Ellie's Pictures....2 1/2 years old

Walking

My baby boy is officially walking.....well almost anyway. Cale took 15 steps today! It is so cute to watch! I will post pictures tomorrow. Today, I just wanted to enjoy the moment......I often feel like I miss things just by taking pictures....if that makes any sense! I can't believe I almost have an official toddler on my hands =-) What a fun age!

Banana Pudding

Just thought I would add one of my favorite recipes! This is so easy!

• 3-4 Bananas
• Vanilla Wafers- I use Jacksons
• 1 carton of cool whip
• 1 8oz block cream cheese
• 2 small boxes of instant french vanilla pudding

In large bowl beat the 2 boxes of pudding with 3 cups of milk until smooth. Next, in a small bowl beat cream cheese until smooth, then add to pudding mixture and beat. Then fold in cool whip. Lastly, layer bananas, vanilla wafers, and pudding! Very easy and very yummy!!!

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Trying So Hard!!!!

My baby boy wants to walk.....bad!!! All of a sudden too. Just within the last two days he has began letting go of the furniture or toy he is pulled up on and standing alone for a few seconds. He is also taking a small step or two toward something he really wants. I broke out the lion toy that he is pulling up to and not walking, but running with. He will be another one of mine that doesn't start walking, but starts RUNNING! I love all these sweet milestones!!

And another exciting thing is......Cale has also began saying Mama alot more freely and often! I'm loving it!!!!!!!

It's Been A WHILE!!!!

As you can tell by looking through these pictures, we had two small parties for Cale. Daddy was out of town the week of his actual birthday...soooooo, we were able to meet him half way at Olive Garden to celebrate!!


Surprisingly Cale LOVED his party hat!

This was your caterpillar cake that my friend Angie made you!! It was so CUTE!!!!!
Well, alot has happened since the last time I updated my blog! I have been gone because Ellie Maggie threw the laptop from the chair to the floor and broke the screen. We have been spending a lot of time in the pool. We have also celebrated Cale's first Birthday. Wow, time flies!! I still can't believe that our 4Th baby is 1..

Cale,

You are such a sweet baby boy. Always smiling, laid back, snuggle bug!! WE are so glad to have you in our lives!! Your brother and sisters love you a TON. You are still not walking, but can do some speed crawling. You do pull up and cruise around furniture, and occasionally let go for a few seconds. Your favorite word is still DaDa but also say, DAddy, Mama, Bite, and crack everyone up because you say, EI-Ei-O. You love Baby Einstein movies, especially Baby MacDonald. You actually slept 3 nights in a row this past week! You are growing up before our eyes! We love you Cale Aaron!!!!

Just going to post some pics of what has been going on since last time I updated!!

The boys! Cade and Cale just splish splashing! Having a GREAT time!! Cade Loves his baby brother!!

Callie loves going down the slide!!! My sweet little long legged girl!! I love you Callie Grace!!

Here is Ellie swimming! She is a fish! I am sad to say she graduated out of her "baby ring" this year!! She also loves for me to "take her under"

VBS kickoff.....6/15/09

I am so excited! Tomorrow VBS begins at our church! What a great ministry that the church offers for our kids. After being involved with it for several years now, I can honestly say, the adults are just as blessed. Just praying that this week goes well for all of the adults, children, and that the kids will get closer to GOD!! The One who makes this all possible!!!!

Momma's Boys

I have put this day off for a LONG time......






Cale's first haircut.........




Does anyone agree with me that when a little boy gets his first haircut it makes them look a lot older?


He just sat there and smiled, and clapped his hands!!


After he was finished his Nanny thought he deserved a sucker..so guess what? He got it!!

The first time I got Cade's hair cut I ended up letting it grow back out longer than it was before I got it cut the first time!!! Maybe I am the only one who thinks this way, but it is a hard thing for me. Cale will be one the 24th of this month and has already gotten his first haircut. TJ is the best though. She has given Callie, Cade, and Cale their first haircuts. Ellie Maggie still has not ever had a haircut.

Cade started Pre-K this week. It is just a two week program our school has to help get the kids used to the idea of going to school! He has loved it so far. Before his first night I was tucking him in to bed (snug as a bug in a rug) and he said "I'm scared Mommy." After many encouraging words of all the fun he would have he was fast asleep! When he woke up that morning though he wanted to know if I would take him to school and not come to class with him but stay somewhere in the building until he was done. I explained that I had to come back home to take care of the other three kids and he was fine with it!! He had a great day....when I asked him what he had for lunch he replied " apple slices, chicken nuggets, ketchup, and those things that look like toilet paper rolls." Racking my brain to try and decide what in the world looked like "toilet paper rolls", I gave my first guess, Mac N Cheese. "No Momma, they're brown." Gathering my thoughts, I guessed again "tater tots?" Thank goodness! I was right. What an imagination!!!

