HAPPY 4TH FROM OUR FANTASTIC FAMILY OF FOUR

GOD HAS BLESSED AMERICA SO MUCH AND IN TURN, HAS BLESSED OUR FAMILY. HE HAS BLESSED US WITH CONSTANT GIFTS, GIFTS THAT ARE PRICELESS, THE GIFT OF FAMILY!! GOD BLESS !!

OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

GOD BLESSED AMERICA! HE BLESSED US WITH MEN WHO WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR OUR COUNTRY, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE FREEDOM. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOTITE HOLIDAYS AND CAIDEN'S TOO. HE STILL THANKS GOD IN HIS PRAYERS FOR THE SOLIDERS THAT FOUGHT IN WAR AND AND FOR THE MEN THAT GAVE US FREEDOM!MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

OUT WITH THE OLD; IN WITH THE NEW

I NOTICED A LOT OF CHANGES IN MY CHILDREN'S ROOMS TODAY WHEN I WAS STRAIGHTENING UP THE HOUSE. I DIDN'T SEE THE OLD TOYS THAT THEY USE TO PLAY WITH. I DIDN'T SEE LITTLE TOY FIGURINES, LIKE STAR WARS OR POKEMON, AND I DIDN'T SEE LITTLE PLASTIC DOLL FIGURINES STRODE THROUGHOUT THE ROOM. THERE WERE NO CARTOON DVD'S AND CERTAINLY NO WORDS LIKE" HEY, LETS PLAY WITH THE SPIDERMAN WEB BLASTER". I SEE I-PODS AND PLAYSTATIONS, HANNA MONTANA SING-A-LONGS,AND YES SPORTS TROPHIES AND MEMORABILIA. MY CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP AND DOING IT FASTER THAN I WANT THEM TO. CAIDEN'S MENTAL CAPACITY IS FAR BEYOND HIS YEARS. THESE TOYS THAT HE USED TO PLAY WITH ARE NO LONGER A PART OF HIS LIFE. NO MORE PLAYING IN SANDBOX, OR SWINGING ON THE SWING SET. MY CHILDREN CONSIDER THESE THINGS TO BE "BABY" STUFF NOW. AND RIGHTFULLY SO, BECAUSE AS WE GROW OLDER, WE LEAVE BEHIND THOSE THINGS THAT WERE ONCE FAMILIAR TO US. WE HAVE TO LEARN THAT PUTTING UP THE OLD, WILL BRING IN NEW THINGS, NEW TRADITIONS, AND NEW HOBBIES TO HELP US GROW INTO OUR OWN INDIVIDUALS. YES, I AM A LITTLE SAD, BUT WE MUST LEARN TO PUT AWAY PAST THINGS AND WELCOME FUTURE THINGS. AS I SAID BEFORE, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE AND WE HAVE TO WELCOME IT WITH AN OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE. SO, I ACCEPT IT WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SOON AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE OUT WITH THE OLD, AND IN WITH THE NEW, AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN. FOR CHANGE IS ALWAYS CHANGING.....

GIRLS GONE WILD: SHOPPING!

BAILEE AND I WILL SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER, GETTING OUR HAIR DONE, OUR NAILS AND GETTING GOODIES FOR OUR TRIP THIS WEEKEND. I ALWAYS ENJOY SPENDING TIME WITH HER AND LETTING HER EXPERIENCE THE LIFESTYLES OF WOMEN!! GOTTA TEACH HER YOUNG!! WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT GOING TO BAKER THIS WEEKEND. IT WILL NOT BE ALL ABOUT BASEBALL, FOR BAILEE AND I WILL SHOP,EAT, AND THEN DO WHATEVER COMES TO MIND. I AM SO GLAD A HAVE A DAUGHTER TO DO WONDERFUL THINGS WITH. I WANT HER TO KNOW THAT I AM ALWAYS HERE FOR HER. I WANT HER TO BE ABLE TO COME TO ME WITH TROUBLES THAT LIE ON HER HEART, AND EVEN MORE, I WANT HER TO SHARE HER DREAMS WITH ME. I WANT HER TO KNOW THAT I AM HERE TO LISTEN, AND GIVE ADVICE AND MOST OF ALL, BE THE ONE TO SUPPORT HER IN ALL THE ENDEAVORS OF LIFE THAT SHE PURSUES!! HAVING A DAUGHTER IS A BLESSING!!

