The Many Meeks

~ Thanksgiving Day ~

2011-12-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

It is still so hard to believe Thanksgiving has already passed. We went to Terral's parents house this year. It was such a wonderful time; a beautiful day as well.

The kids had a great time playing outside and in the leaves.

Aren't these turkeys cute? Debbie made one for each of us there!!

These kids have learned how to pose!

Here are all the kids with Uncle Robby and Aunt Lindsey!
I wish I would have taken a picture with Grandma and Grandpa with the kids too.

Here is our family.

Abby and Jasper. These two have become quite the pair. They play really well together.
I am so thankful we could get together and spend the holiday together. Time is really flying by and the "get togethers" are getting scarce. When we are all together, we have such a great time.

~ The Pumpkin Patch ~

2011-12-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

This fall, Hudson's preschool class took a trip to the UMC pumpkin patch.

Of course it was on a day I had to work , but thankfully Terral was off that day. He was instructed, by me, to take pictures and give me a full report of how it went.

He did a great job too!! Hudson had a great time as you can see. I love the pictures of Hud and Harper. They are so sweet together!!

Hudson and his friend, Cash.

Storytime. Jasper even got in on some of the activities!

Such a fun time playing games!

Here is the class. I can't believe Hudson is in preschool. He really enjoys it and loves making new friends!

~ The 2011 Halloween Post ~

2011-12-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

Yes, I realize it is December, and I am just now posting about Halloween, but it was too much fun to be left out!!

There were many memories made and fun costumes to see!

Terral's parents...aka Popeye and Olive Oil(sp?), hosted their second Halloween party. They know how to have fun too!! Don't they look awesome?!

This Halloween was so fun!! My boys had a great time and thought it was so "cool" their dad dressed up to go along with their theme. Terral had a great time too!

Josh and Kathy are always so creative with their costumes! Isn't this awesome?

Sweet Jacque...I think she said Lexi painted all of that!! That took a lot of patience!

Lexi was funny...dressing up as Octomom!!

Jennifer, the hippie, and sweet Lily. :)

Here are Lindsey and her little chickens! Simply precious!!

Gerald Don and his sweet wife, Jessi.

Love this, Sonny and Cher. They would probably kill me if they saw this picture!!

Love these two!!

I seriously think the Meekers could start our own Baldknobbers show! Is this not hilarious?!
Lonnie and Rhonda as travelers.

Pippy Longstockings and I. The party was a blast. Debbie really puts a lot into it. She gives prizes and comes up with creative games. The adults participated in a scavenger hunt around Greenwood...our team won! :)) There was a ton of food, activites for the kids, music and dancing, and lots of prizes!!

This is Lexi and I playing this game...you had to put your bare feet in a bucket of noodles and get the marbles out with your toes. It was such a challenge!!

The kids love hitting the pinata. Each child got one turn and the last one busted it open!

This was on Halloween. So glad Hudson was able to see his Buddy!

All the grandkids and Terral. This was before hitting the road for hardcore trick-or-treating!

Lauren was able to see some of her friends on the "streets".
Hadley, Landry, and Lauren

All the goods. We ended up with way too much candy!!!
It was so much fun though.
The party was such a hit! It really gets you thinking about costumes for next year!

~ Update on Cotillion ~

2011-12-05T21:21:00.000-08:00

This is Hadley and Lauren at the November Cotillion. Each child was to bring some canned goods and they were being donated to a food pantry. (not sure where?)
The 6th graders won!!!

Love the group pictures!! I always love seeing all the dresses!

Great group picture!!

This was from the October Cotillion ceremony. It was a masquerade ball. Lauren had a wonderful time and it was so fun seeing all the dresses and masks. I did not get any pictures of the boys, but some were very creative!!

Sara Beth, Lauren, and Landry

A big group of 6th grade girls with Mrs. Mary Ann.

Lauren and Hadley

~ Spirit Day ~

2011-11-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

Hudson had spirit week at school for Bulldog homecoming and the one thing he BEGGED for was blue hair spray. I was so hesitant because I did not think it would wash out very well, but to my surprise it came right out!!

So, I snapped a couple of pictures before I dropped them off at school.
Hudson- 5 years old.

Sweet Lauren. I can not believe how grown up she is!!
6th grade!!!

~ Sweet Moments ~

2011-11-08T19:26:00.001-08:00

I had to post about this great moment in the Meeker house. I am not sure how mornings are at your house, but it can be rough in our home. I have one who LOVES mornings, one who absolutely does NOT like them, and one you just never know what you are going to get.

So, when I stumbled upon this...it warmed my heart. I love this!! A sweet sister helping her brother with one of my favorite things....teeth brushing!!

I am very thankful for each little moment I have with my children, but there are those times that make you smile as big as the sun.

~ Saturday Fun ~

2011-10-19T19:21:00.001-07:00

The past several Saturdays have been filled with soccer and cheerleading.
It is sad to say, this is Lauren's last year of pitbull cheer. It really has gone by so fast!

We needed to get a shot of us in our matching shirts!
Sweet Dana and I.

Lindsey, Barrett, and Harper came to watch Lauren. Lauren loves it when she has family who come to watch her. I need to get a picture of her with Grandma and Grandpa. They are usually at every game.

This is her pose for many pictures I take of her.

We have the BEST cheer sponsor!! Kerri McDaniel is Lauren's coach and she is so wonderful! She really makes it fun for the girls!

Lauren has been on the same cheer team every year! I am so thankful she has been with such a great group of girls. They have all grown up together.

Here is Hudson. On Saturday mornings we have soccer. This little boy LOVES sports!! He really likes to run and gets his fair share of it with soccer.
This is Hudson with his friend Cash.

Jasper loves his big brother!

Love this picture! Great action shot!

It is so much fun watching the kids play and cheer.
They both have a great time and love having us watch them and cheer them on.
Its amazing how quickly life goes by. My prayer is that I will not take it for granted and enjoy every season of life.

~ Jasper's Surgery ~

2011-10-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Here they are in the waiting room at Children's patiently awaiting our time to prepare for surgery. Jasper had his tonsils and adenoids removed along with a second set of tubes in his ears and a scope of his lungs.

We were in the room forever before they took him back. The doctor was backed up and J's surgery was 1 and 1/2 hours after his scheduled time.

We were so glad we took many things to keep him occupied. Here are Terral and J with the ipod touch.

This picture makes me laugh. This was after his "funny" juice.

Here he is resting so peacefully after getting in his room. I was so proud the way he handled everything. He was such a trooper. The doctors and nurses took great care of him.

All smiles.....even after being hooked up to all the wires.
I am so thankful for this surgery. He is already breathing so much better.
I am telling you....there is no keeping this boy down!!!

~ Booed ~

2011-10-03T16:32:00.001-07:00

When Mr. Meeker stepped out the front door this morning.....

he was a little spooked!!!

Why? Because we got booed!!!

How adorable is this??

Be on the lookout!
I will pass this on!!

How do I only choose two??

So, if this ends up on your door step....you better pass this on!!

~ 10 Spur Gig ~

2011-10-03T14:56:00.000-07:00

I know this picture is blurry, but it was the best one I got of Terral.
I love watching Terral play with 10 Spur. He has a great time playing and does a great job too!

10 Spur had a gig in Searcy this past Saturday. They went on right before Doug Stone. It was so much fun. I love to listen to them and am proud Terral can be a part.

Lauren and Jasper posing.

Lauren and I.

I tried 3 times to get this picture and J was acting so silly everytime!

Second try.......

Third try.....
I am sad I did not get any pictures of Hudson. He was so tired and would not let me take any pics of him.

Here is the picture with Doug Stone. He was very friendly and talked with Terral about the kids and stuff. Glad we got the picture!

~ Hud's First Day of Preschool ~

2011-10-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hudson's first day of Pre-K. It was so bittersweet. I am so proud of him for being a big boy and taking on Pre-K so great! On another hand, the first 5 years of his life has really flown by. He is such a fun and loving little guy. He brings a lot of joy to our lives.

