Happily Ever Archer

Ayven Jewel Archer

2010-07-01T21:06:00.001-07:00

Ayven Jewel Archer is here and has been here for over a month now! Needless to say the last five weeks have been full of immeasurable joy, lots of laughter, and hours of cuddling with our sweet baby girl! Soooo, there has not been any time for blogging! I am kidding myself to even think that I will be able to update this blog as much as I would like, too, but for the sake of documenting these precious days for my kids, I will do my very best. I've never succeeded at scrapbooking or even journaling. Heck, I can't even manage to get my photos printed and in an album. However, one thing I can do is write...well, type. So, in effort to preserve my incredible memories of Ayven's "birthday" below is a very detailed (no, not that kind of detailed) recap of her grand entrance into our lives. I don't want to forget a single detail of this amazing moment in my life.

I was scheduled to be induced on May 29th, but my doctor wanted me to come in the night before. Friday, May 28th was supposed to be a work day at school before summer vacation officially began, but my principal was kind enough to let me off the hook. My precious husband corraled Presley and Grayson all morning long so that I could sleep in and be fully rested for Ayven's arrival. We had a great day as a family..... Our last day as a family of four. That evening we all went to have dinner at Texas Roadhouse. It felt odd knowing that in less than 24 hours we would be adding another family member! The hospital told me to come in at 8:00, so after dinner, we took Presley and Grayson to my parents house. Here is the last picture of us as a family of four.Jim and I were feeling very excited, but very anxious and nervous at the same time. We listened to Waterdeep "Big Enough to Hold Me" as we drove to the hospital. Before we could get there, the hospital called to say that they had gotten very busy and they asked if we could come in at 9:00 instead. So, Jim and I headed back home to do all those little things we ran out of time to do...like vacuum the house! ;) At 9:00 we headed to the hospital again. When we got to Labor and Delivery we were told that they were still slammed. Apparently, the full moon made every pregant woman in Lubbock think they were going into labor. They told us to go take a walk around the park and come back in an hour. It was still 90 degrees , mosquitoes were having a party outside, and I was 39 weeks pregnant...I don't think so! We headed to the Arrogant Texan for some delicious icecream to help pass the time. Finally, we called to see if they were ready for us. We headed to the hospital one last time. By this time, out anxieties and nerves had calmed down a bit, and we were ready to get the party started!

Unfortunately, I did not sleep one single minute that night. Jim took a sleeping pill and so I laid wide awake and listened to him breathe! About 3:00 in the morning, I started having pretty strong contractions. With my previous deliveries, I had an epidural before the first contractions ever started, so this was a new experience. I can now honestly say that I know what a contraction feels like! I have never been so glad to see the sun come up in my life. It was a loooong night, but God gave me energy and excitement with the sunrise! I was ready to meet my baby! Things moved pretty quickly. They started the induction about 7:00 that morning. Dr. Belle-Henry came in shortly after and broke my water and I recieved my epidural immediately after. I called my mom and dad and told them to go ahead and bring the kids to the hospital because I didn't know how fast or slow labor would be and I didn't want them to miss it. It was such a relief to see my Presley and my Grayson. They were so sweet and super excited about Ayven's arrival. Grayson was very disappointed when he came in the room and saw that Ayven was still in my tummy!

Once they got there it seemed like things were going to progress slowly since I hadn't changed from 5 cm in an hour. Jim's parents arrived and everyone decided to go down to the courtyard area and let the kids run around while they waited. I decided to rest while Jim went down to spend time with the kids. He had only been gone two or three minutes when the nurse came in and asked if I was feeling okay. All of a sudden I started feeling so restless. I wanted to move my legs so badly, but they were completely numb. The nurse said that my chart was looking like something had changed. She checked me and sure enough, Ayven was ready to meet the world. The nurses exact words were, "Okay, she's not going to fall out or anything, but your husband needs to get up here quick because it is time to do this!" It happened so fast! Jim hadn't even made it downstairs yet when I called him. He yelled down to the kids and our parents that it was time and then he ran as fast as he could back up to my room. As soon as he walked in, everything got rolling. It only took maybe 15 or 20 minutes. She was officially born at 11:19 am. In the meantime, the nurse volunteered to take pictures for us. Jim handed her the camera, but she took one picture and the battery went dead! At this point the whole room went into panic mode...It was actually quite humorous. Jim started to run out of the delivery room to go get my mom's camera, and Dr. Belle-Henry shouted at him, "No! You can't go! Your baby is here!" So the nurse asked what my mom's name was and she took off running out of the room. She ran to the waiting room, found my mom and just said, "We need your camera!" Mom handed it to her and she ran back into the delivery room without time to answer any of their questions! I'm sure this left our parents perplexed! Fortunately, Mom's camera and my trusty iphone saved the day. The nurse returned just in time to get a picture of me holding my new baby girl for the first time. Ayven weighed 8 lbs 9 oz and was 20 inches long. Everyone seemed surprised by her size and went on and on about how beautiful she was. Dr. Belle-Henry told us that her umbilical cord had a tight knot in it, and the nurse said that we were blessed that she was born when she was so that there were no complications. Praise God!

To be honest, I had a ton of anxieties about having a third child. However, the minute I saw Ayven, I felt such an indescribable peace and a complete release of all those worries. It was amazing. I felt so overjoyed as I held her in my arms. I knew she was the perfect piece that completed our family.

I could not wait for Ayven to meet her big sister and brother. Jim went to get them so that they could be the first ones to meet Ayven. They were soooooo sweet! You could tell they instantly fell in love with her. Jim let Presley hold Ayven first since she was the oldest....much to Grayson's dismay, I might add! When it was finally Grayson's turn, he held her for all of five seconds. That was about all he could take! :) I will never forget how I felt when I looked from Jim to Ayven, to Presley to Grayson. Blessed. So. Very. Blessed.

We stayed in the hospital for two more days and even celebrated my 33rd birthday while we were there. What an incredible birthday present!!

A month later, we are doing fantastic! Ayven is the best, best, best baby ever. I will post an update (maybe...hopefully...sometime) on how we are adjusting to having three kids! If you endured this entirely too long post...wow, I'm impressed!

Welcome Ayven Jewel Archer!

FOUR!!!!

2010-04-18T19:28:00.001-07:00

Four? Four!?! Really? How is it even possible that my little man turned four this past week? Isn't it funny how four seems like such a humongous number when using it in terms of your baby's age? Grayson is such a joy in our life. I can't explain how many times a day he makes my heart skip a beat. He is really developing such a funny personality. He has become quite the comedian....and the charmer. My favorite thing he does these days is when out of the blue he says, "Mommy, I love you." So sincerely. So thoughtfully....He MEANS it. He FEELS it. He often will gently lay his head on my pregnant belly and whisper, "I love you, Ayven." It's like his own little private conversation with his baby sister. Sigh....that's my boy. Charming as he is, he certainly keeps us on our toes. He's definitely a wild man sometimes. I like to say he is ADVENTUROUS. He is also, hmmm, we will say, DETERMINED. He knows what he wants and will PERSERVERE through lots of "obstacles" to TRY to get it. He is witty and smart; tough, yet sensitive, too. He loves superheroes (good guys as he calls them), chocolate milk, and cuddling with his mommy and daddy. His favorite Bible verse is Joshua 1:9--Be Brave! God is with you! He quotes this scripture frequently, and even used it to persuade Presley to ride an elephant with him at the circus!

Knowing that Grayson will likely be our only son, it has made me cherish all things "BOY." Not to say that I didn't treasure them before, but it has given me a new appreciation for those ADVENTUROUS and DETERMINED characteristics he possesses. I pray that he will grow into a faithful man of God like his Daddy and that he will be strong, courageous, and determined through all of the adventures God has in store for him. I love you, G-Man!

April 13, 2006

April 13, 2010
P.S. I am going to make an earnest attempt to "catch up" on blogging this week, so stay tuned!! I have lots of blog-worthy news to share on pregnancy, Presley, Grayson, Ayven, and Jim!

FINALLY Introducing.....

