The Big 9th for the Jaxsonator!

The Jaxsonator turns 9 !  

On his request, we had juggle bubbles waiting for him the morning

of his birthday. He was quick to figure them out

and enjoyed them. They are messy, but a hoot.  

 

 

Kellen was just as excited that it was Jaxson's

birthday as he was. He sang him happy birthday

periodically throughout the day and kept

reminding him it was his special day.

Sweetest little brother I have ever seen!

 

We had some time to pass until the Mexican joint he wanted

to eat at opened, so we went out and got some sunny morning photos

to mark the milestone.

I sure do make him look angelic in pictures don't I ??!

haha :)

I really like this one.

He has great almond shaped green eyes, he always has.

'This is the best birthday lunch ever.'

were his words and he wanted his picture

taken in the booth.

Tacos and white cheese dip. what's not to love ??!

We of course couldn't let the day get by without

sharing some time with the Paul boys!

 

 

Pool party including pizza, cousins, swimming,

gifts all for him, and an oreo ice cream cake...all

of his favorite things!  

We hope you had a great birthday Jaxson! 

 

 

I-Chee-wah-wah!

OK, so we're giving this pet owner thing another try...

I think this one is going to work out for us.. (sigh of relief)

Abby was as sweet as peach pie and we liked her so much, but

she was not the dog for our family. We ended up giving her

back to my cousin where we had gotten her in the first place.

With that said, on one of our many walks around our block

there was a momma dog out in the yard playing with

her pups and as we walked down the road they

kept following us.

K and I, of course were petting them and admiring

how cute they were.. but we finally got them to stay with their

mom and we walked on.. so the next walk, the owner was

outside with them and I nonchalantly struck up convo and

asked if they planned to give them away. She said they

were keeping them.. so that was that..

Well a couple days later we were walking again, and this time

they stopped us and asked if we were interested in a puppy and

I said yes, and he walks over and hands me one and says 'here you go, he's 3 months old, his names Tiny.'

I was a little dumb founded, but after asking a few questions I was like OK, why not.

so we walked home with a dog!

This of course was an eye rolling moment for the hubs when we stroll up

with a pup in hand. But K and I held our ground (begged and pleaded.)

I mean seriously, the guy told me he was born on February 9th... That is Kellen's birthday.

How could that NOT be meant to be ??!!

It's allllll about the logic folks.

:)

Seriously though, I hear my boy ask about having a dog every day and talking about it

and pretending he has one. He is meant to have a dog and so I got him a dog!

They are best buds. We discussed a few name changes, but Tiny ultimately stuck.

He is a Chihuahua mix. He's the runt. and is one of the sweetest natured

pups I have ever seen. He is smart and doesn't meet a stranger, but

he already knows when to bark in our honor. well, its pretty much a bark. ha  

 

 

After the first night we had him, Jon said Kellen woke up and ran out of his bed and ran down the hall and back down the hall 'where's my puppy?' and Jon was like ' what puppy, we didn't get a puppy?' ... So Kellen was frantically looking for his dog until he found him.  

 As he tells me this story Jon's just laughing like its so funny and I'm just looking at him rolling my eyes. CRUEL, just cruel

K holds him every direction and Tiny just tolerates it.

Kellen will rub his nose into his fur and be like 'who's my good boy??'

I chuckle about this every day.  

 

 

 

 

Jaxson got to meet him on his last visit. He approves, which is always

a positive for our family.  Apparently Chihuahuas are cold natured

and shiver a lot even in hot weather, so I went on a hunt to find him

some clothes. To my disappointment our local stores had NOTHING.

Some friends reminded me of the sock sweater so I gave it a shot.

The boys thought it was great and made suggestions for his

next sweater to have a hoodie and a cape.

Boys think everything needs a cape!

sigh

 

As the days are adding up, his personality is

coming out a little more and more. he tries to stock pile socks, hats, and flip flops for his

chewing enjoyment at a later date. If he gets in trouble he goes to his crate and pouts. The word enormous doesn't even describe the two dogs on the other side of the fence, so you can imagine how funny it looks when their shapes are on the fence looking like they could jump over it at any minute, and then our 2lb. guard dog is standing their barking back at them like he's waiting for them to make a move.

GET EM!  

We take him lots of places and he is for sure an easy going lap dog, but he

also has a playful side that will play fetch and get rowdy. So best of both worlds.