Hudson is in the ocean room. It was so exciting for him to be in the new building. It looks so great and we are so blessed to be a part of the new school.

Hudson at his table.

Hudson and Harper get to sit at the same table. There was one day she wrote his name on his paper for him because she was afraid he was not going to do it. She is so sweet to take care of him!

Jasper was feeling a bit left out. He had to get in on the picture taking! Don't you love his hair?!

We can't leave out Mrs. Dana!!!
She is a wonderful teacher and has so much fun with the kids!
Since Hudson has started Pre-K, he has been so interested in reading. He has been sounding out 3 letter words and asks to read a lot. I am so proud of him!!!

~ I will be back ~

2011-09-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have fallen off the blog wagon.......

but I will be returning real soon.

So much to share...so little time.

I really am wondering where it all goes??

~ Movie Time ~

2011-08-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

The week before school started we teamed up with the Hobbs family and ventured out to the movies. Here is Lauren with her friend, Paige. I took the girls and Jasper and we saw Judy Moody.

Here is a group shot. It is amazing how the older girls want to take care of Jasper. Most of the time he does not mind. I think he has a thing for pretty girls! HA!

The infamous Buddy and Hudson. These two are funny little guys. Their imaginations run wild when they are together. Mrs. Tonia took them and Clayton to see Kung Fu Panda II.

Lauren and Clayton. Love all the pictures we have of these two through the years. Never know....we might need them for a slide show someday. ;))

~ Hudson Turned 5 ~

2011-08-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet Hudson and his famous picture at 10:56 am. That is the time he was born on August 9th, 2011. He weighed 8 pounds and 6 ounces.

Every year on his birthday I take a picture of him at the time he was born. Corny? Yes, but I have done it for 5 years now! Can't believe he is 5!! I am so glad he gets to stay home with me for one more year. I mean, he will go to preschool, but its not Kindergarten.

Hudson is an active little guy. Typical boy I suppose. He is all about sports! Football is his very favorite. NFL games have started appearing on tv and he is all about it. That is all the kid wants to watch. Hudson also loves clothes that are "sporty"....aka...under armour, nike, etc.....
Though, he also has a love for music. He likes to sing, but I think he will pick up the guitar when he gets a little older. :)

Hudson,
We love you so much!! You are such a joy and make us smile!!

~ Last Cruise Post ~

2011-08-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

I could not leave out.....

all of our dear....

sweet....

towel.....

animals.

After all, this is the highlight of coming to your room for the evening.

~ Lauren Turned 11 ~

2011-08-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, my sweet princess turned 11!!
When she woke up I had a cupcake and a chocolate covered strawberry waiting for her.
I thought she needed something special on her birthday since her party was on a different day.
Lauren was born on August 5, 2000 at 2:07 am in Fort Smith, AR at St. Edwards Mercy Medical Center. She weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces. We knew she was going to be a girl, so we had all the pink stuff ready.

Lauren is now 11 and has started the 6th grade this year. She likes Justin Bieber, cheering, and hanging out with family. She also likes to do crafts and just made her first big purchase on her own...an ipod touch. She was so proud to have saved her money and bought it on her own. Lauren will not just talk to anyone. She has to warm up to you and then when she breaks out of her shell, she really talks a lot.
Terral and I are so proud of the young lady Lauren is becoming and we really enjoy watching her grow up.

We love you Lauren!!!
We can not believe how quickly this past 11 years has gone!

~ Last Day at Sea ~

2011-08-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

Hudson went to the Funship Freddy party at Camp Carnival. He enjoyed the activities they had. They got to dance with Funship Freddy, had his face painted, and there was some scavenger hunt they did.

Lauren and Grandpa at lunch.

I love pictures like this. There were so many times I would just stand at the balcony and look out at the water. It was just amazing...you could just look out, see no land. It looked as if the sky and the water meet at some point. It was so awesome to think one God did this; created all of this. WOW!!

Just a view of the deck. Hudson and I loved the slide. Terral went on it too.

Theres Terral and Jasper.

My sweet Hudson!

This was some farewell party we went to. Guess what?! We got to dance! Ha! Imagine that!! :)

Aunt Karla and Uncle Ronnie

Terral and his dad.

Here is Edy doing his magic trick for the night.

The kids looked forward to what he was going to do every night.

Magic!!

Lauren mentioned her birthday was a couple days after we were getting off the boat. When Edy and Bruno heard this, they brought Lauren a piece of apple pie with a candle and sang to her. It was so special to her.

Happy Birthday to you!!

The last dinner on the boat. It was so sad to leave them. They were the best waiters we had!!

Look at Bruno's face!!

My sweet bunny. He was mad at me. Not sure why. I think he was so exhausted!!

There he is passed out with his boat in hand. He loves that thing. He now has it in his room.

~ A Day At Sea ~

2011-08-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

On this day at sea, there was plenty of fun to be had. We took the kids to play mini-golf. For the record, I beat Terral! :)

Hud and I were the ones who wanted to swim. Really, I wanted to lay out and Hudson wanted to swim. I got to do both! Fun!!

Camp carnival had a family scavenger hunt. It was really fun! The kids enjoyed running around the boat finding different things.

We did not win, but the kids were given participation awards.

Here we are after the hunt. Of course, Hudson, with his peace sign!

Then it was off to dinner. Almost every night after dinner, the waiters dance. The kids would usually join them. This picture of Lauren looks bad, but she was just doing what the waiter did. It was all in good fun!

After dinner.

This was one of the assistant cruise directors, Alex. He invited Terral to play his fiddle in the comedy club a couple of different nights. Terral made a friend! Imagine that! :)

Here are the kids dancing! I love Harper's face in this picture. She was so serious!

Jasper enjoyed the dancing. He loves music!!

Hudson got so sleepy! Poor baby!

HA!! HA!! HA!! Our dancing friend is back!! Look at Aunt Karla behind him! She looks like she is praising the Lord!! I love it!!

Doing the twist!!!

~ Dinner, Dancing, and Deck Party ~

2011-08-15T10:14:00.000-07:00

The kids with Grandma Penny.

Bill and Stacey

Lauren and Tori. Our great waiter, Edy, made these wonderful hats with our napkins. Awesome! Ha!

The conga line after dinner.

Lindsey is always the life of the party.

Gotta love Aunt Karla!!

Terral with the showgirl! Look at the smile on his face. Ha!!

My little tiger. He had his face painted while at Camp Carnival.

This is Sam, the dancing man. Let me tell you, he was hilarious! He had some dancing moves I have never seen!! We would look for him every night just to watch him.

This was the deck party. It was a lot of fun. We did the cupid shuffle, the wobble, electric slide, etc...

This is just a shot of Terral and I in our room.

~ Nassau, Bahamas and Atlantis Resort ~

2011-08-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

This is our view of the Atlantis resort when we got off the boat.

Just a snapshot of the boat.

Waiting patiently to get on the bus to go to Atlantis.

The bus ride.

Going over the bridge we could see the boats lined up at the port. On our way back to the boat, there was another boat lined up with these. All of the Carnival boats that we have ever been on were there. Pretty cool!

The Atlantis resort was amazing. The marine life there is outstanding. It was so neat to see all of the different species God created. Its just so awesome!!

The swinging bridge. It was challenging taking a stroller over it. J had a bumpy ride.

Isn't it beautiful?

I am glad the kids were able to see the sharks, fish, and stingrays.

Look at those sharks. There were swimming right underneath us. We were standing on a bridge.

This guy was feeding the sting rays.

More shark pictures.

This part of the aquarium was cool because it was a tunnel that you walk through. We were surrounded by all of the under water creatures. They would swim right over us.

The landscape was beautiful too.

The famous chair. There were many people waiting to get their picture here.

Once Jasper woke up from his nap, he was able to take it all in.