Believe it or not...this backpack was the diaper bag I carried when he was a baby!

Sweet man has the sweetest smile, but gets all tensed up by the camera and can't flash a cute one to save his life!! Gotta love it!

I love my girls just as much!! The boys just had some pretty important things happen this week!!!

Blessed To Be Called Mommy

I can't even begin to explain how special this day is to me. I am so blessed to have four beautiful, loving, healthy children. I love you all.....Callie, Cade, Ellie Maggie, and Cale. You all touch me in so many different ways. I am so blessed to be your Mommy!! We began today by going to church. This morning was the baby dedication at our church. Now if you aren't sure what that is, it is just where parents stand before the church and promise to raise our kids up in a Godly homes. Homes where God is the center of everything. We were blessed to have three other families join with us in dedicating their little one's also. What a special time, and a huge reminder that we ALL need to put Christ first. We can't follow through on our promise with our kids if WE aren't putting HIM first!!

Just have to get a picture of Daddy with the cute kids too!!!

Here is Daddy showing Cale his new Bible

Mommy holding her sweet little man and his Bible

Look at those sweet hands holding his wrapped Bible

Me and Silly Ellie Maggie

Me and my little man Cade Cambryn

Me and sweet Callie Grace

Here is Cale's Bible out of the wrapping paper. This is a corsage I was awarded with at church this morning. Our preacher awarded this to the Mother with the most kids present with her at church today. I won with four kids!!!! I am so proud to be a mommy!! I thought this was very thoughtful, and I was honored to be the one with the most kids present. I also thought it was very neat that the corsage had four small roses on it! One to represent each of my little one's.

After church we came home to eat a quick lunch and let the baby take a nap. After he woke up we went to visit Mark's mother and dad. Speaking of our parents though, we were blessed to have both my mother and father, and Mark's mother and father at church this morning for Cale's dedication. A.K.A, Nanny and Pa, and Nanna and Papa. We also had the chance to visit with Paul, Libby, Keyver, Lisa, Jay, and Chuck all over at Mark's parents house. My mom came over to our house for a little while this afternoon to visit. I also made the trip over to my Grandparents house late today. I just want all you ladies in our lives to know how much we love you, and appreciate all you do for us!!!! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!! Hope it was as great for everyone else as it was for me. To end my day, I was given the sweetest card and a pretty pink flower basket from Mark and the kids! Thank you guys so much! I am so blessed to be part of your lives!!!!!

Fun times with family

Today, Saturday, we spent the morning at home, and had to run to Ft. Smith to get Callie some new cleats. Hers are too small this year!! She is growing like a weed. I guess they all do that though!! Here is a quick pic of us just hanging out! I love my babies. What better way to celebrate Mothers Day that by dedicating our last little one to the LORD??!! I am so blessed to call myself "Mommy, Momma, and Mom" to these sweet little kids!!!!

The babies took a short nap on the way to Ft. Smith! Aren't they precious sleeping???

Mark came up with a great idea right before we left to go to Ft. Smith. He wanted to try to hurry back home and make it to the movie showing at our local theater. We discussed it and decided it was a must. I was real hopeful that we could find Callie a pair of cleats in our first store and we did!! I was impressed that when looking at all the cleats to choose from that she chose the black and white ones over the black and pink!! Maybe it will work out to where one of these days Cade can wear them. I can't believe Callie is already wearing a size 2!! We hurried home and barely made it in time to drop off the baby at Nanny and Pa's and get to that movie. What's showing?? And what does our local theater look like?? Well, for some reason I can not add any more pictures at the moment. Maybe tomorrow.........................

Bananas

I have been trying to introduce some table food to Cale. It has gone pretty good so far, and if he likes it as well as his baby food we will doing just fine. He has been the best baby food eater out of all of the kids so far. He loves to eat club crackers, cheerios, gerber puffs, and goldfish. Today I cut him up a banana in to small pieces and put on his highchair tray for him and he went to town!! I took some pictures I will add at the end. Cale, this is pretty much how you are spending your days and some things about you right now.

• You love to crawl around following the big kids wherever they go



• You still love your baby food, which is fine by me because I know you are getting the proper nutrition



• You have three teeth on top and two on bottom. Funny you have so many considering you were 9 months old when you got your first



• You love your fisher price jungle toy. It is played with everyday!!! Your favorite thing to do is pick up two of the balls and hit them together



• DADA is your favorite thing to babble right now , although you also say MAMA, NANA, PAPA, BYE, HI, BUBUBUBUBA



• Wave bye-bye



• Love to be outside



• Cuddle with mommy

I know there are plenty more sweet things my little man is doing, and I'm sure I will touch base on them regularly.

