Honest Scrap Award!!!

Wow!! What can I say?? Many thanks to my friend the Journaling Gina !! O.k now I have to tell 10 things about myself.....

1. I am ever thankful for my salvation and the sacrifice that my Savior has made for me! The perfect example of "unconditional love" that I can always look to. He is my Protector, my Friend, my Father and my Provider! Thank you Lord!


2. I love to be with my family! They are so amazing - I have so many great memories of all the great times we have had together. I have been told that those memories are "priceless" and all other "things" are just that - THINGS! This has proven true in soo many ways!


3. I love to read. I don't get much time to do it these days - but I try to squeeze in a good book every once in a while. I'm not real particular in what kind of books - they just have to be good enough to keep my attention!


4. I love to scrapbook our family photos! It is so fun for me to do this with Jeremy - he is so very creative and we really enjoy doing it together - whenever there is time. We haven't done this in a long while - maybe some day we will just pull it all out again?? Again, I don't get much time to do this, so it is evident in that I am just now getting to Damon's birth pics!


5. Helping others is something I really enjoy! I want to see where God wants me to be and who I can help each day. I'm not saying that I am always in this mindset - but I really enjoy the days that I am!


6. I love to be called "Mom" "Momma" "Mommy"! Those words are not just words or names to me.....they are sounds of my blessings of Love!! I am so blessed to have 3 wonderful boys!! They are so loving and encouraging to me and they don't even realize it. I am still amazed at how God would bless me with them.....I just hope I can fulfill all that He wants me to be.


7. I want to be anywhere Jeremy is. It doesn't matter where or what he is doing. I could be working with him, watching Cowboys football, cooking together or just driving and talking. Our love has grown so strong over the past 15 years and I see it growing still each and every day. We have been through hard times and wonderful times together and now we can't see anything that we can't go through together. He is my very best friend and I will go whereever he leads.


8. I love to plant flowers every Spring and Summer. I love to work in the flowerbeds and to keep them up all summer long.


9. Dinner on the patio is one of my favorite things. We usually do this in the Spring and the Fall when the evenings are nice and we can really enjoy each other. Jeremy will grill up something really yummy and we sit there for hours just talking.


10. "Best part and worst part of your day?" The boys always ask these questions at dinner......we have great conversations about our ups and downs of each day. I think this is a special part of their day to be able to share and also hear about our day too.


I am passing this award on to:


The Kirkpatricks


The Caldwell Journey


The 4Baiers

Erin March

The Pierce Tribe

Catching up w/random pics

Dakota had so much fun playing 7th grd football!

This is waayyyy too much chocolate to be in the West house!!

Damon and Kyle enjoying a little trick or treating!

Damon just loves being a Wildcat football player!!

Are they cute or what??



Yes, wii play with friends!!


Our soccer season was a wet one but we did have lots of fun times!



A fun lunch with his best bud, Noah!!

Our favorite soccer ref!!

I can hardly believe my baby is playing Freshman Basketball.......it's been "trying" on him but he's so determined to not give up.

"Daddy, can you CARRY me to bed?? PLEEEEASE??"

He was so very shocked when his Daddy came to carry him to bed!!!! LOL!

Kota is our cuddly bear - always snuggling with us!

I just LOVE this pic!! They are so handsome!!!

She is so spoiled!!

It's hard to believe that we only have one in the church Christmas program this year!!??

Damon did so good as well as all the others - we so enjoyed hearing them sing!!

Well I've caught up to the Christmas pictures!! My next post will be our Christmas Fun!!

Thankful Thursday prt 2!

It's been a very long while since I have updated - and it just so happens to be Thurs. - so why not start back by being Thankful!!??

1. A family that loves the Christmas season as much as I do!! They want to spend Christmas Eve making cookies and lots of other fun treats together. I love that they all WANT to stay home and play games and spend time together. We really come together and really remember the reason for the season!!

2. I am so very thankful that I do have a reason for this Christmas season!! My Jesus my Savior.....born so long ago - and still remembered and cherished today and every day!!

3. Preschool Moms that are so very helpful and encouraging to me at just the exact time that I am needing it!! I do beleive that God has placed them in my life for such a time as this........

4. My wonderful preschool teachers!! They are amazing and I am in awe of all they do on a daily basis!! They really do give their "all" every single day!!

5. So thankful that I can work with Pam, Karlette and Cynthia each weekend. We work hard and have so much fun all at the same time!!!

6. And finally I am so thankful that God has allowed me to work at the preschool and that we get to have 2 weeks off with our families for the Christmas break!! Time to slow down and get rejuvenated........both of which I need!!!

