The Potts Family

wow!

2010-12-28T13:11:00.002-06:00

WOW!!! It's been a LONG time since I have posted!!! But, I have a new computer and a new camera, so the only reason for me to NOT blog- would be pure laziness!!! Im gonna try to update everything soon..But here's a few pictures until then!

And then there were three....

2009-07-22T15:49:00.003-05:00

Surprise!!!! We are pregnant!!!! Believe me.. its a surprise to EVERYONE! But we are happy to announce that we will be adding another baby to our family in March of 2010! We have told our families and are working on telling all of our friends.. We took the boys to lunch on Tuesday and told them. I dont really know what I was expecting, but I wasnt expecting the reaction I got.. They have been asking me for a baby for probably over a year now. So when the time came for us to tell them that they were going to be big brothers, I guess I was expecting some excitement.. Nope.. they just stared at us like we were crazy. It was kinda funny.. I kept waiting for it to sink in... and then they would get excited. NOPE. NOTHIN..

I only have a picture of Dayne's reaction.. Kevin took Carson's picture, so I'll have to get the picture from him.. Both the boys are happy about it but I dont think Carson understands. So we will have to give him a few months!!!! Keep checking for updates!!!! Being a mommy to 3 will definately be interesting!!!

Playdate with the Johnsons!

2009-07-17T09:57:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we went over to the Johnson's house to play with Marianne, Micah, Makenna, and Marlee..And we had so much fun! The boys locked themselves in Micah's room to play for a few hours while Marianne and I chatted. It was a blast just hanging out with her.. Funny how when you get together with a good friend, anything is fun! We talked and laughed like teenagers! Once the boys emerged from the room, they swam and shot of some fireworks in the backyard.. Im so glad they moved back to town! Cant wait for the next time we can get together!

They boys were playing Twister and we kept hearing all this screaming coming from the room. I grabbed the camera and ran back there to see them screaming, trying to move like little pretzels.

Carson on Makenna's trampoline.. funny story.. Makenna accidentally pulled his hair, and he got upset.. not because she pulled his hair... but because she messed his hair up!

Me and Kenna snuggling in the chair!

Build A Bear

2009-07-15T14:20:00.005-05:00

We havent had alot of time so far to go do fun stuff. So, today the boys and I went to make bears at Build A Bear. Dayne has been before but this was Carson's first visit. It took him a few minutes to understand that he was going to get to fill his own bear. He kept telling me that he didnt want a flat bear, he wanted a stuffed one... But once I explained it to him- he was super excited. Dayne made a monkey that he named Marvin. Carson made a bear that he named Carson, and we also made our friend, Makenna one, that they named Angel.It was lots of fun! After we stuffed bears, we went to Sonic for a special lunch!

Before..

Picking out their bears.....

Giving their bears some groove...

washing..

After!

2009-07-14T10:12:00.001-05:00

Ok Im officially a big fat loser.. I havent posted in months!!!! Im starting fresh though.. so keep checking!

2009-07-14T10:12:00.000-05:00

Ok Im officially a big fat loser.. I havent posted in months!!!! Im starting fresh though.. so keep checking!

Pinnochio Girl and Pinnochio Boy!

2009-03-29T12:06:00.003-05:00

So we are finally at my mom's house. If you havent heard, we made a HUGE decision to move in with my mom in Garland for a year in order to pay off some serious medical debt. Hopefully we can get it all done in a year! My mom is so great! She is super patient with the boys and always has lits of fun stuff planned! On Friday night, Dayne spent the night with Tristan so Grandmom and Carson decided to make some puppets. Onces the puppet making was done, Carson decided that they needed to have a puppet show! It was so adorable and we had so much fun watching. He named their puppets Pinnochio Boy and Pinnochio Girl.

Take a bow!

Bass Pro with Nana and Pops!

2009-03-20T11:47:00.005-05:00

For Valentine's Day, Nana and Pops gave all the grandkids a "coupon" for one special day with Nana and Pops. Of course, Carson chose B.P.S. He could also choose wherever he wanted to go for lunch and he chose "the place by the boats"(Island Morado) They had a blast! They ate, played, and I think they shot every gun in the whole store! They spend a lOOONg time with the boats, too. Carson is really funny about the boats. Most kids go to a boat and drive it. NOt Carson. He's not interested in driving them. He starts at one end and finds every single compartment, opens it and explains its purpose to anyone who will listen, then goes to the next boat. If you let him... he'll do it to EVERY SINGLE boat at Bass Pro Shop. Hes so cute!!!

2009-03-12T17:58:00.002-05:00

So I stole these questions off of my sister-in-law,Kelli's, blog. Her kids answers were so cute and I couldnt help but wonder what silly things my kids would come up with..these are their answers word for word... so here it goes

Carson

1. What is something mom always says to you? Don't hit each other
2. What makes mom happy? If we dont fight
3. What makes mom sad? If I dont snuggle with you.
4. How does your mom make you laugh? I dont really know.
5. What was your mom like as a child? ?
6. How old is your mom? 3
7. How tall is your mom? 35 (he got out his measuring tape and held it up to me)
8. What is her favorite thing to do? snuggle with me
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? cry
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? ?(he doesnt know what "famous"is)
11. What is your mom really good at? snuggling with me
12. What is your mom not very good at? cooking
13. What does your mom do for her job? drive in your car
14. What is your mom's favorite food? vegetables
15. What makes you proud of your mom? when you clean up
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? a clown
17. What do you and your mom do together? play Sorry sliders
18. How are you and your mom the same? ?
19. How are you and your mom different? youre tall, Im not
20. How do you know your mom loves you? you do special things for me
21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? Emmy's house

