At the Rock Quarry

Me and Sky at the rock quarry waiting for Grandma.

My Mom sells big equipment...I'm talking BIG! And sometimes she'll have to go somewhere to help watch them load the equipment for shipment. She watches my girls for me so sometimes I need to go pick them up from her wherever she is and today it just happened to be a shipping day at the rock quarry. I learned that its a REALLY long stressful process. The trucks have to be on there just right or terrible things can happen so sometimes it takes forever to get it loaded just perfect. But, I did get the opportunity to snap some neat pictures.

That's my Mom standing in between the 2 trucks.

They were loading the truck to her left on this...

The man in the lighter colored shirt is my Dad. "Helping"

I had to leave before they finished it but they ended up having to take 2 other pieces of big equipment and picking this truck up and moving it over so it was more centered. Talk about a big ordeal! I wish I could have stayed and captured that but I had to get my girls home, fed and bathed from playing in the gravel.

Sky just wanted back down in the gravel. Random dog.

Sky just loves playing in the gravel.

Paili loves sitting on the MASSIVE tires.


There's never a dull moment around my family! I love it!

Fun at the park!

My girl at lunch.

I had last Tuesday the 8th off because it was Harry S Trumans birthday (doesn't everybody?) and I took full advantage of my day off with my sweet girls. Paili had school but Sky and I went and had lunch with her at school. She was so surprised and so very excited that we were there. I hadn't really planned on her lunch time being quiet time but it was still nice to sit next to her and watch her little face just so happy and proud to have us with her. She told everyone that walked by who we were.

Paili even shared some SunChips with her sister.

Sky and I went back home for a little bit, she watched some Fresh Beat Band (We ALL love that show-even Justin-just don't tell him I let his secret out!) She snuggled with Sookie on the couch while I was doing the dishes. Then my sweet girl came in there grabbed my hand and pulled me to the front door-she wanted to go play outside. That was the first time that she had done that, who am I to deny that girl her wishes? HA! So, we went outside.

Sky and her little buddy Drake.

Sky using Sookie as a pillow. She loves that dog.

We really have awesome neighbors. I absolutely love the little family that moved across the street last December. Drake was still in his Mommas belly. We met them when they were bringing cookies to their new neighbors and knocked on the door. We had been home with a brand new Skylar a couple of days and we invited them in-Heather held Skylar and chatted with me about her excitement of having her first baby. She was due in April. Greg and Justin hit it off quickly as they both are outdoors men. She's called me for advice, to see if I have any banana to finish off her banana bread, to check on our family when she sees my car is still there during the week. It is so nice having people so close to us that care about our family. So I texted Heather and let her know we were out playing and she and Drake came out to play with us for a little bit.

Sky was getting pretty sleepy so I went and layed her down for a bit before it was time to go get sister.

I finished the dishes and then it was time to go! We went and got Pai and came back home. We decided to walk to the park. It was Sky's first time to actually get to play on the equipment. To say she loved it is a HUGE understatement.

My girls--Sky was not impressed she was being made to wait.

Makes my heart swell with pride to see them love one another.

She really is an incredible big sister.

Rotten baby in action.

The noise she is making at the end of the last video is her excited-let's do it again noise. I love these girls.

We finally left the park after quite a while and Sky was so not happy with me. Good thing we live close and enjoy going!

As we were walking home we walked by a field and Pai was absolutely enamored with these...

They were massive!! I love anytime I get to spend with my girls but days like these make me wish desperately that this is my full time job.

Mothers Day 2012

First off let me say that I totally failed in getting a picture of me and both of my girls on Mothers Day.
We had a great day full of fun and family.Justin's Mom and her husband came over for lunch. Carla brought me some flowers in a cute little holder. I'm so glad they were able to come and join us for the afternoon. They live 3 hours away and it's always nice when they are able to come for an afternoon.

Skylar, Keith, Carla and Paili

 Justin asked what I would like for my special dinner and I requested salmon. It was fantastic. I'm so thankful for him. I am a Mom because he made me one! I was having a very emotional weekend just thinking about all the ways that I am blessed. I can't even tell you all the reasons there are so many. I'm not even going to try to write them all down today because then I'd just be sitting her crying tears of gratitude.
 My parents came over for dinner. I can't even imagine someone else being my Mom. My Mom is really the best ever. She provides such a comfort for me daily while I'm at work just knowing that she is the one taking care of my girls. I know that ALL of their needs are met (as well as quite a few of their wants!) I know they are getting plenty of love and encouragement. I'm so blessed to have such amazing parents. I love how they raised me and I try to raise my girls with the same love and beliefs that I was raised with. Thanks Mom for showing me what it is to be a Mom. Thanks for still sacrificing daily to make my life easier. I love you.

Me and my Momma.

Paili made me this in school and couldn't wait to give it to me.

 Paili and I played Frisbee in the yard while Sky napped. I bathed the dog. (It really needed to be done!) I got an excellent walk in with my buddy Shayla.

I'm so proud of this girl. I've been walking since February 2nd. I started C25K (Couch to 5K program) in March. I asked Shayla if she would like to start walking last Sunday and we started walking together on May 7th. We decided we would weigh on Sundays (ONLY Sundays SHAYLA!!) And take pictures along the way. We weighed last night and took pictures. It was the first time I've weighed for a long time. I know the weight I was last time I was weighed and I know I gained some since then so I can only say for sure that I've lost 15 lbs-but I know its been more than that. Last night, we did some running-she did awesome. I will try to document our journey on here a bit. It's been so nice the last week to have a workout buddy. I met her last fall because her husband was Pailis soccer coach. Her son and Paili go to the same school and her family just recently made the switch to Christs Church of Oronogo. Our kids were placed on the same team again this spring with her husband as their coach. I always knew they live in Alba but I had no idea that they lived just one street over. (.30 miles from my house!!) I love her spirit. I love her heart. God always gives us what we need when we need it. Shayla is evidence of that. Thank you Lord for the people You've placed in my life.