Of course at the vet we met a Golden doodle that we decided we need to get next so

Tiny will have a friend. Jon told me I'd be single with a couple dogs to raise if I brought any more pets home... I of course laughed but I'm pretty sure he's not kidding. ha

Tiny is going to win him over though, don't you worry. This little fur-ball with all ears is going to melt that heart!

:)

Let the Games Begin!

Let the 'games' begin!

All the anticipation for when they will start playing sports... the practices, the gear, the games, the cheering... it has all been exactly  how I would have wanted it to be.

These kids are pure entertainment and we are loving his first year of T-ball.

It is a joy to watch him play.  

I am so happy that Jon is able to assist in coaching

and be a part of this with him. It's almost too precious.

and both of our parents have been great about coming to his games.

 

The next one was of his first practice. I think I was more excited

and giddy for this day than he was... and he was

STOKED!

I didn't catch it, because I was trying to gracefully get

my 80 year old knees up off the field where I had been sitting, but

according to aunt Dana and Gramma he stood up and gave

his adoring fans a dance and jig after 'sliding' into

home plate.

sigh 

His best buddy on his team has been Kylie from the first

practice. They are hilarious to watch. They both want to

stand by each other on the field and in the batting line up,

and even if they start out across the field from each other

they each work their way towards the other. its a hoot.

After the first game they were leaving and they hugged.

and then on the way to the car she told him bye and blew him a kiss.

OH For Pete Sake, does it really have to start this early ??!

sigh again. 

She is really sweet and they are buddies. Her mom and I just giggle.  

 

I have refrained from bringing my 200mm lens to every single

game and set on the field and take pictures of my kid like its

the world series, I have brought it a few times and there is a good

chance I'll bring it next game.:)

I do what I do!

 

He is Risen From the Grave and He is Lord!

 

He is risen from the grave and he is Lord! Or as my son goes

around singing, GOD's NOT DEAD he's surely alive!

A few highlights from our 2014 Easter...

On a whim this year I decided to offer Easter mini sessions.

 After a few were booked, Jon and I talked about how we would just put the money aside, let it add up and then take whatever we ended up with to the store and buy stuff for our local Samaritan house.

I am not even kidding that the following day I sat down at the computer to check emails

and there were a page of messages asking to book a session.

Session after session is what I have done for over a month now, and they just

keep coming. And we did as we said we would do. We took the cash and

made a trip to Sam's Club and Wal-mart and loaded up on items

we knew they could use.

Upon delivering we met Katie, the girl that is over the pantry side of

the Samaritan House and she was thrilled that we had included

men's deodorant. She said it's an item that they barely get in. 

So we are now stock piling men's deodorant and will make

another trip later this week. We are currently at 42 sticks!

In our area the Samaritan house is about 5 minutes from the Sam's Club in

Bentonville. I challenge and or encourage, whatever word triggers

you to take action :) - The next time you go for your weekly stock up trip to

Sam's Club, grab a few extra items and run it down to the Samaritan Center. It's a right and then a left down the road.

This one speaks to me pretty clearly:

Romans 12:2 NLT
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

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The Foundation's Easter Egg Hunt was our main egg hunt this year due

to our schedule on Easter day of taking Jax home. 

Bayleigh is cracking me up over on the left with her pout. She

was unhappy with her egg count. These kids are a hoot.  

Patience and Halle are Kellen's buddies. I think the three 

of them stir up a ruckus in their mission friends class together.

:)

This corker has said some of the funniest things lately and I could kick myself square in the

teeth for not writing it all down.

We have some hilarious talks about working and earning money and how one day he'll marry the girl God has planned for him and they will live together. He just can not comprehend that Jon and I will not be in this house with them. ha

'When i get married to that wife I'm just gonna get in the car and drive to your house and she'll say where are you goin?!' -- KPD. I just love these talks with my son

We made it through terrible twos, rotten three's with noooo issues and now

that four has hit we are just now seeing some fits and some

testing the waters on discipline. I don't care for it one bit!

ha

Just when I think he is rotten to the core he will say something completely

adorable and remind me why he is my world. What will I ever do when

he no longer pronounces it ' ring around the rosie, pocka pulla posey'

or he calls the tub 'slippy' instead of slippery,

or says ' I think that's daddy's truck 'ahind' us' = behind

Oh sigh sigh sigh.

the power of the praying parent is tops on my list to read next!

 

 

 

...And this is what's up.

So this kid decided he was doing his own hair for the day..

As I awaited my

customer he comes in and sets down in the seat and

wants me to get a picture of his hair.

I have an Austin Moon junior on my hands.

I am really praying that I can turn him into the

Christian version at least!