Dayne

1. What is something mom always says to you? I Love you
2. What makes mom happy? Me loving you
3. What makes mom sad? When Im not with you.
4. How does your mom make you laugh? tickle me
5. What was your mom like as a child? I have NO idea
6. How old is your mom? 28 (Im actually 27, thank you very much!)
7. How tall is your mom? really tall
8. What is her favorite thing to do? read
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? read and watch T.V.(if he only knew..)
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? singing
11. What is your mom really good at? reading stories to me
12. What is your mom not very good at? You dont let us have alot of sugar(I think that was a compaint)
13. What does your mom do for her job? teaching kids
14. What is your mom's favorite food? lasagna
15. What makes you proud of your mom? you are a good mommy
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? a mom
17. What do you and your mom do together? play legos
18. How are you and your mom the same? we have the same last name
19. How are you and your mom different? you have long hair, I have short
20. How do you know your mom loves you? you give me lots of love
21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go? fishing

Bubbles, Chalk and Shaving Cream!

2009-02-27T16:39:00.002-06:00

It was such a beautiful day yesterday! After school, we ran to the store to grab a few things to restock our outdoor toys. And then we got back to home and had a BLAST in the front yard! Before you see the pictures, let me just tell you that I am a HUGE fan of controlled messes. I love to let the kids get dirty! So we had a big shaving cream party. They squirted it EVERYWHERE and pretended they were ice skating. We had so much fun and cant wait for summer, when we can do this stuff all the time! These are the days that memories are made of!

A Baby Sister! (for the evening)

2009-02-25T21:10:00.003-06:00

Miss Molly Addison came and spent a few hours with us tonight and we had so much fun! For the past few days now, the boys have been really excited and saying that they get to have a sister come spend the evening with us! And when she got here, they just doted on her! Dayne is such a good big brother and he is great with babies. He just wanted to hold her and feed her her bottle. And thankfully, she loved him too! She would just watch him as he went around the house. If she cried, he would run in the room and say"its ok Molly, Im here" SO sweet! ALMOST makes me want another baby... ALMOST.With Carson, we had to go over the "rules" with babies. You know, no hitting, biting, pinching the baby. We only use gentle hands.. that sort of stuff. He loved having her here but he was definately tired of me reminding him of the rules.Then, Kev came home and played with us too! All in all, we had a great night! And we LOVE miss Molly!

How cute is she?

BE GENTLE!!!

Bath Time!!

MUD, MUD, WE LOVE MUD!

2009-02-12T16:34:00.003-06:00

The rain this week might not have been good for alot of things, But one good thing it provided was MUD! The boys LOVE MUD. They came home from school the other day and played in the mud in the back yard for hours! I couldnt help but to sit back and take pictures. By the end of it, they had to be stripped naked before they were allowed in the house and I had to wash their shoes in the washing machine. They had it EVERYWHERE! But, the important thing is that they had a blast. And who am I to keep them from free fun?!

Go Figure!!!!

2009-02-02T20:39:00.003-06:00

Its so funny what the boys choose to play with. They have a playroom FULL of toys and tonight they were in there playing and making ALL kinds of noise. When I went back there to see what they were doing, I had to take a picture. Were they playing with any of their birthday or Christmas toys? NO!!! They were throwing shoes into a laundry basket over and over again to see how many times they could make a goal... Its hilarious what kids play with..... Go Figure!

I'm Back!

2009-01-27T15:55:00.004-06:00

I left last Wednesday for an amazing week in California. There were three of us.. Me, Krisin and Margie and we went to Ramona, California for a conference on how to reach teen moms and show them how much Jesus loves them. There were alot of people there from all over the world who have made this their life long ministry. It was so awesome to see so many women there who are following the call of God to help less fortunate people. Hopefully, we will be as succesful.We are so excited about what God will do in our little town.I got to spend alot of time alone with God this week. I dont know what I was expecting, but I was surprised at how much I missed God. I have missed time alone with him, and being able to hear his voice. Its amazing what God can do when you get away from your life and focus on Him. If I could sum up my trip in one word it would be PERSPECTIVE. Thats what I gained out of this trip. Not only persective about pregnant teen moms but also perspective in my life. He revealed alot to me this week. I feel like, because of the things that God had allowed me to struggle with, he has equipped me with some spiritual blessings that will allow me to help other girls who are in the same situation.I cant wait to be able to post if a few months and tell you all how its going... Im so excited!

The view from our room...

This is where I had my quiet time every day... Except I had such a hard time focusing because I was overtaken by how beautiful it was!

Shopping in San Diego!

Me, Kristin, and Margie having a beach bonfire.

Jump 'N Jive!

2009-01-18T22:28:00.010-06:00

Today we celebrated the boys' birthdays at Jump 'N Jive in Rockwall! They had SO much fun running around and playing. I think the final count of people was 57! And there was so much going on that I didnt even get to take pictures of everyone!Its crazy how fast kids go when they are let out in a room full of inflatables..

Kev just couldnt stay away. He loves to play and he loves Gaby

Dayne and Erin. Not really sure what they were doing but I do know that he has a SERIOUS crush on this little girl!

Carson, Aunt Katie and Cooper. Aunt Katie came all the way from Austin for the boys birthdays. Preston's birthday was Wednesday too so she got to come for his! They LOVE aunt Katie!

PULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Racing to the top!

Hangin out watching the kids!