Can you see how big this thing was? I do not remember what it was called but it looked like a big stingray. I think it had a different name though.

The beach was gorgeous!! It was just stunning!
The water was so clear. There were little striped fish swimming in the water.

I love this picture of Terral's dad. Just relaxing!!

Terral and Lauren.

Lauren and Tori.

Mom and Lauren's feet.

Don't Ralph and Debbie look like they are having a great time? I love this picture!

Terral with the kids, once again.

J's little legs were buried!

Terral taking it all in!

Nassau was definitely our favorite port. We had a blast at Atlantis seeing the resort, sea life, and the beach. We would like to go back. We feel so blessed to be able to take a trip like this. If you ever have the chance, do it! It simply beautiful!!

~ One Night on the Boat ~

2011-08-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

The family before dinner.

Terral and I.

Lauren and her Daddy.

Lauren's cotillion skills paid off. She got to dance with the waiter.

My two pirates.

This picture cracks me up!!! Oh Hudson!!!

Little J.

This was our cruise director, Jennifer Sparkles. Everyone calls her "Sparkles".

This was the magician on the boat. His show was soooo cool! We all enjoyed it.

Though, the boys fell asleep during the show. Not sure how they could. The dancers and the magician did a fantastic job.

~ Freeport, Bahamas ~

2011-08-15T08:39:00.000-07:00

Hudson and Harper searching for shells.

All of these pictures were taken in Freeport. We took a taxi and went to the beach. That is really all any of us wanted to do.

I did not get in the water this day, but the kids sure did. They loved it too!

My sweet Jasper. He is turning into quite the little poser.

Lauren got a braid.

Lauren and Hudson.

~ Beautiful Key West, Florida ~

2011-08-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our ship.

Eating ice cream.

Reading all the shirts. Some were pretty funny...others not so much. Glad Harper and Hudson could not read.

The posers. They automatically do this. Aren't they fun?

A gorgeous house!!

Love me some palm trees!!

Terral and I.

Lauren and I. This was taken at the oldest house in Key West.

Terral and Hudson.

Just a shot of Key West.

Eating at Jack Flatts, I think that was the name. Terral's dad eats there every time they are in Key West. He has to get this grouper sandwich. I guess its his tradition.

Sweet Lauren.

I love this picture!! Makes me want to go back!!

Back on the boat, eating ice cream once again!!

Momma and J!!

~ After Dinner ~

2011-08-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

After dinner some of us changed our clothes and hit the soft serve ice cream. After ice cream, this little machine caught some attention. The kids were not allowed in the casino, but this machine was right on the edge of the entrance so they would stand and watch. It was one of those quarter machines when you think, "I will put one quarter in and all of those will fall."

By the end of the week, I could make some serious ice cream cones. Terral was the best at it. The kids needed a lot of practice, but Lauren got better and better. I think we ate ice cream after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus we would have it for an afternoon snack.

This is one of my favorite pictures from the cruise!!! My little man!!!

~ Formal Night ~

2011-08-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

This was the first formal night of the cruise.

Penny and Paul

Lauren and I

Terral and I.

Me, Debbie, and Lindsey

Grandma and Grandpa with the grandkids.

There is Hudson's peace signs again!

Tori and Lauren at dinner.

Hud and I. (blurry, I know)

Hudson and one of our waiters, Edy.

Each night Edy made something for the kids or did some kind of trick.
They loved it!!!

Grandpa and Lauren.

Edy, Lauren, Tori, and Bruno. They called him Bruno Mars! HA!

Bill and Stacy!

~ Girl's Spa Day ~

2011-08-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

Lauren and Tori got to have some spa time. They had a pedicure and manicure. They gave the girls ice cream, massaged their feet, and they had some special foot soak.

The girls thought it was so cool. I am glad Lauren got to do something special just for her. Her brothers make being a girl difficult sometimes! :)

~ Bon Voyage ~

2011-08-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

The first thing we do when we get on the ships is eat! So thats what we all did! The boat did not leave New Orleans until 4 or 4:30 and we boarded about 11, I think. So we had time to explore, eat, and relax.

Everytime you are on a ship there is an emergency drill. That is when the kids get their bracelets that tells what muster station they report to. Just in case there is an emergency and the children are in camp carnival, the workers take them to that specific station and they parents are to meet them there.

Here is the crew out on the deck as we set sail!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Love this picture of Harper and Hudson.

Aunt Karla and Uncle Ronnie. It was a little rainy the day we took off.

Terral and Lindsey breaking it down. When the Meekers hear music, they dance!! (Except at church, you know those Baptists...I am not making fun either, I am one!! )

Harper and Hudson carrying on the Meeker dance tradition. Lindsey, Terral, and I are proud!!

Lauren and I before our first dinner on the ship.

I love this picture of Lauren and her grandma. So sweet! She loves her grandma so much!!

Cruise 2011

2011-08-10T11:12:00.001-07:00

The time FINALLY came for us to go on the cruise we booked so long ago! I wanted to take pictures throughout the trip, so that is what I did. Here are the kids on the way to New Orleans where we boarded the ship.

Harper got to ride with the boys a little while. That was fun!!

We had to have a picture of the Greenwood, Louisiana sign!!

This one you can't read so well but it says "Meeker Turkey Creek". We had to get a picture of that also.

Just a snapshot of the boys as we travel. As you have probably noticed, Hudson would flash his peace sign in most photos. Not sure why, but it was his thing all week!

Aunt Karla and the boys at the outlet mall in Gonzales, Louisiana. This was a great outlet mall! I could have gone crazy!!

Bill, Stacy, and Tori. They decided to book the cruise with all us Meekers. They were brave! HA!

Everyone waiting patiently to get on the boat.

Harper and Hudson

Finally time to get on! This is Grandma Penny and Paul and Aunt Karla and Uncle Ronnie.

~ A Weekend in Branson ~

2011-06-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

The kids observing a checkers game on the famous porch of Cracker Barrel.

Isn't this the cutest? C Hobbs and L enjoying each other's company at Cracker Barrel.

We found a great hotel last year and decided to stay there again. The great thing...they serve cobbler, cookies, and ice cream at night! How awesome is that?

The Hobbs family in Branson! We were so excited they decided to come!! We love hanging out with them!! They are just part of the family! Terral's parents love 'em too! When we are all together we have such a great time!

Boarded on the tram to Silver Dollar City!

Look at those smiles! They all had a great time! The Hobbs children enjoyed ALL the roller coasters. They are little dare devils. Hudson went on Thunderation for the first time and I think he is scarred for life! Oops.....

~ May 26th, 2011 8:44am ~

2011-05-31T17:30:00.001-07:00

Jasper Levi Meeker

Here he is at 8:44 am on 5-26-11.
He has turned two!

Jasper loves music. He sings all the time. For his birthday he got a microphone and he loves it!
He also loves to play outside and LOVES bubbles!!! He drinks a lot of milk and eats when he wants to. (I know that sounds crazy, but its just the way it is.)
Jasper loves his brother and sister. He tries to do anything they do which at times is a little scary! He also talks a lot. Terral and I just laugh at the things he says sometimes.
He loves to watch the movie "The Elf" with Will Ferrell. He acts out the part when Santa comes to visit in the store and Will Ferrell starts screaming "Hes a fake...hes a fake." Yes, Jasper acts out that part and starts tackling Hudson.
Jasper is a lover too...he gives hugs and kisses all the time! Its just precious! He likes to help me when I unload the dishwasher and when I am doing laundry. I think all of my kids did that at this age!

It is definitely a joy being his mama and watching him grow. Motherhood can be so challenging at times, but soooo rewarding too!
I love you Jasper!!!
Happy Birthday!!!

~ Random Pictures ~

2011-05-31T17:24:00.000-07:00

On day this little guy was sneaky...this is where I found him. Sitting in his chair outside!!!
I think I need to purchase some new locks on the doors.