Take time this Christmas time to slow down in all the busyness and remember the REAL reason that we celebrate this season!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thankful Thursday!

What a great God we have!!! Let me take time to give thanks for just a few things He has blessed me with lately!


1. The "individuality" of our 3 boys! They are so very different and I thank God for this! We are constantly reminded of how each one has his own ways of doing and thinking in every situation. I pray we can consistantly meet each one where he is and provide the encouragement he needs to become the man God wants him to be!!! God is so good and I am thankful that He has made no 2 people the same!

2. My wonderful husband! My Leader-My Friend-My Lover! God "hand-delivered" him to me and I am so very thankful for the path that He provided for me! I was so young and so needing the unconditional love that was brought to me! I am so thankful that I have him to "grow old with"!!!

3. A great night tonight with only Damon! He has been so excited to have the night with just Mom!! We went to Pizza Inn and to Blockbuster to get a movie! The makings for an 8 yr olds PERFECT night with Mom!!! He is so precious to me!!

4. Dylan making it through his first official H.S game with no additional injuries!!! They lost but he had a great time playing the entire game!! I love his heart for sports - he gives 110% no matter what he is doing!!!

5. Thankful for the West's and their willingness to let Jeremy borrow their car to go to Longview to see Dylan's game!!! We always want to go but didn't have the ability with me needing the van today for school pick-ups and Jeremy needing to leave at 2:00. They didn't even hesitate when he asked them to borrow it!! We have the most amazing family that is always ready and willing to help in any way possible! Thank you!!!!!!

Homework.....

Dylan working on a computer project - and yes, it's not due for another week - he always gets things DONE!! He has never been one to put anything off! A great character quality that sometimes drives us crazy - when its something we have to get for him or help him with - he will constantly ask us when and where we are going to get it done!!!! Love it! We have learned to ask when do you need this by?????

Dakota doing a science assignment - making an oxygen atom! It was supposed to be a creative food project!! Our Science Guy Dakota found our marshmallows and went after it!! Only burned himself one time on the glue gun!

Damon working on his make-up work after missing 2 days of school! He has been working so very hard on his schoolwork! He is having a great start to this year!

First Football

Dakota had his first football scrimmage last Saturday! It was raining!!!!!! Yes, I was a good Mom and went and sat out in the rain for 2 1/2 hours!!
He is #33 and he did great!! His team is called the Bears!! Played Safety on Defense and inside receiver on offense. (I've learned alot about football in the past 4 years!!)




Not bad pictures - since I was holding an umbrella and the wind was blowing!!!

Really???........ getting a drink from the "water wagon" in the rain??? O.k.!!!

It was a good game and the towo teams tied with 14 - 14!

We were both completely soaked and beleive it or not really COLD!! We came home, got dry clothes on and wrapped up in blankets!!

Labor Day Surprise

We were so surprised on Labor Day!! A great friend of ours calls us up on Mon. afternoon and asks if we would like to go flying with him!!!!! Uummmm......let me think.......YES!!!!!! We had the most amazing time! Jeremy and I have flown once when we went to Mexico - but the boys had never flown. When we told them we thought it would be Damon that would be a little unsure - but NO it was Dylan!!!!! He said he was loving the ground and didn't need to leave it!!!! haha! Dakota and Damon were soooooo excited!! Dylan soon came around - being the big bad teenager he is - didn't want to show any signs of fear!!!! LOL

The Brewer Aircraft!! We loved it!! Dylan B. was soooooo informative about runways, taxiing, talking to the tower, and sooo much more about airplanes!!!! He is FULL of information just bubbling to get out and to be shared!!! LOL!!!! We were very entertained while waiting on the ground!!

They were asking who would go first and Dakota jumped right in and said he was!!!

After his ride he said"I could do that ALL DAY!!" He named all the things he saw from about 1000 ft up!! He still says it was a Labor Day to always remember!

Dylan faced his fears and went up next! He said it was really neat how you could feel every movement of the plane and how everything was soooo small!

I love this picture!! He had the best time and still is talking about all he saw "from way up high"!

Yes - even Dad got in on the flying action!!!

Thank you to Jason and Dylan for inviting us to join you!! We will always remember our Labor Day Surprise Phone Call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun Fridays End

We saved the best for last!! Hurricane Harbor is awesome! We always have sooooo much fun there! We go from "open to close" and never can get enough!!

Dakota went church camp - and had a BLAST! He has really grown up alot this summer.

My boys on their first day of school! Dylan : 9th Dakota : 7th Damon : 3rd Aren't they so handsome???

