Finally....PICTURES!!!

If you have been thinking to yourself "Man, I sure have not seen enough pictures of Kate and Carson lately" then this post is definitely for you. And now in no particular order.....

Here's my girl getting her summer 'do redone. The lady was quite miffed by the end of it because Kate kept scrunching up her shoulders, moving her head suddenly, and Jumping up and down. BUT it was free so I wasn't complaining. The lady did a great job even though she should probably not work on too many 4 year olds in the future if she values her sanity. Judging by Kate's antics her hair should have come out all wonky but it didn't. Another cut that turns under perfectly, which when you have a Daddy with board straight hair and a mommy with cowlicks a plenty is not easy to come by.

She was so proud. I painted her nails Red Carpet red one night because I didn't have any girly soft pink. She loved it and couldn't be convinced that they were ever dry as she held up her hands like a surgeon  going into surgery for the next 2 hours.

A couple of weeks ago Kate got Star Student for the day. She got to help out with extra special projects during the day. She thought she was pretty cool. Which she was:) Her teacher Ms. Holly is awesome and I would say I will miss her but tomorrow she will be Carson's teacher. One of the perks of having 2 kids a year a part, you get to enjoy the  good teachers for 2 years:)

Oh my goodness. I know you can barely see this one but it really is the sweetest. They are sleeping in my bed together with their heads touching:) I have also come in and seen Kate's hand on Carson's forehead. I really do think they are twins.

This picture may not seem like much but it means everything to me. I have been working mad hours lately. Lots of overtime which means Saturdays and Sundays which isn't really convenient when you are a single mom. But my friend Jodi has stepped up big time. And she loves my kids so much and they love their Jo Jo. Seriously I could not have survived the past year with out my Jodi. She doesn't just ask me what she can do she steps in and just does it. I wish I had thought to take the picture sooner before they were specks but her son Easton is on the left of her with Carso next to her and Kate on the outside. They are headed to her oldest son's Hudson's baseball game. I needed her last Saturday in the biggest way and as always she came through.

I mean seriously? What's not to love about this boy? He has been doing well with the potty training and I would say he is out of the training phase. Hallelujah! Even at night. And Boy is he proud! As I was helping him the other day I said "Man Carso that's a lot of pee ." And he said "Yep Mommy it SHORE is!" I haven't bought a diaper or pull up in a month. A moment of silence here. This is a momentous time in a Mommy's life. Right up there with washing that last bottle and putting it away, but WAY  better. My last child is potty trained!!!!! Yahoooooo!!! And no words of advice from me. I sucked it up big time with Carso, poor boy. It was a lot of stops and starts and bless his heart, one day it just  clicked. It's a good thing we don't have to go by the book with these kids because I would be sunk for sure. Not sure if God gives grace for potty training but I sure felt like He gave it to me.

Her new school outfit. I bought 5T! What in the world? Her 4T shirts were getting short on her. Oh bless me. Next stop will be the bigger girls department. Hold on!

Hello Kitty is "It" with Kate right now although I'm not really sure why. When I saw these at Target I knew that they  were right up her alley and I was right. This was the first day she wore them. She has changed outfits FOUR times today and is now in just a t-shirt BUT the whole time these shoes NEVER came off. Score!!!

The cookie ministry at church was needing cookies for the teachers at the school our church supports. I thought instead of the regular plastic bag I send them in I would dress them up a little and give the teach a storage container to use afterward. And Hobby Lobby helped me out by having all glass jars at 50% off:) This baby turned out to be a $1. And yep I used the Ranger Cookie recipe. It has become a Go To recipe for me.

These next pictures are called love in action. Even though I try to be handy around the house, I am a complete fool when it comes to my yard. I have NO idea and except for one half hearted attempt 10 years ago have never mowed a lawn. And I wouldn't know how to keep a lawn fertlized or green which is a Herculean effort in Tejas. My friends the Critz' have stepped in and taken care of everything for me. They have my lawn mowed every single week and have a lawn care company come to fertilize it  AND  last week they had someone come out and weed my front and back yard and clean it all up. It stopped me dead in my tracks on Saturday morning. And even though I had both kids pulling on me to get them breakfast I just stood there and stared at the beauty of it all. I was completely paralyzed with gratitude. Every Monday morning when I hear those lawn mowers start up it is a clear reminder that I am loved.

My drought resistant Crape Myrtle living up to it's promise. We have had some good rain here lately so it is thriving.

Another look at the love of friends. And while everyone elses yard looks like scorched earth, mine is lush and green.

My other crape myrtle got some TLC and looks amazing.

Today we made a Cream Cheese Pound Cake for Kate's teacher Ms. Holly's Birthday. Well Carso's soon to be teacher to. The kids wanted to help and were very excited as I let them do most things by themselves.

Carson's first priority was getting all of his "Big Guys" arranged on the chair.

And Kate's first priority was finishing her Grape Popsicle.

This recipe calls for 6 eggs so I gave the kids each a container and broke each egg individually so they could pour them in. I can usually whip this cake together by myself in 10 minutes but it was SO worth the extra time, effort and messiness to let the kids help.  

And in the end Kate enjoyed her favorite part which to both of our amazement Carso is never interested in. So we get all the licks to ourselves. It must be a girl thing:)

Yep it's August here and it's freakin' hot but I burned this candle today. Hobby Lobby is my inspiration as I chuckled at the sight of fall foilage and Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations prominently displayed in their store. Of course my mouth fell wide open when I saw the Christmas trees set up and all of the ornaments and wreaths in the back aisles. I salute you Hobby Lobby for being the first store to display Christmas. Gives us hope that these hot temps will cease in the distant future.

The infamous rock reward system. I admit I've been a bit more lenient for the first go around so that they can see a pay off but they have loved it and responded to it. I'm still getting a lot of whining and I still have 2 sleeping partners but...baby steps...baby steps.

My little girl at play. I always say Kate would have made a fabulous only kid but Carson would have been lost. It's a good thing God knows what He is doing.

Don't let this scene of domestic tranquility fool you. I had just put them in separate time out corners. But they usually play well together these days. Especially when I'm not in the room. :) Kate is "reading" Carso a book. Side note: In 1 year Kate will be walking into her first Kindergarten class. Oh dear. My one prayer that I am praying very boldly is that I can be working from home by that time. I long to be present in my girl's class room and know her teacher. And my dream is to walk her to school everyday and pick her up everyday as the school is right in our neighborhood. I'm praying that boldly as I don't think I've ever wanted anything more.

And finally, my fave pic of the day. Carso's first Power Kids at church. And Kate true to her word walked him right in and he sat right by her, not with a "new friend" as she put it. And I so wish I would have snapped the pic when she had her hand on his back. Such an amazing big sister. The lady behind them  is Mrs. Julie she was Kate's and Carson's teacher in the 2 years we were blessed to go to the church preschool and now she has them in Children's church. I love our church. Our preacher talked about wanting our kids to feel like they belong at our church and that they are so wanted here. I KNOW that my kids feel welcomed and they definitely feel like they belong here. This is THEIR church family and I pray that they will be able to grow up in this church.

I thank  God so much for my two  amazing blessings. This picture is beautiful to me.