I never know what I might find when these two brothers are together! They are loads of fun though!

He looks so happy just sitting in the hamper. He loves to make people laugh!
My sweet little Jasper...growing up so fast!
I love you little man!

~ Father/Daughter Date Night ~

2011-05-18T19:40:00.001-07:00

I know I am late on this post...but I could not leave it out!

Lauren and Terral had been looking forward to this night for awhile!
Father daughter date night at FBC-Greenwood.
This year's theme was western.
They had a great time! I heard about riding horses and good food.
Love these two!!

~ Kinsey Conway ~

2011-05-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Here she is!! Little Miss Kinsey Conway!!
A few weeks ago, Hudson was invited to her birthday party. He talked about it all week long. When you mention this little girl's name to Hud he grins like a opposum!! Isn't she adorable??

Here they are on the teeter-totter. (should have zoomed in)
He was so excited to see her outside of school. I see some playdates in the future, even though she is a girl, he likes to play with her!!

~ The Big Haircut ~

2011-05-16T07:55:00.001-07:00

Last week Hudson got his haircut....

so did Jasper. He wants to do everything his big brother does.

He did such a good job. I have been the only one to cut his hair so far so this was a "big deal".

Here is a great pose from 2 sweet little boys with big boy haircuts!!
Gosh, I love these little guys!!

~ Friday Night Fun ~

2011-05-15T17:41:00.000-07:00

Like my new hair style???

You never know what you are going to get with a 10 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old fixing your hair!!

They had fun though and it was a display of the kid's creative side! HA!
They had fun and that is all that matters!

~ Mother's Day 2011 ~

2011-05-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day 2011 was a great one.

3 wonderful, healthy children and
1 amazing husband!!
I was given many different crafts, none of which I took pictures of. But I kept them! Thats what matters, right??
Notice my corsage Hudson made for me! He was very proud of it and I wore it all day for him!!
We had a nice day cooking out at Aunt Lindsey's and hanging out all day, outside, watching the children play. They all played together so well. It was great to just relax and chat.
I was glad we could spend some time with Terral's mom. She is so wonderful to me and I am thankful to have her in my life. She did a wonderful job raising Terral!
I hope all you mothers out there had a great Mother's Day!

~ Sleeping Quarters ~

2011-05-09T06:50:00.001-07:00

Well, its official. Jasper is in a "big boy" bed! He has been sleeping with his brother for about 2 months now, but last night Hudson upgraded to this........

.....the top bunk!! It was his first night and he did great! I was so proud of him!! He was in great company with his cat in the hat! I must say he was proud of himself too! Hudson was all smiles when he came in my room this morning!

Here they are getting snuggled in!
I can't believe how the time flies.
Jasper is not even two yet, but wants to be like his big brother!
The boys are so fun together. Jasper watches everything Hudson does, just like Hudson watches everything his Lauren does.
I am so proud of all three of my kids and am extremely blessed in so many ways!!!!!

~ BSF Fellowship ~

2011-04-27T07:40:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we had a BSF fellowship at Mrs. Kelsea's house. It was great to hang out and let all the children play.

Here is Mrs. Alice playing with the children. They just love her. She is wonderful! It has been so awesome being in her group. Mrs. Alice is so passionate for the Lord and so wise. The Lord has really used her to teach me!!

BSF has been so wonderful for me! It has really taught me to "dig" into God's word. My relationship with the Lord has grown huge and my boys have learned a lot too!! I only have 2 more weeks of this Bible study and I am really sad about it! We have been studying Isaiah and man, God is so awesome!! He really carried the Israelites just like he carries me through tough times! I am on a hunt for a Bible study for the summer!!

~ A Few Weeks Ago ~

2011-04-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

A couple of Fridays ago Teresa organized a "girls night".
It was a blast!
I love all of these girls! When we are together, we laugh and laugh and laugh!!!
After dinner we went and saw Soul Surfer; very good movie! Its a must see. It is very inspiring!!

~MIA~

2011-04-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

I am not sure what I have been doing.....

I am still alive and kicking....

I will update the blog soon!!!

~ The Little Helper ~

2011-04-18T14:29:00.001-07:00

The other night, this sweet little guy made a mess.

Then he sweetly cleaned it up without asking.

~ Vintage Pearl ~

2011-04-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

Have you been to the vintage pearl today??
If not, go to the link below!

http://thevintagepearl.blogspot.com/

There is a great giveaway!!

Have a good day!

~ Sleepy Boy ~

2011-03-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

I walked in the other night and this is what I found.

How precious is he?

I just HAD to take a picture.

I love you little J!!!

~ Tulsa Zoo ~

2011-03-28T13:28:00.001-07:00

Friday, Terral took the day off of work so we ventured to the Tulsa zoo.

The boys had never been and it was the perfect day. We dressed in long sleeves and took coats in fear of cool temperatures. By the end of the day, we were rolling up our sleeves. They boys had layered, so they were able to take their long sleeved shirts off.

Here are T and the kids aboard the train. Jasper enjoyed his little ride.

I wish Jasper would have been looking at the camera. It would have made this picture so much better. Look at that smile!!!

Here they are posing in front of the elephant. I think that was the elephant that is 63 years old!! Wow!!

I just love giraffes! Such unique creatures!

You can't really see the zebras that well here. The kids wanted me to take pictures of all the animals. I did not get them all though!

After we ate lunch, the kids played on the playground at the zoo. There were several pieces of equipment for them to play on. Lauren is so good to jump right in and play with them. She loves her brothers!!

The boys liked the petting zoo. There were mainly goats. Actually, I think that was all there was to pet. Luckily, we got out of there without the goats eating our clothing!

The monkeys were my favorite! Terral's too! We could have just sit and watched them for hours. They are fascinating. The kids thought they were funny too!
Hudson's favorite was the tiger and the lion.
Lauren's favorite were the penguins. They were really cute. We liked watching them swim around.

After the zoo we headed to Braums for ice cream and then hit the road.
It was such a great day!!
It is not too often we all five are together. I am glad we took advantage of our time and took a little trip. Did I mention it was mine and Terral's
anniversary!!

Happy Anniversary Babe!!!

~ Spring Break Fun ~

2011-03-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

Spring break has come and .....gone!!
There was loads of fun to be had...

On Wednesday, we headed to the McDaniel's farm...
It was like a carnival.

Here is Blaze enjoying his cotton candy.
Isn't he a doll?

Sweet Mrs. Kerri making the cotton candy.

Hudson thought it was so cool to be at someone's house and get cotton candy, not just at the fair!

Some of the kids waiting to go down the water slide.
It was the perfect day for it too. Well, it was a little windy, but it did not stop the kids.

Then they got out the water balloons.
Hudson really enjoyed that too. He loved being with the big boys.

I did not see Lauren that much. She was on the waterslide most of the time with Hadley and Paige. Though, when it was cotton candy time she was all about it!

Thank you McDaniel's for the great day of fun!!
It was awesome!!
We can not wait until next year!!

~ Shout out to Dad ~

2011-03-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

I just love this picture and these boys so much!!
Jasper has become quite the little picture taking man.
Hud and J LOVE their daddy sooooo much!!
Terral is a wonder father and husband.
I am proud to call him my husband!!
He is such a hard worker and has a genuine heart that is full of love.
He is constantly searching for ways to help people.
I hope our children learn from their daddy and have a passion for Christ and people as much as he does!!

I love you Terral!!!

~ Big Helpers ~

2011-03-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

He was posing for me and saying "cheese".

Terral's parents have been doing some backyard makeovers. They have really come a long way on their yard. Terral and the boys went over the other day to help Grandpa put part of the fence back up. They really enjoyed themselves.

They were big helpers. Terral let Hud hammer in some real nails and he thought he was big stuff.

I love that T spends time with the boys and teaches them "manly" things. J and Hud really love their dad and love spending time with him.

I just don't want my boys to grow up too fast!!