Holly and Molly!

Happy 7th Birthday!

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Carson was HILARIOUS! He came home and peed his pants because he was too busy playing with his toys. We just laughed because you cant get mad at him for that! Now he is sleeping soundly right next to his brand new skateboard!

Thank you to all of you who came! Its so amazing to have such great friends and family! God has blessed us abundantly by each one of your friendships! We love you all.

Oh and dont expect any posts for a few days.. Im off to California on Wednesday but will come back with TONS of pictures!!

Preparing for the party!

2009-01-18T22:17:00.004-06:00

Today my mom and Tristan came over to help make cupcakes. Actually. my mom came over to make cupcakes and we helped decorate... The boys are having their party this weekend and the final count is 57! So we made LOTS of cake. Of course, my mom made homemade icing(yum!) and we decorated with nerds and worms!

This is how I Carson decorated his cupcakes. He crammed that worm down as far as it would go!

Happy Birthday Carson!

2008-12-27T22:51:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow is Carson's 3rd birthday. I can't believe its been 3 years! Where does the time go?I wish someone could actually answer that question! Carson is a little firecracker! He is full of energy and lots of words. I knew when I was pregnant with him that he was going to be a pickle! He is constantly in trouble and constantly making us laugh! We find ourselves turning away to laugh, because he's just so cute! He may be turning 3, but he thinks he is 10! He is very competitive, and gets frustrated when he cant do something right!

Today, we took him to Shenanigans in Rockwall. We bowled, played games and ate. And once we got home, had cake and opened presents!

Carson's favorite things right now...

1. Favorite T.V. Show-- Mickey Mouse(or Tickey Mouse)

2. Favorite game-- Crocodile Golf

3. Favorite color-- green

4. Favorite food-- Chicken nuggets or noodles(boring, I know)

5.Favorite Book-- anything with tractors or dirt

6.Favorite toy-- anything John Deere or anything with a trailor

7. Favorite thing to do with his daddy-- FISH

8. Favorite thing to do with bubba-- anything that annoys him=)

9. Favorite thing to do withme-- SNUGGLE!

Christmas '08

2008-12-27T22:17:00.005-06:00

We have had a busy Christmas this year! We went to the Potts house Christmas Eve, had our own on Christmas morning and then went to my mom's house that day. LOTS of fun times! And presents! And family time! So here it goes!

Every year, Nana and the kids decorate Christmas cookies, but I think the kids just liked to eat the dough..

Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Taking a break!

Aunt Katie and Uncle Jared came in town, and Dayne spent a few days coloring him a picture for his refridgerator. He LOVES Jared!

After the Potts Christmas, we went to the Christmas Eve service at Lakepointe, and then headed off to Braum's for our tradition of ice cream for dinner. Unfortunately, they closed when we got there and I thougt we were going to have two crying kids, but Daddy came to the rescue. He went in and asked the manager if we could PLEASE come in and get ice cream and thankfully, they let us! Super dad to the rescue! After our ice cream, we went to look at christmas lights and then went home to read the story of Jesus and bed time... Can you believe that our kids slept until 7:45????

Carson was sooo cute. He had no idea what this was but he was EXCITED! The next picture was his reaction to it. SO precious!

He kept saying"Thank you mommy. This is what I have always wanted my whole life"

Dayne and his new pellot gun!

Both the boys have really been into basketball lately, so we splurged and got them a goal. Dayne's reaction is priceless

Sadie girl with her new toy! Isnt she cute?

I ran out of batteries for Christmas with my mom. So I dont have any pictures of that. But it was a fun day, full of screaming kids! There are so many kids now(13) and we dont really get to get together that often. Its always a Blast when everyone is together! Kevin and I learned alot about Christmas this year. We are so blessed to have so many family and friends to spend time with. We love you all dearly and hope that you all had a great Christmas!

Snow Day!!!!!!!! with no snow!

2008-12-16T15:03:00.004-06:00

School was canceled today. YIPEEEEE! So we have done all kinds of indoor winter things. We started out making a fire and then roasted marshmellows, had hot chocolate and we have been watching movies all day. Its been so fun! At first I was not happy about being home today considering that we will be out for Christmas break in 4 days and we will also have to make this snow day up later on in the year. But as the day wears on, the happier I am that we have had this day to ourselves. I sometimes forget how much fun it is to just BE with the kids. Im sure I ruined my chances for being nominated for the mother of the year award with all the chocolate and tv today, but I dont care. These are the days that memories are made of. And I am so thankful for them. I am just so very thankful this Christmas. Thankful that my husband is so amazing. That my kids are healthy. And that we have the things that we need to susain us everyday.So here are some pics of our not so snowy day!!! OH and I also introduced the boys to my FAVORITE childhood tv show today...... Little House on the Prarie!!!!( my husband is SOOOO rolling his eyes right now!)

It doesnt matter how COLD it is outside, the boys are still half Naked!

What do you want for Christmas?

2008-12-16T14:56:00.003-06:00

I asked the boys today what they wanted for Christmas. No, I have not started shopping yet. I know, I know.. some of you are probably nervous for me(Kelli and Lisa L.) Anyway, their answers were so funny, I thought I would post them. They know the true meaning of Christmas and they also know that we are having a small Christmas this year. But something about that questions, brought out their imaginations! Here we go...

Dayne
skateboard
air soft gun with targets
pellot gun
a real adult sized tent
an adult sized fishing pole( Blaze Rod to be exact)
A Hunting Liscense.

What makes his so funny to me is that there is not one single toy. When did he grow up?

