Swimming Time!!

At the beginning of summer we took a little trip and Brandt and Cate LOVED the pool at the hotel.  When we got home, we bought this pool from the Dollar Store.  It was a huge success for Brandt and Cate, however those of us who had to watch were rather hot!!

We started looking and realized there are a LOT of options in the area of pools.  We looked at what seems like every pool online.  We even spent the 90 minute consultation time with the man from Blue World Pools.  They had a $299 offer online.  I called and of course all you needed on the phone to qualify is to be a home owner.  When the guy got here, there was a little more to the deal of course.  We chose not to travel to Georgia and pick it up since the $299 doesn't include shipping.  We also chose not to do the other 5 outrageous things on the list.  We also decided against the next step up pool that started out $21,000, but then when the guy called his manger came all the way down to $9,000!!  Can you sense my happiness with the time we spent with this guy?

We decided to go with this "pot belly pool" (as I call it) from Wal- Mart to see how it works out for this summer.  Needless to say, it has been a total hit!!!  We have been going swimming at least twice a day and we all enjoy it!!

Just so you know, we are looking to step up to this pool next summer :)!!

And I am gonna look like this ...

I know - I am going to have to work on growing my hair out!  :) 

Top 10 as a Mother and Wife - June 2011

I was never one of those girls who dreamt of the perfect wedding or how many kids I would have.  I guess I just knew I had no control over it.  There were times that I wonder if I would ever find someone.  As you know, Eustace, Texas is not the metropolis of fine, upstanding men.  I did have a few tiny facinations of marrying Brett Hull.  I mean, let's face it - how stinking cool would it be to sign your Christmas cards: With Love, Brett and Brett Hull or BH2.
On to the topic at hand, I was lucky enough to marry a wonderful man on March 15, 2003.  Chris has not only been a great friend and partner to me, but a fabulous father to Brandt and Cate.  I have already been blessed beyond measure with everything Chris has brought into my life.  Of course marrying Chris gave me the opportunity to have the blessings of Brandt and Cate.  This summer has been so much fun for us as a family.  Cate is up and active and in to EVERYTHING!!  Brandt's vocabulary is developing and he is becoming more and more interested in some many different things.  So in honor of these 3 blessings in my life, I am leaving you with my Top 10 as a Mother and Wife.

10.  Being married to a coach does have some advantages - like getting to go on a trip to Round Rock / Austin to see an outstanding player play in the All Star Game!  Congrats Braden!! Thanks for the opportunity for a mini vacay!
9.  There isn't much difference in a 20 month old and a 21 month old as far as listening skills are concerned.
8.  There is a huge difference in a 20 month old and a 21 month old as far as speaking skills are concerned.
7.  Little hands that pat you and little teeth that show through on a grin can erase ALL traces of bad from a day / mood / week / month / year - well you get it!
6.  Golf is a stress reliever for some.  By the way, that "some" is not me.  Chris loves to golf and has been very successful this year winning 2 of the 3 tournaments he has been in.
5.  A locust could be the toughest insect ever. If you are wondering about this one, just ask "Blue Boy", Brandt's locust that Papa had for him in a jar when we left for our trip to Round Rock.  Blue Boy made the 3 day, 2 night trip in the car, stayed in a hotel room, was tortured by a 4 year old and then made it home to Payne Springs, Texas and was released and flew away STILL ALIVE!!!!!
4.  A 4 year old views going to the carnival with the family and Mammy just the same as going to Target and riding in Mammy's basket.
3.  Sometimes in public it is worth ignoring what you know is a fit coming on just so it doesn't happen no matter how bad of a parent it makes you look like - because unlike the others watching you know how much worse you will look once the fit occurs :)!!
2.  Daddy has a different definition of getting the kids dressed that Mommy does.
1. Patting hands and little, grinning teeth are pretty close to the best thing I have ever experienced!!

More to come later!!  Enjoy these wonderful summer days!

~Brett

Alive and Kicking - I think!

I have kind of dropped the ball on the whole blog thing lately, but I PROMISE that I am back on track and will do a better job.  My devotional this morning talked about clutter in your life.  It talked about having so much clutter in your life that you aren't able to let the Lord in to properly serve him.  There is no need for me to make this lengthy - I have A LOT of clutter - physically, as in the fact that my house looks like Hurricane Katrina Brandt / Cate came through, emotionally, spiritually and on and on and on ....  That being said I have a lot of things to share, but today I am going for the "clutter free" version.

It is amazing that with all the "clutter" I have let blur my life, the Lord has still blessed me with these three wonderful people!!

Pokers or Fur?

Brandt has been concerned about my shaving habits for quite sometime now.  One morning when I was still on maternity leave with Cate I was getting him ready for school and he asked me, "Mommy, why you have pokers?" (we were / are still working on our grammar).  After a few questions on my part trying to understand what he could possibly be talking about he let me know that my "leg pokers were like a cactus" - such insight from a then 3-year-old.  At the time, I didn't take much offense because let's face I had a newborn at home and shaving my legs wasn't high on my list of priorities. 

Since then, my "pokers" have been a constant topic of his concern.  He doesn't like to warm his feet on my legs when I have "bad pokers".  It is also hard for him to relax when I have "too many pokers".  Recently, as he was getting comfy (and the day after I had shaved) he informed me that my pokers felt perfect.  This prompted yet another discussion about follicular growth.  As we carried on our discussion, I commented about how most girls didn't have long pokers but boys, like Daddy, do.  It was at this time that Brandt informed me that, "Mommy, you have pokers, but Daddy has FUR"!

