You know you're a redneck if....

you're a 200 pound man who spends memorial day "floating" in your child's $8 pool from Wal-Mart with a beer on your chest and your 4 year old son beside you saying "Daddy, this is living!" while you ask your wife, "I wonder what poor people are doing today?" 

A Prayer of Thankfulness

Focusing my prayer tonight on thanksgiving and NOT on trying to change the things I don't like (for instance waking up in a puddle of my 4 year old's urine!) "God, thank you for choosing ME to parent these children. Thank you for Nalani's strong will and sweet smile. Thank you for giving Brigg an amazingly soft heart and quick wit. Thank you for giving me the privilege and HONOR of getting to spend the rest of my life with a man who was somehow suited perfectly to me. Thank you for presenting yourself to me even when I felt there was little to be thankful for. Thank you for exemplifying the grace I need to extend to my children and husband on a daily basis. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for all my many blessings."
Amazing how changing the perspective of my prayer from trying to change things to being thankful for things can ooze into my perspective on life as a whole. 

A Picture Story

Paul - "Hey Brigg, come look at this!"
"See how this helicopter has sprouted and it is turning into a tree? Isn't that cool?"
Brigg - "HA! Yeah Dad, real cool! Like I'm going to give up on our water fight to hear about how a tree grows! DUH!"
Paul - "Cassie, can you believe he DID that to me??"
Of course I can. Paul is a tricky stinker and Brigg is learning from HIM! We have some crazy years ahead....fun, but crazy! 

Scary

Caught the boys in action. They look a little too comfortable holding guns....

First water fight of the year...

Paul and Brigg are notorious for their water fights. It is a challenge to see who can be the sneakiest and get the other one the most wet. Yesterday was the first fight of the year. Winner...Paul. He cheats. He gets a hose and Brigg gets a little dinky water gun. I don't think it's fair, but Brigg doesn't seem to mind. I think we need to get him some summer shoes though.... 

More from Brigg's Graduation Day

 

Another little graduate

Brigg graduated from preschool on Tuesday night. He was so cute and so proud. I was amazed by the number of people that were at this event! The church was packed full. Crazy! Although he graduated, he will be going to a "big boy" preschool next year and not kindergarten. Lani did pretty well and was happy to lay down and watch from the floor. Brigg is done with school and summer has arrived! 

Ok...seriously

Jody, my inbox is full of messages that agree my anklets are NOT out of style! Maybe you have not seen a cute anklet lately. I am giving you a glimpse of one. Maybe you will change your mind....?

15 Things I Love about Summer

1. The smell of suntan lotion.
2. The permanent pink glow across my nose and cheeks….no need for bronzer!
3. Flip flops.
4. Ankle bracelets.
5. Riding our bikes as a family.
6. Snuggling with Paul on the motorcycle…I love my biker-at-heart hubby!!
7. It’s still daylight at 8:00 pm.
8. Pina coladas with lead in the pencil (tastes like a mounds bar, and anything chocolate is worth mentioning!)…you can only drink them if it is at least 90 degrees outside.
9. The smell of fresh cut grass and hearing all the lawn mowers in the neighborhood running at the same time each weekend.
10. Seeing Brigg and Nalani in their swim suits, splashing each other.
11. Paul and Brigg having water fights with the hoses.
12. Golfing with Brigg.
13. The smell of the grill.
14. The fire pit at night after the kids are in bed.
15. Sunglasses…I love funky sunglasses and they are not near as cute when you are wearing them with a winter coat and scarf!

Bring on the 90 degree weather!!!

More Graduation....

Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil??
Enjoying the weather while celebrating Erin's graduation!
Nalani "winding down" with Erin....she ended up winding back up once she was put on a mattress in our room. An hour later she finally crashed.
The effects of a busy day and late night. Like father, like daughter!
Tonight I told Brigg that tomorrow was his last day of preschool. I told him we would be going to the fish hatchery and then tomorrow night he was going to have a graduation ceremony. I said, "You know, just like Erin's!" He said, "You mean I'm going to be a NURSE??", as his eyes bulged. I laughed and said no. He said, "Well then am I going to be a doctor?" Ha! Can't believe he's going to be 5! Cherishing every single minute with him.... 

Company Coming!

Just getting ready to head to bed but wanted to post something before everyone arrives tomorrow. Hit a graduation party tonight and plan on making an appearance at one in the morning. As soon as we got home tonight we were able to get the kids down and I made my grocery list and headed out to the store. Hy-Vee is much more relaxed at 9:45 on a Friday night than 5:15 on a weekday after work! When I got home I was able to throw together some appetizers for the crew coming tomorrow and a breakfast casserole to pop in the oven on Sunday morning. I'm thinking with all I got accomplished tonight, I will just be able to sit back and enjoy the rest of the weekend! Looking forward to some quality time with the Burback crew. Praying for some good weather tomorrow. Heading to bed right now!
*Just wanted to share this photo. Brigg rarely sleeps in our bed, but the other night he came up in the night and wanted to sleep with us. I was happy to snuggle with him, but soon found myself in the fetal position at the bottom corner of the bed. I woke up to find Brigg with his foot gently resting on Paul's bald head. Thought it was cute. Won't be long until he won't be caught dead sleeping with mommy and daddy! 