My niece, Kayga.

Kayla and I on May 3rd, 2012.

This is my one and only niece, Kayla Lynn Monkeybutt. This girl absolutely melts my heart. Since the first time I laid eyes on her, I knew she would have my heart forever. She was less than a year old when I got the privilege to meet her. The title was officially given to me on May 15, 1999. I was in high school and I taught her all kinds of fun things to say and do. I think one of the funniest things that I taught her was to say Ghetto Booty. I laugh just thinking about the time I took teaching her that. She's the grand kid who gave Crappa (my Dad) his name. She was and is one of the most gorgeous little humans I had ever seen. She has these big brown eyes and this HUGE smile that lights up her beautiful face. I fondly recall when she was probably 6 and I was speaking with a Hispanic lady in Spanish and when our conversation was over my sweet niece asks me, "Aunt Mae Mae, were you raised by a nice Mexican family?" Oh this girl. She is so funny. Recently she has cracked us all up with showing her muscles. I cherish any time she wants to spend with me. I know our time is fleeting and before I know it she will have her own family. Time goes so quickly. We all just have to face the facts that our little girl is growing up and is a hotty beautiful girl. My oldest nephew, Kyle, is in the Airforce and it's very hard for him to be so far away when she has so many boys after her. He's gonna need a BIG stick.

Paili, Kayla and Sky after Pailis preschool graduation. June 2011.

This beautiful girls adores her cousins and loves playing and being silly with them. My girls think she is pretty much the coolest girl they've ever seen. (I agree!) I'm so glad they have each other. 

Kayla during a track meet. April 2011.

Does this face not just make you want to hug her?

I'm still taller than she is, although that may not last much longer. But, as Grandma always says, she wears thick socks. She may not be my blood, but she is in my heart and ALWAYS will be. We're coming up on some trying years and I always want her to know she can come to me with anything going on in her life. I want her to know I'm a safe place. I want her to know that I will not always tell her what she wants to hear, but I will always be honest and open with her. My home will always have an open door policy. I will always take her phone call-even at 3:00 in the morning. She has taught me so much in her precious life-I wasn't there when she was born, but I was there when she was born again in Jesus. May your light shine bright as you are going into some very treacherous years. Know that your Aunt loves you very much, that I pray for you all the time. I'm always cheering you on. I can't wait to see how God will use you in high school.   

New Baby!!! Welcome Skylar Grace!

I found this when I posted the new update, apparently I started this and never posted it. HA! :)

We welcomed our second baby girl into the world on December 17th, 2010 at 2:37 am. She weighed 9 lb 7 ozs. 22 inches long. Today she is 7 weeks old and what an incredible addition to our family she is. Her big sister Paili is so crazy about her. It is incredibly sweet to watch her love on her baby sister. Never in a million years would I have imagined how different it is to be the mother of 2 than it is to be the mother of 1. I love the change. It is a totally different feel to our family. God is so good. Everyone told me that I would not get a baby as good as Paili was. Well, I did! She is so sweet and calm and good natured.

When Paili first came in the room she looked at me holding this sweet new baby and ask...Is that Skylar?? Her question absolutely cracked me up. Ever since that moment she has been a little obsessed with holding her baby. She is an incredible helper. We have teased her since we found out we were having a baby that she would be the official poop checker. She always pawned that job off on someone else but now that she is here she is always telling me to check her butt. We love our girls.

We meet again!

Since my last post I have had a baby girl, Skylar Grace. She was born 12/17/10. 9lbs 7ozs. Gorgeous!

 She is ridiculously loved by everyone who meets her. She is hilarious and has such a silly personality.

I am so glad that God gave her to us. She completes us. Paili is in love with her sister and Skylar certainly returns that love. They are so sweet to watch together.

We adore our blue eyed baby.

Celebrating Yvette's birthday!!

Saturday night, the 31st, we celebrated my friend Yvette's 31st birthday! Justin and I picked up the McMillians and the Coles in the Suburban. We went and ate at Coconuts Bar and Grill, a new restaurant here in town. Food was pretty good. Atmosphere was wonderful. Silverados was next on our to do list! We played shuffleboard, a new adventure for most of us-it would have been a blast had I been able to do it.(just once was all I wanted!!) It was still alot of fun, Garen and Yvette must do it in all their free time because they were the only ones that managed to get any points!

Across the street from Silverados is Guitars. We had a blast, we danced the night away!! I LOVE to dance!! The place was packed! We saw several other friends and enjoyed catching up.

Apparently, it will be a tradition that we have a few pictures in a cowboy hat from some random cowboy. Last year, Justin grabbed it off of some guys fighting (we gave it back) this year Yvette asked for it. How cute is she!?!?!

The last place we went was back to the McMillians home where we were joined again by Valery, Yvettes little sister and her friend Kevin King. (The mans name in full was mentioned so many times...its burned in my memory)

One of the funniest parts of the evening was all the talk about Boyo...then Yvette calling herself Yoyo. There was some non-funny parts that I don't even want to get into but it makes me so glad for the marriage and life that I have.

We had a blast. I adore my friends!! I am so glad they are in my life.