~ Cookies, cookies, cookies ~

2011-03-04T06:02:00.000-08:00

This is what I have been doing for the past two weeks....

delivering cookies.....

528 boxes of them to be exact...

~ King and Queen of Hearts Ball ~

2011-03-01T14:40:00.001-08:00

On Febrauary 12th, Lauren had her last cotillion session of the year. She had a wonderful time participating and is excited for next year!

I really love how Mrs. MaryAnn included the parents during several occasions. She did a terrific job with the students.

Here is the 5th grade Westwood crew.

At the last cotillion session, each student voted for a king and queen for their grade.
The 2nd runners-up for 5th grade were Blake Bartlett and Blakely McEvoy.
The 1st runners-up were Elliot Gross and Lauren Meeker.
The King was Zane Harmon and the queen was Sarah Beth Moore.
Lauren was so excited!! I was so proud of her.

I just can not believe Lauren is in 5th grade. The time is really flying by.

Lauren is so great with her brothers. They adore her and she does them as well.

~ New Interests ~

2011-02-12T11:45:00.001-08:00

What is this??
Jasper sitting on the potty?

This little guy has a new interest.
He loves the potty.
He asks to sit on there several times a day.
There was one specific time he actually went #2!
It was very exciting! I really think it was a freak thing though.
But, he is interested.
That is a good thing.
I think having a big brother to look up to and watch makes a difference.

I love my Jasper!
He fills my heart with joy!!

~ Snow, Snow, Snow ~

2011-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

The boys before we went out. It was such a job getting everyone dressed for the snow!

Here are a few shots taken out the front door. I just wanted to capture the beauty of the snow.

What a beautiful site! Can you see the pond?

Beau and Becky went sledding with us. It was so cold!! These snow pictures were taken within several days of each other. I think they had a good time; not sure if they knew how crazy the Meekers are!!

Becky and Piper about to hit the hill. It was so fun!

Look at J! Still smiling despite the cold. Poor guy could barely walk. He was layered up!

I love this picture of Harper and Lauren. They are so sweet together. Lauren wants a sister; I always tell her Harper is the closest that she has. I really think they adore each other. I hope Lauren can be a good role model for Harper.

Ralph and Abby. It is a little difficult to make out who that sweet "pink" girl is.

I love this picture, Grandma helping Jasper up the hill. I love the kids have a grandma who is adventurous and enjoys doing fun things with the kids!

J really enjoyed the sled. He would say "slide, slide". This was the first day we went, so it was more exciting to him than the days after that.

Lauren and I.
Gotta love the coveralls! They kept me warm!!

J, Terral, and Grandma....

The snow was so beautiful, another one of the many of God's creations!!
I am glad we were able to enjoy it. After we went sledding, we came home a ALL piled on the 4-wheeler for a ride behind the house. The kids loved it!
Good times.....

~ Super Bowl Fun ~

2011-02-11T10:32:00.001-08:00

This year our Lifegroup Super Bowl party was at the Andrews house. We do this every year; eat, watch the game, and let the kids play.
The kids had a great time as well as the adults.
There was so much food!!!
It was so great to hang out.
I love some good fellowship!
I do love football too, but I did not care who won either way this year.
It was the Greenbay Packers and the Pittsburg Steelers.

Is that even right???

Anyway, the Packers won!

~ All Zipped Up ~

2011-02-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

This little guy was packed up are ready to go!!

We put him in and zipped him up.
Its crazy the things you do when you are stuck in the house for a week!!

Happy Snow Days to all!!!

~ Weekend Fun ~

2011-02-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

Just a few snippets from the weekend. (I know this picture is off, Lauren took it but it was the only group shot I had).

Had some great girl time with a few friends, some good food, and sweet kids playing.

I thought spring was on its way, so TH dressed for it, but the sleet and snow have arrived. UGH!!

These three sweet girls had a blast! Their night consisted of nail polish, makeup, and a lot of dresses! I wish I would have taken a picture of the boys!

Miss EW is adorable!! I love to hear her talk. She loves her babies and takes great care of them!!

Love these pictures! The kids loved the warm weather. They even pulled out their shorts.

The weather was amazing!! Hudson loved practicing for tball. He is so ready for sign-ups. I am glad we had time to spend outside. Especially since we are stuck inside now with the freezing temperatures!!

~ Evangelism Conference ~

2011-02-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

Last week our praise team had the honor (really and truly an honor) of providing the worship at the Arkansas Baptist Evangelism Conference.

It was amazing!!! We worshiped our hearts out. We heard some excellent speakers and saw some awesome skits. Have you ever heard of the Skit Guys? If not, youtube them. They have a heart for God and can reach people like I have never seen.

I am getting to know these people more and more and I love it!! I know I have said before, we are all different, have different backgrounds, but we love the Lord and want to serve Him.

Love the Thompsons!!

This is a great group of gentlemen. They are a blast to be around.
Do you all know Brother Tom?
If not, you should. I mean really take the time to introduce yourself. He would love it. He has a heart for the Lord and for people. He is a wonderful leader and does a wonderful job!!

~ January Cotillion ~

2011-01-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

I came across these pictures and realized I never posted Lauren's January cotillion. My sister, Kassy, fixed Lauren's hair. (I was out of town.) I think she did a good job. Lauren really liked it! I arrived at cotillion at the very end. All I really saw was the cupid shuffle. Lauren forgot what the name of the dance they had learned that evening, but she had a great time. I suppose that is all that matters.

~ Motivation ~

2011-01-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Have you ever purchased something that
was too small for motivation to lose weight?

Well... I did!

Yesterday!
Good luck to me!!!

~ Praise Team Retreat ~

2011-01-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was our praise team retreat. Brother Tom planned this for us to learn new music and study God's word.

I love how God uses Terral and I for music. Terral really blesses my heart with his abilities on the fiddle.

I have come to know each praise team member, some more than others, but I love them all. Susie has really become one whom I love to talk to. She is really a true disciple of God. I know God is teaching me a lot through her. I love her so much!!

We all had a great time!! Brother Tom put together some great lessons for us. Each of us shared when we were saved, which was amazing! I really opened up with this group this weekend. They feel like family. We are all different in so many ways, but we all love Jesus and want to bring others to Him.

Here are all the men who attended.

Here are all the ladies.

I want to thank Brother Tom for being a true disciple for Christ! He did an awesome job putting music together, plus the lessons and all the planning for meals and room assignments. He put a lot of effort into this retreat. He has a desire for us to help lead others to Christ. Praise team is not something that is taken lightly. We are examples on that stage. We are not performing; we are praising Jesus and trying to lead others to do the same.

Again, it was a great weekend. We sang and others played instruments, but it went straight to Jesus.

The CROSS is for dying.
The TOWEL is for serving.
The YOKE is for learning.

~ Introducing....Lily Beth ~

2011-01-10T12:49:00.001-08:00

Meet Lillian Beth Meeker...Lily Beth.
She weighed 8lbs and 5oz.
She was welcomed into the world by many cousins. They just love her.

I truly think my kids would like to have another sibling, but cousins are going to have to do. :)

I just love babies!!
They are so cuddly and precious; a true miracle from God!!

Welcome Lily Beth!!
We love you so much!!
All of your cousins have many wonderful things to teach you!!

~ New Year's Eve ~

2011-01-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

For New Year's Eve this year we hung out with the Meekers.
There was music, dancing, and a lot of food.
When we all get together it is a great time.
I did not take very many pictures, but here are a few shots so you can get the picture.
Check out the train!! Ha! What a hoot!!!

~ Christmas Eve ~

2010-12-29T20:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of my three little joys on Christmas Eve. Notice Hudson's pajamas. They were a Christmas present from Mrs. Donna and he loves them! They are Illinois pajamas. He is still cheering Spencer on!!
Christmas Eve was a little different this year, with Jasper being sick.
We were unable to attend the service at church and I was a little disappointed because I really like taking the kids. We go every year.
My brother and sister came down, so I cooked dinner and we opened gifts with them. It was good for us to be together and very relaxing.