2010-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

Our Precious Baby Girl! We went in for an ultrasound a few weeks ago, and finally got to find out that Archer Baby #3 is a girl! I know, I know....a few WEEKS ago, and I am just now getting this beauty's picture on my blog. I tell you what...I am going to have my work cut out for me trying to keep this blog thing going with three kids. I am already having trouble and she isn't even here yet!

The ultrasound was incredible. This was my first ultrasound with Dr. Atkinson, and the ultrasound was much more in depth than the ones I had with Presley and Grayson. For those of you who don't know, Grayson was born with a bicuspid aortic heart valve. It hasn't caused any trouble, and probably won't, but my doctor's wanted to get a closer look at Baby #3's heart. The 4D ultrasound was amazing. Yes, she does look a bit like an alien right now, but we still think she is gorgeous! :) We could see the blood pumping through her heart and her mouth opening and closing. Everything looked perfect! At the last minute, we decided to take Presley and Grayson with us to the appointment. They were so sweet. Right before they told us it was a girl, Grayson said he hoped he would have a baby sister so he could "pertect her from sharks!" I love his imagination!

So, I know....the next question is what will her name be? We have stayed up late many a night and had lots of road trip conversations about this. We keep coming back to the same name that we considered many years ago even before Presley was born, and I think we have finally agreed on a name, a first name, anyways...I think. Her name will be Ayven. The next question is why Ayven?

First of all, way back in the Shepherd Blind Days (Jim's band that played youth events for several years), we met the neatest girl named Aven. She was just one of those girls that Christ just shined through. We would see her every summer and a couple of other times during the year. From the moment we met her and learned more about her character, the name Aven drew us in. Jim has always said that we needed to have another girl so that we could name her "Aven."

Second of all, my grandfather, who passed away when my dad was in high school, was named Aylor. A few months ago, my dad showed me some old newspaper articles about his father. Many people were quoted in the article and each spoke about what an incredible man he was, and I know he had a huge impact on the amazing man that my dad is. Therefore, we have chosen to spell her name with an "Ay" in honor of him.
So there you have it. Ayven. As for a middle name...Jim and I are not exactly on the same page. So, we thought we would have a little fun with this. Cast your vote in the poll to the right and help us choose a middle name for our new addition! And now some pics of our littlest princess.

Weekend Getaway

2010-01-17T20:07:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we headed to Ruidoso for a weekend get-away. It is rare that Jim has a Sunday off that he doesn't have to ask for, and we were both off on Monday. Since Jim will be in India the entire week of Spring Break, we decided it might be the last chance we have to take advantage of a long weekend before Baby Girl gets here! We left Friday afternoon with Coby, Jennifer, and my two precious nephews following behind us. The four hour trip actually took about 7 hours due to the unexpected adventures that come with traveling with children! We were thankful to arrive safely about midnight! We had such a wonderful, relaxing weekend. We slept in, took the kids sledding, cooked a little, ate out a little, shopped a little, and had a lotta fun! On Saturday afternoon, some friends from our Life Group joined us. They have children the exact same ages as Presley and Grayson. The kids entertained one another, while the adults played board games and relaxed! The highlight of our trip was Presley got the chance to give snow skiing a try! The weather was so beautiful, that Jim decided to take her for a half day of skiing on Sunday afternoon. She did so great! In a few hours she was already a better skiier than I am after a few years! I wish I could have skiied with them, but being preggo and all, Grayson and I just watched, played in the snow, and hung out in the lodge. On the way home, Jim couldn't resist stopping at the Roswell Alien Research Museum. While it was a good chance to stretch our legs, we won't be stopping again. But, hey, we can say we have officially visited the alien museum, right? What a great weekend to soak up some incredible family time.

We stayed at Innsbrook. The kids enjoyed exploring and watching the ducks slide around on the frozen lake.

Grayson really interacted with his cousin Crew. He had so much fun playing patty cake with him. He was practicing for when he gets to be a big brother in a few months!

My little ski bunny!

Jim and Presley had a blast on the slopes while Grayson and I.......

took a nap in the lodge! So sweet!

I promise pictures of Baby Girl soon. I haven't managed to get the ultrasound pics scanned yet. No worries, we will introduce her on the blog shortly!

Christmas Catch Up

2010-01-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

Whew....Christmas came and went so quickly! Here it is the ninth day of January and I am just now posting about out incredible two week break. I am so thankful that Jim and I have jobs that allow us both to take off two weeks in December to just be with our family. We had the absolute best vacation ever. We laughed together, prayed together, baked together, played together, slept in....and just did what we do best...have fun together being a family. We did so much that I can't begin to write about it all, but some highlights from our break include playing in the snow, Presley getting her first "real" Bible and reading the Christmas story for the entire family, the look of pure joy and excitement everytime Grayson pulled the wrapping paper off of a gift, and our baking day in which we made candy and cookies for our neighborhood. (Unfortunately, most of our neighbors were out of town, which forced us to eat WAY MORE sweets than initially intended.) I am so far behind on my postings, but it is not all due to a lack of effort. I am having some MAJOR blog frustration. For some reason, I am not able to drag pictures where I want them or put them in a certain order. Also, a lot of the pictures I download into my post seem to disappear once I add them. Any tips? Can anyone help??? Here are some of the pics I was able to download that didn't disappear.....

Even though I was sad to have to go back to work, I was really looking forward to this week's doctor's appointment and ultrasound. I will post more later, but we did find out that Archer Baby #3 is a GIRL!!! We are so excited. Presley and Grayson are so thrilled that they are going to have a little sister. I plan on posting more details and ultrasound pics tonight.

I hope everyone had a blessed holiday and was able to focus on the love of Christ. As we begin 2010, my desire is that the fun that my family had together wouldn't be overshadowed by work, routine, and to-do lists, but that we would laugh together, pray together, and play together every day of the new year, and that we would celebrate Christ each and every moment of 2010.

Elf for the Day

2009-12-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

As all elementary school teachers know, the Christmas season brings more than just Christmas trees, shopping, caroling, and family get togethers. For teachers, Christmas means homemade Christmas ornaments, Christmas picture books, and of course the class party. In my 11 years of teaching experience, I have never quite had a Christmas class party quite like the one I had today.
It all started last week with the annual Nat Williams PTA Elf Contest. Students are encouraged to bring money and donate it towards the teacher of their choice. The teacher that has the most money donated into their "account" has to wear....yep....you guessed it.....an elf costume. A hideous, ridiculously large, green and yellow elf costume.
Up until this year, I have never had more than $2.00 donated to my name. Therefore, I was not one bit concerned when it came time for the Elf Contest this year. I didn't pay any attention to it until one of my students brought $12.80 to my desk on the first day of the contest. Wow, I thought to myself...that's kind of a lot of money to donate on the first day. For the slightest moment the dreadful picture of ME in that hideous, ridiculously large, green and yellow elf costume popped into my head. No way....Not gonna happen. The next day...in comes $15 more dollars. That's when I started to sweat and feel a bit nauseous. Fortunately, by the end of the week I was only fifty cents ahead of one of the male teachers in our school. My fear subsided because we all know students love to see men have to wear tights. I knew the students would show up on Monday, the last day of the contest, with all their pennies, nickels, and dimes ready to give it all to the other teacher.
I was half right. They definitely did show up with all their pennies, nickels, and dimes.....$26.00 worth just from my class.....and they put it ALL on my name. By the end of the day on Monday, I was ahead by $25.00 and the announcement was made. My students cheered like crazy, and I reluctantly picked up MY hideous, ridiculously large, green and yellow elf costume and took it home.
As you can imagine, Presley was beside herself excited. She was so proud that her momma was going to have to dress up like an elf at school. However, Jim may have been even more excited than her. In fact, the only one who was NOT excited was the elf herself. I don't mean to be a Scrooge, but come on.....Nothing says cute like a PREGNANT ELF!!! Luckily, I had Tuesday to "get used to the idea".....(put my big elf panties on and deal with it.) I knew how excited my students were and that there was no backing out of it, so this morning I woke up with a smile on my face (well, almost), put on my elf suit, and headed to school....BUT not before making each one of my students a matching elf hat to wear, too. :)
As the bell rang, I braced myself for the heckling of 430 or so students that was sure to come, and of course, did come. My students were good sports and put on their elf hats so I wouldn't feel "alone." Honestly, I think they loved every minute of it. Besides the fact that I was sweating like crazy under the ridiculously large, green and yellow costume...oh, yes, and it was hideous....I would say that I survived being an elf for a day. I can't even believe that I am posting these pictures, but if this isn't "blogworthy" what is?? Besides, all of you would not believe just how hideous, etc, etc, it really was unless you see it for yourself. Just remember the costume puts on at least 20 pounds....

