them whenever he needs to throughout his life. Such a simple song, but so TRUE! Definitely tears in the eyes.

Walkin' and Walkin' and Walkin'

I hit a big milestone with my training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day this morning. We walked 10 miles in about 3 1/2 hours. I'm so glad I did it.....my body needed to tell me what it thinks about all of this. No matter how tired I got or when my legs got heavy all I could think was, "This doesn't even remotely compare to what the brave women that fight this fight go through". We will slowly add to our mileage.....our next biggest goal will be to walk 18 miles in one day and turn around the next day and walk at least 12-15 miles. My body will definitely be screamin' then. Way to go Jamie, Barb, Jess and Lluvia! I am so proud of us!

On a breast cancer note....please keep sweet Ann Bertoia in your prayers. She is one of the ladies that I will walk in honor of. Her cancer is back. This lady is a fighter and a dear, sweet, blessed woman. Your prayers for her healing and family during this time is greatly appreciated. Love ya, Ann!

Third Day of Music Camp

Today was pretty uneventful. The lady who is assistant head of the program approached me today and commented on Cooper's curls and then went on a Clayton praise session. She wanted me to be aware of how much he loves to sing, play instruments and especially do the hand motions. Thankfully they have childcare for Cooper so I can give this talented little boy ALL of my undivided attention. We shall see...........

Second Day of Music Camp

Not much to say today except that I encountered several ladies today at camp that said goodbye to Clayton as we left. Everyone's comment was...."He's such an enthusiastic singer, we enjoy watching him". Is that polite, "for we laugh at his singing"? :) Let's hope stage fright doesn't get a hold of him and we get as good of a show on Thursday.

First Day of Music Camp

Well, we had a successful first day of music camp. As if listening to the CD since last Thursday, over and over and over, was not enough.......we now have the hand motions to go with it. Clayton had an absolute blast and is anxiously awaiting his performance on Thursday evening.

Clayton also got a new 'do that he can gel and style.....his choice. Super cute! Pics to come.

Happy Father's Day

Today is such a wonderful day. It is a day to celebrate our dads. My boys have such a fantastic daddy that thinks the world of them. He enjoys them, plays with them, wrestles with them, disciplines them but most of all just loves them. Clayton and Cooper definitely have a Godly example in their daddy. Ray strives to be like Him and the boys strive to be like their daddy. What a great thing to watch as it grows and changes with time. I look forward to my front row seat to this special relationship. Happy Father's Day, honey. We love you tons!

Happy Father's Day to my daddy, too. My dad has been in Hawaii for two weeks and I have missed him greatly! I spoke with him this morning and it was nice to hear his voice and know that he was home. My daddy and I have always been close (though he claims I have given him the hardest time compared to my brothers). :) He is a fabulous dad and Papa. My boys think he is great and love him dearly! Love you, daddy. Enjoy your day!

Last, but certainly not least, Happy Father's Day to a great father-in-law.
Mr. M is the best father-in-law I could have asked for. He loves me and treats me just like his own. I love that! We have a fun, bantering relationship that keeps me on my toes. He is a wonderful father and terrific Grandpa! Have a great day, Mr. M! See you soon.

One last Happy Father's Day.....my cousin, Christopher, became a first-time dad this morning at 3 a.m. Ethan Andrew debuted this morning and our whole family is truly blessed. Happy Father's Day and Congratulations to you and Nikki.

Fun Friday

Today was busy, but so much fun! We had Bible study this morning, then to Cheddar's for a birthday lunch and then to swim with Cara and Ellis. Cara is my dear friend and she nannies Ellis. Ellis is so fun and so cute. Clayton enjoys her so much and Cooper really enjoys her. It's nice to have a girl in the mix to hang out with some. The boys are loving all the swimming we are doing. This weekend is pretty low key, which we enjoy.

Have a great weekend! Happy 40th Birthday, Carey!

A "Joyful Noise" Kind of Morning

This morning as I was getting ready for Bible study, dressing the boys, packing Coop's bag, etc. I was listening to a joyful noise. Clayton is attending a music camp this upcoming week and they have sent the CD with the music ahead of time. Clayton was belting out the words to these new songs. It took me back to the teenage days of really wanting to know the words of the "in" song, but not knowing it and trying to sing like I did know it.

