July 4th week

June somehow came and went. Mason had swimming lessons for 50 minutes for two weeks. This was the first time to take them and he loved them. He isn't as afraid of the water and doesn't mind going underwater now. He passed on to level two, which i'm sure will be more teaching of strokes and not just going underwater for toys and holding his breath! The weather wasn't the best, but it was never canceled, just a little cold a few of the days but the water was heated so he didn' t mind.

The last week in June my Aunt Mary and Uncle Marley came up from South Carolina for 11 day stay, so the kids and i packed our bags and headed for the farm to stay out there, since they were staying with my sister. Mason had a great time entertaining them and of course fishing!!

Mason goes in spurts as to whether he will sit and fish or if he wants to play. Some days he won't keep his line in the water more than 10 seconds and he gets bored cause the fish aren't biting! But not this day.. he was all about fishing, especially since Granny A was right by his side to help him take the fish off. He thinks he is big enough to do it and would probably try, but i can just see him putting that hook thru his finger, so we will let the grownups do that for now!!

Mallory of course had to get in on the action too!!

Wasn't long and then she thought she needed a pole too! So we put a bobber on the end of Mason's old kid pole and she had a great time!!

He thought the fish were biting better on this side

Marley and Pete were out on the pond for a couple hours.. pretty successful

Course Mason didn't do too bad himself on the dock...

Then the kiddos 'helped' them clean the fish!! This was the first time we have had a fish fry from the fish in the pond. We usually throw them back, but this time they decided it was time to start keeping the bigger ones and enjoy them! And boy were they good, and this is coming from a girl who doesn't like fish!!!

Photo catch up time...

So the summers go faster and faster the older ya get!!

One has a lawnmower and the other has the weed eater.. looks like we have a 'peeping tom' on our hands :)

They do get along sometimes

We've been to the park quite a bit this summer..this would have to be one of Mallory's favorite things to do there.. unfortunately, it takes me being right by her side, so she doesn't get to do it too much

This girl has no fear. Mason wouldn't go down a slide til he was atleast 2.. and she walks to the top, about falls down head first, and down she goes!!! Scares this mother to death!!

We had a playdate at a friends house, and the kids got to paint cardboard boxes that were put together like a house. Mallory NEVER even picked up a paint brush, but she came away with the most on her!! This is what it looks like when you go up and try and kiss the wall

Still messing around with trying to get photos and such uploaded faster... so will get more photos and such uploaded tomorrow...

June 1st

So this year is almost half over and I'm not exactly sure how that happened! We've had a busy few weeks trying to get the majority of our house renovations done so that we can put it on the market before the month of June is over!! We are almost there and shouldn't have any problems getting that accomplished!!! I'll post some photos of before and after, as soon as its completely finished and looking good!! Tony has been hard at work installing countertops, a new sink, a new microwave, some laminate hardwood floors and all the fun transitions and such that go along with that, and the last of the big things will be new cupboard doors!! We will have a whole new looking kitchen when this is all done, and so far its looking so much better and just a much happier place to be! I'm hoping another family feels the same way soon too *S*

Mason only had a few days of preschool in May before his graduation the middle of May. Hard to believe a year of preschool is under our belt. He had a great time at the graduation and loved singing all his songs to us for a couple weeks before hand. Mallory even got in on the fun and now loves the song 'Skinamarinky dinky dink' and often starts waving her finger at us as that is the first hand motion. I've yet to catch her on video doing that, but I do have the video of Mason doing it at the graduation below!

This is one of the four songs they sang... 'Skinamrinky dinky dink' (be sure and pause the music below before you play this video so you can hear it)


Skinamarinky dinky dink
Skinamarinky doo
I love you

Skinamarinky dinky dink
Skinamarinky doo
I love you

I love you in the morning
and in the after noon
I love you in the evening
and underneath the moon

Skinamarinky dinky dink
Skinamarinky doo
I love you


This is Mason with his teacher Mrs. Kokjohn. She was a great teacher and Mason loved her. She had to of had the patience of a Saint to have put up with the crazy 7 kids she had this year! They were a handful and somehow she managed to make it thru!
Mason gradutated on Wed and then on Thursday the kids and I headed to Omaha, NE to meet up with Cindy, a friend from Dumas, TX. She was up for her oldest granddaughters highschool graduation. I hadn't seen Cindy in 3 years, so this was a long overdue meeting! So this was her first time meeting Mallory and seeing Mason all grown up. She has a granddaughter, Emma, who is 1 month older than Mason, so Mason did have a playmate. Mason sure knows how to sweet talk a girl


You can tell here they are about the same size



Here are the kids and I and Cindy!!!

Here is the last time we saw Cindy and Emma, back in June 2006 (the kids were almost 2)



Memorial Day weekend was pretty laid back. We just basically hung out at the farm for the weekend and enjoyed the weather and the pond. Mason could have spent every waking moment in the sand at the pond, if only someone would have looked after him! Pete did catch a large bass so Mallory got to see it up close...and even touched it!!


Mason loves to fish, but doesnt' have the patience to wait for the fish to bite.. so Uncle Troy threw in his line, and caught a fish right off!! Mason was super excited then, only to walk away from his pole about 30 seconds later!!


One of the VERY RARE moments that Mallory actually sat still to listen to part of a book... course Mason can't read yet, but was good and showing her the pictures


Mason starts swimming lessons for the first time next week, so hopefully he will become more comfortable in the water and enjoy the water (a little more than his mommy does :( ) I'm sure the summer will be fast and furious, and before we know it, Mason will be starting Optional Kindergarden, in which he will go every day for 3 hours in the morning. I think one more year before he starts Kindergarden will be good for the social side of him. Don't get me wrong, he is MISTER social, but he isn't always the best about sharing, and listening and taking turns and those sorts of things!! But he can talk your ear off. He will enjoy it I'm sure, and I know sister will enjoy having him home in the afternoons too. She sure did miss him when he was at preschool.