A few more pics from Tulsa

Here a few more pics I took with my phone from this past weekend.

Pate trying to look like Daddy.

We LOVE our Bailey!!

Kinda blurry but I thought was so funny. These boys are so fun.

Making a human wall so the other "swimmer boy" in the pool couldnt get by. I wish I would have gotten pic of that "swimmer" and you could appreciate the pic more.

Rebs Win!!

This past weekend both Craigs Rebels and JTs Rebels ended up playing in Broken Arrow. Little Rebs came out a little better than the older boys but atleast it wasnt a total bummer of a weekend. Craig had to drive the bus back for his kids on Sat so he didnt make it on Sunday to JTs games. The boys played awesome and we came out on top of every game we played. It was beyond COLD but they toughed it out and won it all. It was too cold to even move this weekend so I didnt get as many pics as I usually like to take but I did manage to get a few after the championship game. I got a few from the hotel on my phone but I will have to get those up later.

JT is so lucky to play with such an awesome group of kids from all around the area. Not to mention the parents are SO much fun too. We have so much fun no matter where we go and I look foward to a great summer with these kids and their families.

"Mommy, tell me about when I was born"

The kids and I are on our way back from Tulsa late last night, JT is sacked out in the back seat and of course Pate is WIDE awake. Out of nowhere Pate says, "mommy, tell me about when I was born". It kinda took me off guard. I said well, remember you werent born in mommys tummy, you were born in our hearts, we adopted you. Well, she wouldnt quit asking over and over "tell me about when I was born". So, I said, we prayed and prayed for you and when you were one we got you and so I didnt know you when you were first born. Someone else had you in their belly and Jesus just gave you to us to take care of bc we prayed so hard for you. She then says , "just like Zoey". (There is a little girl down the street that was adopted and no matter how many times I tell Pate that her name is not Zoey she insist on calling her that). I said yes just like Zoey, how did you know? She said "I can just tell with my own eyes."  I said how. She said "bc me and Zoey look exactly alike, she has curly hair and brown skin just like me." I smiled from ear to ear. It melted my heart. I just hope that as she gets older she knows just how much we love her and even though she "wasnt in my belly" that she has always been ours and was always MEANT TO BE!!!

CAUGHT!!!

So, I am trying to get the kids and I packed for the weekend and JT is in the shower and who knows what Pate is doing. Well, JT is yelling at me from the shower to come here. I go in there and can tell right away what he is going to say. All I can smell is "clean cotton". Pate found the air freshner and had a time with it. JT is proceeding to tell me how Pate has been spraying into the toliet and wouldnt listen to him when he was telling her to stop. So I go to look for her and of course she is hiding, knowing shes in trouble. Well, I found her, IN THE TOP OF MY CLOSET!!!

The look says it all.

She really is a monkey, no fear!!

Quick Trip

Spring Break is not a "vacation" time for us. Craig always has baseball which is fine, that is our life, so we have to make the most of our little spare time we do get during this week. My parents had a big lunch at their new house Sunday inviting everyone over to see their new place. It was a great time and GREAT food. Monday morning we got up and left for Branson. We stayed at Grand Country, this was a first, and the kids loved it. It wasnt the nicest place we've ever stayed but the indoor waterpark for the kids made it all worth while. The kids played for hours, well, Pate stayed in the hot tub the whole time bc she said the other water was cold, but JT loved the play part of it. After playing for a few hours we went to eat and then some shopping. Shopping with 2 kids and a husband that dont enjoy it wasnt exactly peaceful but we did get some great deals. We didnt make it through the whole outlet so I went back the next day ALL BY MYSELF!! Now that is what I call vacation. Craig was good enough to take the kids on the duck boat so I could have some shopping time to myself. I think he gave me too much time bc I spent WAY more than I was planning. Oh well, I think we are all set for summer. We headed home last night bc Craig had baseball this morning. I am busy cleaning out drawers to make room for all the new things and looking foward to a walk this morning with Leslie and then a run tonight. Craig leaves tomorrow for Tulsa for the weekend for a baseball tournament and the kids and I are off to JTs baseball tournament. Here are some pics I took of our 24 hour adventure.