A Post Long Overdue

2009-11-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

This actually feels nice. Sitting down at my computer, in a quiet lamp-lit house. Both kids are asleep and the hubby is out studying God's word with his buddies. It does feel a bit foreign since I have not updated my blog in over two months...actually it will be three months next week since my last post. It's not that I haven't had anything blogworthy to post about...No, that is definitely NOT the case. So many blogworthy things have been happening that I haven't had time to post them! Everytime I had a moment, I realized that I was so behind on my blogging that I didn't even know where to start, so I just didn't.
Well, that is changing today. I am finally feeling like I can breathe again. We have been out of town almost every single weekend for the last six or seven weeks. When we have been home on the weekend, we have had some kind of all weekend commitment. While we have loved every opportunity that God has blessed us with this fall, I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to the next few weekends of being in Lubbock. I am so looking forward to everything about the holidays, too....beginning with Thanksgiving next week. I have so much to be thankful for. So, for my own sanity, please endure this semi-quick list of things that have been going on in the Archer World. Also, know that it is killing me not to post a picture with each item....but my goal is to finish this blog tonight. Besides, the last picture is worth a thousand words!

1. Jim and I rocked our faces off at the U2 concert in Dallas. It was amazing, and we had so much fun being together on a road trip. We needed it because that marked the beginning of our CRAZY fall semester!

2. Jim and I got to participate in a marriage retreat at a ranch in Boerne. It was super relaxing and was amazing to just get to breathe in God's awesome creation and to celebrate our marriage.
3. The whole family traveled to Carlsbad for a Shepherd Blind reunion. It was so much fun getting to hang out with the band. We got to spend time with Nathan and Tessa and sweet Sarah.

4. I have a brand new absolutely adorable nephew. Crew Braden Colley was born on October 19th.

5. I got to spend all weekend with 7 freshman girls for the Bacon Heights D-Now. I felt so honored to get to teach them and relieved that they didn't think I was too old or uncool.

6. Grayson let one of his buddies at daycare shove a rock in his nose. After an hour of trying to decide if he really did have a rock up his nose (which included a flashlight and lots of tissues), and after calling the pediatrician, he did indeed blow out a dime-sized rock from his right nostril. I was so proud of myself that I managed to get it out without a trip to the ER. Is it weird that I kept the rock...? Perhaps.

7. Presley is like a reading machine. It thrills my soul to see her nose buried in a book. She even asks if she can go to bed early to read. I pray that this love for reading will only grow!

8. School has been eating my lunch this semester. I have a super sweet class, but I have struggled to keep my head above water. I have been bringing so much stuff home to work on and only getting a fraction of it done. However, last week, I finally begin to feel like things are on track. Yes, its taken 12 weeks or so, but I am finally feeling caught up. Yeah!

9. Presley and Grayson had a great Halloween. Presley was Dorothy and Grayson was Batman. Due to the fact that a lot of our family was at the Tech game that day, we missed some of our favorite Trick-or-treating stops. So, my favorite Halloween moment was when we took the kids trick-or-treating on November 8th. We even went to our new next door neighbor's house (no worries...they asked us to). Presley hid her face as we walked down the sidewalk...she was totally mortified that her friends might see her dressed as Dorothy AFTER Halloween. She did decide that the treats were worth it. It was great!

10. The biggest thing that has been going on with the Archer's lately is actually only two inches long. Introducing Archer Baby #3.....Due June 2, 2010!
We are absolutely thrilled about this new addition! I am 12 weeks along and feeling great! Presley is so excited she can hardly stand it, and Grayson affectionately calls our new baby "Sweetie." We are incredibly blessed and I will continue to update you on our adventures in a more timely manner! If you made it this far, thanks for reading!

The Sweetest Things

2009-08-26T18:34:00.000-07:00

Is there anything sweeter than........

A snaggle-toothed little girl?

A little boy who takes self-portraits of himself while Mommy isn't looking?

A little girl who is so excited about first grade she can hardly stand it? A big sister and a little brother who love each other? (Well, most of the time anyway) A little boy who loves chocolate ice cream?

A Daddy who rides the kiddie roller coasters with his kids even though they make him sick?

Life is so good. I can't believe I have a first grader. Presley is loving school and is already back into her routine of getting up with her alarm clock and getting ready by herself. I have seen a dramatic improvement in Grayson's mood and behavior since getting back into routine as well. He is very excited about starting pre-school at Calvary on Tuesday. Jim's classes start back Monday and I have survived the first half of the official first week of school. It is going great so far. I thank God for all the sweet things in life that he lets me enjoy everyday.

Home

2009-08-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

From Lubbock to Brownwood and back.....484 miles
From Lubbock to Galveston and back........1246 miles
From Lubbock to Branson, MO and back...1416 miles
From Lubbock to Dallas and back................692 miles
An hour of jumping on the trampoline in our backyard with Jim and the kids, with the moon and the stars overheard, surrounded by the contagious giggles of Presley and Grayson......................
PRICELESS!!
No doubt about it we have had the most amazing summer of our lives. We have loaded the car and hit the road for a grand total of 3,838 miles just on the highways of America. That doesn't even count Jim's trip to Morrocco or the miles of ocean Jim and I traveled on our way to Cozumel and Progreso. I thank God for his safe keeping and protection over the last couple months. Jim and I have dreamed of the day that he would be able to be home in the summers with me and the kids. It finally came true. God has truly blessed this time we have had together. Not only have we had the opportunity to travel together, Jim has been able to use the talents God has given him to develop his counseling practice, write songs given to him by God, and focus on his position as worship leader at The Heights. God has given me those special moments of waking up almost every morning to Grayson's little face in mine whispering, "Mommy, help me up so I can snuggle with you." He has allowed me to cheer Presley on at the swimming pool as she dives off the diving board. God has reminded me of how amazing my husband is and how incredibly blessed I am to have a husband who loves me and our kids only second to his heavenly father.
We have definitely experienced adventure this summer and made so many incredible memories. I am grateful for all of the experiences we had this summer on the road. However, as we pulled into the driveway last Saturday night, returning from our last road trip for a while, I breathed a sigh of relief to just to be home. Actually, I have learned that "home" is a relative term. I have experienced "home" in many different places this summer. As long as I am with my family, I am home. As long as I am in the presence of God, I am home.
As I begin my last full week of summer, I am tempted to be filled with dread and disappointment as I begin preparing for the school year. However, God is quick to remind me that His blessings, His protection, His grace and His mercy, and HIS JOY are not seasonal. He intends for me to know this joy year-round. I am reminded of how blessed I am to have a job that I love. I am so blessed to have a healthy six year old daughter that gets to come with me to my job every day so that I can be involved and watch her grow and learn so much. I am so blessed to have a healthy three year old son whose face will light up when I pick him up after school, and I will rejoice as I hear him talk about all the fun he had with his friends. So blessed am I to be able to come home every night to a faithful, God-Chasing husband who delights in me. I pray that through every season of this upcoming school year that I would know the same joy that God has shown me over the last few months....even on those extra long, extra frustrating days!
I'm sure the summer of 2009 will go down in the Archer history books as one incredible, memorable summer! However, it is not over yet....So, I'm off to jump on the trampoline with my kiddos!

On the Road Again....

