SUMMER is starting which means

more time with the Kings.   We had a fun dinner with the Kings.  I love that our kids play so well together!   How cute are they!  Time sure is flying with these 4.  I am totally blessed by their friendship!

Last day of school

THEY SURVIVED!   Love these 2 and I am so ready to spend summer with them!   They are ready for some downtime.  But they sure are looking grown up!

I am a Reader

I don't talk about myself as much as I used to when I blogged.  I think the kids are much more interesting than I am and for sure they are more adorable.

But one thing my kids both know about me is that I am a reader.  I reader several books a week if I am on my game.  It is my favorite past time.    Growing up, Alyssa was always the reader and I climbed trees.   I really felt that way for a long time.   In 2000, I graduated college and my New Year's resolution was to read a book a month for pleasure.  It is a New Year's Resolution I never broke and continue to follow.   Some weeks I read 3 novels.   Some weeks it is only several chapters, but I am always reading.  

I hope these books are with you guys when you are grown.  So if you are reading this when you are older, I want to remind you to read.   There really is nothing as wonderful, magical, eye opening, inspiring, or even a better way to procrastinate.   Readers are Leaders.  Be a reader.  

Battle of the Books

Carley and some of her friends competed in the Battle of the Books competition this year.  Carley was the speaker for her team.   They did a great job and it was hard work.   They won the campus competition, but lost in district   I am proud of the academic success she consistently achieves.

Her team members were Alyssa, Emma, Hannah, and Sam.

The books they read were:

Wonder, Sarah Plain and Tall, Million Dollar Throw, The Dancing Pancake, One Crazy Summer, Escaping the Giant Wave, White Fur Flying, Because of Mr. Terupt, Spaceheadz, and Turtle in Paradise.

Green Dragons are back again!

Corey's soccer team was back again and Corey donned the green jersey for the third time.  It was a fun season.   Corey loves running around and stealing the ball.  He laughs all the time and loves joking with his team and jumping on ant beds.

During one game, a little boy on another team got kicked in the private area.   Corey ran to the side lines and yelled to Cody, "Hey Dad, that kid just got kicked in the Crunch!".   It was hilarious for many reasons.  One reason was that he was oblivious to the  bleachers full of parents and grandparents and the row of parents and grandparents.   It was totally cute.  

Carley's Water Day

  Carley had a fun water day at school.  It has rained so much here that she was thankful for some sun and an excuse to play outside!

Memorial Day Fun with the Family

Clint and Alyssa are members of the Sundance-Club outside of Gordon, TX.   It is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Fort Worth and about 3 1/2 hours from Lubbock.   We had such a wonderful time.   We stayed for only one night but enjoyed each other so much.  I only wish Cody could have gone and it would have been sunnier!   But there were a lot of cute moments, and some hilarious ones too!

- Lauren teaching Corey about worms.
- Papa taking Carley and Lauren out in the row boat.
- Papa wearing this hilarious shirt that he bought at Cracker Barrel.   It said "We the People" but the font looked like "We Be People".
-Nana's hair did not agree with the humidity and  it looked really funny most of the time.  I can't post a picture, because Nana would kill me, but it will stay in my heart forever!
- Alyssa and I took Corey and Addy in a paddle boat.   We had no idea what we were doing and could not steer.  And we had the 2 craziest with us, without life jackets.
- The water was FREEZING, but Carley kept swimming!