Carson
skateboard
new tackle box with bait
a boat like Jody's( one of Kevin's friends)
a new Jeep to drive his boat around
a flying sleigh

Need I say more? Crazy kids!

The Tooth Fairy has Finally come!

2008-12-05T21:22:00.003-06:00

Dayne has finally become part of the snaggle tooth club! Hes had a loose tooth for a few weeks and he lost it today. Or actually pulled it! Ms. Boyett pulled it this afternoon. Hes so proud. The first thing he did was run and tell his teacher and then got to write his name on the "Lost Tooth List." Its actually a BIG deal. Everyone wants to put their name on that list. Im such a baby because I was actually fighting tears when I saw him without his tooth! I thought he would cry, but he didnt and said that next time he got a loose tooth, he was going to let Ms. Boyett pull that one too!

Dayne and Ms. Boyett

Little snaggle-tooth!

BAD BLOGGER!

2008-12-04T19:48:00.002-06:00

Ive been a really bad blogger lately... I do have a few pictures of Thanksgiving and some other things that I will update when I have more time. But for now, I just have a cute story. Dayne came home from school today and said, "Mom, I think someone is in love with me." I asked him who it was and he said" a girl at school. She follows me around on the playground. Its like I have my own little bodyguard!" I started laughing and he said, " What is a bodyguard, anway?" I told him it was someone who follows you around and protects you and he said-- " Yeah, I guess that what shes trying to do." HAHA so cute! Its things like this that I hope to remember forever! Oh by the way, Dayne has his very first loose tooth so Ill be sure to take pictures of his first experience!

I wasnt kidding!

2008-11-17T20:27:00.005-06:00

I really wasnt kidding when I said that you never know what you are going to get in our house. Yesterday, we went to church(which was AWESOME) and when we got home, Kevin left to go fishing with a friend. I was in the bathroom, talking to my sister.I know, that in itself is weird. But anyway, Carson started crying... hard. I rushed off the phone to see what was wrong and this is how I found him..

I immediately started trying to figure out where the blood was coming from. He was crying really hard and pulling at his nose. I finally got him calmed down enough to tell me that something was IN his nose.... I reached in and (after a few minutes) finally pulled it out....

What is it,you ask? A red skittle. Crammed so far up his nose that it was changing shape to move up his nasal passage. See--- never a dull moment!

On another note, Kevin and I watched Lilly and Gaby last night and I just had to show you these pictures. This is prayer time- right before bed. SO PRECIOUS! All 4 kids on their knees, praying.

Six Flags

2008-11-11T21:28:00.005-06:00

This weekend we took the boys(along with most of my family) to Six Flags for the day. They had SO much fun! It was worth it going because there werent that many people there so the lines were super short. They rode almost every kid ride at least 5 times. At some point, I had to give up on taking pictures because we were going to fast, that I was struggling to keep up! So fun!

After that, Dayne went to Grandmom's with the other "big" kids and had another full day on Sunday at the park and then the Dallas flight museum. He was exhausted on Sunday evening. Carson on the other hand, fell asleep on the way to the car at 6 and slept until 7 the next morning. He was tuckered out! THis is how I found him later that night. How did he get out of his bed? I think he was still riding a ride or something!

2008-11-07T19:16:00.002-06:00

Ok. So today Im going to write how I feel. I usually dont feel a need to just write things like this out, but today, I cant get it out of my head. Earlier today, I was blog surfing and I went to my friend, Marianne's daughter's site. Since then, I have not been able to get it out of my head. Most of you have probably seen the link called Sweet Kenna on my friends list. This is a site for Marianne's sweet 4 year old who has struggled her whole precious life. If you get a minute, visit her page... you will never be the same.
Anyway, let me start by saying that I have been struggling lately. Struggling with alot of things in life, but most importantly, my walk with God. I havent wanted to go to church, read my bible or pray. And unfortunately its all out of selfishness and laziness. And then today I had a wakeup call. As I was reading Marianne's post, I couldnt help but feel so overwhelmed for her and Makenna. So many things they could be sad and angry about... But they arent. They are thankful and the give all their thanks to God. Marianne started talking about a website called Birthverse and she looked up all the verses for her family. Then she got to Makenna's. And Makenna's birth verse is Matthew 9:21
She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."

I could feel the color drain from my face. I got goose bumps from my head to my toes. God has never felt so real to me as he does right now. It was as if that verse was created JUST for her. At JUST the right time. For JUST the right reason. And it makes me realize that God really does hear us. He really is IN LOVE with us. Yes I know God loves me and my family... But for some reason, this was an AHA moment for me. Cant explain it. Im not even going to try. But I sure am glad that Marianne found that today. And Im so thankful that God has used that to get my attention. Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble........ I love you all!

Hide -n-Seek and Stories...

2008-11-06T15:47:00.006-06:00

So tonight we spent the evening playing games. Dayne and I played Battleship while Carson watched. When Kev came home from work, they played Hide and Seek while I cooked dinner. The boys were supposed to be finding Kevin and they were really having a hard time. So I joined in to help. Well, I found him but instead of telling the boys where to find him, I ran for the camera. This is so hilarious! Heeheee. Kevin is going to be so mad that I posted this picture!

In case you cant see the picture very well, he's in the dog kennel. And it was just as funny watching him crawl out!

After all of that, we sat down and read LOTS of books. I have so many fond memories of my mom reading to me. Back then, just the sound of her voice was soothing to me.. And I love being able to pass that tradition on to my kids! Most of the books are about trucks and mud, but hey, beggers can't be choosers!