2009-07-29T13:46:00.001-07:00

We just got back from another Archer road trip! For my birthday, Jim bought me tickets to the American Idol Live concert in Dallas. Before this year, we had never really watched American Idol. We are hooked on it now! The concert was super fun, and the weekend as a whole was incredible! The best part was that we stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine. Jim's Aunt Lana has "connections" and was able to get us a great deal. If you haven't heard of The Great Wolf Lodge before (I hadn't), it has a huge indoor waterpark complete with a great kiddie area, a wave pool, lazy river, and several large slides. The kids had a blast and so did we. I was so proud of Presley. She braved almost all the large slides and would have done all of them if she was just a few inches taller! I really think Jim and I screamed more than she did. Grayson still doesn't LOVE to get his face wet, but he enjoyed swimming in the kiddie area and shooting the water guns. The best part for all of us was getting to spend time with Aunt Lana. She spoiled the kids rotten, but I guess that is what Aunt's are for, right? Anyway, here are a few pictures of our weekend....We were so busy in the water that I didn't get as many pictures of the kids swimming as I would have liked to!

K-Kauai 2009

2009-07-22T19:43:00.000-07:00

Surfs Up! We returned home late Sunday night from an incredible, fun-filled seven days at Kanakuk Family Kamp in Branson, MO. This was our second time to attend K-Kauai, and I have to say that this year was even better than last year! My whole family has spent every day since we got home from camp last year waiting for it to get here this year....Really, it is that wonderful! It was such a blessing for our family to get to spend an entire week focusing on one another. It was also amazing to get to enoy it with 8 other families from Lubbock. Before I tell you any more about our week, let me just do a little free advertising for K-Kauai. I seriously couldn't dream up a more well-balanced, relaxing vacation for the whole family. The week allows time for you to spend as an entire family, time to just be with your spouse while your kids are being loved on like crazy, time to relax, and time to do fun activities, all while being in a Christian environment with a focus of loving God and loving others. How can you beat that?

We started the trip out by loading a charter bus full of 16 adults and 22 children. Sounds like a nightmare, right? I have to be honest, I was totally dreading it. However, it was great! The kids acted perfectly and the trip there went fairly quickly. We did stop overnight in Tulsa, which was helpful. I felt like a little kid as we pulled up to the campus in Branson. I was so glad to be back! My all time favorite moment of the trip happened within the first 15 minutes on campus. We were walking to our room, and I heard someone call out Presley's name. We all turned, and there was Nick, Presley's teacher from last year. He remembered her from a whole year ago, and of course, she remembered him and was so excited to see him that she ran up and gave him a huge hug. About 10 minutes later, we ran into two other staff members, Jennifer and Mallory, who had also returned from last year and were so excited to see Presley and Grayson. Jennifer still had a picture on her digital camera of her and Grayson from last summer! Out of all the fun things to do and the beautiful accomodations, my favorite thing about Family Kamp is the staff. I loved getting to see some of them from last year and getting to know the new staff. Most importantly, I loved the way they took care of my kiddos and made them feel so special and important. They truly ministered to my family and my kids in so many ways.

Some of the fun things we did at camp were going bluff jumping and intertubing at the lake, canoeing down Taneycomo Lake, playing putt-putt (the course was right outside the door of our cabana), swimming at the gorgeous pool, going down the many water slides, hanging out in the lazy river at the water park, relaxing in the hammocks with a good book (okay, so I was the only one in my family who actually did that, but it might have been my favorite part), worshipping together, dressing up for the theme nights each night, and many, many other things. It really was a great, great week. It was hard to choose which pictures to post, but these are some of my favorites. I hope we will be able to return to K-Kauai next year. You should check it out, too! http://www.kanakukfamilykamp.org/

Presley and Nick in 2008

Presley and Nick 2009 (These pics are exactly a year apart....weird)

Grayson and Mallory in 2008

Grayson and Mallory 2009

Going on a boat ride to the bluffs

Presley and Jud on the tube

Pirate Night

ARRRGH!!

Presley and Me at Sunset Cove

Grayson getting some sun

Date Night

Canoeing past Branson Landing during the water show!

Photos of Wedded Bliss

2009-07-09T12:50:00.001-07:00

Wedded Bliss

2009-07-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

Last week, Jim Bob and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary by taking a 5 day cruise to Mexico. We left the babies with the best grandparents in the world and hit the road to Galveston. We had the time of our life! It really was the best vacation we have ever been on together. It was so nice to be able to focus on one another, relax together, laugh hysterically, make new friends, and just remember how important our marriage is and how much we love each other. It felt like we were on our honeymoon. I missed the kids terribly, but when I called to check on them, they were having so much fun that they did not even want to stop what they were doing long enough to talk to us! As hard as it was to leave them for several days, I sometimes think the best gift we can give our children is to make our marriage a priority. I feel like we came back refreshed and restored as spouses and parents. Plus, it was all worth it to see Presley and Grayson standing on the front porch jumping up and down when they saw our car driving down the road. They couldn't wait to tell us all about the adventures they had while we were gone, and we couldn't wait to show them the pictures of our cruise! They were mesmerized by the picture of me with snorkeling goggles on! Here are my top 10 favorite moments of our cruise...not in any particular order.
10. Catching up with each other on the road trip to Galveston.
9. Watching fireworks on the Kemah Boardwalk the night before we left.
8. Waking up every morning to a beautiful (very bright) sunrise over the ocean.
7. The omelet station every morning, the towel creatures in the evening, and the mints on our turned down bed every night.
6. Our waiter, Fernando, doing magic tricks for us each night at dinner and singing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" on the last night of our cruise.
5. Taking hip-hop dance lessons on the Lido Deck. (However, Jim got sunscreen in his eye and left me to do the "performance" with 20 strangers up on a stage. I later found him taking a nap in our room.)
4. The wait staff singing Happy Birthday to Jim Bob and bringing him a cake. Even better, they knew we were celebrating our anniversary, so a large group of international waiters sang "Happy Versry to you....kissy, kissy."
3. Laying in the hammock for hours and getting a massage on the resort beach in Progreso.
2. Getting to meet and sit with two great couples at dinner every night.
1. Standing at the very back of the boat and watching the sunset while holding my honey's hand.
Yes, I definitely find myself in wedded bliss even after 10 years. It just keeps getting better!

We head out for another adventure on Sunday. This time we're taking the whole family. Actually, we are taking about nine whole families with us...on a bus, no less! We are headed to Family Camp in Branson, MO! I can't wait! Updates and pictures to come!

A FAUX Slumber Party

2009-06-15T21:43:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, my baby girl turned 6 years old! I don't know why, but I feel incredibly older myself just knowing I have a six year old! Presley has always dreamed of the day that I would allow her to have a slumber party. I'm not even sure how she knows what a slumber party is, but I do know that it will be many years before we have REAL one. That doesn't mean, however, that we couldn't have a FAUX Slumber Party. So began the planning....

We made some cute invitations.... We were really surprised that every girl we invited was able to come except for one. Presley is so blessed to have so many good friends. It was a fun crowd...school friends, church friends, and lifelong friends all together! The girls all showed up in their favorite pajamas and, of course, had their favorite stuffed animal or doll. As the excited little girls arrived, they jumped on the trampoline. Once everyone was there, we got busy decorating pillow cases. I am so glad I had my mom there to help me with this activity! This didn't go exactly as planned because the pillow cases were ginormous. You really do get your money's worth at Dollar Tree, I guess! Anyway, the girls all decorated the cases together and everyone wrote their name on each one of them. Let's just say they were....um...creative? Next we ordered pizza and had a feast. We also played some games. We put all the stuffed animals or dolls in the center of the room, and then we blindfolded each girl one at a time. They had to find which stuffed animal belonged to them. They were so cute! I love the sound of little girls giggling! Of course, our Fat Friday (see previous post) had to be combined with Presley's birthday party, so we had chocolate cake and ice cream, and then Presley opened presents. We put a movie on, but the girls were too excited to really watch it, but they did get still enough for me and mom to paint their fingernails and to snap a few pictures! The three hour party ended with a wild and crazy dance party. Thank goodness for Jim Bob...he kept the girls entertained. As you can see, I had to provide some entertainment myself with my awesome dance moves....Thank goodness there is no video!

