NOT too Cool for School

Zane has been looking forward to Ms. Lynda's school all summer. Lance and I prayed and prayed that there would be a way for us to send him because one, he was so excited and loved her. Two, we just knew that is where he was supposed to be. After much prayer, the Lord stepped in and provided for Zane's school. Ms. Lynda's school is AWESOME for education, development and spiritually. I love that he is getting fed the WORD everyday not only by us but by a very godly christian woman. She is so amazing that she totally transforms her room into whatever unit that they are doing at that time. The first unit is Construction and that could not have been better for Zane. He loves it and I am so glad. He actually comes home this year and tells us things that they did rather than how he got in trouble or how bad the other kids were. IT is amazingly different. She keeps him engaged the whole time.

one of her centers

their "lockers" and supplies

another center about construction and signs


LOOK HOW WONDERFUL!!!!!!
The kids seem to love this thing!

All Ready to go on his 1st day!

I'm so BIG!
Zane and Stephen
Arrive, sit and Color station
He found his name and his paper with his name. He knew what to do. I was so proud!
What he said on his first day......

"Mom, I want my Dad to take me. You sit in the car, I'll go in."

I replied, "Can I go to? I want to take you with Daddy."

NO

Well, Can I go say hi to Ms. Lynda?

Sure, but then you just leave. I have to go be at school. You can come back later and pick me up.

Today they learned about road signs because we were driving down the road and he said, "mom, there is a yellow yield sign and you need to slow down you are going too fast."

I slowed down and then he said, Ok, we passed it you can go fast again....just until you see another one or STOP sign. OK!

Smarty PANTS!!!!

Two Peas in a Pod

We LOVE the Fredericksburg Parade and Fair. It is so much fun and "small town". Lance takes off on that Friday and we get there early to get a good spot. Usually at the Nimitz museum but this year we changed our plans, put a kink in "we always sit at Nimitz" with his mom and grandparents by sitting at his uncle and aunts store Soto and Schmidt. It was so convenient. They already had a place reserved for us, snacks, water and we could use their restroom. It was awesome! Zane had been wanting to take a buddy along all week. He asked his friend Riley to go. He also asked Gavin on Thursday night. We said, "Zane, we don't have a car big enough to bring all your friends." He said well, let's got buy one then." HA! Honey, keep praying!
We picked Riley up at 7:45 and headed to German Town. The boys were so good the whole day even when the parade got boring and HOT! After the parade we had lunch with Bopie and Momie and then headed to the carnival. They had a blast and Lance and I really enjoyed having the boys. It was a lot of fun for Zane to bring a friend. It helps when both kids are WONDERFUL......most of the time!

Cooling down with snow cones!
Last stop at the carnival
On the way home right after leaving the parking lot!
Talking to each other on pretend phones!


Way Up There RI!!!!


Waiting for the Parade to begin

Silly BOYS!!
Clownin Around!


Thanks for going Riley, we had FUN!!!!!!

Breaking Traditions!

I did it and so will my boys!
Lance always participated in the Johnson City Fair and Rodeo as a kid. Whether it was the stick horse races or mutton bustin he was out there. Lawton did the mutton bustin a few years back and last year was Zane's turn to start in the family tradition. He was so cute riding his stick bull, but he cried at every turn. This year I was prepping him for the festivities, but God was prepping Lance in something completely different. This year our church had their annual baptism and back to school bash the same weekend that the rodeo fell and during the same time. I knew it wasn't a hard choice to decide which to go to because we have always gone and we had to carry out the traditions....the rodeo! So about a week or two before the Saturday Lance told me he was wanting to get baptized. AND MISS THE RODEO! WHAT!!!!
I was shocked and floored. I had been waiting for the day for Lance to decide to get baptized ever since the day that he decided to follow Christ wholeheartedly about 7 years ago. He was baptized as a child but wanted to do the "REAL" baptism again. I believe that our church calls it re-dedication. A few nights before he wanted our whole Acacia group (home group from church) to get in the river with him. It was a great time and of course I cried during the whole thing! God is so good!!!

Lance playing with the boys!!