I hope you are all having a very blessed week!

Happy Birthday Michael!

2008-11-02T10:56:00.006-06:00

So Natalie, April and I have been planning a surprise birthday party for Michael for about 2 weeks now. It went great! Micheal had NO idea that about it and was actually a little annoyed that he was being taken to a movie for his birthday(the lie) When they got to the house, we attacked him with silly string!

We played poker and Greed,and watched football. It was so much fun! I love hanging out with them! Oh and my mom made him a banana split cake...

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T10:31:00.007-05:00

This year for Halloween, we went over to the Frank house. It was so much fun! The kids had a blast hanging out with their friends from church. A bit crazy at times, but definately a memorable night. Poor Dayne. I felt so bad for him... He wanted to be a ghost for Halloween and it ended up being a distaster. After getting frustrated with his costume a thousand times, he finally took it off and just trick or treated in his regular clothes. But he had fun anyway. Dont think he will attemt that one next year!

Here's a picture of all the kids in their Halloween finest!

We loaded all the kids up on the back of a trailer and set out for some candy!

Carson and CoCo

Dayne and Kiki

After we were done terrorizing the neighborhood, we went back to the house for some good old fashioned games. This one was called Wrap the Mummy.. Kevin and Lou got to be the mummies...

We bobbed for apples and then played tackle the toucan.. ( the Franks got the big toucan as a joke and the kids LOVE to tackle it) While we were playing with the toucan, we got a very sweet surprise. Uncle Jared and Aunt Katie stopped by to say Hi!

It was definately a memorable Halloween!

Weekend in the woods

2008-10-26T20:25:00.004-05:00

We had a fun weekend, Dayne and I went out to Ranger with his cousin, Preston. His uncle Chris and Mr. Paul Johnson, Prestons other grandfather. We did not have intentions of shooting deer this weekend, just watching and hoping to shoot a hog or varmint.

We woke up early on Saturday morning to find a very healthy 4pt buck under the feeder,as the sun came up eating, all he could. This little guy was as fat as he could be and we had a good time watching him. About 30 minutes later we saw the biggest buck I have ever seen. This was a beautiful, magestic animal and it was a blessing to see him and Dayne was very excited to see "a big deer" After the hunt we headed back to camp where we were able to be apart of his cousin Prestons first buck. We went and picked up the deer from the field and introduced Dayne and Preston to "field dressing". I don't think they knew what to expect but they did not want to help once they saw what it was all about. We left to take the deer to the processer and on the way out we taught the boys how to track a wounded animal. Dayne's uncle Chris had run across a couple coyotes that morning and was able to get a good shot at one. We found good blood and followed it down the road and across. We lost it in the deep grass but the boys had a great time putting the clues together to follow the wounded coyote, at least for a little while. After we returned from the processor we had a great afternoon running around the woods, shooting what ever moved and hundreds of BB's will forever be lost in the red dirt of Ranger Tx.

We went out that afternoon to the woods were Dayne, armed with his little compound bow awaited anything to step within shooting distance so he to could get his first kill, but nothing ever came close. No birds, snakes, rabbits, squrrls, hogs, coyotes,bobcats or anything else was brave enough to stare down his arrow. Right at dark, he was drawing back to shoot an arrow out of the double seated tree stand when I looked up and a group of hogs were running into the fild in front of us. I stopped the release of the arrow and asked if he wanted to watch them and maybe one would come close or would he like me to try and shoot one with the rifle I had carried with us. He told me to try, so after a couple minutes of watching them run around I picked out one of the smaller ones and pulled the trigger. We went to see if we could find blood but none was found. He told me "he was proud of me and I had tried my best and thats all that had mattered". We finished the night up with a great steak dinner and a great camp fire. Dayne and Preston enjoyed the fire so much they could not keep there clothes on. They decided since the fire was so hot they would take there shirts off.

They had a big time around the fire, looking up and seeing the milky way for the first time. It was a truly special day!

We went to sleep thinking of the great hunt in the morning, but it was too much. The previous day had worn us all out and we all slept in. Preston and Mr. Paul walked the roads a little after they awoke, but Chris, Dayne and I slept a little longer and awoke to begin packing up to come home. While the big boys packed and cleaned the little boys went over to the pond to finish off nay frogs that dare show themselves. It was a great weekend and alot of great memories will forever be eched in our minds. Dayne has been practicing shooting his bow since we arrived at home and is excited to get back out into the woods.

My Little Erkels

2008-10-22T19:27:00.003-05:00

If you know my husband at all, you know where my kids get their sense of humor.....Here's some pictures of the kids being silly... Theyre hilarious.. They can make anything funny, even their clothes!

A Little Bit of Innocence Lost!

2008-10-15T19:53:00.003-05:00

There arent any pictures for today.. Just a little story. Dayne has been coming home saying- "mom, one of the kids in my class said a bad word today." Usually, my heart skips a beat and I ask him what word. He usually says that someone said shut up or stupid. Relieved, I reasure him that those are bad words and we dont say them. Well, those days are a thing of the past.
Sometimes, we watch America's Funniest Home Videos together and tonight was one of those nights. Usually its really clean and funny. Tonight, they had a little boy about 2 years old playing golf, and he threw the club and said the D word. Dayne thought it was funny and repeated it. UHHHH While its not really THAT big of a deal- it makes me a little sad. I had to explain to him that the word he just said is a cuss word and the bible says that we shouldnt say those words.( I left out the part that Mommy sometimes says them when she's angry) I admit that I had to restrain myself from laughing... but when you really think about it- its kind of a loss of innocence. I know, I know.. Im dramatic. BIG surprise. But I was perfectly content with stupid and shut up being the worst words in the world!