At the end of the party (9:00), we sent the girls home ready for bed (well, maybe a little too wired to go to bed, actually) with a goody bag filled with a package of popcorn, a toothbrush, and some fingernail polish, along with one of the pillowcases they decorated. I think everyone had a great time....I know Presley had a blast!

June 12th--My Luckiest Day

2009-06-11T20:42:00.000-07:00

On June 12, 1999 my greatest dream came true. I married the man of my dreams. Ever since I was old enough to think about getting married one day, I had this picture in my head of the "perfect husband." He would have a wonderful sense of humor, he would love to laugh and have fun, he would be handsome, of course, and he would be incredibly romantic. This "perfect man" would rescue me from spiders and tornadoes and he would hold my hand when we were driving in the car. I imagined that this man would love music and would maybe even sing to me sometimes. I pictured a man who loved and respected his family and would be an excellent father. I knew that this "perfect husband" would love the Lord with all his heart and that he would encourage me to grow in God's Word.

As I got older, I began to doubt that this image I had in my head could possibly exist. Even if he did exist, I certainly didn't deserve him. In September of 1997, Jim Bob Archer came into the Love Shop where I worked and asked me on a date. I remember rushing home that very night and calling my mom to tell her to pray, pray, pray. I already knew that this guy was different and I'm pretty sure I told my mom he was "perfect." We were married on June 12, 1999 at 7:00 pm at Second Baptist Church in Levelland. Ten years later, I am still overwhelmed by God's love for me....He gave me Jim Bob.

As if our wedding wasn't enough to make June 12th my favorite day of the year, four years later Jim and I were blessed with our first child. Presley Laine Archer was born at 6:15 pm on June 12, 2003, just 45 minutes shy of the exact time Jim and I were married! She weighed 8 lbs. 12 oz. and I literally felt my heart expand the minute I laid eyes on her. I remember every single detail of that incredible day, and as I think back, a slideshow of memories plays through my mind. Is she really already six years old? Did she really just finish her first year of school? Is that sweet baby girl that I used to dress in ruffles and bows really the same little girl that waltzes through my house picking out her own clothes, getting her own snack, and becoming so independent? Presley is one incredible little girl, if I do say so myself. She is compassionate and is learning that the most important things in life are to "Love God, Love Others." She has such a joy that shines out of those green eyes. I love to watch her dance around the room or hear her sing at the top of her lungs in her bedroom. Her infectious smile draws people to her, and she makes friends so easily. It has been amazing watching her draw closer to God. She has always had such a spiritually mature outlook on life for her age. I learn things from this child every single day. She makes me a better person. I am so blessed to be her mother. Again, what a perfect picture of God's love for me....He gave me my children. June 12, 2003Presley's 1st Birthday/Our 5th AnniversaryTwo Years OldThree Years Old4th Birthday5 Years OldMy Birthday Girl

June 12th....What a glorious day! Happy 10th Anniversary, Jim Bob! Happy 6th Birthday, Sweet Pea!

Fatten UP Friday

2009-06-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

So, obviously, I have fallen very behind in my blogging lately. The last time I posted, I was in the midst of surviving a week without my hubby. Since then, he has made it home safely, and we are all thouroughly enjoying our first summer to all be home together. Yes, I have fallen behind on my posting, but it has not been due to lack of blogworthy material. My husband hijacked my camera and took it to Morocco, so I have not been able to post any pics. (Thankfully, he did not leave my camera with his passport in Spain.) Anyway, what's a blog without pics, right? I have now retaken possession of the Kodak, and boy do we have pictures.....Consider this your warning that the following post/pictures may give you indigestion via the internet...

I confess, my family and I love to eat. It seems that often our most exciting, fun moments revolve around where and what we will eat. Now, we have made a pretty big effort to eat healthy for the majority of the time, however, after today, all Fridays throughout the summer have been declared "Fat Friday." It started out this afternoon with a craving for ice cream. I have always wanted to go to the Ice Cream Shoppe on 26th and Boston. So, we loaded up the fam and headed out for a sweet treat. By the way, this is now my new favorite ice cream shoppe. It is like stepping back in time, complete with a free juke box in the back. We each got our favorite flavor, loaded the juke box with Elvis songs, and had a great time.

Oh friends, if only it ended with an innocent ice cream cone. We then decided that it would be a great night for a date to the Drive-In. I love, love, love going to the drive-in with my kiddos and my honey. There is nothing better than holding my kids in my lap, sharing a box of popcorn, and watching a family film. That is unless you send your husband into the snack bar without you. Most of you who know Jim Bob will understand that I should have known better than to send him into get food. I should also know better than to tell him to just surprise me with something. I kid you not, my husband returned 15 minutes later with....3 chihuahuas, chicken strips, two corn fritters, chili cheese fries, a funnel cake, and a large box of popcorn. Seriously! What was a girl to do? What kind of wife would I be if I allowed my husband to bear all of these calories on his own? So, I set all calories and points aside and dug in! The kids didn't help much, but they did what they could... Yes, that is a funnel cake in my lap....

On a LIGHTER note, ahem, we saw the movie UP. It was wonderful, and had a great message. I would highly recommend it. I was not prepared to get misty eyed within the first 10 minutes and surely did not expect to actually cry by the end, but it could have been the cheese fries. We ended our fabulous, first "Fat Friday" by taking a ride on the Marsha Sharp Freeway aka "The Shark" as Grayson likes to call it. For some strange reason, anytime we go on "The Shark," my kids throw their hands up in the air and scream as if on a roller coaster...Don't really know why, but I love it! Life is an adventure, so take a day every now and then to grab some icecream, stay up late at the drive-in, eat some fried food (I am not suggesting you eat as much as we did tonight....a little goes a long way), and when you are on an overpass throw your hands up in the air and scream!

Halfway There

2009-05-22T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I have survived three full days and nights of Jim being on another continent. Even more impressive is I have survived three full days and nights with two kiddos who miss their daddy. We are actually doing great, (sob!), no really, (sob, sob!) we are all terrific! Jim, just ignore the sobbing....we really are all fine and our dog is still alive. AFter tonight, we will be halfway through our time apart, and I can start counting down the days until Jim is back in my arms. His trip is going well. The kids and I were able to talk to him on the phone Thursday morning, but I don't expect to hear from him again until Sunday. He is trying to post on his new blog whenever he gets a chance, which so far has not been often, but I will take whatever he can give me. Follow his travels and see what God is doing at http://www.jimbobarcher.blogspot.com/

Let me brag on how precious and thoughtful and wonderful and sweet and incredible my husband is. He knew that one of the hardest things we would encounter while he was gone was bedtime. Grayson has to, has to, has to have a "goodnight hug and sugar" from his dad each and every night. So, Jim wrote letters to the kids for each night that he was gone and called them his "goodnight hug and sugar." Included with each note to us, is a Bible story for us to read and a small present. So far the kids have gotten toothpaste (Not only did he think I would forget to feed our dog, he also must have thought that I'd forget to brush our kids' teeth and he would come home to more huge dental bills), a new pair of pajamas, and books to read at bedtime. He even threw in a coffee card for me (since he's not here to make my coffee each morning...I know, I'm spoiled) and some new books to read when I'm up in the middle of the night because I can't sleep without him. These little surprises and words of love from Jim have made our transition to bedtime much easier. Is he not unbelievably wonderful, or what? Gosh, I miss him so much.

This week has been busy enough to keep me from dweling on my loneliness too terribly much.
School has been hectic, but fun with awards ceremonies, end of the year parties, and Buddy Fun Day. Presley had her first Buddy Fun Day at school today. She had a blast! I can't believe she is almost officially a first grader. Crazy! I will post on her awards ceremony soon. I also found out that all my students passed the writing TAKS test! 100%! My mom and dad have also been awesome in keeping us busy and checking up on us. I am so proud of Jim and the work God is doing through him. I know he will have so much to tell me when he returns. Thanks for praying for his safety and the trip overall. Only five more days to go!