The best part was that he was singing with such a full heart and as joyfully as possible. He had a one-man worship session and had a blast. I tried to capture pics of his "o" shaped mouth everytime he said Lord or Joshua or Jericho, but the camera threw him off every time.

Such a sweet noise to a mommy's ears!

A Fun Weekend

The boys and I headed to Arlington on Saturday morning to visit our friends the Irons family. They have just bought a beautiful home and doing some remodeling. It is coming along great! We played at a local park, had lunch at McDonalds and played with water guns. Oh, Clayton's favorite part of the day was tearing down old wall paper...he is for hire!

Saturday night we headed to church and then had an impromptu dinner with some great friends at a local pizza place, Sali's. Clayton's buddy, Zachary, was among the friends and they had a blast playing Power Rangers at one end of the table while Coop tried his first taste of pizza crust at the other.

Sunday morning Ray headed to work and the boys and I checked out a friend's church here in Wylie. Woodbridge Community Church is up and coming and being blessed by God in a huge way. I met the senior pastor, Chris, as he was a teller at our credit union......I love the small town feel.

This evening we have just returned from dinner and swimming at our friends, the Roubals. We had hamburgers on the grill and a great time swimming. We haven't connected with them in some time and it was great to re-connect. It really felt like a summer night. Cooper chilled out in a raft and Clayton swam all over the place with his floaties. They should definitely sleep good tonight.

As I leave you this evening, please pray for Ray's grandmother. She has been in the hospital and they are trying to make her comfortable so she can return home and pass in peace. Pray for comfort and peace for her and the family as this is incredibly difficult. She is the matriarch of their family. Also, pray that we find the right way to tell Clayton when the time comes. He loves his Spanish Grandma (as he has affectionately named her).

Blessings!

Summer is Here!

Well, summer is officially here and I have committed to this blog. I want you all to know what we are up to and how much the boys are growing. So, here goes:

Clayton-He had eye surgery on the 9th of May and is doing fabulous. He is so resilient. The tonsils that came out last summer were more difficult than the eye....who knew? He is all boy and a big 4-year old. He is testing his independence and all the new phrases he is learning. They are not all great, but we use them as teachable moments. His latest thing is being the "Safety Patrol". He informs me often when I have a safety violation. Violations include, but are not limited to: talking on the cell phone and driving, eating and driving and reprimanding him and driving. He clearly states I should just focus on driving and keeping my hands on "10 and 2". I'm not sure where this stuff comes from, but I am a little scared.

Cooper-He is all over the place. He is crawling and standing alone. I know it is only a matter of time before he is running to keep up with Clayton. He has a head full of dark brown, curly hair. I think it grows everyday. He is wearing 12-18 months clothes.....big ol' chunk of love. He has fallen in love with his bath time and would take several a day if he could. He especially loves it when big brother hops in! He is over his bottle and baby food and is ready to move on to all table food, but I am hanging on for dear life. Those are the last few baby things I can control.

I had several people tell me when I was pregnant with Clayton that I definitely needed a little girl so I would have someone to cuddle with and think I was it.....guess what?.....I have two loving, sweet little boys that love to cuddle and think their mommy is wonderful ( I have one wonderful grown boy that I am super fond of, too).

We hope you all have a wonderful summer! Off to keep up with the boys!

The Boys

Clayton's 1st Roller Coaster Ride

For Clayton's 4th Birthday we took him to Sea World. It was fun and he had the opportunity to ride his 1st roller coaster. Riding with him I was surpised how fast the little ride was but I still taught him the all important rule of holding your hands up. The ride was complete with dips that made his little belly feel funny. Some genius somewhere came up with the idea to take pic's of everyone on a ride and sell them and an incredibly marked up price. Best $37 I ever spent (maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration) - Ray.

For My Wife

Jazen is so good at communicating with others that I thought if I set this blog up for her she would have one more way to communicate with you guys. Enjoy...I know I will. - Ray