(he sings and dances and all! )

sigh  

He has been a good sport through all of the mini sessions

we have hosted this year. Easter has been a busy

season for my business and that is a huge blessing

for us. K is a good sport to appease his

Momma for some quick pics in Easter duds.  

At least he has gotten to make some new friends out of the

deal. This is 'Snowy' the floppy eared - red eyed

bunny we have been blessed to use

in mini sessions this year. Kellen and Jaxson

LOVE him and I had to convince them, that no

we can not keep him, he already has a

loving owner :)  

... and one day some customers brought their

own baby chicks. It was a hoot watching him

pick them up non stop and try to help put them

in the pictures, and then watching the baby girls

with the chicks in the pictures... priceless!

I thought I needed someone to design a logo for me.

Considering I have gone almost 6+ years without one I

thought it was a necessity for some upcoming gigs..

Our friend, Sarah, designed some really great ones

for me to check out, but ultimately I concluded on this. It is simple, I am simple.

Great match :)  

 

-----

 

Jon's Papa Davis passed away a few weeks after his Grandma Evelyn.

(mom's mom, dad's dad.) --

We, the boys and I, were able to meet him a couple of times and visit with him. 

Another grandparent that was blessed to live a long life on earth and now should

be in heaven with our maker. There is nothing but celebration when

that is the case.

-----

 

Our household has experienced some 'Radical' changes over the last month.

Reading Radical, by David Platt has changed the hearts of both

Jon and I for the better.

Our eyes have been opened up to a reality that is far more in depth

than the surface layer of 'the American dream.'

I have gone my entire life being a 'Christian'.. an extremely talk only

dormant Christian. Being in my comfy little happy spot of life

doing everything to please myself and my own wants rather than

serving God and listening to his direction and guidance.

We are making extreme changes in our life. 

I'm not sharing this for show or for any other reason than to share

how awesome God is, and how present we want him

to be in our lives. We want everyone that knows us to

know we have experienced this change.

I am literally in infant stage of Christianity at the age of 34...

I'm not proud of that, but I am accepting it head on and

desire to grow through God's word and provision over my life. 

I am truly excited for things to come.

In talking with a friend this past week, she shared her 'God-sized plan'

with me, and as I listened I couldn't help but feel joy for her but also

inspiration.

Since having Kellen I have gone back and forth from thinking

I should work, but where to work.. or

thinking I needed to do more than pictures, but

what to do.. All the while being confused because I was

trying to do what  'I' wanted.. It was all about me.. Never

once listening to what God needs from my life.

At least now I am listening for direction from him.

As always I am a work in progress.

 

 

Celebration of Loved Ones...

 

Well Jon's sweet Grandma Evelyn, 'Grandma Sue' as she

referred to herself, passed away February 24th.

Though it is sad for those that will miss her so much, it

has to be a rejoicing moment when you realize that

this sweet lady got to live 94 years on earth, believed in

Jesus, so she now gets to spend her eternity in heaven with our maker.

I've heard so many stories of her love for her grand kids, with Jon

being on her special list. and of course she was overjoyed

that we gave K the middle name of Powell. 

When I am a grandma, I want to be a 'Nanna', (don't ask, I have no idea why)

but I can only

hope to strive to be as sweet and loving of a grandma as this one

was to her grand kids.  

The next picture is the first time she got to meet Kellen in person,

and she was so excited. I think the beautiful

smile tells it all :)  

------------

 

...and then there is this guy.. My DAD!

I don't get to say dad much these days as the name

'Pops' has taken over for many years now. He might be

a great Pops to his grand kids, but he was my dad first! ha

He went in for a heart procedure last week and I am happy to

say all went well and everything went great and he's back to

work and life as usual.

But when your parent or loved one is in the hospital for

any reason, it always shines a bright bright spotlight

on just how much that person means to you and the enormous place

they hold in your heart.

My dad never wore a tie on a daily basis, his work

gear consisted of either blue work pants or my favorite,

his infamous over-alls :)

In fact, the desk in the above picture is the desk he still uses

to this day!

He's been a hard working man all of my life. Not only raised my brother

and sister and I, but then raised my sisters kids from the time they were young, and now

takes care of my grandma full time. Not to mention the various family

members on my moms side that he's helped and moved and been there

for over the years. He is always there for all of us. Meaning story after story

of how he has literally driven to pick us up in the middle of no where if we were

broke down, or out of gas, or some cases LOST! ha

 

We have big plans , lord willing, of lots of fishing and

hunting and camping and enjoying life!

We love you Pops!