Just Like Daddy

2009-05-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of families, we have our best conversations at the dinner table. Often they are very random and come out of nowhere. Take today for example, Jim, Presley, Grayson, and I sat down to our PBJ sandwiches at lunch today and the following conversation was started by my "always full of interesting thoughts and random questions" daughter....

Presley: I wonder what my last name will be when I get married.
Jim (almost choking on his food): Well, I don't think you really need to worry about that anytime soon.
Presley: Yeah, I know. It's against the law for a girl to get married until after she's a teenager. She has to be like 20 or maybe even 30.
Jim: That is exactly right, Presley.
Me (thinking it is quite funny to watch Jim squirm): Whatcha lookin for in the guy your gonna marry, Pres?
Presley: Well, the most IMPORTANT thing is that he knows what kind of drink you like.
Jim and I (thinking we may need to spend more time on this topic in the future): Oh Really?
Presley: Yeah, you know, Mom, like how Daddy knows you like Diet Coke, so he always surprises you with one from the store? Oh and it is real important that he doesn't steal.

This is where Jim and I usually stop talking and just listen. Presley gets on a roll, and she is just full of information. Here is what else she had to say about marriage.

Presley: The boy you marry also has to do a lot of stuff. He has to take care of the kids and the woman. Just like Daddy does. Also, the most important thing is that he has to love God and have faith like Daddy does. (now she's getting it)
Grayson: I have a face. (He is good at interjecting his own opinion now and then.)
Presley: When people get married, it's kinda embarressing for us kids because they have to kiss each other in front of all those people....EWWW. They should have kids real fast because we kids are so much fun.
Me, AKA the woman: What do you want him to look like?
Presley (with the sweetest little grin): Well, he has to have green eyes, and brown spiky hair, and wear t-shirts.
Does that sound like anyone you know? Yep, sounds just like Daddy.

Here's to my precious, loving, meant just for me Man who knows exactly what my favorite drink is, who NEVER steals, who takes care of his kids and his woman, who loves God and has incredible faith, who is also very HOT with his green eyes, spiky hair, and his t-shirts. I love you, Jim. Thank you for showing our daughter what to look for in a husband when she is 20 or 30. I love you and I will be praying for you this week as you serve in Morocco. I'm gonna miss you like crazy, but I am so proud of you! I can't wait for you to get back so we can cuddle and I can hear all about your trip. I love you, Jim Bob!

Nats and Butterflies

2009-05-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Presley has just been soaring through Kindergarten this year! Yes, as a nat and as a butterfly! Last week, we attended her last NATS ceremony for the school year at Nat Williams Elementary. NATS stands for Nice and Terrific Students. Each six weeks students are awarded for good behavior, attendance, and effort. During the ceremony, the principal and teacher present the students who qualify with a NATS t-shirt. Each time they make it, they get a paw print added to their shirt. The fun part is that the parents cheer for their child and then get to put the t-shirt on their child. I am so proud of Presley!Mommy and Daddy at the ceremony with our little NAT!

Last Friday, she and her Kinderfriends soared through the entire building for Monarch Migration. She got to soar right through my classroom, too! Have I mentioned how much I love the fact that we are at the same school? I can't believe that her Kindergarten year will end in a few weeks. That means I will have a first grader!!! Okay, more on that later...can't talk about it right now!

Monarch Migration

My Son the Superhero!

2009-05-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

I have become very educated recently on the world of superheroes. Until about three or so months ago I could have probably identified Superman, Batman, and Spiderman in a line up but that would be about as much as I knew about Superheroes, much to my husband's dismay I might add.

However, that was until my son woke up one morning, decided he was going to grow up, and trade his sweet stuffed animals he had slept with since infancy for little figurines wearing capes. Since the day I found out my second child would be a boy, mothers of sons have warned me with a smirk on their face about this day.

Until now, I have snickered in amusement at women tugging on the dirty little hands of little boys wearing cowboy boots with shorts in the mall. I may have even questioned a parent's amount of control of their children as they push their mask wearing sons in the grocery cart at Wal-Mart, explaining to every person they pass that this was all their sweet boy would agree to wear.

Yes, that was until now.

Now I am that mother.

Just this week the whole family went for a walk in our neighborhood with Grayson wearing his Superman suit, his cape, and his favorite green crocodile rain boots to top it all off. I didn't even flinch when passing cars would slow down just to get a good look. So far, we have succeeded in talking Grayson into wearing "real" clothes to school, but the minute we get home he turns into Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Aquaman, or Flash.

Last night he escaped the bathtub before Jim could get his p.j.s (Spiderman p.js, of course) on. He spent the next thirty minutes running around the house stark naked saying he was Flash. At least his costume was appropriate.

Where does he get this stuff? I'm pretty sure Jim or I have never told him who these superheroes are. It's funny how they are just born with this instinct, huh?

Here are some picture of my little superhero!

On our neighborhood stroll, we made our way to Mimi and G-dad's house. Mimi couldn't resist taking a picture of Superman before we continued on our walk.

It's especially fun when Spiderman puts on his very own little concert for us!

His very favorite superhero....Daddy!

Superman celebrated his third birthday with Uncle Coby who turned 29!

This superhero always comes to his sister's rescue! Aren't they sweet?

Better Late Than Never

2009-04-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have a ton of catching up to do. Grayson had a great birthday, and I still cannot believe he is three years old. We have been super busy since Easter, but it has been a good kind of busy for the most part...Anyway, I am what you call WAY BEHIND as far as blogging goes, so I will attempt to catch up over the next few days. I was gonna just do it all in one "shabang" (I apologize if that is just a Kelli word...all at once) but I didn't want anyone to go blind due to reading the computer screen too long, so I will just start with Easter. So, here we go, a brief (well, I will try my best to be brief....I do tend to ramble....such as now) summary of the last few weeks....
Easter was wonderful. We had a great time with family and friends. Although we did have 5, yes 5, Easter egg hunts, our family spent a lot of time reflecting on Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. Jim and the Heights Band provided an amazing time of worship the Thursday before Easter in which we focused specifically on Christ's death on the cross. Of course, we followed up with a huge celebration worship service on Easter Sunday praising God that He is risen and alive! It was perfect! With that we were able to spend time with our close friends and both my family and Jim's family in Lamesa. We even had a good ol' fashion indoor Easter Egg hunt at the farm (Jim's parents house) since there was zero visibility due to the yearly West Texas Easter sandstorm. Here is a few (or maybe more than a few...) pictures of the Archer's Easter Festivities....

Grayson's Easter Egg Hunt at Calvary PDO.....prior to his Easter haircut, I might add.

Presley's kindergarten egg hunt

I am SO blessed to work at her school so I can easily attend her kindergarten events. Jim also came and helped "hide" hundreds of eggs.

Easter Sunday

My beautiful children....I love it when I actually capture a moment when they show that they really do love each other!

Easter at Mimi and Papa's house in Lamesa

This is a picture of Presley and Grayson with some of their cousins on my mom's side of the family. I have spent almost every Easter Sunday of my life with my Mimi and Papa, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Every year when I was little, all the cousins would line up on the sidewalk just like this before the big hunt. Next year, Camren will be ready to run with the others!

I love this picture of Pres. She looks so sweet here. Only minutes after this picture was taken she was slamming confetti eggs on everyone's head...She had a blast! Grayson did not care so much for sister whacking him on the head and getting paper all in his new haircut!

One of the most fun things we did was have an egg hunt with friends. Here are all the kids lined up ready to go. Yep, my kid is the one with the basket on his head....no surprise there! Stay tuned as I try to catch up over the next few days! I hope everyone has a great week!

