Isn't Brad talented?!? He made this for "my" wall of the barn at our farm in OK!! Thank you baby!! 

GUNS UP RED RAIDERS!!!!

See my Double T....Brad is SO good!!!! Thank you honey for working so hard to make it perfect...Papa will hate that it looks so good!!!!! GUNS UP!!!

I think he had fun in the bounce house!! 

Bishop & Kamber share a moment before the cake is cut. You've gotta admit...even if he is a little out of his league...he has good taste:)!! 

Bishop's First Birthday Party

Now...this isn't actually the first birthday party he has ever been to. He went to his friend Caleb's birthday party two years ago but he wasn't even one yet so I'm not sure if that counts. And this birthday party was even more special because Bishop is in love with the birthday girl, Kamber. He LOVES her!! Never mind that she is SEVEN & annoyed by him following her around. He is just infatuated w/Kamber...he wanted to get out his new train at the party to "show Kamber." It is quite cute & amusing!! Anyways...I consider this the first birthday party that he actually participated in. And participate he did. He jumped in the bounce house. He sat at the table & sang "Happy Birthday" & ate cake & ice cream. He flushed something down the birthday girl's toilet & got it stopped up. He...OH YEAH....you read that right! Things were going great, he was being a good boy...we were all having a good time & then BAM! I was SO embarrassed...my friend who was hosting the party was more than understanding & wonderful but I felt terrible. I know that he was probably not alone in this little venture but it didn't matter...the damage to my heart was done. We left soon after...my party mood was gone.

So...now that we have distanced ourselves from the situation by a couple of days...I am better. It was fun...Bishop got to enjoy his first official birthday party & I have learned a little about myself & how to handle interesting situations:)! So..here are some cute pics from the party. Rebecca & Chris...so sorry. Next time maybe you guys can come to our house:)....are you sure you still want a little boy!?!?!?!?!!?

Hurricane Rita

Well I never thought I would have to worry about a hurricane in Justin, Texas, but today I am doing just that. This is crazy. We have dealt with tornados, HORRIBLE thunderstorms, floods & all other kinds of things but this is a first. They are saying that it could possibly stall out here & drop oodles of rain & possible tornados. YIKES!!! We are heading to mom & dad's Saturday afternoon to weather the storm. We are going tonight to get water, gas, & groceries to prepare for the worst. Hopefully it will all be for nothing & we will just have plenty to eat next week:). We are definitely going to be praying for all of those who are having to leave thier homes behind along the coast....especially after witnessing everything that happened last month with Katrina.

*On a totally different note....I know it will be awhile before you see this Mandy but I want you to know how many people are praying & thinking of you guys...we love you & are praying for everything to go flawlessly. Cason is BEAUTIFUL!! Hang in there*

Have a great Thursday friends!!

My sleeping beauties....:) 

The Binksie's are now triplets...can you tell which one came first? 

The Binksie Triplets?

Anyone who is around Bishop much knows about his beloved friends, the Binksie twins. He has had one of them since birth & the other came shortly thereafter when we realized which bear was "the" bear & happened to find a spare. Well, the day finally came when he discovered there was not one BUT two Binksies & from that day on they were ALL insperable...he had to have BOTH to go to sleep. We have had a few moments of worry in the last year when we thought that one or the other was lost...they were always found but there were absolute momnets of panic for one desperate mommy. And to this day Bish can ALWAYS tell & requests the ORIGINAL Binksie...I don't know how...they both look, shall we say, "well loved" at this point.
Well, this weekend Mom & I stumbled across another Binkise. I don't know how....he is a Ty bear & way past his prime but there he sat on the Hallmark shelve...there were two actually. Mom & I spotted him & wondered what to do. A third is good in theory...if we lose one we will have an extra, but if he finds it...then we would have triplets. After a little deliberation, we bought him....he was only $10...& took him home. We wanted to see Bish's face when he saw a new & clean Binksie so mom showed him to Bish & said he was Binksies brother who was going to live at her house. He looked at him, grabbed his feet & said, " I don't want him." You can imagine our shock...I guess he loves the first two too much:)! It was all very comical...& the beauty is we DO have a spare which I am sure he would accept if one of the other two went missing.
So...can you tell we have NO lives....THIS was our weekend:)!!

I've fallen & I can't get up...

