Lots of Things Going on in Oklahoma

Well, there's lots of things going on with the family in Oklahoma. Gary and I were with Brent and the kids last week. Jessica had to be out of town. It's never a dull moment with three kids ages six and under.

I had to help Bennett squeeze into a size 2/3 army outfit. You should have seen us. He wears a size 4/5. He was laying on the floor and I was pulling here and there and all I could button was one button. I immediately told Gary that he needed to order Bennett some camo coveralls for Christmas. I don't know if we were playing army or hunting. It did involve a gun, though. Of course.

I have not been Sutton's favorite. Poor boy. But, after he realized it was me or no one he warmed up to me. By the time we left at the end of the week Sutton was actually coming toward me by choice.

Like I said, something always going on. Anna Claire and I had a fashion show. Here she is posing India style. She definitely has that style down pat. She had several different poses. This was a cute one! We got out a lot of her clothes and costume jewelry for the fashion show.

When Anna Claire graduated from Kindergarten Gary and I gave her a Barbie Wii game for graduation. She and Brent are picking out styles for Barbie. Brent is such a good daddy. Bennett is on the floor waiting until he can play the hunting Wii game.

One morning Anna Claire asked "Ma, can I paint your fingernails? Mommy thinks I am too young to paint my nails without any help and I want to show her that I can paint and that I am old enough now." What do you think I said? Of course, I said "Anna Claire, you can paint my nails and my toes!"

Well, how did she do??? I am such a good Ma. I never "fixed" my toes the entire time I was in Oklahoma. How could I??? I just said "Oh my...how beautiful!"

This is the "best" picture of my nails! You should have seen my other hand. I was in Walmart two days later standing in line. I noticed this lady in front of me just staring at my hands and feet. I thought "How rude!" and then I looked. And laughed! She wasn't old enough to be a Ma but if she was she would understand completely.

Anna Claire painting Ma's hand. Focused girl! This is her mommy's polish. Anna Claire told me that it wasn't that pretty wet but once it dried she said "Ma, it will be so pretty. You'll see." The color really was pretty.

Anna Claire and Sutton.

This is how Sutton looks when he wakes up! He is ALWAYS smiling. He doesn't usually have Anna Claire in his bed and I'm sure she would not have had permission from her mommy and daddy to climb in the baby bed but Sutton sure did think it was a riot to have sissy in his bed. He LOVED it!

Never a dull moment. One afternoon Bennett and Anna Claire asked if they could pile pillows up on the floor. I didn't really know what they were wanting to do but I said yes anyway. I didn't realize that they were going to stack up every pillow from every room in the house. You would not believe the entertainment they had...all three. Sutton had more fun than anyone climbing pillows!

The big adventure was horseback riding lessons for Anna Claire. Gary and I took Anna Claire to lessons in Norman. This was a big day and to celebrate Anna Claire got a stuffed pony. She asked me if she could take it to lessons. Sure. Here she is waiting on her lessons to begin.

Let me just say...I thought the lessons would be nothing more than babysitting and letting a little girl ride a horse. Boy, was I wrong. This was serious stuff. This was top professional at a riding stable.

I was so scared for Anna Claire. She did so good. I knew she would. Anna Claire reminds me so much of Shane. She focuses so much on what she is doing that she doesn't even recognize anything else going on. The lady that gave instruction treated Anna Claire like she was an adult. Later she made a comment about how focused Anna Claire was.

I don't know who had more fun...Anna Claire or Sutton. He adores his Grandad and they had so much fun.

The lady that gave the lessons gave Anna Claire instruction for almost an entire hour. I don't know how Anna Claire can possibly remember everything. It was so serious.

Jessica will get the "Mommy of the Year" award. On the way home from Arkansas she stopped in Tulsa and met a lady to pick up a dog she bought for the kids. Jessica is the creative one in the family. When she got home she gave Bennett a bag of dog food and Anna Claire a can of dog food. The kids did not know still that they were getting a dog.

Believe it or not, the kids still didn't realize. Then, Jessica told them to go to the side of the house. They didn't know it but Brent was waiting for them with the puppy Jessica got. Do you think they are surprised?

Brent...I love him so much. He has been wanting a dog but he has to "con" oh, I mean convince, Jessica that he will take care of it and "it" will not be another child that Jessica has to tend to.

Even Grandad loves Lucy Lu!!!

Well, we just had a great time with Brent and the kids. I slept with Anna Claire every night. Bennett wanted to cuddle with his Daddy every night. Poor Grandad...he went to the camper at Lake Thunderbird every night. Just possibly he was the only one to get a good's night sleep every night. I love sleeping with Anna Claire. I don't get any sleep but I can sleep when I go home. She snuggles up to me and I just lay in bed looking at God's miracle.