My friend Jen with our friends little boy, Matthew!
See, we do love each other!
Being surrounded by our "family"
and he is UP!!!! I love seeing all of us with each other!

I think there is something so neat about being baptized in water that our heavenly Father created. Our pastor tells a great story about the Jordan River and how it always looks so calm, but it really is rough white water. That is how our lives look, not calm all the time but rough and fast flowing. I love that picture!

My little Rock Star

Most days Zane wants to be a praise and worship leader like Mr. Glenn at our church. Although, he has been carrying around a little Bible non-stop. He then says he is going to be a preacher like Pastor Scott and have a cool little microphone ear thing that is yellow where he talks. Well, the other day he wanted to be....just watch!

Look Who Came for a Visit

Last week Zane's Favorite Person in the Whole World came to see us. He was so excited. He said, "Momma, I'm going to build a castle for my little princess, Laney Bug."

I hate that these pics didn't go in order, but this was our Bug after spending a few hours with us!
Here is our Bug as soon as she got here. Zane was soooo excited. She is sitting up now and even......

Crawling. She turns for a pose though. Is this a Little Princess or WHAT!!
Ms. Kendra even brought Snogit for us. Jolyon and Zane had a great time playing with each other. Zane misses seeing them everyday!
Zane was worried that Laney would get hurt crawling around and pulling up on his chair.
Playing in Zane's room. We are so glad you came over and played. Zane did ask Kendra if she was leaving and she said no. Zane said well, I think you should and leave Laney Bug with us!
Hopefully one day soon dear Zane you will have a sister of your own and she will never leave even when you want her too, but we can only hope she is as happy and beautiful as your precious Laney Bug!!!!

COWBOY UP!!!!!

Ok, I have no cowboyness (is that a word) in me. Lance on the other hand is a man with lots of aches and pains due to his earlier cowboy days. He rode bulls and bareback horses so I guess this is where Zane gets it and it leads to this...
I told Zane to go get dressed because we were going to church and minutes later he comes out with this......

I died laughing and he asks, "Can I wear this Please, to church?"
How could I deny it. Shorts, John Deer boots, cowboys belt with holster and gun, baseball shirt, and cowboy hat. SO ridiculous but cute. He then says he is going to be in rodeos like Daddy was. I have not decided to break is little heart yet by telling him that the only thing he will be doing in rodeos is riding the stick horse races or the man in the truck picking up the barrels. After all the aches and pains that his Daddy has, I'm sure he would agree!
Look at him though, what a natural little cowboy. Oh, and so charmful with that smile tipping his hat to the Ladies. Oh, my we are in for it!!!!!

Summer... Summer..... Summer.... Time

Our summer has been full of fun but very relaxing! No running here and there and everywhere. AND thank the good lord above NO SOCCER!!! Here is a little of what we have been up to or things that I have seen that just captured my heart!

Gary Gilbert...What a great tree to climb right above his mom and throw leaves in her hair. I love watching boys be boys!

Look at these two! Always laughing it up and being silly. Just wait until I put them doing the worm together one night at Acacia....Priceless!
Jen Taylor...what you can't see is her name tag that one of her boys made her that says I LUV My Mom. She had it on all day and wore it into Buck and Ozzy's! Proud Momma!
Angela Gilbert's Mom and Dad. YES, they put up with ALL of us and our kids. WE love them!
Somehow most of the kids from Acacia all seemed to be able to have a spot on the Gator! Be careful Logan, you just ran into Gary and now he is on your hood!
Zane can swing ALL BY MYSELF, MOM!!
Showing his rear...that is what he does best
He loves the tire swing
We FINALLY had a little rain. Ethan Heare had a ball playing in the rain at church. It was such a joy to watch him discover this. The excitement on his face and the desire for more and more of what he had just discovered.
Thank you, Jesus for the rain so I could see this!

Lots of swimming.

BIG ARMS!! BIG ARMS!!!
Being a Ham
Look Miss Lizzy, I'm going under!
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Happy summer to all and we only have 2 more weeks of summer fun left......I guess it will be welcome back to reality.....dinner at 5:30, bed time AGAIN, School Again and boooo Soccer Again!!