Visit from the Malletts

Last weekend, our cousins, the Malletts came up from Austin for a visit!!! although we wish it could have been longer, we enjoyed the time we had with them!!!

♥ Me with Liberty ♥

Sarah and Liberty

(she got held a lot! ;)

and smothered with kisses!!!

Rachel holding Merry and Mercy

Me with my baby girl!!! ♥

Faith with Merry at church

Sarah and Liberty

Visiting in the Castle with Grandma and Velma

Liberty was very much the center of attention! :)

♥ Liberty Belle ♥

♥ Merry Heart ♥

♥ Mercy Constance ♥

Andrew is Mercy's favorite person!!!

This always makes me smile! ♥

Yep, I'm training her to be a photographer! ;)

We tried to get her to walk while she was here, but not quite...she's close, though!!!

♥♥♥

Sonya was mourning the fact that we were all growing up, so she got me to sit her lap! ;)

♥

Daniel and Mercy

Playing soccer

the girlies playing in the castle

Mommy practicing for being a grandmother! :)

Sisters playing together in unity! :)

planing the group vacation! :)

Merry at church

the girls LOVE watermelon!!!

Merry and Mercy went down Mon. morning and helped Sarah milk :)

Merry didn't want to get off the freezer

Mercy is such a big help!!

Sean and the boys helped us part out :)

Sean Sr. working in the office doing labels

The part out line, Hannah, Mysti, Andrew and Justin

Sean Sr. and Jessica bagging hearts :P

Ethan and Sean jr. helping Daniel package wings

the office is the popular place to hang out! :)

And one more picture of Liberty...just 'cause she's adorable, and who could resist that smile???

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Can't wait for another visit!!!

Thoughts...

...they take you places!

"Watch your thoughts, they become your words,

Watch your words, they become your actions,

Watch your actions, they become your habits,

Watch your habits, they become your character,

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."
~Unknown

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest,

whatsoever things are just,

whatsoever things are pure,

whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report;

if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise,

think on these things.

~Philippians 4:8

Please.....

I have a heartbeat, just like you.
I have 10 fingers & toes, just like you.
I have a gender, just like you.
I have eyes, ears, and a nose, just like you.

Please, give me a birthday, just like you.

Celebrating the 4th!!!

Every year, we get together with Mommy's side of the family at the our Aunt's house in Garland and go swimming! When we were really little, it was always fun to go over the bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard and count all the boats out there!!! :)

Let the visiting begin!!! we are very blessed! most of the family lives very close and we can see everybody at least twice a year! Nick was missed, as He is in the Navy and in San Diego! :(

Tim Bob, Daddy and Terryl

Andrew, Ben and Daniel

the effect of taking a picture from in the sun into a shadow...pretty neat, actually! :)

Taylor, Ashly, Chrystal with Ava, Hannah, Rachel, Jack, Parker and Matt

Ava(16 mos) making her wrinkly nose face! :)

Addy(3)...very fun with just a slight attitude! :) she was my lil shadow, which was funny, because at Christmas, she would hardly talk to me! ;)

Ava

Proud Daddy, Matt

Addy-girl :)

Ava really didn't like the float, she would rather Mommy hold her!

Ben

Morgan, or Aunt Mo, as Addy calls her

Ashley being silly, her friend Taylor, Rachel, Jack, Andrew, and Daniel eating supper: some very amazing BBQ, compliments of Uncle Roger

Aunt Karla and Uncle Roger(Mommy's Brother) and Daddy

Ash and Taylor

Ben 'killing' the Alligator!!! :)

Parker got given the job of the photographer for Aunt Linda

Tim Bob, Hannah, and Amy

Addy and Andrew

At Ellis family reunions, we have this tradition of getting a 'family picture' which means anyone that's there gets on one side of the pool, while Minda's camera get set on the tripod on the other side....then we get to watch the photographer run around the pool to try to get in the picture before the timer goes off and takes the pic! :)

Run Parker!!! :)

Tried to get a pic of Addy and me, but she decided to make faces... ;P

Hale Kids!!! (with two stray Blairs thrown in! ;)

Amy, Hannah, Sarah, Andrew, Jack

David, Daniel, Peter, Esther Rachel

The boys tried to play some sort of form of water basket ball....was very interesting to watch!!! :)

Daddy, Sue, Mommy, Aunt Karla and Morgan

Aunt Karla looks like she's telling family secrets! :)

Daniel

Parker and Daniel

Andrew getting the ball past Parker! :)

Almost!

Love David's face in this one! :)

Emily Grace!

This is what happens when I'm trying to get a pic of Parker hiding behind the beach-balls, and Sarah cannonballs in right next to me!!! Sadly though, I didn't get a pic of Sarah! :P

Look over there!

Through all the fun, I did miss not having Uncle Richard there...He was very quiet, but he is sorely missed!!!

(I took a picture of a portrait on the wall)

This is a painting that Aunt Linda's mother painted

Happy Independence Day!!!!!

Our family tradition of many, many years on the fourth is to go to my Aunt's house in Garland for a cook out dinner and swim in her pool! It's always fun to catch up with the cousins on Mommy's side, and this year, it will be Jack's first time at Aunt Linda's! :)

My cousin Nick, is in the Navy, and won't be there, though. :( I wonder what sort of celebration they do....?

What about y'all? what are your fourth traditions???

Little piece of Independence Day trivia:

How many of y'all knew that our National Anthem has four verses??

Most people just sing the first, or maybe the first and last, but

I love singing all of them, but the last I think is my favorite! :)

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam
Of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save
The hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must,
when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto:  "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

~Frances Scott Key, 1814

This is my 2nd favvortie patriotic song! Comparing Proud to be an American,

with Proud to be a Christian!!! :)

Day 23- Something I crave a lot

On the serious side, I 'crave' that this would be my craving:

As the hart panteth after the water brooks,

so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I

come and appear before God?

~Pslam 42:1-2

On the more flippant side, these taste pretty awesome! :)

Mint-filled-Oreos....best washed down with some nice, cold, fresh milk!!! :)