Branson Landing

Bass Pro

Waterpark

Dad was a trooper, Pate was freezing

She can be so loveable. ;0)

They kind of favor each other. hehe

Jonesy being Jonesy

Girlfriend was pooped from all the shopping.

I DID IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cant believe I actually did it. Not only did I do it but I only walked a total of .47(less than a half a mile) the whole 13.1 miles. I will have to say I wasnt sure I could do it. I hadnt run much more than 5 miles at a time ever. The race itself was a mess. No one knew where to go half way through the race and the teenage boys working the water stations didnt either. I was passing people going the opposite direction that were once in front of me. Oh well, we found our way through it. When I crossed the finish line I was actually at 12.86 on my gps so I ran a little more just to get to that 13.1. I didnt want to say I didnt do it all. Jen and Tara did awesome too. Jen came in a few seconds before me and Tara not far behind. My official race time was 1:54. I felt great the whole time when it came to my breathing. I could have gone further if it wasnt for my calves and the cramping that started to happen at about mile 11. It literally felt like my calves were hard as rocks in a big tight ball. I wasnt going to quit. I just pushed through the pain and came out with a time WAY better than I had ever hoped for. Im so glad I got to experience this with my sister and Tara. So, whens the next? :0)
Excuse the no make-up pics. O'natural!!

Early this morning before the run.

Jen and I freezing after the race

WE DID IT!!!

A little out of order but this was seconds before the gun sounded.

A perfect day from start to finish!!

No matter how long its been since we've talked or seen each other, it takes about 5 seconds to be right back where we were the last time. I dont know what it is about us but we have been like that since we met in 11th grade. I trully believe we were meant for each other and will forever be sole mates. I am talking about my best friend Meredith Myers Tusa. I have been counting the days down like a kid does Christmas to get to see her. Today was the day. I took a day off school and went to see her in Russellville where she was in seeing her dad. I got to see her two beautiful daughters, Ellie and Anne, we got to go to lunch and just catch up on everything thats been going on in our lives. It was the quickest 3 1/2 hours of my life. It was hard to leave but I know we will see each other again soon. When I say we just know each other like no other, I MEAN it. When I got back into Fort Smith today I texted her and told her thanks again for such a great day and how much I loved and appreciated her. I hit send and the exact moment I sent it I got a text from her with almost the EXACT same thing I had written. It literally took my breathe away, but, we are always doing things like that so it wasnt a shock just another sign from God that we were meant to be each others "person". I took a few pics today. I didnt get any of her and I together bc there were no other adults around to take for us.

I ended today with a great 4 1/2 mile walk with Tara, Landon, and Pate. It was alot harder pushing a 38lb little girl than I was thinking, ecspecially up Main Street, but was a GREAT workout. We have one more day to walk and then rest day on Friday before our big race on Saturday. Today was beautiful from start to finish and it makes me thank God even more for the great life that I have.

One resolution soon to be accomplished

One of my News Years Resolutions was to run a half marathon and Saturday I hope to accomplish that. I may not be able to run it all but I will try my best. I just want to finish. My sister and Tara are doing it with me so I hope together we can get each other through it. I sometimes think how I ever felt before running. It to me is the overall body workout. It literally hits every muscle in my body. I am not one that wants to be muscled up, I would rather be toned and lean. I often see some girls that muscle up which is great but you can't do that your whole life, or should I say usually don't stick with it. So, where does all that muscle go when you quit? Flab. To me it's a lifestyle. It can be done anytime, anywhere. Anyway I love it,and I hope to never quit it. It is my medicine for my soul and body.

