What an AWESOME surprise!

Ever heard of a little magazine called...

Well, I was mentioned on their website as a suggestion for their

I didn't win the title, but how awesome is it to get recognized by such an amazing magazine!? This week they were recognizing military spouses who were from the South and loved to blog! Hello... me!!! It is safe to say that this made my year! :)

You can click HERE to read the article!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend! Happy 4th of July!!!

Ride 'em Cowboy!

Can you guess??? We went to the Rodeo of the Ozarks last night. For the past few years, we have made it a tradition to take the kids to it. They love it! Thompson loves the Muttin' Bustin' (it's where the little kids ride on the sheep) and could watch it all day. Jude, my nephew, loved the whole thing. I would glance over there at him and he would just be mesmerized.

They enjoyed sno cones!

Poor Brycen, when they shot off the fireworks it scared him to death!

Aunt Brittany and Brycen

Nana, Brycen, and Jude

Nana and Brycen

Momma and Brycen

Today I am going to get a manicure and pedicure for my cousin's wedding. Then we have the rehearsal tonight. And then, we are heading down to the ranch to cook out and fish on the river. I am making a coconut cake, Kelly's Recipe.

Some Brycen news I wanted to share... the other day I had him laying down on a blanket I had in the floor. I went to the bathroom and came back and he was sitting up. I thought about it for a few minutes about how I KNOW I had him laying down, but then just dismissed it. Well sure enough later on, I watched him go from the tummy/back position to sitting up. It is the cutest thing! This morning when I woke up, he was sitting up in his crib just smiling! :)

Happy Friday!!

Fun in the Sun!

Yesterday we went to Branson! We headed for White Water and finally made it! The craziest thing happened as soon as we got into Branson. The police had blocked off a huge main intersection and made everyone do a detour around it through some back streets. This took about 30 minutes, to maybe go 2 blocks! Turns out, there was a huge stand off with a guy in a motel. Apparently he was armed and wanted for murder in Texas! Crazy stuff!!! This started at like 6 am, and I think he finally surrendered around 4.

As soon as we got to White Water, Thompson headed for the kid's play area. And he had a ball!!! He played all day long and didn't want to leave. I had to ask the lifeguard to get him because he barricaded himself in a tunnel. ha! Brycen enjoyed his day too! He made his way in the lazy river. We bought a little floaty thing for him to sit in. He splashed in the water and just kicked back. Then he got tired and I thought he was going to fall head first into the water. So I picked him up and carried him the rest of the loop. He then played a little, had a bottle, and then took a nap in his stroller. He slept the rest of the day! Thompson, Brittany, and I then went and got a sno cone! It was yummy! Thompson also had some dipping dots. I will have to say that I am a little peeved at White Water though. For years (I mean, atleast 15+)  they have had a "landlubber" pass. This is geared towards adults who do not ride on the rides and prefer to sit in the lounge chairs or just float on the lazy river. Well... apparently they got rid of it this year. And for this momma who has two babies and does not ride rides, I was a little peeved to say the least. It was about $20 for a day pass. Now, we have to pay $40+ for a day pass. You can bet your bottom that White Water will be receiving a complaint from yours truly! Oh, and they took out the dressing rooms too! Now they just have one big common area for changing. Hello? Can a girl not get a little privacy???

Nana and Brycen

Brycen and I

After we got the shaft from White Water, we headed to Harrison. We ate at one of my favorite restaurants ever! Neighbor's Mill I always get the salad sampler that has a serving of chicken salad, caesar salad, I sub my fruit for tomato basil soup, and you get a muffin. (Yes, I am one of those fruit subbers! Ha!) Tonight, they didn't have my muffin (chocolate banana) so I got their fruit scone. It was amazing! It even had an orange glaze over the top. Delish!!

My tired boy

Then we headed down the road to visit my aunt and uncle. I have the fondest memories of their house growing up. My sister and I were talking about the old white swing that hung from their tree in their yard. I keep thinking about the house from when I was little. I remember my cousin, Linda's room, watching "Wee Sing" videos, and the way their kitchen was. Then we headed to my mom's house that she grew up in. Her brother and her recently acquired the house after their step mother passed away. They are working hard to get it back in shape. My mom hadn't been in the house in over 30 years, and I know that she loves being back there.

