Payton's 15th Birthday

It's SO hard to believe that my baby girl is 15!...(and soon will be driving! Yikes!! I don't know if I can live though teaching another teen how to drive. But, honestly, it's not them....it's ME! I have a car phobia. I am the WORST back seat driver in the world.)....okay, enough of that...on to the most special young lady's birthday. (I'm also the mother of the most special son. How did I get this lucky?!) :)

As usual our day was packed with fun. I can't tell you the joy I get making my family feel special. I had a full itinerary planned. We started off with.....

......her "yearly" breakfast of champions! (This is hard enough for me to buy twice a year (for Landon, too), I couldn't imagine doing it on a regular basis. Yucko!)

Next we went to church to worship and praise the One who created her!

Then off to lunch. Her restaurant of choice was Oreganos. Here they are choosing what to order. Really, guys?...you know you'll end up with pizza. :)

Next on the itinerary was an activity of her choice....hiking, bowling, miniature golf, etc. However, I will never give her options again. Payton has ALWAYS had such a hard time making decisions. We sat in the car for 15 minutes before she choose Laser Tag. It also took her the same amount of time to choose Oreganos. :)

We returned home, got comfy....and played the board game of her choice. (She choose Clue. She loves that game, and we don't. So this was her chance to force get us to play.)

Next was cake and ice cream time. Her theme this year was "music."

Again this year, she chose "death by chocolate cake." I strongly believe if you eat it more than once a year it will live up to its name.  :)

"Happy Birthday, to you......"

Landon spoiled his sister this year! He bought her all the seasons of the "I Love Lucy Show." To say she was thrilled and grateful is an understatement. She is, by far, the biggest Lucy fan I know! She can watch the same episode over, and over...and laughs just as hard as if its the first time she's seen it.

She threw herself at her brother to thank him...he was so gracious and bared the verrrrrrrrrry long
hug.  :)

Okay, this was a first....Payton was speechless! :)  She LOVES to sing, and has always wanted voice lessons. So we gave her a gift certificate of six months worth. We also bought her a microphone for the computer. She was overwelmed as you can see here ( I think there might have even been a tear under there?)
Hence the "music" theme birthday. :)

We ended the evening with appetizers and the Cardinals' football game. (Max, Payton and I are Cardinals' fans. Landon is a Miami fan. I think it's his way of staying in touch with Florida.)

When she was a little girl, daddy and I used to make what we called a "Payton sandwich" - who says she is too old for that now?! By the look on her face, I think she does! :)

Happy Birthday, shnukums! We love you more than you will ever know. May God always bless you and watch over you.

Thanksgiving 2013

We had a quiet Thanksgiving with just the four of us. It was a nice relaxing day. (That's after two days of cooking, of course. But having left overs is worth all the work!)
After our meal, I really wanted to get our Christmas card picture taken outside, so before I severed dessert - I sprung the plan on my family.  They did cooperate.....(sugar has a way of doing that to a person!).  I really don't have a problem with stooping to bribery! A mom's got to do what a moms got to do.  :)

A casual setting this year.  

I am so "thankful" for my beautiful family. So blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15:57

Debate Season Begins

We just returned from our first debate tournament. Landon had some time off college, so he was able to join us. It was wonderful having there!....but it was sad that he couldn't compete. :( I would have loved for him and Payton to have one more year together as partners. But, life moves on after high school. 

However, we are extremely blessed to have Matthew as Payton's new partner. He's a wonderful young man, and we love the whole family. Truly a blessing! 

 They are preparing for a round. It was a one day tournament, so they had six rounds in one day. That is nine hours of debate! Amazing kids.  

Here they are holding up the alumni. :) They've made great memories these past few years. 

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Cor. 10:5

Soccer Season

Tis the season for soccer. And so far, it's been a great time! Payton's only injury has been a sprained ankle. (God willing, it's her first and last.)

She had a tournament in Phoenix, and they ended up winning the championship in their division! This doesn't happen often, so it was VERY exciting. (If you read this Shnukums, just keeping it real! You played great!) :)

            Great action, bad picture. :(

 My camera battery died, so we had to rely on Max's iPhone. (Not impressed with the camera.)

My favorite champion! :)

Fall

Fall is absolutely my favorite season!...and living in the desert, we feel it in the air, but we don't get the color change.
Living in Germany was my favorite time and place I enjoyed this season. It was incredibly beautiful! Since I miss fall (and my children young!)...here are some pictures from the past. 

 My precious children playing.

 My princess and I (when I was much younger!). ;)

 My handsome thinker!

Oh, so sweet. (sniffle, sniffle)

What a cutie pie.

Words can't express how much I love these three! 

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat, summer and winter,
day and night will never cease.”

Genesis 8:22

First Day of College!

Most parents take pictures of their kids leaving to school on their first day, but since Landon was homeschooled his whole life...this is his first day of leaving to school! :)

Landon received a full academic scholarship to the honors programs at UA.  I am very grateful and proud of him....however, it will be a very different atmosphere for a homeschool Christian. I pray he will be a light, and bring honor to our Lord in everything he does in life.

It was a very strange, quiet day around the Maxwell House. The first page of new chapter in life.

  The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8 

Arkansas

 We drove to Max's sister and brother-in-law's home in Arkansas to celebrate his dad's 80th Birthday. The drive was 18 hours! Luckily, NM was a nice bit stop, so we spend the night at my parents both directions - this made the trip very tolerable.

Rodgers Arkansas is the home town of Sam Walton. Walton's 5-10 store was his first store, but has now been turned into a museum. I doubt he ever dreamed this five & dime store would grow into what Walmart is today!  He was a very humble (and frugal!) man. He was worth 30 billion dollars and still got a $5 haircut. He also drove his original Ford pick-up till the day he died. They once asked him why he still drives that old truck. He said, "Because I take my dog everywhere with me, and we'd look silly in a Rolls-Royce!"

This poster sums it up. He was the American dream!

 Fun with props! 

 We had a German theme, so here is Ludwig and Olga. :)
(Randy and Jeanette live on a golf course, their view and home are beautiful!)

Aunt Erna gave Max the rosy cheeks.  :)

Happy 80th Birthday, Grandpa! May God bless you with many, many more!

Summer Stuff

We were blessed, again, to tag along with daddy to San Diego. He worked, and we played. It's not fair, is it? :)  We did stay a couple more days so he could play with us.

Landon having some photography fun. 

 Nice arm rest, Payton.

Catch a wave...

Football time...

 Hitting a few balls at the range...

Anytime Payton is focusing, this is what she does with her mouth. She's never out grown it, and I'm glad. I love it! :)

 Nice swing, son. Oops, the picture caught where the ball really went...

...but you're still cool. :)

 The next day we hit the racket ball courts. Cute pose, guys.

Payton will always find something active for us to do, and I'm grateful for the benefits of staying on base.

We went to the USS Midway Museum

The view from the top of the ship of beautiful down town San Diego.

Payton posing....

Hmm...which one is Landon?

A group shot from a kind stranger.