Its Friday!!!!!

2008-10-03T21:40:00.005-05:00

Finally! Im so glad Friday is here. It seemed like the first few weeks of school went by so quickly, but these past couple are dragging! Oh well.. Tonight we kept the Frank girls. Lily and Gaby are so much fun! After having them here for a few hours, I realized how much I have missed having girls around. Growing up, I was the youngest of 4 girls and girl stuff is all we did. Its been a l0ng time since I have done something that wasnt boy related. Kinda nice! Anyway, we had a full evening planned.. We started out at the park. The kids were having a blast, but I had to make them stop and take a picture!

Even Kev had to get in on the action.. But the funniest part was watching him come down!

Then, we went in for some pumpkin painting and scarecrow making.. While we were sitting at the table, Dayne and Lily started talking about how Lily told Dayne that she wanted to marry him. He told me the CUTEST story. The other day, they were playing and she was pretending to be asleep. Then, she looked over at Dayne and said" Dayne, hurry up and kiss me so I can wake up!"I asked Dayne if he did it and he just go really embarissed and said NO MOM!

I think Gaby thought it was lipstick!

It was so sweet watching Kev with the girls. I know he really needs a daughter! Those girls have him wrapped around their fingers!Im not really sure what is in the corner of this picture, but it was too priceless to not show you...Tell me- Does he need a little girl or what?

Fair Day!

2008-10-01T21:22:00.003-05:00

Today was fair day but we didn't spend it at the fair. We started the day out with Peter Piper Pizza with some friends. And of course, I forgot my camera! And then after Kevin came home from work, we went on a picnic. I swear, I should name this blog- The fishing spot or something because it seems like thats all we have been doing here lately. But it sure does make for some adorable pictures. We took Sadie with us and tried out her new shock collar. She pretty much swam in the pond the whole time while we fished and played!

Oh By the way, I caught the biggest fish of the day...AGAIN!

Spiderman at the Our Burrito!

2008-09-29T20:28:00.006-05:00

Today, my sister Emily(who is Carson's sitter) took Carson and Holly to the arboretum. When she was explaining it to him, I guess he got confused because they got there and he kept asking "Emmy, when are we going to eat our burrito?" UHHH so cute! Anyway, they played in the pumpkins and petted some animals.

And Then Carson got his face painted!

Here's what Carson looked like when he got to me after school.. Can you tell how much fun he had today?

I know this blog is already long but I just wanted to take a few minutes to give a little shout out. I am so very thankful that Carson has his Emmy to go to everyday. She treats him just like her own child(except she spoils him like only and aunt can) and I COULD NOT work if it werent for her. She is Amazing! Shes the best sitter and aunt to my little Spiderman. And he Adores her for it. If I havent told you before(I hope I have) THANK YOU so much Em. You are such an amazing help and I couldnt do this without you! Thank you for loving my baby like I do( even when he doesnt deserve it) I love you! Thanks for today!

Girl's Day!

2008-09-28T21:09:00.003-05:00

I left the house at 3 today to go have some fun with the girls! We went to the movies to see The Women. It was such a cute movie! And there was not ONE man in the movie anywhere. It was pretty funny. Anyway, after the movie, we went to Starbucks for some girl talk... I love having friends I can go hang out with. We had so much fun! Thanks Girls!

Alicia, me and Lisa waiting for the movie to start..

Girl talk at Starbucks!

Hot Summer Fun (in the fall)

2008-09-27T17:00:00.000-05:00

Today we went to Dayne's soccer game and it was HOTTTTT! 15 minutes into the game, all the kids had red faces and sweat running! What happend to that great weather a few weeks ago? Here's some pics of the kids at the game...

Then after the game, it was playing outside. All 3 of the boys like to "fish" in the front yard. They put a target in the grass and try to hit it with their bait. Hey whatever keeps them busy!

Who says?

2008-09-25T19:45:00.000-05:00

I know its been a long time since I have posted. Everyone keeps telling me to get on it! But the truth is, the batteries on my camera died a few weeks ago and I kept forgetting to buy more everytime I went to the store. Anyway, today I took the boys to a pond by our house to fish. We go there often and always catch little sunfish or perch. Its so much fun seeing the boys catch lots of fish! Today was a day like all the others... We set out with our poles and a bag of cut up hot dogs. But after a while of fishing (and not catching any fish) I told Dayne to let me try.....

Who says you have to go fishing with your daddy??? Here's what we caught!

We were SO excited! The boys kept talking about how awesome it was and we actually ended up almost breaking the pole, just trying to get the fish out of the water. We didnt even know there were big fish in the pond.. The funniest part was, Dayne thinks he can tell what kind of fish it is, depending on its smell. So when I finally dragged it out of the water, he said"Mom, let me smell it."He stuck his nose up to it, smelled it and said-"yep.. Its a bass alright! SO CUTE!

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-02T20:25:00.000-05:00

WOW! I have sooo much to talk about! And so many pictures to show you! I think I might have more pictures from this weekend than I did from vacation. Lori, you should be pleased! On Saturday, Kevin and Dayne went to Uncle Chris' deer lease to work and be boys, and Carson and I ran errands and hug out. Then on Sunday evening, the boys and I went on a last minute trip to my sister's house in Tyler. We had SOOOOO much fun! And after the kids were in bed, the adults go to play! We stayed up late playing games and acting silly. On Monday, we rode the four wheeler, played in the dirt, ate, rode the tractor(or the fa-fa as Carson calls it), shot guns, built a fort, hunted for frogs, played with the dogs, swam,and Dayne FINALLY learned something new(Ill explain in a minute) It was a weekend for BOYS! We had a blast! So let the pictures begin! Ill explain as we go along....

