More Camping pics

Memorial Weekend 2008

Wow! After such a fabulous time last year on a float/camping trip with friends on Memorial Weekend we decided to go for it again!

This year we were able to reserve a fabulous camping spot at Blanchard Springs. It was beside a bluff with a cave that the kids loved! They were always on the lookout for a caveman.

Our float day started out questionable. Just as we started to shove off the rain started coming down. The guy who drove the van to drop us off let us jump back in the van and wait it out for about 30 minutes. Once we got on the river it clear up and although still cloudy it was a wonderful day. That evening we went down to the court square again for some pickin' and grinnin'.....I kept my mouth shut this time and did not request a blue grass song of a folk band. I did hear a new song that I will request next year called "Chicken Truck". Can't explain....you'll just have to go to Mt. View and experience it yourself!

We had a wonderful church service on Sunday morning at the ampitheater. Samantha Rangel and her friend Meg Kelley led us in worship and then my Steve lead us in a devotional/discussion time. After that we found a great swimming hole and the kids were happy skipping rocks, catching tadpoles and crawdads, and swimming.

We've already decided to go back next year .....does three years in a row make it a tradition?

We'll get the group camping spot again so we've go room for more friends....come and join us!

Mother's Day at Magic Springs

I got what I wished for this Mother's Day.....a day with my boys at Magic Springs. Not only that but one other wish came true.....Seth is an official roller coaster rider! Since he was a baby I started him on roller coaster training....tossing him up and down and all around. It paid off....he is finally 42" tall and took on his first real coaster...Big Bad John. It was a little much for him the first time and I wan't sure he would get back on....but he did and the scond time, knowing what to expect, he enjoyed it and even let out a "WaHoo!"

Me and the Shelby girls

Hello world meet my newest friend Amelia Ruth Shelby born May 9th. Her big sisters, Victoria and Samantha, keep me supplied with lots of girl hugs.

Mother's Day Tea

Seth's class had a Mother's Day Tea on Friday. His class worked hard that morning preparing. They actually mixed and baked the muffins we had! Seth made me a plate with his hand print in red. The teacher told me that he is always adament about using "boy colors". When she went to write his name on the back she was so focused on his insisting that his be red that she wrote Red on the back of the plate instead of his name. So he now has the nickname Big Red at school.

My favorite thing that the teachers do every year for Mother's Day is the questionair they do with the kids about their Moms. Here is how Seth answered his questions.....

My Mom's name is Stephanie and is is 15

Her hair is brown

Her eyes are blue

Her favorite color is green

She likes to eat salad

I like it when my Mom plays my brother's game that pops and lands on a number

My Mom can do lots of things but she is best at playing with me

My Mom is so smart she even knows how to keep a promise

I'd like to tell my Mom that I love her

Mom is special because she was born

I love her because she let's me go to her mom and dad's house

Out in the field

Seth's "ready" stance isn't quite the way the coach taught him....however it caught on and by the end of the game half of his teammates were doing the Seth frog squat. I'm going to have to work on him setting good examples...especially if others are going to follow his lead!

Batting and Scoring!

Seth is getting some instructions from Coach Mike. He got a good hit and made it safely to 1st base. With the help of his teammates he got to touch all the bases and make it home to score!

First TBall Game

Seth had his first TBall Game on Thursday. He is having fun and so happy to be on the team with his Trent-buddy. They are the Pirates! Daddy and Conor-brother get to go out on the field and help which is a little hard on Mom. I told Trent's mom we are probably going to have to put a seat belt on my chair so I stay put. It's amazing how those old softball days are coming back and I want to be the one to get out on the field and help.

Momma's new hair

Well....I turned lemons into lemonade....

I have been neglecting getting my hair cut and just as I was going to put forth the effort to make an appointment to get it done I was reminded of the charity "Locks of Love" that takes donations of hair to make wigs for children who for medical reasons cannot grow hair or have temporary hair loss.  

At that time I wasn't quite to the 10 inches you need to have but I finally got there and on Wednesday night during the counsel time message to the Awana Kids at church I gave them the example of loving your neighbor by having my pony tail (actually two pony tails cuz my hair is so thick) cut off in front of the them and my friend Amy who is a hair stylist came and did it and told the kids about the program.  It definitely had a bigger impact on the girls than the boys but even more on the leaders.

So here is my new "ponytailess" hair do.  Photography by Seth.