Our last Fun Friday was school shopping in Grapevine. They all enjoyed Gameworks as I shopped for the best deals. We had a great day!

Fun Fridays was officially a success - I think we all had a great time this summer deciding where we would go on each Friday. Already planning a trip to Destin for next summer!

Work in my life.....

I am in awe of how God is working ALL around me.....maybe He has just opened my eyes....or maybe I have just taken the time to see.....anyway it has happened, I am just amazed at how my God is so interested in the details of my life and others around me.
I've started the Bible study of Esther by Beth Moore and can I just say the timing of it couldn't be just coincidence. As Ms. Rooks said there are alot strong women coming forth that are not afraid to stand up for their God!! Love it!!! I have loved the fellowship with good Christian ladies and the encouragement that comes with it. I am "diving" into God's word and "listening" to what God has for me each day!!

Our preschool starts in just a few weeks and oh how God has blessed it!!! We have an all time high in numbers at 73 and the teachers that we have this year are AMAZING good godly women. I am so blessed to be surrounded by them each day! God has great things in store for us this year and I think we are ALL feeling it! Can't wait to see God moving in the preschool!!

My family is very close as we have really grown closer through this summer. That can only be a God thing too. I keep seeing teenagers these days and how they disrespect adults and their own parents too. I keep thinking that my teenager will be pulling away from us too - but so far he is very open and respectful of us. I praise God for this as he is such a great young man and he is grounded in his Faith. I pray the Lord will keep him close even if he does draw away from us - but for now I am really enjoying the way he wants to always hang out with us!
They are really excited about starting a new school year and all the new friends they will have - I know God has great things in store for them as they start this new adventure!!
I am so very blessed with a husband that so dearly loves me!! He is our Rock and he is an amazing father to our very adventurous boys!!! I am looking forward to having some Friday Date Nights when our summer Fun Fridays are over. We have had alot of fun but I do miss getting out with just my hubby.....

I am also seeing our church family growing closer together. This is amazing as families are pulling together to help each other out and for great fellowship. We are in a time of transition and I am seeing God work in so many ways!!

So I will end for now - and just know that my eyes are wide open to the workings of my Savior all around us.........Thank you Lord!!

Fun Fridays..

We started our summer with a Ranger Game. Before the game there was a Casting Crowns concert. It was great!! Good friends and good fun - and the All You Can Eat was fun too!!!!

Then we went to the Ft Worth Zoo. It was a perect day for this!

Yes - they are the coolest boys in TX!!!

Damon kept his eyes on the birds at all times! Making sure they didn't try anything!!!???

Taking a break - What are they sitting on???

We had a wonderful Friday at Splash Kingdom!! We had never been and we all thought it was great!!

Sweet Dakota made this cake for Dad on Father's Day!!

A week of VBS.......it was a terrific week. God worked in sooo many ways that week - I still look back on it and say WOW!!

We spent a Friday swimming at a friend's house!! Great time of fun and friendship!!

Who's hiding back there???? Muscle competition??!! Boys will be boys!!!!

Kota wore little Cameron out!! They had a great time!!

Aren't they sooooo talented????

We went to the Galeria Mall to go ice skating - but first things first - LUNCH!

We went to Five Guys......can you beleive he ate this whole thing??

They are so handsome!!!

It was Damon's first time to ever ice skate - he did soooo good!! He had such a great time hanging out with his brothers!!

It was soo hard to get a picture with all three of them in it!!! But eventually I did!! Go Mom!!

Jeremy was not allowed to skate (we did not want him to shatter his tailbone AGAIN!) so he and I walked around the mall for awhile!!


Can't beleive how grown up he is.........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOTA!!! He gets his own Fun Friday Birthday!! His good freind Jaime sent him cupcakes - he was so excited and he thought he was getting to eat all of them by himself???!! What our "sharing" Kota wants to be selfish!!!???? You know he shared!!LOL They were wonderful!

His brothers got him a "Vulcan"! 3 bulletts per second!! Yes our house is the Nerf capital!! Nerf wars start and Mom says "I think I'll leave for awhile!!!"LOL

We bought him a trip to Medievil Times - he has always wanted to go!! And we even let him bring a freind.....glad you could come Mr. Bruce!!

We surprised him with his very own phone!! He was in shock and Dylan was laughing so hard!!



This was our "knight" - the black and white knight!!! And he WON the tournament!! We were so excited and yelling and cheering!

We really enjoyed having a Fun Friday on Dakota's birthday!!

There are two more Fun Fridays still to come so I will finish with more pictures to come.....