...at least not yet. Yes, it is true...I am bound to a chair for the next few days. I went to jump out of a chair yesterday & managed to fall off of my (flat) shoe & when I did my ankle buckled &.....TA DA!!! Here I sit, unable to walk. We think I have sprained it....I am hoping that is all. Last night I was able to walk but I kept feeling & hearing things popping sounds. After a very restless night of sleep, it hurts so bad that I can't put any wight on it. I had to crawl to the computer...THAT is dedication my friends:)!
Last night when it happened, I fell to my knees screaming. I have sprained my ankle before but it NEVER felt like that. That was PAIN & I have given birth to a child:)! Bishop then looked at me & came over & wanted me to hold him & he started crying because I was....it was all very tragic & it broke my heart that he got upset but there was just NO way to hold back my tears...sheesh it hurt. So here I am, waiting for someone to get up & get me something to lean on because I am TIRED of crawling!!!
So, that was most of our weekend. Friday night, we went to our church's Harvest Fest. It is super fun...we have a live auction & a silent auction & we all get toghether & eat barbeque. And best of all, there was something called KidsFest & so Bishop got to go to that by himself & that let us actually sit back & enjoy the event instead of chase him around. It was FABULOUS! We bid on & won a metal chest for the den & inside of it was two dinner gift certificates and the new series by Beth Moore...LOVE IT!!! I also won 2 haircuts which was nice because I needed it!! And last night after I hurt myself, we went to downtown Ft Worth to have dinner with ROBIN!! I loved getting to see her but I did not enjoy myself very much confined to chair & in pain! See how much I love you Robin...:)! All in all, I can't complain. I mean I can...it really hurts & I am walking with a cane but I'm alive & it is Sunday & the sun is out & my family loves me:)! Life is Still good:)!!!

Happy Sunday Guys!!

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other." Ecc. 7:14

Side note...I love ya Jodi....keep smiling & hang in there!!!

Brother & Sister share a moment over sushi:)!!  

Brad's new talent....YUCK!!! Does anyone else eat Sushi? 

Bish & Kiki (aka Kim:) striking a pose! 

Family, Grapes, & extra airline ticket...

This was quite a weekend. I'm not even sure where to begin. Tammy got to come back as soon as she got off work & Brad picked up Chris on the way home. We were going to cook out & just relax which we did. We had steaks & baked potatos (yum!) & then played spades until late & went to bed. I've already blogged about Saturday morning & it was wonderful too. Saturday afternoon, Kim got here & Chris came back over & we cooked out again (Double yum!) Brad's cousin, Jen, came over too & we all decided to go to Grapefest. IT WAS SO FUN!!! Bishop loved all the music & sights & we loved all the wine :) & bands. Bishop finally got tired & just laid down in his stroller & went to sleep. Around 10:30, we loaded up and came home. We were all exausted but somehow all congregated in the kitchen & sat there chatting until 3 in the morning! How did that happen? We never ALL get together so it was just nice to hang out...

...now for the Paul Harvey part of the story. Chris is our very dear friend who just recently moved back over here by us & we have been able to see more of him lately. He & Brad have been friends since they were like nine. They have been through a lot together & have always remained friends. He was one of Brad's groomsmen. Long story short...Chris has been going through hard times & Tammy offered for him to come live with her in Georgia (she has been like a mom to Chris all of these years.) He thought she was joking but everyone finally all sat down & she wasn't. Kim had a free ticket so she could get Chris to GA for free. Chris was unsure & obviously a little scared since that is a HUGE change but he decided he would go. He wanted to start over & that was a way to do it. So...emotions ran high this weekend. Brad & I are sad because we will miss him but happy that he has an opportunity to move on. It is just a crazy & wonderful thing all at the same time. Amongst all of these happenings...one of Tammy's co-workers & friends was killed in a car accident on Saturday so she had that to deal with too...I don't know much but I know his name is John so if everyone could just toss up a little prayer for Chris to be happy & just feel good about being there & for John's family that would be great & VERY appreciated.

After all of this, we all got up on Sunday so Chris could go pack & he & Tammy could go. They both flew out around noon so that was hard. Bishop LOVES his Gammy & has grown fond of Chris so he didn't like ANY of this!!! Kiki was still hear so that helped. Kim & I ran into town to get a few things & we ll VEGGED the rest of the day. We made sushi & rice for dinner & all went to bed early!!!!! I downloaded instant messaging & can talk to anybody (aol, yahoo, & othere )so email me or comment your screenname if you have one. I am new at this but I am learning:)! I think yours popped up, Shawnee...I'm not sure why but I think it did (lsw0831?
Mine is shanabaker719 if you are ever on.
Anyways.....that was our weekend. It was highly emotional but wonderful. God is awesome!!! Have a great week friends!!!!!!

Bishop's Blue Birdhouse!!!!  