We definitely had a great day! I love spending time with my mom and sister. They are both such a great help with the boys. I think my sister just likes practicing for when she has some kiddos! :) I have decided that since I am done having babies (ha!) that when she has kids, they can be like my surrogate children. My older sister, Tara, does that with my boys and I think it is so funny. You get to love on these babies and then give them back to their mommas when the day is done! I think Tara may be on to something... :)

Today, has been really low key. My nephew, Jude came up to play with Thompson. So the boys played outside, riding tricycles and tractors (power wheels, not the real thing ;) ). We then ventured to Sonic for a drink and came home and cooked dinner.

Robert got his new class of students yesterday. He is actually having to take a motorcycle class today til Friday. Yes, I said motorcycle. Unfortunately, I am one of those wives that gave into her husbands never ending begs and pleads to get a motorcycle. (I know that I gave in just so I wouldn't hear about it anymore!) So all the way back in April, Robert got him a motorcycle. I didn't say anything to anyone, besides my dad, for the shear fact that I didn't want to hear about it. Yes, I know they are dangerous. I realize this. But, I am not the one driving, I don't have to be reminded of that fact. So with the kind words of encouragement "You better be careful, watch out for the crazies, and you better not leave me alone in this world raising 2 babies", he got what he wanted. Ugh. I hate saying that, but whatever. I am over it. I am just thankful that he is taking a safety course to help better him as a rider. So without further ado... here is Robert and his new ride.

I took this picture back when he first got it, we were still in 29 Palms.

Hope yall have a good evening! I will add more White Water pictures tomorrow!

Arkansas!

We are in Arkansas! Whoo hoo!

The plane ride went amazingly smooth. I brought my laptop and let Thompson watch a movie on it. He didn't make a sound. We only had 1 bathroom trip and there wasn't any screaming fits and hitting momma! I was definitely a happy camper. And I bet our neighbor passengers were pretty happy too!

Friday, my best girlfriends and I went to Fayetteville to do some shopping for party supplies for my cousin's bachelorette party! First we made a stop at Rick's bakery and had an awesome lunch! I am in love with their strawberry salads (They're AMAZING!!) and am so sad that they are taking vacation this week. And then we stopped by BLISS Cupcake Cafe and got a little treat! I might have gotten 2 cupcakes while I was there and ate the 2nd one at like 10:00 at night, but who's watching, right? ;)

We found some great stuff for our FIESTA! The party was Saturday evening and we had a great time! We played a few games, ate some great food, and gossiped like a bunch of women do!

Sunday, I spent the day with the kids at my sister's pool. Thompson is swimming like a fish! He is even jumping off the diving board and sliding down the slide. (We will have to get pictures next time!) After staying out there for a few hours, we came back to the house and relaxed. I got a sun burn, but luckily it doesn't hurt.

Today, I stayed around the house and my nephew Jude came by to play. A 5 yr old, 2.5 yr old, and 6 month old will wear a gal out! I was constantly answering questions (most of them for the 100th time!) and making the boys something to eat! If you don't know... boys eat a TON!!! Tonight we tried out a new restaurant in our town. It's pretty tasty! The battered mushrooms and homemade strawberry pie are definitely things I should not know about. ha!

Tomorrow we are headed to White Water! I am praying for a somewhat relaxing day. Brittany is going with us, so at least I will have an extra hand if needed (which I am almost POSITIVE it will be!).

This is random, but definitely neat... last night I figured it up that my sister, Brittany, and I are 2 years and 72 days apart. Guess what?! Brycen and Thompson are 2 years and 72 days apart! Is that not odd? I just think it is the coolest thing ever! (Yes, I am a dork but that's ok!) :) Happy Tuesday!!

It's Tuesday for sure!

Today has been a crazy day, so far, for me! I woke up fed the kiddos, and then argued with Nissan on the phone for 30 minutes. A crazy headache later, I feel like I could shoot fireballs! Ha! Tuesdays always seem like a crazy day.

I stayed up WAY too late watching "Fried Green Tomatoes". Oh, how I love that movie. I haven't seen it in years, and got sucked in when I saw it starting at 11:00 last night. Oops. But I did fold some more laundry while I was watching. :) Not to mention it was RHWNJ night. Oh. My. Word. I love the show, sadly I will admit. I think it is hilarious. Danielle is certifiable NUTSO! I love Jacqueline, Dina, Caroline, and Theresa. I was sad to see Dina leave last week. I thought the scene with Albie and Caroline was heartbreaking. She is such a good mom! She seems very supportive and such an inspiration. Did anyone watching "Watch What Happens Live" afterwards???? If I could I would have punched Danielle in the face multiple times. She gets on my nerves worse than Kelly from RHWNY!! And that says something. I am ready for next week and ready for the reunion. I hope those women tear her apart! (That is awful to say, I know, but I don't care! She needs to be institutionalized!)