Carson and Natty

Dayne, Tyler,Carson, Heidi,Mia, Molly and Haylee..

Getting ready for bed...

Heidi pushed Carson around the whole time we were there in this doll stroller!so funny!

Hanging out after the kids were in bed..

How many kids can you fit on one 4-wheeler?

Carson and Uncle Mike on the Fa-fa

The boys were building a "hunting fort"at the back of their property

And Finally, Dayne learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels! Go Dayne!!!!

Brighten Your Day!!!

2008-08-27T18:31:00.003-05:00

If this doesn't brighten your day and make you giggle, I don't know what will.........

The First Day of School

2008-08-26T17:59:00.000-05:00

Well, the first day of first grade went well. Dayne went into the gym to wait for his teacher and was gone before I knew it. I ran down there as soon as I had a few minutes and he was working at his desk. He LOVES his new teacher! Her name is Mrs. Shaw and she is very patient and super sweet. This morning he said, Mom, Mrs. Shaw says that she trips over things alot- so you guys already have something in common! It was so cute and innocent! I cant wait to see what all he learns this year! He definately loves being in first grade but misses Mrs. Weable(his kindergarten teacher) Here's some pics of his first day at school!

Twas the night before first grade...

2008-08-24T20:40:00.001-05:00

Well, its the night before my oldest son becomes a first grader. I cant help but get a little sentimental. As you all know, its been a rough road with that kiddo especially the first few years.. I learned alot as I was raising him. And thanks to you all, we have succesfully made it to first grade! Today, as he was climbing the tree in the front, I started snapping photos of him....

Getting his stuff ready for tomorrow!

Back by Popular Demand!

2008-08-23T13:13:00.001-05:00

Everyone is telling me that I didnt post enough pictures so heres more!!!!

Playing on the beach, burying boys, and digging holes....

Catching Crabs and Digging for Treasures!

My sweet Little Boys!

We took some family pictures that didnt turn out very well. But we had a BLAST! and Im so thankful that we got to go! We will definately go back as often as possible!

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

2008-08-19T17:14:00.000-05:00

Well, we are back! We had an AMAZING time! I cant even begin to tell you how much fun we had. It took us about 24 hours to get there but we drove through the night so the boys did GREAT!

Carson wanted to tell us how to get there.... Its a good thing we didnt get lost!

Our first night there, we stayed in a hotel until our condo was ready.. well, dayne needed to go potty and Kevin was taking a shower(with the door locked) Dayne decided that he needed to get into the bathroom so he decided to unlock the door-- with a Q-tip!

And Finally, our very first glimpse of the beach as a family! The boys had never seen the beach before, so it was such an amazing experience watching the boys run on the beach.

I will have more pictures to post later-- I have to do it in bits.. As you all know, I went back to work yesterday and just dont have time to blog alot anymore! Ill post more soon- theres lots more! We went to an aquarium, rode on a ferry, dug holes, dug for shark teeth, and took family pictures so stay tuned!

And We Are Off!!!!!!

2008-08-07T16:48:00.000-05:00

We are off to Ocean Isle NC!!!! No blogging while Im gone but I will be sure to update you on all of our fun when we get back!If I can survive the 20 hour drive, that is! See you soon!

A Trip to the Dentist

2008-08-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the boys had an appointment for the dentist. Poor Dayne is an old pro at this but Carson got his teeth cleaned for the first time. He was so amazing! He got his teeth x-rayed,cleaned and flossed with no fussing! So here's some pics of our day! Oh, if any of you need a pediatric dentist, Dr. Pearson in Wylie is AWESOME!

Auntie Em to the Rescue!

2008-07-31T19:51:00.000-05:00

Thank you Emily! My sister has had my kids since 2 today and is keeping them all night... During my time alone, I have managed to do nothing but relax. I laid in the pool on a float and read for 2 hours and then went and had dinner with my husband--ALONE! You rock, Em! Thats what is sooo great about sisters. She could see that I needed a break, without even having to say anything! I owe you big Emily!

Swimming and shaving cream!

2008-07-30T21:15:00.000-05:00

Today we had a fun day, just the 3 of us.. We stayed in as much as could considering that its been 104 degrees lately. We went grocery shopping this morning and then at about 4 we went to the neigbor's house to swim. Dayne and Carson were both in floaties, and Dayne invented a game where he held onto the back of Carson's floatie (the back motor) and I was on the front( the trolling motor) Carson would steer the boat and tell us which motor to use and we would make tons of noise and steer the boat. I never in a million years thought that when I had kids I would be pretending to be a boat. A princess, maybe, but never a boat. HA. And the funny thing is-- it was fun!Anyway, after boating, we came inside and the boys got into the tub in their underwear and a bottle of shaving cream.... If you havent noticed already, I LOVE having boys. God really knew what he was doing, blessing us with boys!

27?????