~ Please Pray ~

2010-12-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

Please pray for this little guy.
He is sick at home with pneumonia.

~ Jasper's First Haircut ~

2010-12-14T17:18:00.001-08:00

The top two pictures are the "before" pics.

These are the "after" pictures!

The day finally arrived.
Yes, the one when I was forced by my sweet husband to cut J's hair!!
He is my baby but it had to be done.
Jasper looks more like a big boy now.
After all he is almost 20 months!!
Can you believe that?
Time flies!!

~ Christmas Parade~

2010-12-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Christmas parade has come and gone.
The past several years, Terral has volunteered to drive one of the many fire trucks. For that I am thankful. This is a great way to stay warm. It seems every year it is so stinking cold the evening of the Christmas parade. I know it is December and it is supposed to be cold, but I don't understand how we can have random 60 degree days but never on that night. Oh well, I guess it makes it seem more like Christmas time if it is cold the night of the parade. I have included a few pictures(pardon the quality) of the kids in the truck. We had bought the kids little candy canes to throw, a box for the girls and a box for the boys. They were gone right as we rounded the corner to get on main street!! They were throwing them by the hand fulls!! So, if you did not get any candy canes, I apologize. Someone else got your share!!

~ The Fiddler~

2010-12-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

Here he is...the one...the only...Fiddler!!

Doesn't he look awesome? I love the knickers!

The kids were proud of their dad.

Scrooge (aka Brett Short) did amazing!!

It was such a good play. Everyone did an excellent job! I was really impressed. There was so much hard work put into this. It is great how so many people came together to get it all done. If you did not get to see it, you really missed out. It was a huge success and seeds were planted.

I am proud of my fiddler!!

~ November Student of the Month ~

2010-12-04T07:45:00.000-08:00

I had the honor of attending a special breakfast with my one and only daughter, Lauren.
She was so excited the day she found out she was student of the month.
I was so pleased with her and very happy to attend this breakfast.
Lauren is such a good girl who is giving and full of love.
Congratulations Lauren!
I love you and am proud of you!!

~ I Love Him ~

2010-11-29T17:10:00.000-08:00

I love this man.....

He is an incredible Father, husband, worker, musician, and so much more.
I am so very blessed to have him in my life. He would do anything for our family and I find some comfort in that. Terral is a great source of encouragement even in the tough times. His smile is contagious along with his laughter.

Thank you for being a great leader for our family babe!!
I love you so much!!!

~ What I Have Learned ~

2010-11-24T20:02:00.000-08:00

This is what I am thankful for. The five of us.
My precious children, wonderful husband, and Heavenly Father are more than a girl could ask for.

This year, I have learned and grown closer to God. My relationship with Him is one that has become a strong priority. I have learned what a true friend is. I have also learned to look at the heart of a person and how to love deeper. God amazes me daily and these past two days I have really felt His presence. He has brought some people in my life who have really ministered to me and people who I really admire and look to for Godly counsel. He has shown me some weaknesses but has also shown me some strengths. I struggle daily to be the person God wants me to be, but it is on my heart to be that person. So, for Thanksgiving I have to give God glory for providing for mine and my family's needs and so much more, for giving His life for us who are so unworthy, and for bringing people in my life who really care and love me (you know who you are and I do too).

~ Cotillion Again ~

2010-11-22T18:05:00.000-08:00

It is that time again...

cotillion....

It is dreaded in some households.....

but not this one...

Can you tell she loves it?

She has many friends who attend.

It is so much fun getting to shop with her and picking out a dress. Great mother/daughter time.

It is so much fun watching her interact with other students and I hope she is learning something. I really hope cotillion helps with her shyness and communication skills.
I do know Lauren is having a great time and I am happy with that.

~ Not Too Often ~

2010-11-19T08:46:00.000-08:00

It is not too often you find the three of us together!
My brother, Blake, my sister, Kassy, and I.
Blake called me a couple of weekends ago and asked if he could come and stay the weekend with us. I was really excited. It seems it is somewhat difficult for a 21 year old guy to take the time to come and visit his sister, niece, and nephews. Therefore, I told him to come on down and visit. Blake lives in Fayetteville and my sister is going to college at UAFS. I thought I would see a lot more of Kassy than I actually do, but she works and goes to school. I know she stays busy. This is the only picture I got, which was torture for some. :)
I am so thankful we had a nice evening together. It was great they both came to hang out and eat, of course!!
I love them both! They are turning into a nice young lady and gentleman.

~ Bronze Project ~

2010-11-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

All the birdhouses the girls built and decorated.

Lauren with her birdhouse.

Lauren's sweet teachers, Mrs. Saxton and Mrs. Robbins came! How precious!!

Lauren's girl scout troop have been working on a bronze project for about a year now. It is finally complete and they had a ceremony to dedicate it. They chose a spot behind the Senior Citizen Center. All the girls and parents (Terral was our representative) put a lot of time and hard work into this. They landscaped a specific spot, planted 10 trees, and built and painted their own bird houses. Each birdhouse is somewhere along the trail in Greenwood. Lauren painted hers and it has the Greenwood "G" on it.
Lauren loves being in girl scouts. She has learned a lot and has made some life long friends. I think it is neat she is part of something that gives to the community.

I am proud of you Lauren!! Keep up the good work!!

~ Halloween 2010 ~

2010-11-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

the cheerleader, the pumpkin, and Buzz Lightyear

Poor J was exhausted!!

This post is long overdue!!
I have posted some pictures of our Halloween fun. We started out at the First Baptist Fall Festival. We arrived right when it began so it was not so crazy, but the kids had a great time and were able to see many friends. After the festival we headed out in the town to trick or treat. The Meekers are serious about their trick or treating. Every year we all go together and take the kids. They all love being together. This year I was not able to get many pictures of them all. It seemed the kids were more into it this year. They did a lot of running, from house to house.

~ Rocktober Feast ~

2010-11-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Addie, Harper, and Hudson

Mr. J Cox with Jasper. My kids LOVE Mr. and Mrs. Cox!!

T playing the fiddle.

The Edge band

Saturday was full of events in the Meeker house. We had several places to be and some we just did not make it to. Rocktober Feast was a "must" for us. It was an event for aplastic anemia. I was so excited to see Teresa and Michael. I can't believe I did not take a picture!! They both look great and God has worked a miracle in Michael's life. Terral played with the Edge band from church and he also played with 10 Spur. I was not able to watch 10 Spur, but I did get to see the Edge band play and they did a great job.

~ Weekend Overview ~

2010-10-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

These are just a few snapshots from the wonderful weekend. TH and I headed to our second annual trip to OKC!!! Two years in a row is amazing considering there are six children to be taken care of. We made it there, did some shopping, and made it back safely!! Saturday morning we headed to the soccer fields to watch Hud and Lauren play. Sadly, I have not taken one picture of them playing...oh dear. Saturday evening it was hanging out at the house watching the hogs and waiting around for the phone call about a pitbull game being cancelled. Thankfully we received the call, so we headed to SW's for a little fun. Overall great weekend. I love to hang out, let the kids play, and chit-chat.

~ Blast From The Past ~

2010-10-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Lauren, Sara Beth, Cassie, and Hadley

Landry, Lauren, Sarah Beth, Blakely, Hadley, and Cassie

Lauren and Landry

Each child had to go to the microphone and say their name and what they were dressed up as. Lauren did a good job, but Mrs. MaryAnn made her do it twice. I thought she was going to break out in tears, but she did not! I was proud. I am hoping cotillion helps with the shyness and also with eye contact when she speaks to adults.

Lauren and her escort to refreshments, Hayden Cantrell.