Tonight we played outside, and went for a drive. Everyone is in bed and resting now!! Can't wait to spend time together as a family tomorrow......

No " Get Out Of Bed Excuses".........

Ok....So maybe this is not the best picture of my kids, but I guess we can say they had their game faces on. Although, Cade does have his nostrils flared!! Callie's socks are also not even. Cade's pants are pulled up a little high. Remember Steve Urkle?? Ok, so maybe not that high! I normally would have taken them outside to get some pictures but was very pressed for time. I normally work until after 7 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was fortunate enough to have a friend that came in to cover for me a little before 5:00 so I could go to Cade's game. When I got home it was rush, rush, rush to get 4 kids dressed and out the door!! Thank goodness for the help of grandparents!!! Also, Heather kept Ellie Maggie for us so we did not have to chase her around the whole time! I always hated those leashes for kids, but now see why certain parents have them. It has to be for kids like Ellie Maggie!!! So is anyone with me on the BLAHness of the kids uniforms this year?? I mean, they are ok, but with little kids I like at least a little color!! Callie is grey and black, and Cade is navy and grey..........Anyway, they both had really great games. Cade, still slightly distracted by the dirt, but did good! Callie got a hit every time at bat! I was so proud of the both of them!! Of course though, I am their momma. Tonight Cade tied the team his team played against, and Callie WON!!!! YAY!!!!! So all of this works up to my title for today........Cade played ball at 5:30, Callie was supposed to play at 7:30, but they got a late start and then had technical difficulty with the pitching machine and ended up getting a late start. It was 9:30 before we made it home. Still had to get dinner, and showers. Everyone of the kiddos were so tired that after our usual bedtime prayers, kisses, and goodnights.....that there was not one peep from them after being put to bed. I am pretty sure each one of them fell asleep instantly!!!!! Definitely makes it more relaxing to not have to deal with 3,000 out of bed excuses!! Anyone else have kids with excellent reasons for getting out of bed a million times before falling asleep??? Thank goodness for a beautifully, muggy, sunshine filled day!!!!! Here is a picture of Cale sacked out............

"Out Came the Sun and Dried Up All the RAIN"

YAY!!!! We finally saw the SUN after at least a hundred days of clouds and rain. Yes, I am female, and may exaggerat just a small bit! Today, we got a slow start at getting around and on task. I lost a patient today, which some may consider last night because he went to be witht he Lord just a few minutes after midnight. He was my neighbor....and always has been, and someone who has always been a favorite of mine. When I was just a little one, I would go to visit he and his wife. He made a comment on Tuesday to me. He said that when he used to watch me play on the playground, near our homes, that he never knew I would amount to this. Now, I didn't take that as he didn't think I would ever do anything with my life!! I took it as when you are watching someone grow up, you never know how they may help or touch you in your life down the road. I am so blessed to have been able to be there for he and his family. Such a sweet couple. I was able to be there with he and his family at the time of his passing. I have totally fallen in love with each and every one of them. I just wanted to note a few things about my last day with Paul. I had the honor of being his nurse on Tuesday. About mid afternoon he called me to the room because he wanted to give me a hug and kiss on the cheek. He was such a loving caring person ,who even at a time where he was very ill, was worried about making everyone else feel better. I just want to say that I am really going to miss him, and know he is in an awesome place tonight!!! My job is very difficult. Sometimes I don't know how I handle it.....I know that it is God's gift to me..........HE has made it to where I can take care of people in their time of need...........HE gets me through the valley.............HE has given me the gift of being able to be a shoulder for the family losing those they love...........Thank goodness.......because I know I couldn't handle these things on my own.

Instead of our normal routine and chores, I took the afternoon to go to the SuperCenter and get some shopping finished. I managed to drop a small fortune. Feeding six is not cheap!! When I went in to the store it was completely overcast. About 2 1/2 hours later, after I was finished the SUN was out!!!!!!! I was so thankful. I swear, the SUN is a huge stress reliever. After getting home and unloading all the groceries it was time to get outside and enjoy the sun, because in Arkansas, you never know how long it will last. We are expecting more rain tomorrow. Here are some pictures of the kids outside. It is baseball/softball season, and the kids were practicing in the yard.

I meant to post these pics at the end of my last paragraph....HELP!? I don't guess I know what I am doing. My cursor was blinking where I wanted them to go.........