Gore Tournament

I am WORN out. The time change has finally set in tonight and I am ready for bed. Little Rebels had a good weekend and came in second in the tournament. JT came out of his hitting slump and even pitched pretty good. I got in a six mile walk on Sat with Leslie which was a nice change of pace from my daily run. Great conversation and just a beautiful night. One more week till Spring break and I am more than ready for it. Oh!!!, and Im running a 1/2 marathon Saturday!!!!!!!! Here's a few pics from this weekend.

Jonesy stretching it out for and OUT!!

Great pitching outing

Moms relaxing between games

Craig congradulating Jonesy after his double

2nd place

2nd Place Rebels

Me and Sis

Jonesy catching

Tired pup

Just noticed they are a little out of order but I am too tired to fix. Night Night

Just stuff

Not really anything too exciting to talk about for the week. I did have a great Birthday lunch for a friend on Wed., an awesome girls night out Thurs, and was able to get in more than I was planning to as far as running. JTs end of the season basketball tournament ended up not happening so it worked out good for all the baseball we had. JT plays again this weekend and I am so looking foward to the beautiful weather. Also, next weeks weather looks great. My race running starts up again next weekend. I am ready to get back into that and hopefully will get into a 10k soon. I get to see my best friend next Wed and I CAN NOT wait. We havent seen each other in a while and I am so excited to spend time with her and her sweet girls. Oh, I did get the sweetest email about JT from his teacher this week. He amazes me everyday what a sweet and kind hearted kid he is. I couldnt be prouder.

JT's first tournament

Well good news and bad news. JTs team did great for their first tournament, 3rd place out of 15 teams. On the other hand JT had a rough weekend batting. Not sure what the deal was but wasnt like him at all. Its such a helpless feeling too when I could see how frustrated he was and there was nothing I could do. Next weekends a new tournament and hopefully all the kinks will be worked out. We froze on Saturday and then it was beautiful on Sunday. Always so much fun with all the kids and their families. We are really lucky we all have so much fun together and enjoy being around one another, since we spend from now till July togethe,r 4-5 days a week. I was too cold to take pics on Saturday but I did manage to get some on Sunday.

My BIG baby!!

Very rare photo opp

My little monkey

boys goofing off between games

never too big to sit in mama's lap

I told you she literally tumbles whenever and wherever we go!!

My gosh Jonesy looks big catching

Stratton giving JT a peptalk

Busy week ahead of us. JT has last regular season basketball game tonight, end of the season tournament Tues and Thurs, plus baseball practice Tues and Thurs( not sure how we are gonna manage that) and this doesnt include any of Craigs games. Eeeek. I am looking foward to a Birthday lunch for Tara on Wed and dinner with the girls on Thurs. My goal is to run 4 of the 5 days this week and maybe take a breathe on Friday. ;0) 

What a Laugh

Earlier this week a deer hit Craig's truck on the way to school. He didnt hit it, it hit him.lol  No one was hurt other than the dead deer but it did do some damage to Craig's truck. Today he took his truck in to be worked on and the insurance agent (which is his cousin) had set up a rental for him. To say the least, when he sent me the picture I didnt quit laughing for an hour, and still laugh every time I see the picture.

Craig thinks his cousin did this to him on purpose. Im sure his boys on the team are not gonna let him live this down. Im not. ;0)

The kids and I are off to Sprindale tomorrow for JTs baseball tournament. Looks like its gonna be a little wet and COLD. Not looking forward to that. Hopefully I will get some pics taken so I can post. I feel like I hardley ever get to post on JT. Oh, found out today I get to see my best friend from Dallas in 2 weeks. Couldnt have been better news. I miss her tremendously.

REBS WIN!

Well the Rebels pulled off there first win of the year, beating them 11-1. The team wasnt very good and is probably the weakest in the tournament but a wins a win and a great way to start off the year. The rest of the tournament will be the true test. Pate wore her SS stuff all day to school. She was ready!

We are all pooped. Its been a long week awaiting the first game. I think we will all be asleep within the hour. Well, Im atleast hoping to be.

Craig in the zone.

Pate with some of her buddies at the game.

 GO REBS!