We might get to go to Toy Story 3 tonight. We were supposed to go last night, but a certain 2 year old didn't take his nap like he was supposed to... So, he didn't get to go watch the movie. Hopefully he will listen today! ;)

I also need to go grocery shopping to stock up for Robert while I am gone. I am already dreading the plane ride. This time we will have a short hour layover. So hopefully this will break up the crazy, screaming, kicking, 50 bathroom breaks, throwing toys at the random strangers in the front, plane time! ha! So if you are on the Southwest LA flight to Tulsa on Thursday, bless you! And come help me! :)

Just to leave you with a little something... I laughed so hard at this one!

Things to do!

Today I have accomplished quite a bit. I have a lot of things that need to be done before we leave on our trip Thursday. Eesh!

I had a MOUND of laundry that needed washed. I have done 2 loads so far, and have about 2 left. I did two loads of dishes. I forgot to tell you how our dishwasher story ended... I went and bought a new dish soap. We have always used Cascade liquid, well I bought the tablets the other day at the store hoping that it might help. WOW!!! My dishes were clean. Because our water is so hard here, it leaves a residue on the dishes. So, they invented this stuff to help with it!

Oh, this stuff is amazing!

Well, I ran out of it the other day and the Commissary was out as well. So, finally on Sunday they had some! YAY!! My dishes are clean again. (I am a pretty big dork, yes I know! Ha!)

Then I had the daunting task of hanging pictures. I hate this. Seriously. I hate making decisions about something that will potentially be staring at me for a few years. Robert and I moved the couch yesterday onto the "big wall" and put the loveseat on the "smaller wall". Which then, I had to move my enormously big, extremely heavy wall mirror. After about 30 minutes of sweating and griping, it was hung. I hung another wall picture and 2 sconces in the living room. At the mid-landing (???) of my stairs I hung 3 pictures of the boys. I have a pretty big space at the top-landing (???) to hang the rest of the boys' pictures. I will probably take this on tomorrow.

I also need to hang all of my wall decor in my room as well as Brycen's. And then... I WILL BE FINISHED!!! The only thing that I need to figure out is what I can put on the walls in the play area. They are really bare and need something. I don't want anything too kiddish, but I don't want something to grown up. So, I will have to be on the lookout for something.

Something I have been putting off is the Pioneer Woman reading. I know that once I start, I always get so wrapped up in everything Pinoeer Woman. She is amazing! I am love with her cooking and have started browsing her recipes again. Thanks to her, I am sitting here drooling over the thought of a blackberry cobbler! Yum! I am thinking about purchasing her cookbook too. When I get some free time, I want to sit down and read her story she wrote about her and her husband "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: Chapter by Chapter, by Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman".

So, I did try 2 new recipes this past week. I made the CHICKEN ENCHILADA RING that Kelly posted and the CHEESEBURGER PIE from the Dinner Bells blog. I honestly had mixed feelings about both. I liked the enchilada ring, but wasn't crazy for it. The cheeseburger pie was too "eggy" for me. It reminded me of a quiche. I am definitely not an egg eater so I kinda just picked through it. So this week, I am on the prowl. I am sure I will find something yummy to make from the lovely P.W.! ;)

Happy (belated, oops!) Father's Day!

I am incredibly blessed to have an amazing father. As I got married and had children of my own, I have realized just how wonderful of a man he is. Believe it or not, I wasn't always the best of child. I know that I gave my dad his fair share of gray hair's, to say the least. But he was always was there to guide me and encourage me. I am so grateful for him. And I am so grateful that the boys love their Papa just as much as I do! The other day, Thompson was talking to Papa on the phone and my dad asked him if he was ready to come to Arkansas? Thompson then started to ask me, "I want to go to Nana and Papa's house!" over and over and over. I was telling my sister about it later that day, telling her what Thompson said. Well he heard me talking as I said "I want to go to Nana and Papa's house!" And he ran up to me and said "Me too, how fun!!" It was the cutest. Of course I had to tell Mom and Dad the story. :)

And I am so proud that they boys have such an amazing, hardworking father too! Robert would give anything for them, and they are so lucky. Yesterday, Robert and Thompson headed upstairs and were up there for quite a while. I started wondering if Robert fell asleep or something so I headed up to check on them. I found them both laying on Thompson's bed just talking. It was the sweetest thing ever.