2008-07-29T12:16:00.000-05:00

Uh... As of yesterday,I'm 27. I dont know if its a good or bad thing, but I feel like I am and will always be 24. As I watch my kids grow a little everyday, I cant help but think of the day that my little boys will be towering over me, wearing shoes that are twice the size of mine, and speaking in deep voices. And soon, the days of playing in the mud and calling me Mommy, will be traded for girlfriends and sports. To be honest, it scares me a little. I have always known what to do with little kids, how to discipline. But theres one thing that I have learned as my children and I have gotten older.. Its gets alot harder! Whoever told me that small kids were hard... was wrong. As Dayne is getting older, he is forming his own opinions, and feelings about people and problems. Its very weird to watch.. watching my little boy start to become a man. And I have to wonder---- how will God use my kids? What will they be when they grow up? How many kids will they have? Will they think of me as a good mom when its all said and done?Praise God that I am not in control of all of that because I would worry myself to death! Im sure some of you are wondering where this is coming from.. so let me explain... I started this blog as a way to be able to give my kids a journal of their lives. At the end of every year, I will print this and bind it for them. So while it may be a little corny, I want my boys to see me for the way I am and how much I love them... as long as they live.

Cousins!

2008-07-23T21:26:00.000-05:00

Today we got out of the house to escape the threat of cabin fever.. We went and spent the day with Emily, Tristan, and Holly. Some days, the kids have a hard time playing together, but not today. They had so much fun playing games, cooking,jumping on the trampoline, and acting silly. As you can see in the pictures, Dayne transformed himself into a superhero shortly after we got there.

Snuggling with a sweet baby Holly!

Even the dogs had a blast!

Dayne and Tristan were "cooking" with all of Emily's spices..

Fishing Fun!

2008-07-22T21:08:00.000-05:00

Last night we went to Kevin's weigh- in and this time, I remembered the camera! We took Sadie and let her run in the water while we watched. Even though there werent many fish caught this time, we still had a blast!These are the days that Im sad for summer to end.....

The boys were trying to catch fish with a net...

Carson was giving Jody all of his fishing secrets of Ray Hubbard..

Kevin, Carson, Dayne, Jody and Sadie(the dog)

A whole Lot of Nothing!

2008-07-22T16:51:00.000-05:00

I havent posted lately because we have been doing a whole lot of nothing! And its been GREAT! Our days the past few days have been filled with movies, board games and trips to the gym. And thats about it! Here's a few pictures of the kids playing. I dont know if you have noticed yet, but when the boys are at home, they are always in their underwear! I dont think either one of them likes clothes too much! Oh well, thats what summer is all about!

This pictures is of the boys playing with army men in the playroom

And then Moon Sand.....

And watching T.V.

And here is what happens when I turn my back, even for a minute!(thats gum, in case you cant see it)

This summer has been so much fun! I'm so sad that its almost over! But we are off to the beach in a few weeks for some more rest and fun!

Bubba to the Rescue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-16T21:31:00.000-05:00

This morning we went swimming with some friends at their community pool. Carson and Dayne were both playing in the kiddie pool which is about 2 ft deep at its deepest point. Somehow Carson lost his footing and went under and started panicking. I started running for him and was yelling "get him, get him."Of course he was only under water for about 5-10 seconds but it felt like a lifetime. Anyway, Dayne was the closest person to Carson so he reached down and yanked him up out of the water. Carson was, of course, upset when he came up out of the water. And Dayne stayed with him the whole time, trying to make him feel better. The sweetest thing about it was, when we got in the car to leave, Dayne asked to call his daddy. As soon as he got Kevin on the phone, Dayne said," Daddy, I just wanted you to know that Carson went under the water today, but its ok,dad, because I saved his life." My mommy heart was so happy! He's such a sweet big brother!
And dont worry, Carson wasnt scared for long.. he was in the big kid pool about 10 minutes later!

A full Day!

2008-07-15T21:50:00.000-05:00

We had such a full day today! We visited some of my old students and then visited with Lisa and her new baby. Who is precious, by the way! I took my camera so that I could take pictures and forgot all about it! THen, Kiki ,Lily and Gaby came over to help us put our new play room together! It is almost finished! The kids now have a sleeping room and a play room. Hopefully that will cut down on some of the clutter that has become my life recently!

Then after all the organizing was done, the boys and I went to Daddy's weigh in. The boys LOVE to go to the lake and see all the fish that the guys catch. Of course, I forgot my camera for that too! I have to get used to this blogging thing!

Ahhhh sibling rivalry

2008-07-14T11:58:00.000-05:00

So today, both the boys woke up with fire in their eyes.. Not really sure whats going on but usually they are great together and have lots of fun playing. But today- is a new day I guess! The sibling rivalry has set in and they have it out for each other!It takes me back to a time long ago when my sister Natalie, and I had the same relationship. One day we were best friends, playing in our couch cushion forts, and the next we were doing everything to spite each other. I cant help but laugh at watching the boys go through the same things that my sister and I did. Until Carson decided to bring out the biting.(which was my sister's trademark form of defense) All of a sudden Dayne started screaming and Carson started crying "I dont want a spanking.The fun was officailly over! Here's a little snapshot of what I found when I walked in to assess the damage!

The really funny thing is-- now they are back to being best friends! Playing games as if nothing ever happend!

My Official Apology!

2008-07-13T14:59:00.000-05:00

Ok... this is my official apology to all of you(especially those of you at work)that I have made fun of for having a blog spot! Im now a fellow blogger! I knew it would only be a matter of time before I had my own blogspot! Thanks to Kelli, I now have a page(that I have NO idea how to use) and can keep you all informed of what goes on in our little family of 4. Be warned though, some crazy things happen in the Potts house and you will definately be entertained! Let the blogging begin..........