April 13, 2006

2009-04-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Has it really been three years since my baby boy was born?? Grayson will turn three years old tomorrow! This time three years ago I was anxiously awaiting the first time I would see my son's face and hold him in my arms. I was enjoying the last few hours of feeling him move in my tummy and cherishing those last moments as a family of three before Presley would be so blessed with a baby brother. Wow....it seems just like yesterday. Three years later, I have a beautiful brown eyed boy who melts my heart and fills my life with incredible joy. This boy of mine is something else....always ready to go and full of energy, but always willing to crawl up in my lap and cuddle. Grayson has the reputation with teachers and family as being "very witty." I am constantly asked by those who know him if I write down all the funny things he says, and if I don't I definitely should! Grayson loves to be the hero, rescuing his big sister from the "bad guys." He loves to play with his "good guys", race Hotwheels, watch Dora, drink chocolate milk, and play baseball. He loves G-Dad's motorcycles, Mimi's house, Daddy's guitars, and Momma's kisses. (Well, maybe not LOVES the last one, but he is kind enough to put up with LOTS of kisses!) He sings a mean rendition of 5 Little Monkies Jumpin' on the Bed and can easily entertain a roomful of people with his funny expressions and conversations.

The third birthday is bittersweet for me....I am so blessed to watch this little boy turning into a big boy right before my eyes. He is becoming so independent and I look forward to all the neat things he will be able to do as he gets bigger. On the flip side, the third birthday is a farewell to the baby stage. He really is a big kid now. He rarely needs me to carry him anymore, he no longer needs me to change his diaper, he goes to the potty pretty much on his own, he gets his own goodnight drinks, he cleans up his room, he expresses his opinions (although not always appropriately) and so on and so on. Where did my baby boy go?

I thank God for this handsome, healthy boy He introduced me to three years ago. I thank God for Grayson's wonderful personality and witty sense of humor. I thank God that I can come home each day to a welcoming shout of "MOMMY!" a toothy grin, and hugs and kisses from my little man. I pray that he will love God with all his heart and that his desire will be to follow Christ. I pray that he would grow into a man of God and that he will be a Godly leader. I pray that as his parents, we will be good examples to him and point him toward Christ.

Grayson Jack Archer--8 lbs. 13 oz. 12:15 on April 13, 2006

Grayson's 1st Birthday

Grayson--2 years old

Grayson--3 Years Old

Happy Birthday, Grayson! We love you!

Conversations

2009-03-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

One beautiful afternoon last week......
Grayson and I are walking towards the park playground equipment. He sweetly grabs my hand and says, "Mommy, I love you. Will you hold my hand so the wind won't blow me away?"

Thursday afternoon......
Grayson pooped on the potty (YES!!!), and he looked at me and said, "I pooped just for my daddy. He gonna be so proud of me!"

Friday morning...
Presley: (looking outside at the snow): Mom, I know how the weatherman knows what the weather is going to be.
Me: (expecting a scientific answer): Really, how?
Presley: When they go to sleep at night, God whispers it in their ear and tells them. You know how I know? God whispers in my ear, too. I can't see him though because he always stands behind me when he says something, but that's how I know it's him.

This morning......
Jim overheard this conversation between Presley and Grayson. They were laying in the living room floor watching cartoons.
G: Ew, sister, your feets stinky.
P: Hmmmm, let me smell them. Yep, they are. I bet your feet are stinky too. Let me smell your feet.
(She takes a big whif)
P: Grayson, your feet smell like pancakes.
G: Yeah, and your feets smell like sausage.

I Wish I Had a Pet Octopus

2009-03-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

Strange title, huh? Well, that is one of the things Presley said this morning right after the nurse gave her the "sleepy juice" and right before they put her in a little red wagon and rolled her into surgery. God knew her mommy and daddy needed the comic relief at that moment! Anyway, Presley did great this morning with the dental surgery she had to have. I didn't realize it would be as intrusive as it was, but she handled it all like a champ. I tell you what, my baby is a tough cookie. She has been resting most of the day, but I think she will be able to fully enjoy her last official day of Spring Break tomorrow without too much trouble. Her friends will REALLY think she has shiny teeth when she returns to school on Monday. She even "lost" another tooth today. The anesthesiologist warned us that the breathing tube could dislodge her bottom front tooth which was just hanging by a thread, so we asked the dentist to just take care of it for us. (I really hope we don't get billed for that!) I bet the tooth fairy is extra good to her tonight after all she went through today!

On a side note, Grayson is doing AWESOME with the potty training thing. He hasn't had an accident since Monday, and even started letting us know when he needs to go. Yeah!! I have to admit I was doubtful after I walked into the bathroom on Monday afternoon to find my son wearing the potty seat around his neck....UGH! However, since then I have been pleasantly surprised by his progress. Hopefully, he will continue to do well over the weekend. We are taking it one day at a time. I hope everyone enjoys the next few days of Spring Break!

Follow Through...

2009-03-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've always said that Jim and I have wonderful ideas and great intentions, but unfortunately, we don't have a lot of follow through. However, this Spring Break has been a week of following through with SOME of those great intentions.

1. We have always said that we wanted to have a block party in order to get to know the people living around us, and hopefully, enable us to reach out to our neighbors in some way. Unfortunately, we have always put this off due to the obvious awkwardness of inviting complete strangers to eat food in your driveway. Lately, however, we found that this neighborhood meet and greet was a necessity due to our social butterfly, Presley, who has befriended half the street. It's a good idea to make an effort to get to know the people who your kids are hanging out with right? So, the whole Archer clan went door to door down to all the houses on our street and the adjacent alleyway and gave out invitations to our neighbors to come join us for a hotdog tonight. We were pretty sure that it would just be us and my parents (because, of course, I begged them to come share in the awkwardness, and they obliged as they didn't want us to be weird alone.) However, it was a HUGE success! Eight families came and ate in our driveway and visited until it got too dark. Two families who couldn't come even came and introduced themselves and left us with amazing Italian sausage and some incredible desserts! Overall, I think we made connections with great people and brought our neighborhood together!

2. We started potty training Grayson on Monday morning and we are still sticking with it. I must admit, that I doubted myself in this one. I half expected myself to INTEND to potty train him, but with all the fun options of Spring Break, I figured my follow-through would amount to giving up and waiting until Summer. However, I am proud to say that, again, follow through has prevailed for the Archers. Has it been easy? NO WAY! Has it been better than I thought? Yes! We didn't have any accidents today, but we weren't exactly successful...does that make sense? How can a child go that long without using the restroom? I have completely new worries now.

3. I have also started a new Bible Study...one that I have been intending to start for quite some time. So I've started, now I just need to pray that I can actually keep it up and finish it rather than stopping on the 6th week. The outlook is great!

My list of good intentions is still very long...I intend to clean out the kids closet, clean out my closet, take Presley on a mommy-daughter movie/lunch date, make a drop off to Goodwill, clean my car, have lunch with some friends...BUT I'm off to a great start!

One last note, please keep Presley in your prayers on Thursday. She is having dental surgery at the SurgiCenter. Pray that she will be brave and not scared (right now, I am way more freaked out about it than her...I want it to stay that way), also pray that we wouldn't have to wait a terribly long time for it to begin as she can't eat after midnight on Wednesday. I am also praying that she feels okay after the procedure and can enjoy the rest of her Spring Break. While you're at it, please pray that the insurance company will pay for more than we were first told! I will keep everyone updated on these prayer requests!

I like this follow through stuff...I'm off to bed so I will be rested to start on that list tomorrow! :)

Star of the Week

2009-03-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

After many months of waiting for her name to be drawn, Presley finally got to be the Student of the Week in her class! On Sunday, I helped her make a poster "All About Presley" to share with her classmates. She was so excited to show everyone her poster...it was so cute!

Another neat thing that happens when you are Star of the Week is "Warm Fuzzies." Throughout the week, her teacher allows each student in the class to come up to her desk and say nice things about the Student of the Week. Her teacher then types them up and puts them all in her "Warm Fuzzies" bag. Presley couldn't wait to get home and read her Warm Fuzzies. She also informed me that she can keep them in a safe place so she can read them when she is sad and lonely. Some of the things her friends wrote were adorable....Here are some examples.

Presley's teeth are so shiny.

She helps me build nests at recess.

She plays with me in centers and is very creative with Legos.