EAST OUACHITA STORM: OUR TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAM 2008

JERRY AND SOME OTHER COACHES HAVE PUT TOGETHER A TRAVEL BASEBALL TEAM: THESE PLAYERS ARE MOST OF OUR ALL-STAR PLAYERS. WE HAD OUR FIRST PRACTICE TODAY. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICS, THIS IS NOT NORMAL BASEBALL PRACTICE. THESE COACHES ARE TEACHING THE BOYS PRECISE TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE THEIR BASEBALL TALENTS. IT WAS SUCH A PRETTY DAY TO BE OUT THERE

ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE

I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED ANOTHER CHILD, BUT IT LOOK LIKE I WILL JUST HAVE TO SETTLE FOR CAIDEN AND BAILEE....AND THEIR FRIENDS!! ITS NOT THAT I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT BEING THE MOTHER OF TWO, I'M ECSTATIC ABOUT BEING THE MOTHER TO JUST ABOUT THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD! I LOVE THE SUMMER TIME, I LOVE THE SOUND OF KIDS LAUGHING AND PLAYING, JUST THEM, BEING KIDS, ENJOYING THE TIME THEY SPEND TOGETHER. I ALSO COOK FOR THEM, AND I LOVE FINDING NEW THINGS TO TRY, USUALLY THEY LIKE IT, AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY USUALLY TELL ME . WELL, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE LIKE MY OWN CHILDREN AND MINE WOULD DEFINITELY TELL ME THEIR OPINION!! I ALWAYS HAVE DRINKS AND SNACKS ON HAND, BECAUSE THEY OFTEN TELL ME THAT PLAYING PLAYSTATION BASEBALL MAKES YOU HUNGRY, THEY SAY IT IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A "MENTAL SWEAT" OUTBREAK. BAILEE AND HER FRIENDS LOVE TO HANG OUT IN HER ROOM WITH SINGING KARAOKE TO KIDS ROCK AND HANNA MONTANA. MOST OF THEIR PARENTS WORK AND I DON'T SO WHY NOT!! THE MORE THE MERRIER!! THEIR PARENTS TRUST ME AND FURTHERMORE, TELL ME TO TREAT THEN LIKE MY OWN, AND I DO. WHEN THEY BECOME ROWDY OR TOO LOUD, I TELL THEM TO CALM DOWN, JUST LIKE MY CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY ARE MY "OTHER" CHILDREN . THESE PICS TELL A STORY OF SUMMER FUN, LIVING LIFE THEIR THE EYES OF ALL MY CHILDREN, BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE AT MY HOUSE!!

MY FAMILY AND MY GRANDPARENTS

MY GRANDPARENTS ARE THE BEST!! I WAS THE 1ST GRANDCHILD AND I WAS SPOILED ROTTEN!! MY GRANDMOTHER AND I ALWAYS HAD A SPECIAL BOND. I WILL ALWAYS CHERISH EVERY MOMENT I SPENDT WITH THEM. I COULD ALWAYS TELL HER ANYTHING AND SHE NEVER JUDGED ME , SHE ALWAYS HAS SHOWN ME LOVE AND SUPPORT, AND SHE ALWAYS RESPECTED ME AS A PERSON. THEY MEAN THE WORLD TO ME!! I'M SO GLAD THAT THEY ARE STILL HERE TO SEE THEIR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN GROW AND TO SEE A LITTLE PART OF THEM LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST!

THE TIES THAT BIND: 4 GENERATIONS

HOW BLESSED I AM TO HAVE SUCH STRONG WOMEN IN MY FAMILY!! SOME OF THESE WOMEN HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND EXPERIENCED SO MUCH. SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEGUN TO KNOW WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THEM . THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF LIFE AND ITS UNCERTAINTIES HAVE MADE THESE WOMEN WHO THEY ARE TODAY. THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THE GOOD TIMES AND BAD, ALWAYS SEEKING GOD'S GUIDANCE, AND NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE, GIVING GOD GLORY BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE SEEING THEM THROUGH IT ALL. THEIR TRADITIONS AND ADVICE WILL BE HANDED DOWN TO THOSE OTHER WOMEN SO THEIR LEGACIES WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. THESE WOMEN ARE THE "BACKBONES" OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ENDURED HARDSHIPS, SO THEY COULD BE THE ONES WHO SAID "IT WAS WORTH IT" FOR THE SAKE OF MY FAMILY. THESE WOMEN SPENT MANY TIMES PRAYING FOR THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF THEIR FAMILY.ASKING GOD TO GUIDE THEIR THOUGHTS AND GIVE THEM DIRECTION IS RAISING THIER FAMILIES. I AM SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF THESE WOMEN'S LIVES. THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME THAT FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN LIFE. THEY HAVE TAUGHT ME THAT BEING A WOMAN IS A HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE AND THE DUTIES OF MOTHERHOOD WERE SO REWARDING, BECAUSE YOU WILL DO ANYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR FAMILY, TO BE THE KEEPER OF THEIR HAPPINESS AND CONTENTEDNESS, BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS STRONG LIKE THE ONES BEFORE US. MY BAILEE WILL CARRY ON THIS TRADITION AND SO WILL HER DAUGHTER. THESE ARE THE TIES THAT BIND, AND WILL BE BINDED FOR MORE GENERATIONS TO COME!

BAILEE

CAIDEN

TRAVELING BASEBALL TEAM

JERRY HAS JUST INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS PUT TOGETHER A TRAVELING BASEBALL TEAM. IT CONSIST OF MOST OF OUR ALL-STAR PLAYERS. JERRY AND CAIDEN ARE NOT FINISHED PLAYING BASEBALL AND I'M NOT EITHER!! WE WILL TRAVEL THIS WEEKEND.