For the Record: I would like eveyone who reads this to know, I do practice good hygiene and don't make it a habit for my "pokers" too get to long.  Also, Chris does have more hair than me but I am thinking he is average in the "hair on your legs" department. 

Look, It's Chris.

:)

Obviously, I will need to look into always keeping up my "follicular removal" being that I have the "Hair Police" for a son!!

~ Brett

Word to Your Mother

I just wanted a leave a post letting everyone know how thankful I am for my mother.  I had a procedure done last Friday that required me to be on bedrest for the weekend.  She went with me, brought me home, and then stayed with the kids while Chris was at the game Friday night and at practice on Saturday.  It was sooooo nice actually getting to sleep soundly and not worry ahout what was happening in the other room.  Of course, this isn't the only reason I am thankful for my mom.  Did I say I was excited about uninterrupted sleep? :) I feel blessed each day that I have her and fear that I don't tell her or show her often enough. So in the words of Vanilla Ice:
 

An Afternoon with Mammy and Papa

Chris had baseball practice on Saturday afternoon, so the kids and I spent it down with Mammy and Papa at their house.  Brandt packed up all his buckets and "shobels" to work with the plants.  By the time we came home, I had two VERY dirty and VERY tired children!

Brandt and Mammy planting some new plants in the tire planters.

Adding a little water.



Little Miss Helper coming to see what is going on.

Time to wash up - a little.



Brandt getting ready to do some watering.

 

I don't think Mammy gave me any water!

Brandt watered based on the plants he thought "looked thirsty"!

"Excuse me!  Papa! Bubba! You forgot me!"

Brandt driving Papa around on the tractor!

Want a kiss from a really sweet little girl?

Are you sure?

I added this one just becasue I think it's pretty!

Brandt practicing his throwing skills.

This is very Cate-esque: an abandoned shoe and a missing, one shoed little girl!

I AM BIG enough to do whatever everyone else is doing!!!

Yeah, Bubba!!!

A little water play.



          

I love these little feet.  Their dirtiness is proof of one GREAT day!



Spring Break

You that read this will soon learn that at this point in my life (heck, at most points in my life) I seem to be overtaken by the old adage "A Day Late and a Dollar Short" or something like that. So, here I am a week (or so) late writing about Spring Break.  I know there were lots of people who took trips and did lots of fun stuff, but our family needed some "home days" as Brandt calls them. 

We did a little mowing and yard work - which Cate loved!!

Brandt is big enough now that he even get to steer on his own.  Being that they are about 2 feet away from the camera woman - he is going to need some practice!!

Cate decided that she wasn't finished with the yard and needed another turn!

We played outside - A LOT!

Mammy may have enjoyed playing as much as Brandt and Cate :)! Brandt and Mammy did have some serious baseball games!

This look, oh this look!  This is Cate's "Don't EVEN go there!" look.  She gives it often and has it quite perfected!!

Brandt is still riding with his training wheels, but made some major improvements in his bicycle riding!

Even Ebby got in on the fun!

Daddy wanted to play some golf, but this was a close as he got.  I am sure he will make up for it this summer.

All and all our Spring Break week was great!  It is times like these that remind me what life is really about.  I seem to get caught up in all the mundane day to day tasks and forget about playing and giggling and lawn mower driving.

The Bus Ride...

Well Brandt has waited all baseball season (which actually hasn't been that long - unless you are 4) to ride the school bus.  On Friday, March 11th he got his chance.  The bus was planned to stop at the house to pick him up at 6:00. 

He was ready at 4:30.

 Sooooooooo... we took a few pictures.

Did a little playing...

Sister gave up on waiting and had to take a nap

 And then..... We saw it!!!! It's those tiny headlights you see in the distance!

 There it is! There it is!

 Bus #7 stopping at our house to pick up a sweet Ball Boy!

He has loaded the bus that Daddy is driving and is as happy as I have ever seen him.  He has fruit snacks and water to share with the other ball boys in his "pack pack"!

One side note that you can't see through the pictures I have posted here.  For those of you who don't know, we live on Highway 175,  which is in the large metropolis of Eustace, Texas, but is rather busy - especially on a Friday evening.... say around 6 o'clock.  I was very focused on getting a good picture of Brandt that I kind of forgot this little important fact.  When Chris pulled the bus over the flashers and lights automatically came on and traffic preceded to stop - while I took all my pictures.  It wasn't until my mom told me that I even realized.  Well, let's just say there are some things a mom has to do to get good pictures - including stopping traffic!!

A Picture Worth a Thousand Words (or 270 or so...)

I LOVE THIS GIRL!!

As I tried to figure out what I wanted to post next I looked through my pictures and this is just a picture that I absolutely adore!  It says so much about the big personality in her little body!

Catharine Grace Powers, you are the most beautiful person I have every known - and to top it off you are mine! Look at those beautiful eyelashes - they speak for themselves.  Your eyes are barley closed, but you will quickly open them, because you don't miss anything! Look at that perfect smile of your little mouth. In this picture you are showing that you can be sweet and innocent and girly, however that little smirk at the corners shows how you truly function.  You are so attentive. You are saying more and more words every day, however you have never really needed words to get your feelings across.  Mostly I love that you have no inhibitions.  You love, smile, cry, scream, torture your brother, yell for your mama with 100 % of your little heart.

Cate Powers you have been a great gift every day of your life.  I can't wait to see what they rest of your life holds.  I wonder what you will be when you grow up. Whose heart will you break? How will you (or I) act when someone breaks your heart? How many calls will I get from the school because of something you have done in class? Well, let me just say that I will love you each day and will be ready for whatever it may hold for us!!!