Late Trunk or Treat Post

Our local First Baptist Church sponsors "Trunk or Treat" for Halloween.  Members decorate their vehicles, or just set up a scene, in the parking lot and the kids make the loop collecting treats.  Leon went as a rat this year~ reminds me of Templeton from Charlotte's Web.  lol

Here he is waving to little kids walking down our street.  Sweetest rat ever!  Check out his "cheese" bag.

I love this shot of his tail.  :)

Especially love this one of him and his Poppa.

Stephanie met us there with her three.  Harlee was a fairy princess.

This picture cracks me up... it is so Mason.  This is what pirates wear in the country. 

John Deere boots and LSU jackets.  Shiver me timbers!  ;)

 This group was awesome! 

 Our next door neighbor, Junior, aka Noah.

Now if we only had one more rat, he'd fit right in.

Our Noah also celebrated his birthday that night.  He turned nine Nov. 4th. 

He was really proud of the cell phone his parents gave him.

Noah did go Trunk or Treating, too.  He wore his football uniform from the previous post.

November pictures are right around the corner people.  Then I'll be caught up.  haha

My Other Graduate of 2010

My Mason graduated Kindergarten the Monday before Shelbi's graduation. He was so proud. :)

His self portrait. lol

His foot and hand prints butterfly

Their kindergarten class' self portraits are made into a quilt and auctioned off during the next year's Spring Fling as a fund raiser. Word has it, one of these went for 20K one year. *Gasp*

Here are a couple of his poses during the ceremony.

Getting a little comfortable, wasn't he? He was waiting for his turn to recite his poem.

Mrs. Traci handing out his diploma.

Then they danced to Dr. Jean's "Tooty Ta."

This part goes, "Eyes shut, tongue out, bottoms up and turn around." Love this picture!

Notice, by the end, the tie is on the outside of his gown??? He is so funny! I love this kid.

Congratulations, Mason! Who loves you the best? Mimi does. :)

Just To Keep It Interesting!

The last week of July was supposed to be my last child free week of the summer, and ended up being the opposite! Let me explain. I teach kindergarten and teachers start cleaning, organizing and decorating their classrooms for the new school year. Contrary to popular belief, teachers do not get three months off in the summer. We are lucky to get June and July off--- if we don't have any workshops or conventions/conferences over the summer. What to do with that last week off? Well, see all the grandkids, of course. Saturday, the 25th, we met Debbie in Arkansas and picked up these two cuties. We were excited to get to spend some quality time with these two. They live five hours away. :(

Rebecca (8.5) and Lauren (4.5)

We spent Saturday and Sunday with just them. Then Stephanie brought her three Monday morning and we kept them while she worked. (Okay, that's 5 on Monday. Keeping up?)

Noah (7.5), Mason(5), and Harlee (2.5)

Tuesday, Larry and I took Becca and Lauren to see Leon. We ended up bringing him home with us. (That's 3 on Tuesday.)
This is Leon (5 months) enjoying his supper of sweet peas. More on that later. =) WHEN Blogger decides to let me download the video. Tried tonight and two hours later--- nothing.

Wednesday and Thursday, we had Steph's three again. (That makes 6!) We set up the wading pool for the older 5. Then, Leon woke up from his nap and Mimi thought he might want to join in the fun. He liked it on his toes and feet, but this is what happened when he got splashed in the face. Poor baby!

It didn't take him long to come around. I knew he would like it--- he LOVES his bath!

Thursday was the last day we'd have all six together. With all the thunder storms and the unbearable humidity all week, Shelbi and I took the oldest 5 to McDonald's for ice cream and play time. They had a blast!

Mason (aka Curious George) promptly jumped up, grabbed the top net and turned himself upside down. Lauren was amused.

Harlee doesn't get to play with girls often, so she was tickled to spend time with Lauren. They played so well together all week and were so good! (Our baby girls!!!)

Thursday evening, Harlee, Noah, and Mason went to their Dad's. Friday was the first day with no thunderstorms, so Mrs. Betty (a church friend) let me bring the girls and Leon to swim in her pool. Shelbi was babysitting Brayden, so we had the girls and two babies.

Leon LOVED it! Sarah should take him swimming every night. He slept 11 hours after we got home. =)

"Mimi, you're blocking my rays! Can't you see how pasty I am?" LOL

This is the best picture I could get of these six little monkeys! Harlee, who had not cried ONCE all week, was bawling in every group shot. Leon was tired and looked at everybody BUT the photographer. I'll try again. The next time they're all together will probably be Christmas, though! :(
Saturday, I drove back to Arkansas with Becca, Lauren, and Noah. (Noah spent the week there with his other grandparents.) Sunday, Shelbi and I returned Leon to his Momma. Monday, back home. Phew! What a week!

I posted some more "professional looking" portraits of Becca and Lauren on my photography blog. You can click HERE to see those.

Let the Summer Games Begin!

In our small area, summer always starts at the ballparks. These are some pictures of a few of the first games of the season. This is Mason's second year of tee ball. The runner behind him almost passed him up. LOL

After three years of tee ball, this is Noah's first year with the pitching machine. Doesn't he look serious? Shelbi is in her 12th season of softball. She started at 5 years old. Now, she can only play one more year. =( I'm NOT into sports, but I do enjoy watching my child and the grandkids play.

And here is their biggest fan. I'm serious! This girl can cheer! and she'll sit there and watch the whole game!

AND NOW, THIS WEEK IN PICTURES

Monday, while Stephanie worked, we kept the boys. Poppa and I took them, and Shelbi, to see "Up" and they loved it! Even though, it made some of us cry. Mason, our hyper child, actually watched the whole thing! Because of this child's usual inability to sit still for more than FIVE minutes, this was our first attempt at watching a movie in a theater.

Shelbi just made it back last Thursday from a week long trip to Disney World and Universal Studios with her friend Ashley and Ashley's family

where she bought Leon his first souvenir tee shirt and, of course, Mickey Mouse ears. We saw him Tuesday and tried them on. Isn't he a doll?

We kept Noah, Mason, and Harlee Wednesday and today. We attached a new sprinkler to the hose and they loved it!

Shelbi wouldn't join them and wouldn't even pose for me. Teenagers! Her Daddy had to help me out! =)

This is Harlee shivering. I love the way the water is sparkling in the background.

The boys head to their Daddy's tomorrow for the week and Harlee to her Dad's for the weekend. So after lunch tomorrow, things should be quiet for a few days. Since Larry has to work nights Friday through Monday, it'll just be Shelbi and me until Tuesday.