Weekend Trip to Texas

This past weekend we took Carson and Colby with us to Texas for Camp John Marc's 20 year reunion. This is a camp that Bunky worked at during the summers while in college. He was on the staff the very first year, and has always talked of the impact that the camp had on him. The camp specializes in providing a fun, camp environment for children with various chronic illnesses. It is an amazing place and I was so glad I finally got to see it, meet a lot of people that meant so much to him, and allow our boys to see a place that had such an influence on their dad. They had a lot of family fun activities, such as rock wall climbing, zip lining, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, water war, paddle boats, bonfire, fireworks, etc. It was action-packed.

Carson on the zip line

Hanging out at the bon fire

Paddle boats

Coming back from the pool

In front of the cabin we stayed in

Bunky with Camp Director, Vance Gilmore (such an amazing man)

The boys also got to experience flying on a plane for the first time! There was even an added bonus, as the pilot let them sit in the cock-pit and "play" with some of the buttons (we were on the ground of course)! I hope it is something they won't soon forget... I know I won't.

Colby's 1st Go at Sports!!

Colby will be playing fall baseball! He is very excited as this is his first sport- no more bat boy or watching older brother from the sidelines. His dad will be coaching his team, which consists of a very young team I might add (a wonderful challenge for the coach). In addition, Carson has decided to take a "season off", which is almost unheard of- he has done something, whether football, baseball, or basketball, EVERY season since he was 4. I think the heat of all-star summer baseball just wore him out a little and he is taking some golf lessons- so this is really probably a great decision.

It will most likely be the ONLY time that Colby will get total spotlight, since we have 3 boys who enjoy sports (Even Cooper prefers to play with any kind of ball over any other toy). So, we are all excited to give Mr. Colby lots of attention this season! He is super shy, so I am hoping this will help bring him out of his shell a little too.

First Tooth Lost

Carson, along with his brothers, was always later to get teeth in as a baby. Although, it was nice to enjoy those precious "toothless grins" a little longer, I remember wondering if they didn't have teeth at one point!

Needless to say, the dentist told us that the later baby teeth come in, the later they tend to lose them. Carson has been anxiously waiting to lose a tooth forever it seems. Most of his friends have lost multiple teeth, so this has been a topic of great concern for him for a while now.

Finally, Tuesday night he came home with a very wiggly tooth- which I am sure he played with at school ALL DAY! Dad pulled it out with tweezers pretty easily and he was soooo excited!! I wasn't sure what the going rate from the tooth fairy was, so I asked on Facebook. I got responses ranging from 25 cents to 20 dollars!!! I went with $3 since that was what my neighbor told me she got, as Carson and her are very competitive and I figured it would be brought up. He seemed super excited with it! I got lots of great ideas for the next lost tooth though- sprinkling "fairy dust", silver dollars, $2 bills, gold dollar coins, etc!!

Brother Pranks

Growing up with 2 brothers and 2 sisters was full of memories! One minute we loved each other and couldn't stand to be without each other, the next we were killing each other. I don't remember playing too many pranks on each other, as much as we liked to gang up and play pranks on our parents. Fun times! I have noticed over the last year or so the boys starting to play pranks on each other- whether it's giving each other wedgees or hiding favorite toys or pulling Cooper's diaper off- they are always up to something. The other night I went to check on the boys before bed and found Colby fast asleep with a pair of Spiderman underwear on his head! I had to grab the camera. I knew this had to be the work of his older brother Carson. Sure enough the next morning, I asked Carson about it. He said, "yes, I did it- I just thought it might help him keep his head warm"!! He is crazy! I am just amazed that he pulled it off without Colby even waking up.

1st Grade

Carson started 1st grade this past week! I think we were all ready. He has Mrs. Cooper for a teacher (we won't have trouble remembering that name for obvious reasons), who also happens to live across the street from us! She has been teaching for a long time and is a super sweet person. We are really blessed! I told Carson he couldn't "play hookie" from school since she lives across the street- ha! He also has 3 girls from his Kindergarten class and another really good friend that has played ball with him!

Getting on the bus!

Unfortunately, boys are not much on giving all the details, as I have discovered early on! However, he did tell us something from his first day, which is seriously funny and I had to put in the blog!
He told us that he had one of the meanest kids in the school in his class, so I asked why he thought that. He then said, "well, he called me a dork right to my face". So, here I am wondering what his reaction would be to that- did it upset him? how did he handle it? I asked what he said and here was his response.....

"well, I didn't really say anything, it's all right, mom .... he will be workin for me one day!"

Needless to say, he must have gotten that from his dad somewhere, and all I could think about was how that was a better response than what I would have imagined him saying! He is one funny kid!

With his brothers while waiting on the bus

Poor Colby started asking at 10:00am if he could watch out the window for "Tarson" to get off the bus... they have really enjoyed the summer together, and for the most part, played wonderful together. He LOVES his brother and has really missed him while he was back at school!! One more year, Colby, and you will be getting on the bus with him!

We also have our "after school friends" Sam and Madison Smith, who I watch for a little while every day after school! This is them getting their snacks out of our snack basket!

Here they are again in their Trinity Tiger t-shirts after school. Sweet kids!

12 Years!!

Today is mine and Bunky's 12 year anniversary! These last 12 years have certainly been a roller coaster- at times it feels like we have coasted along easily, but for a lot of these years we have been taken for a ride that wasn't always what we had wanted. Thankfully, God has carried us through those times that weren't what we would have planned, and has shown us that HIS plan is always perfect. We have grown a lot over these last 12 years, and our marriage has become more solid in the midst of it.



There is no one I would rather live life with, no one I would rather raise my children with, no one I would rather cry or laugh with than this man. Through heartache, loss, hurt, uncertainty, helplessness, joy, victories, through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows- He has always been right by my side. My love really does grow deeper with every passing day. He also keeps me laughing, which is one of my favorite things about him!

At Destin, Florida

We started a little "tradition" when we got married. We have written each other a letter every year that we read on our anniversary. We did this for each other the night before we got married and it was really special, so we just kept it up and do it each year for our anniversary. I keep them in a box and have them labeled for each year. I think when we have been married for 50+ years, it will be cool to go back and read them all!

On a hike in Asheville, North Carolina

Fun night with our Community Group! We went bowling and Bunk and I decided to show up in matching "Team Cook" bowling attire!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of an amazing husband! I am blessed beyond words!