Mrs. MaryAnn and Lauren

Lauren had her second cotillion session and she loved it. I think the funnest part was seeing all the other kids in their costumes. This session was titled "Blast From The Past". Lauren dressed as Scarlet O'Hara from Gone With The Wind. They learned the swing dance this time and sadly, she did not even ask her dance partner his name.

~ 10 Spur ~

2010-09-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a very tiresome but overall a fun weekend.
Friday evening we went to the "dinosaur" talk (that is what I call it). Those of you who went with the school age kids are asking, "Why in the world would she want to go to that?" I am really not into the whole dinosaur thing, but I am glad I went. When the school took the kids there was not at thing mentioned about God or creation. In the evening, the presentation was very different. The focus was on the dinosaurs and when they were on the Earth and places in the Bible where it is interpreted dinosaurs were part of God's creation. It was very interesting. Glad I went.

On Saturday, Lauren was supposed to cheer in Sallisaw, but I changed our family plans. You see, Terral plays his fiddle in the band 10 Spur and they had a "gig" in Searcy, AR. I decided we were going to go and listen to Dad play the fiddle. If I were singing somewhere, even if it was just one song, Terral would be there. He is so supportive and a wonderful husband, so instead of doing a "kid" thing and watching Lauren, I decided it was Dad's turn. There are many more games left for us to watch Lauren. The kids had a great time in Searcy. There were booths set up so we walked around and the kids were bombarded with stickers from politicians, but they loved it. There was also one set up with a tv so we stood around and watched the hog game. It was really exciting until the very end..... :(

Watching Terral and the band perform was so much fun. They really did a great job. After the show they had some people ask where they could get a cd!! People were stopping Shawn and wanting pictures.. It was so sweet!! Mike Lensing played with them because the guy who usually plays could not, so it was fun to have Angela hang out with us and he did a great job as well. I was so proud of Terral. :)

Sunday was church and Brother Ronnie delivered God's message so well. We really are so blessed to have him at our church! The message really made me examine my heart and my intentions on some things. It is an amazing feeling when you really feel God working in your life.
Sunday was also the annual fireman's picnic. The kids played on bounce arounds and there was food, food, food.... It was great!!

Overall, we had a great weekend. It was a blast and we are all tired. Naps after school maybe? Ha! Not a chance!!

~ First Cotillion ~

2010-09-19T16:17:00.001-07:00

Blakely, Cassie, Sarah Beth, Hadley, and Lauren

Lauren and Connor

Well, the day finally came for Lauren's first cotillion. She was so excited! It was complete with dancing, etiquette instructions, and refreshments. They started out with some line dancing and then it happened... It was time for the boys to ask the girls to dance. It was really funny how they suddenly separated. Lauren was asked by Dane Drennan. The sweet boy had two girls to dance with because there are more girls than boys. (He will appreciate this later on in life HA!) After their partner dancing the kids went around with a different partner to each station to learn about proper communication, eye contact, proper handshake, how to sit lady-like etc... This time her partner was Connor Rouse.

I am hoping Lauren can learn a lot from her experiences with cotillion. She enjoyed it.. not too sure about the boys. It was so fun to watch and take pictures. I can't believe how grown-up all the kids looked on the stage. Can't wait until October to see how the next one goes.

~ Bowen's Heart ~

2010-09-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share this with you all who read this blog.

There is a band, Sanctus Real. They are wonderful. The lead singer is Matt and he and his wife Sarah welcomed into the world a sweet baby boy named Bowen. Please take the time to read this miraculous story and pray for them. God is truly wonderful!!

http://bowensheart.com

~ Old Pictures ~

2010-09-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

I came across these pictures today and realized I never posted them. There are some good ones here. These are a few of our good friends we had over last winter. Its great to look at the kids and to see how they have grown.
We are blessed to have all of these wonderful people in our lives. Isn't it great to have people to go through life with. There are so many times we need each other.

~ First Day ~

2010-08-31T20:25:00.001-07:00

I love this picture! They really love each other!

Hudson's first day of preschool.

Getting settled in with the legos.

Hudson with his "sweet" teacher Ms. Amanda. He just walked in and she showed him right where his chair was. He was so brave. He slowly pulled out his chair to sit down and start building away.

He really liked it. He was happy to see his sister. Lauren rode the bus there after school.
It is such a blessing to watch my children grow up..but it is so bittersweet.
I want them to spread their wings and fly...

I love you Hud!!!

Love, Mom

~ First Day of Fifth Grade ~

2010-08-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Finally, I have posted the first day of fifth grade pictures!

There were no tears...just smiles.
Oh and can't forget, "Mom, quit taking my picture."

It is going to be a great year!

Lauren, I hope you have a great year!!
I love you so much!!

Love, Mom

~ Birthday Boy ~

2010-08-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here he is...

the 4 year old Birthday boy...

at 10:56 am on August 9th, 2010.

I take his picture every year at the time he was born.

I love you Hudson!!

~ Birthday Girl ~

2010-08-05T14:14:00.001-07:00

My sweet Lauren has turned 10!! Wow! Double digits! I can not believe how fast the past ten years have gone. Terral and I took her to lunch at Marketplace. We let her pick.

Of course she had to get the chocolate mess! It was so good. She was generous to share with her Daddy and I. Terral and I had a great time chatting with her. I laughed a lot at lunch today and it was nice to spend some time with her without the boys. She deserves some mom and dad time.

Lauren has been talking about cutting her hair. I did not think she really wanted to. I scheduled her a hair appointment thinking she would get a trim, but she did not. She really cut off a lot!!!

Here is the finished product. I think it looks cute. It is taking me awhile to get used to it.

Here is the back of it. Lauren really likes it!!

Happy Birthday my sweet Lauren!
I am so proud of the young lady you are becoming. My prayer is that you would seek after Jesus and follow your heart wherever you go. I love you so much!!!

Love, Mom

~ Teacher Time ~

2010-08-03T19:32:00.001-07:00

Lauren with her 5th grade class list.

the list

Hudson had to have his picture taken too. He is so ready to go to school!!

Well, the moment has arrived......
and the teacher is....
Mrs. LaDonna Robbins!!!

We are thrilled. I do not know who was more excited, Lauren or I.
Mrs. Robbins is who Lauren really wanted. On top of that, two of her best friends are in her class. Plus many more... I am not sure that is a great thing. They might get a little chatty.
I am so thankful for the teacher Lauren got.
Let 5th grade begin!!!

~ Lunch Date ~

2010-07-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

This week I had the privilege of eating lunch with these fine women.
We had such a nice visit and it is so relaxing being around Christian women.
Food was great. Fellowship was great.

It is such a joy singing on the Praise Team with you girls!!
Can't wait until our next outing!!

Love, Shaina

~ Dirty Thirty Club ~

2010-07-27T17:09:00.000-07:00

Dirty Thirty Club

Shooting the potato gun! Super Fun!!

Robin and I. I have known this girl for years. We went to school together from 5th grade on.

Raegan, Crystal, and I.
So, I am sure the title captured some attention!
This weekend Terral and I went to Rogers for a little get together.
Most of these girls are who I grew up with. This past weekend they had a little get together and call themselves the dirty thirty club, since everyone turned 30 this year.
It was a lot of fun and I am glad I went. I have not seen some of these people in a very looooong time. We cooked out and sang and shot the potato gun. There was also a zipline, which I did not do. I thought it would be a little awkward going considering I haven't seen everyone in awhile, but it was great. Then when I heard Bro. Ronnie's message Sunday, I knew it was meant for me to go. I am looking forward to the next event with these girls.

Sometimes it is intimidating to go out on a limb and be a candle.....but once you do it, its not so bad.

~ A Period of a Few Days ~

2010-07-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

This is Terral and his cousins, Brian and Chris. I love it when they get together. They have the best time together.

Tim, Amy, Terral, and I. Amy is Terral's cousin.

Amy and Terral.