Bargains Galore

It is Saturday & I got up at 6:30 ON PURPOSE!!! Only one thing can get me up that early on a Saturday...the fabulous garage sales in rizy neighborhoods. I picked up one friend at 7:30 & the other at 7:45 & off we went to Flower Mound, Texas. (Sorry I didn't call Shawnee, we didn't find out until Thursday...there is a city wide garage sale in Trophy Club on Oct 1...that's pretty good too.) We got to Bridlewood before 8 & started EARLY!! It was actually kind of disappointing...not as many people participated this time. I managed to spend about $25 & got all kinds of sweaters for me & some clothes for Boo & some decorations for the house. Rebecca found some stuff for the girls & Jennifer got a few things. She was in search of maternity clothes but there were NONE to be found today which is odd. We got done by 11 & then went to Panda for lunch...it was a perfect GIRLS ONLY morning. Bish went to Home Depot with Daddy & Gammy (have you taken the boys, Shawnee? They have craft time there & it's FREE!!) He made me a birdhouse & even picked the paint so he could finish it. It is now electric blue...I hope it doesn't scare the birds:)! Now we are are just hanging out. We are planning to go to Grapefest tonight so I need to take a nap but I know that if I get out of this chair I will find a million things to do & won't get to lay down so I am clinging to the computer...that's horrible I know!!! I better run...it's too quiet which can only mean BAD things!!!!

The finished product...& it's PROUD builder! 

Bishop and Brad working hard on his birdhouse:)! 

A New Hairdo for Boo

Well...Bish has a new haircut. Sorry Mom & Gammy...it was his own fault. If you read my other blog then you know that he has gotten into the bad habit of throwing fits. He decided to throw one at the wrong time...while his daddy was cutting his hair. And the result was this lovely buzz cut that you see in the picture. He & Brad match now...they are BOTH bald:)!!! All is well this evening except that Bishop is not minding...I don't know what to do...I haven't figured out what works to get him to mind. Spankings & time outs aren't working like they used to...I have some ideas but I haven't been able to put them into place. I think I am going to try to put his movies & trains in time out. Any other idea's are welcome:)...

Kirk Farm, established 1903 

This is home....is this not the greatest tree ever?!?!!? My Grandpa just put one up one day & it became a tradition...we all bring crosses for "the" tree now!

Bish learning how to drive the 4-wheeler! 

They say it is always five o'clock somewhere. It is ALWAYS five o'colck in our barn....(it's unplugged for a reason:)!! 

You might be a redneck if...comes to mind. Husband & wife crusin' the country in a gator, motor home in the background...:) I love our farm!!! 

Bishop & Braden had a BLAST playing in the sprinkler...it was Bish's first time!! 

Bishop learning how to drive the GATOR!! 

Home is Where the Heart Is

And I was going to say that my heart is in Altus, Oklahoma but that's not true...my heart will always be where my family & friends are. My heart is in Altus & Burleson, & definitely here in Justin. And a piece in Midland & Atlanta & Albuquerque & Goodwell. Lubbock, Lake Kemp...lots of places. We had such a good time in Altus...it was SOOOOOOO good to be home. You pull into town & immediatly feel good...it just makes me smile when we hit the city limits. We did nothing. NOTHING! We went to the farm & rode four wheelers & my personal fav...the Gator. We ate & watched the kids & did puzzles & swang on the porch swings. The boys did chores around the farm & Shadow attempted to herd cattle. We rode to the river & shelter belt to find wood to make crosses. OH-it was FABULOUS!!! We went to the Tunnel to get vanilla rootbeer (wish I could send you one Robin...they put Sonic to shame!) Bishop LOVED playing with his cousins. He loves to see them & he got to play wih Braden on Sat & Sunday. A good time was had by all...it is a great place to just get away. I am posting some pictures (maybe...if I can get my picture software to work). I hope that everyone had a GREAT Labor Day holiday.

****Reminder moms & dads...Saturday, Sept. 11 is GRANDPARENTS DAY!!!****

What an anniversary?!

Well, today is a WONDERFUL day...it is mine & Brad's FOURTH wedding anniversary! We have survived four years of marriage:)! Whoo hoo:)! And do you know what we got to do for our anniversary this morning...go to the emergency room?!?!!?! Bishop was diagnosed with croup on Tuesday & was sent home with a cough supressent. I have been sleeping with him to make sure he does okay & we borrowed a humidifier to help him sleep...but he woke up around 4 & it just seemed like he was having to work to hard at breathing so I called the nurses hotline (in Altus Ok for those familiar:) & she said try a steam shower. We did & it didn't seem to help so we got dressed & took him in. All the way there I prayed that the visit would be okay...last trip to the ER was horrible. Horrible doctor, horrible facility, horrible care...do NOT go to the hospital in Seymour, Texas...head to Wichita Falls & pray...you're odds are better. This visit was fine...nice doctors & nurses, excellent care...& after the breathing treatments Bish was much better...so THANK GOD!!! So, all in all, for the low price of an insurance deductible we got a healthy child as an anniversary present & you certainly cannot complain about that! Brad has taken the rest of the day off & I don't have to work until 5:30 so I guess we will at least get to enjoy each others company for the day...good family time! So here's to a better afternoon friends:)!