CAIDEN'S 1ST ALL-STAR YEAR

SINCE WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR ALL-STARS I DECIDED TO POST CAIDEN'S 1ST YEAR OF ALL-STARS. A TRIBUTE TO MY C-MAX FOR PLAYING THE BEST THAT HE COULD. THAT IS ALL I EVER WANT FOR MY CHILDREN. FOR THEM TO TRY THE BEST THEY CAN AND KNOW THAT IN THEIR HEARTS, THEY GAVE IT ALL THEY COULD. WE CAN'T ALWAYS WIN BUT WE CAN RECEIVE A GREAT SATISFACTION IN KNOWING WE TRIED!!

PEAS AND CARROTS....

WERE THE WORDS FORREST GUMP USED TO DESCRIBE HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS JENNY. THEY WERE LIKE PEAS AND CARROTS, THEY JUST "WENT TOGETHER". WELL, THIS IS NOT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MY CHILDREN. THEY ARE MORE LIKE NIGHT AND DAY,AND ALL METAPHORS IN BETWEEN. AND WHY SHOULDN'T THEY BE DIFFERENT, THEIR OWN INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND OWN SENSE OF BEING. THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT BEINGS,AND I KNEW THIS LONG BEFORE THEY WERE EVER BORN. I HAD TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT PREGNANCIES. IN THE WOMB, CAIDEN MOVED CONSTANTLY, AS WHERE BAILEE DID NOT. I CAN REMEMBER VIVIDLY WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS SCARED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH BAILEE. SHE JUST DID NOT MOVE AS MUCH AS CAIDEN, AND THAT SCARED ME.SOON AFTER SHE WAS BORN I REALIZED THAT SHE WAS PASSIVE AND LAID BACK, AS WHERE CAIDEN WAS HIGH-STRUNG AND HYPER. I DO NOT WANT THEM TO BE ALIKE, BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS NO GROWTH IN SELF-ACCEPTANCE AND THEM BEING THIER OWN INDIVIDUALS. I LOVE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE DIFFERENT, MY LOVE FOR THEM IS THE SAME, BUT IS DIFFERENT FOR EACH ONE. CAIDEN LOVES TO HAVE SOMEONE TO PLAY WITH. HE FEELS HE HAS TO HAVE CONSTANT HANDS ON INTERACTION. HE JUST FEELS THE NEED FOR SOMEONE TO BE RIGHT THERE. CONFORMATION IS IMPORTANT TO HIM. HE NEVER HAS A MESSY ROOM AND RARELY SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT CLOTHES I HAVE OUT FOR HIM TO WEAR. NOW MY BAILEE, SHE IS QUITE DIFFERENT. BAILEE HAS A AMAZING IMAGINATION, AND CAN PLAY BY HERSELF. SHE DOESN'T NEED CONSTANT INTERACTION, AGAIN THAT GOES BACK TO MY PREGNANCIES, I "KNEW" THEY WERE DIFFERENT. BAILEE LOVES TO SING AND DANCE, AND PLAY SCHOOL. SHE REALLY DOESN'T LIKE TO READ MUCH, AS WHERE CAIDEN LOVES TO READ. SHE LOVES TO BE PRAISED BUT DOES NOT ASK FOR IT. CAIDEN LOVES TO ALSO, BUT HE DEMANDS IT FOR HIS OWN SELF-ESTEEM AMD SELF-CONFIDENCE. BAILEE'S ROOM IS ALWAYS MESSY AND I HAVE TO BE ON HER CONSTANTLY TO CLEAN IT UP. BUT WHEN SHE DOES CLEAN IT, THERE IS SENSE OF SELF-PRIDE ON HER FACE, AND I QUICKLY FORGET HOW UPSET I WAS WITH HER. THERE IS ONE THING THAT THEY ARE ALIKE ON,"FAMILY TOGETHERNESS". THEY BOTH LOVE FOR OUR FAMILY TO BE TOGETHER, AND FOR US TO BE A FAMILY. HEY, IF THEY CAN BE ALIKE ON THIS, THEN I AM TRULY BLESSED!!

CAIDEN'S MEDAL

THESE MEDALS ARE SO PRECIOUS, AND I'M SO GLAD THAT HE EARNS ANOTHER, FOR HE HAS SO MANY!! IT IS SUCH A WONDERFUL FEELING WATCHING HIM RECEIVE IT!!

2ND ALL-STAR GAME EO VS. MOREHOUSE

WE PLAYED HARD, BUT LOST. WE ARE OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT. SO SAD THAT IT IS OVER BUT THE MEMORIES I HAVE ARE SOO SPECIAL. IT IS SUCH AN HONOR FOR CAIDEN TO BE PART OF ALL-STARS ONCE AGAIN. I LOOK AT EVERY ENDING SEASON A NEW BEGINNING. THERE IS ALWAYS NEXT YEAR TO LOOK FORWARD TOO. WE NOW HAVE TIME FOR FAMILY ACTIVITIES!!! WE SO NEED TIME TOGETHER. I'M SO PROUD OF MY CAIDEN, YOU ARE THE BEST C-MAX!!