I know this picture is blurry, but I had to include it. This lady is so sweet and very special. This is Terral's great Aunt Nita. She is Terral's grandfather, Jasper's, sister. She reminds us so much of his grandpa. Her health is not doing so well, so we were thankful we had this time with her. She has a lot of land where she lives in Michigan and they have a vineyard. Terral's family has a contract with Welch's. It is really cool. They also own a nursery and grow many plants.

During the weekend of the 4th, there was a mini reunion. It was a lot of fun. We were the only ones there from the South. Everyone kept commenting on the way we talk. Apparently our accent is really strong. By the end of vacation I thought I was speaking like a Northerner.

There was a lot of family I had never met. So, it was fun meeting Terral's family.

This is Terral's cousin Kathy and her daughter, Melanie. Kathy is whose house we were at and she hosted the mini reunion. She was so sweet to have all of us there. There were a lot of people, but it was a blast!!

This is Amanda and I. She is married to Terral's cousin Chris and is a real sweetie!!

Kathy and another daughter of her's, Kelsey.

Tim and Amy at the bonfire.

Lauren and Lauren.

Aaron, Mary, Terry, and Amanda at the bonfire.

Hudson and his cousin, Hunter. These two had a blast together!

When the Meekers get together, there is always going to be some music. It is so much fun listening to them play and sing. I sang a little with them this year, which I have never done. Terral's cousin, Brian, has put his house on the market to move to Nashville. He is going to pursue him music career. I hope he does well. He writes his own songs, plays the guitar, and sings.

~ July 5th ~

2010-07-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

I saw this sign and had to take a picture!

On July 5th, We went to South Haven and watched fireworks. They did not start until 11:00 so the boys fell asleep waiting. South Haven waited so late to shoot them off, but they were worth the wait. I am glad they shot them off on the 5th or we would not have seen any.

~ Chicago Baby ~

2010-07-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is Lauren waiting to board the train to Chicago. The train ride was about 1 hour. It was kinda fun.

This was while we were on the train. I chose to sit "backwards". Terral would get sick if he did and I was afraid Lauren would if she did. The sights on the way were not that great. It made me thankful for what I have. We passed many houses and they were were so close together. It was crazy!!

While we were in Chicago we went to Shedd's Aquarium. It was so cool! There was so much to look at. They had a dolphin show and we watched a 4D movie ( Happy Feet- just a clip of it), and we saw whales and every fish imaginable. Fish from rivers, oceans, and lakes. There were even monkeys and we saw blue frogs and bright yellow ones too! Very fascinating. The picture of the three of us was taken right outside of the aquarium with the view of Chicago in the back.

When I think of Chicago I think of tall buildings and the Chicago Cubs. I love this picture of the sailboats. I think it is so beautiful. It gave me a whole new vision of Chicago.

Lauren had a really great time. We took a water taxi over to the Navy Pier. This is while we were waiting for it.

Terral and I.

I took this picture while we were riding the water taxi. You can see the clouds starting to roll in. It did rain while we were there, but it was while we were waiting on pizza so it was not a huge deal. This is the Navy Pier. It was really neat. There were rides and shops and restaurants.

This was Lauren's surprise. We took her here to shop and see the store!! It was so cool. I had never been to the store myself. I really wish we had brought her doll!! She had a great time shopping and browsing around. It is so much better being there than looking at a catalog!!

I took this picture for EB!! Walgreens were everywhere. I thought to myself, I wonder if I could get those great deals at this Walgreens. You know, with the hustle and bustle of the city, people would probably NOT be very patient with me and my coupons and many transactions!!!

This is Lauren with her cousin Kelsey and Kelsey's roommate from college. This was Lauren's first ride in a taxi! I got to hail it!! Why is that such a big deal for me? Not sure. I have been in a taxi, but it was in Mexico.

I thought this church was so beautiful!! It was so weird to see this beautiful structure in the middle of all these great big buildings. Later, I found out we could have gone in. I will have to do that next time.

To end our day in Chicago, we ordered some Chicago style pizza! It was amazing!! I wish I would have taken a picture of it. It was so thick and delicious!!! We had to eat it on the train because we were afraid of missing it. It made no difference to me where I ate it because it was so good!!

I was sad because I did not get to see Wrigley field. I grew up watching the Chicago Cubs with my grandparents. This just means I will have to go back!!!

~ So behind ~

2010-07-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

It seems I am extremely behind on my blog posts.

With that being said, I am going to play catch-up!!

So, stay tuned....

~ Just a Glimpse ~

2010-07-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

Just a glimpse...

South Haven....

Gorgeous!!!

This was my favorite place.

I liked it more than Chicago.

More pictures to come of the rest of the vacation....

Love, Shaina

~ Party Time ~

2010-06-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

Never posted these.

Just a few shots from Jasper's first birthday party.

Fun times.

He loved his wagon and the cake too!!

~ Kassy's Graduation ~

2010-06-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

Me, my sister, Kassy, and brother, Blake

My sister and I

My Aunt Gina and my brother. She just moved to NWA from California!! So exciting!!!

Lauren, Aunt Yvonne, Blake, and Aunt Gina

This post is long.....overdue. My sister graduated from high school in May.
Yes, I know it is June, so I am a little behind.
She deserved the credit though. I am so proud of her. She is super smart and will be attending UAFS this fall. She will be living in the new dorms and is planning on getting her BSN. I am so excited for her. She is going to have a great time. She and I went to her orientation last week and she signed for her classes. It was exciting for her and I know she will meet lots of new people.
She is good with children, so if you ever need a sitter, I can hook you up! :)
Congrats Kassy!!
I love you and am soooooo proud of you!!
Dad would be too!!

Love, Shaina

~ Off to Camp ~

2010-06-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Caitlyn and Lauren

Hunter and Avery

Lauren and Mrs. Rhonda

"The Crew"

This is what my morning consisted of.
A few tears (from me)...
Off to camp...

My prayer is for Lauren to really get the "grip" of what a real relationship with Jesus is all about.
I know she is in good hands and there are so many "Godly" people there to guide her this week.
I am praying for the hearts of all the kids who went.

Have a great time guys!!

Love, Shaina

~ Pool Time ~

2010-06-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Brownies ready.

Swimsuits and sunscreen on.

Towels and camera loaded.

Off to swim.

Have a great summer day......

Love, Shaina

~ Jasper is 1 ~

2010-06-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

8:44 am

This blog post is long overdue. My baby Jasper is now 1!! His birthday was May 26th. He was born at 8:44 am, so I took his picture at that time. I do that to Hudson too. Poor Lauren was born at 2:07 am, so I have never taken her picture at her "birth" time. :)

I took Jasper's picture all day on the 26th. It amazes me how fast the time seems to go by. I can not believe he is one already. Jasper is such a joy!! His smile makes me melt. I am trying to enjoy every little moment with him. I am very thankful I only work two days a week, so I can get some good time in with him.

Here are some things about Jasper:

- He stands on his own and walks about 5-7 steps at a time.
- He loves to play peek-a-boo and play with his brother and sister. Wherever they are, is where he is. He follows them everywhere. If they are sitting and watching cartoons, he is too.
- He drinks whole milk from his sippy cup and liking more and more table food each day.
- He says mama, dada, uh-oh, and sissy. Jasper also "jabbers" and points. I am working with him on the words: juice, milk, or cup. Hudson wants him to say "bubba". I am wondering what word will be next.??
- When J sits he usually has his feet crossed. It is really cute!
- He loves to throw balls and loves the bath!! When he hears the water turn on in the tub, he crawls as fast as he can to it with a huge smile on his face.
- He has two upper teeth (centrals) and three lower teeth (centrals and one lateral).
- He also likes to put objects in and out of things. Their little minds are amazing.

I love watching Jasper learn and grow. He has brought so much fun and laughter to our family. So proud to be a family of five!!

Love, Shaina

~ Summer is Here ~

2010-06-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

This is what we will be doing this summer.

Having fun in the sun!!

Jasper loved the water.

Have a great summer day!!

Love, Shaina