Erin, RN

Lani looking very proud of her aunt!


Brigg is just happy to be in Erin's arms!

Erin, Paul's sister, graduated from nursing school tonight!!! So very exciting. All she has left is to pass boards and she says they'll be a piece of cake compared to the past 2 years. We had a great dinner and then off to the graduation. It didn't start until 8 pm, so as soon as Erin walked through, Paul and I headed out with the kiddos. They were exhausted. Lani kicked a woman in front of us in the back and we got an evil look, but that was about as embarrassing as it got! whew! Notice her white rope...meaning she graduated with honors! Very proud of her! Way to go Erin!

A Guy, a Girl and a Fridge

I would be interested in knowing how often other people clean their fridges. Be honest. I try to keep my clean, but usually I notice it is dirty is when I come home from the store with bags upon bags of groceries and I just want to get them put away, so I say I'll do it later. Well it has been a while and tonight we decided it could no longer wait. We are basically down to a case of beer, a gallon of milk, some apple juice, a tub of butter, coffee and some condiments, so it was a perfect time to clean it out. I decided we had waited way too long. Even with 2 people, it took us almost a half hour to clean this thing out! We pulled out all the drawers and shelves and pulled them apart as to get every single crack cleaned out. It was repulsive, but I am feeling a sense of accomplishment tonight as I head to bed. We are a pretty good team! :) 

Photo Session with Lyn and Jorden

We had a little photo session with Lyn and Jorden this afternoon. I took this first photo and the kids took the rest....
Lani captured the spirit of each of us in this photo!
Brigg got a nice one of Lyn and I. (her hat says Life is Good). She's amazing!
And Jorden took a great one of the kids and I with Lyn. It was a beautiful night and reminiscent of the past two years. This is the first night that Lyn has been able to spend some time outside enjoying the weather...her favorite thing to do. It was nice. The kids played baseball and blew bubbles as we chatted about life, death and heaven. Her last doctor's appointment was last week and she says the doctors look at her like she's a freak and they just don't know what to do with her. They don't have any options for her. Her next appointment is June 8th and they told her she would probably be gone by the fall. But who knows with this woman! They certainly didn't think she'd make it this long. It's so strange just sitting on the back step discussing death and how fast it is approaching. She looks forward to the day she is finally purely happy and healthy. I am so grateful for the time with her. I am vowing to enjoy every last minute I have with Lyn. I am thankful beyond words for her friendship and the inspiration she has been to me. Ending on a great note tonight and taking NOTHING for granted.

Better

Since my last post...
2 hour season finale of Grey's, a roast supper prepared BY my mom, for my family and my mother and father-in-law, a one day trip to Boone and back to deliver 2 long term care facility insurance policies, a lunch at McDonalds, 12 dinners prepared at an establishment that does all the messy work for me, one decaf soy latte from Starbucks and one KILLER headache. It's been a good couple of days that went south last night with one of the worst headaches I have ever had, but I am much much better this morning. Thanks to my parents, babies, husband, in laws and dinners friends for understanding. Today I am back!

TV Addict

I cannot get enough of Grey's Anatomy! Tonight is the 2 hour finale and I can hardly wait until 8 pm to watch! I LOVE this show. It was a great way to top of my mother's day. Plus, only 3 left on Idol. Ok, so I should have been cleaning and preparing for the week ahead. We have company coming and Brigg has snack tomorrow and I have to go to Boone for work today, but I could NOT pull myself away from the TV. So you all know where I'll be tonight during Grey's. Don't call between 8 adn 10 because I will not answer....

This Mother's Day Eve

It was a pretty good day once we got past the toilet overflow and the realization that I had actually not done laundry for a full week and the load of towels that Paul has started last FRIDAY were still sitting in the washer. We spent the afternoon in Davenport and going out to dinner. It was nice. I have been thinking so much about this job of being a mom. I was put on this earth to be a mother. There is no job that has been tougher or more rewarding than raising these two little beings. Brigg, with his sensative, rational, yet quirky spirit and Nalani, with her zest for life and silly nature. These children are my joy. So as I looke back through this blog at the everyday events, I am overcome with the greatness of motherhood. It's such an honor to be the one chosen to raise these children. I step back some days and think, "How can God possibly think I am responsible enough for this task?!?" I never claim to be the best mommy, but I do the best I can. I pray every single day that they know how much they are loved and how proud I am of them. Gary Thomas says "I want my children to think of me as their chief encourager, apart from the Holy Spirit. I desire that, regardless of how the world receives them they will know that at least two people-their mother and father-will always delight in them. I pray that they believe without a single doubt that raising them has been one of the greatest blessings God could ever have given to us." It is the greatest blessing.
On a sidenote to MY mom...I am SORRY! I never knew how much heartache I was causing you!! I never knew the love you had for me until these babies came into my life! Please pray that they don't put me through what I put you and dad through!!:) Happy mother's day, mom!