Good Ole Summertime

Summer is here and the weather is stifling but I still love it. There are a few things that don't thrill me but for the most part I LOVE this time of year.

10 things I love about summer:

1. staying outside until 9:00 and it's still light
2. watching the kids in the pool or under the sprinkler
3. catching fireflies
4. making homemade ice cream
5. grilling out with family and friends
6. sleeping late - no school
7. beach vacation
8. watching the purple martins soar over the house
9. my little berry brown babies
10. garden fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and squash

A few things that don't give me a thrill

1. putting on a bathing suit
2. fire ants
3. having to get to work when the kids can sleep in
4. the heat
5. humidity

Riding a Bike

Look who has learned to ride a two wheeler. I am so proud of my baby boy.Yep, as a matter of fact he is in his underwear and that is a barbie bike but he's riding.

my brown blur

I wish I had a thing to do with any of my children learning to ride bicycles but alas, I am not the one that taught any of them.
"Miss" Kathy taught Gracie, Gracie taught Rabbie and Rab taught Josh.

Simple Pleasures

I realize as I read other blogs how perfectly simple our life is. I am so completely happy with my life. We don't go lots of places or do much beside being at home with family and I couldn't be happier. Maybe I am on the verge of agoraphobia but going out doesn't interest me much. I have no desire to go and do, I'd rather be home with my family. Tonight for example, I picked up my children and Cameron and Lacie from school, came home and played. Steven and Paul came over too and we cooked on the grill, in the garage since a storm blew up, rode Will's four wheeler (before the storm) and just hung out around the house. While Jill and I were sitting on the front porch sipping a glass of wine and visiting I looked out across the field and saw what at first I thought were cows but turned out to be HUGE pigs. Our lives are simple but oh so wonderful.

Happy Father's Day

Ok so I am a day late in writing this. I didn't have time yesterday. Really! I didn't take a 2 hour nap or anything, I was just busy doing other "stuff".

Anyway, Happy Belated Father's Day to all you wonderful Daddys out there but most especially the wonderful man who lives, loves right in this house. Timmy, we are all so blessed to have you in our lives. I love you more every day. You are such a great dad and husband. Let me just tell you a little about why I am so proud to be the wife of this guy. On Saturday the girls had a Girl Scout trip to the beach to go to Wild Water and Wheels. This is absolutely not my thing, I don't like to wear a bathing suit and am not particularly fond of swimming either. My love volunteered to go with them. They got up at 7:00 headed out to have breakfast at Huddle House (AG's choice) then hit the road to the beach. They not only did the water park but went to Build a Bear Workshop. Tim was a good sport and took them to these things but also added a few more fun stops. He took them for a late lunch at Hard Rock Cafe then out for some shopping. They studied jewelry at Claire's then my sweet loving wonderful husband took my babies to Libby Lu to have makeovers. They dragged in at 8:30 completely exhausted and overly excited. I love my man.

B-I-B-L-E School

We had Bible School at our church this week. The children all had a great time, singing, learning more about Jesus, doing some cute crafts and eating yummy suppers. I took the easy way out and volunteered to work in the kitchen. We too had a good time.
This is how Hampton came in one night and said he looked like me. Guess I need to see the hairdresser more often. The last night we had a petting zoo and a bounce house. So much fun. The children got to see and pet a ferret, a chicken with no legs, a couple of goats and they even helped Mrs. Doris feed a baby deer.

103 degrees

What do you do when it it 103 degrees outside?

Swim at Aunt Jill's
followed by a blackberry hunt at home,then some tree climbing.

Joshua Brian Kirven

Joshua, my precious boy, completed our family on January 30, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. I was induced with him just 4 days past his due date. He loves to hear the story of how his big sister, Anna Grace, was holding him shortly after he was born, before they took him to the nursery, and he tee teed on her. The boy was born to torment his sisters. What a change it was to have a boy baby in the house. I think every time I had to change his diaper as a little baby, I also had to change the bedding in his cradle. Seems a boy has super powers when it comes to soaking their clothes.

There is something really special about the bond between a mother and her son. It is just different than with the girls. Not that it is more love, that simply is impossible, it's just special. Probably the bond between fathers and their little girls is the same.

He makes me smile even when I am ready to pull his beautiful little head off. You just can't help but laugh at him when he forever makes strange faces and noises. He is ALL boy for sure. He loves to play ball or run real fast, he has been hunting with his daddy and gone camping on the river over night. None of that for the girls of the Kirven house, nosiree. He can turn anything in to a gun, a cotton ball, piece of paper, pen or leaf absolutely anything. Josh, being the wild man that he is loves all of the movie characters that we as good parents would never let him watch (yeah right) such as the real Batman, Superman, Transformers and Ghost Rider as well as anything ninja. I reminded him last night that ninjas always hug and kiss their moms any time she may need a love and my angel puckered up for me. Oh how I love that my baby will still love on me. I fear the day is coming soon when my boy will want nothing to do with me. For now I will take every kiss or hug I can get.

My life is good.

Happy Birthday Daddy

Timmy's birthday was Saturday but in the chaos of wedding stuff we kind of just left him out. The girls and I had picked up a present for him earlier in the week but gave it to him the second we walked in the door still in the Target bag. I didn't even bake him a cake this year. He is such a good considerate man who deserves better than that. He always has a cake and a special present for me. I'm just a loser wife. Anyway Elizabeth (works at the library with me) was at the house when I got home from a meeting at church last night with food to prepare. We had an impromptu party for my man. His momma had baked him a yummy strawberry cake so we had all the bases covered. Don't you just love it when friends come by bring food and cook it for you.

Hannah's Wedding

Our favorite babysitter, Hannah, got married to her wonderful Jared last night. It was a beautiful wedding and reception. We are all so happy for Han. She has been almost like another mother to my children. She bravely asked all three to be in the wedding. They all did great, Josh was a little goofy but nothing like I thought he would be and the girls did exactly as they were supposed to. AG even smiled!!


The girls opening their presents before the Bridesmaids BrunchThis is how they killed time before the ceremony
All dressed up Josh got warm at the reception