She chases boys at recess, and I run with her.

She looks good every day. (A young man in her class wrote this...hmmm)

(Her daddy wasn't too excited about those last two!)

Some of the things she brought for show and tell were her favorite stuffed animal, the photo album of her favorite place (Family Kamp), the jar she decorated and puts money in for our Compassion International child, and a letter we recently received from Luana (Brazil), and her favorite book. Today, she came running into our room holding something in her hand. "I know what I'm taking for show and tell today!" And she proudly held up a tooth! Yes, she finally lost her first tooth, and actually pulled it herself! Of course, I let her take her tooth to school....she was just so excited about it. I'm sure her teacher loved that! :)

This is a great opportunity to brag on my beautiful daughter. These are some of the wonderful things going on with Presley.

1. She is doing so great in school. She is reading well above a Kindergarten level, and I am amazed at the work she brings home. She has a great teacher who has taught her a ton!

2. She gets up every morning right when her alarm clock goes off, goes into the bathroom and gets completely dressed, brushes her teeth, and then comes into our room to tell me she is ready for me to fix her hair. I don't even go into her room in the mornings! Is this amazing or what????

3. She is super sweet to her little bro. Even though he annoys her to no end, she still makes a huge effort to play with him. She is so encouraging to him when he does something good. (I think this is going to be a huge help when we start potty training Grayson this weekend!)

4. She loves Jesus. Who could ask for anything more?

Thanks for reading about what a Super Star my Pres is!

Confessions of a Very Blessed Woman

2009-03-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make....I have been doing a lot of senseless complaining lately. Anyone that has had even a brief conversation with me lately would certainly agree. Yes, it has been a very stressful, busy, exhausting week. Yes, I am tired, and with good reason. However, as I was sitting in church this morning, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am incredibly blessed, no-- way more than incredibly blessed, yet I have been doing a lot more complaining than praising God over the last few weeks. Why is it that small, trivial things can get me so stressed out, cause my frustration levels to sky rocket, and take my mind so far away from positive things? It makes me so mad at myself. Although I have not yet had to face a major tragedy in my life, I have faced trials that scared me and drew me closer to God because I knew that everything that mattered rested in Him, and that He was big enough to handle anything. Shouldn't it be the same way with even the little stuff? I think I know what happens with me....I think I can handle being in control of the "little stuff." Why bother God with something I can handle on my own, right? WRONG! All that "little stuff" adds up, and before I know it, I'm not handling it....I'm stressed out, frustrated, and complaining.
This morning, in church, we were singing The Desert Song. The lyrics during one part say
All of my life,
In every season,
You are still God,
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
It talks about life being in a dry season, a season of weakness, a painful season of trials, and a season of harvest and favor...No matter what season of life I am in....I have a reason to sing and to worship. Yes, even when I am complaining about the senseless itty bitty stressful things in life...My prayer this week is that I would remember this simple idea....That I would not spend the majority of my conversations with people talking about how stressed I am or how I wish certain situations were better than they are, but that I would spend my day with thoughts and words of praise for what God is doing, has done, and will do in my life. I have many, many, many reasons to sing every minute of the day and to worship Him with everything I do. So, with that being said.....I'm off to start my day with Less Complaining...More Praising!!

It's Been A While....

2009-02-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it has been nearly a month since I last posted. Believe me, it is not because I don't have anything to blog about. My life has been CRAZY BUSY this month. So goes the life of a teacher this time of year, I guess. We are half way through February already....Where has the time gone?

I must mention that Saturday mornings around my house are not meant for blogging. Saturdays are usually spent cleaning my incredibly dirty house, or at least attempting to hit the "high spots." It has always amazed me how my house manages to get so messy when we are not even home except for a few hours at night. Yes, Saturdays I wake up with the dread of cleaning/straightening up my house. But not today. Want to know why I have time to blog on a Saturday morning? That is because when I came home from work yesterday afternoon my house was spotless and smelled of Pinesol. My sweet Valentine had someone clean my house while I was at work....Ahhhhh, so sweet!

So, this morning Jim and I took our little sweeties out for a Valentine Breakfast and now I am able to update my blog for anyone who might be interested....And so, a few random pictures. Random is an understatement. This month we have captured pictures from our Batman (Grayson), Robin (Jim), and Bat Girl (Presley) adventure (Um, I don't know what else to say about that....), Superbowl preparations (We made fruit pizza--check out Grayson's tongue), snow pictures (okay, so I know we didn't get any accumulation, but it may be all we get this year!), pics from the celebration we had for Jim since he is now a Licensed Professional Counselor (You go, baby!), and Presley's School Valentine Party. Oh, and the last one is of the mysterious picture of Jesus on the back of a United truck? Do you see it? (This one may warrant a post all its own at a later date...) Enjoy....

I told you they were random! I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day!

****UPDATE--Look about a 1/2 inch above the d in United. It is just a faint image of a face, but I think it looks like Jesus. Am I the only one who sees it? That may be even weirder.....

Lions, Tigers, and Bears...Oh My!

2009-01-21T20:07:00.001-08:00

My family and I took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and a day off on Monday to head to the zoo! If you have never been to the Abilene Zoo, you are truly missing out on a great activity for the family. We asked our sweet niece, Lindsay, and our brave nephew, Kirby, (he had to sit in the middle of Presley and Grayson's carseats...YIKES!) to tag along with us. We had a blast. It was such a beautiful day!

Argh! Pirates!

2009-01-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

Everything went fine on Friday. I was home taking a nap by 10:00 that morning, and I have felt fine for the most part. Thanks for praying for me! I must tell you though, that my kids have the most amazing, most incredible, daddy in the entire world....and I get to be his wife! I never cease to be amazed with the fun things he comes up with to entertain the kids...especially when he knows I could use a break. One of his most recent activities had us ALL searching for the pirate loot, walking the plank, and yelling, "Ahoy, Matey!" Let me tell you, this mama can't think of anything cuter than Grayson marching around with a bandana on his head, an eye patch, and a hook hand, wrinkling his brow and saying, "Argh!" Presley knows all the pirate lingo and makes sure we know that the pirate's booty is not really a bad word. Our latest treasure hunt had us searching the house for hidden pieces of the treasure map that had to be taped together and led us to where X marked the spot. We enjoyed a treasure full of Skittles....good times. Beware--My pirate family is looking pretty scary in these pictures!

I Never Expected...

2009-01-12T18:50:00.001-08:00

Today started as a normal Monday. Well, all except I didn't have to go to work today. I got up at 6:30 and got ready for the day. As always, at exactly 6:42, Presley's alarm clock went off, so I met her halfway in the living room and herded her to the bathroom to get ready. Then I drove her to school and dropped her off. You see, the only thing different about today, was that I had a doctor's appointment at 11:00. This meant I couldn't take a half day off in the morning or the afternoon, so I had to take the whole day off. While at first, I found this timing kind of frustrating, I thought I would make the most of it. For once in my life, I was able to take Grayson to his PDO class at Calvary and actually meet his teacher (my mom usually takes him). After that, I had big plans...clean my house, do a little window shopping, have lunch with my wonderful husband, and squeeze in a little doctor's appointment in between.
I never expected that I would find myself sitting in two separate doctor's offices for hours on end waiting, waiting, waiting for them to call my name or step into the office. I surely did not expect that after waiting a grand total of 1 hour and 20 minutes (not counting the 30 minutes in the lobby) in the cold, sterile office, sitting on that stupid paper they put on the bed that my new doctor would come in and schedule me for surgery in four days. Yeah, totally unexpected. I never expected that at 2:00 (this all started at 10:45) I would be having a pre-op appointment at North Star, having blood drawn, and given instructions about what to do the day before surgery. I was told I have endometrial polyps, and I need to have surgery to remove them as they have been causing some problems. So much for cleaning, window shopping, and lunch with my wonderful husband....I didn't even eat lunch at all.
So I admit, I am scared to death. I have never had surgery in my life, never been put under, never thought I would blog about this. My doctor assured me that 99% of the time these things come back benign, but they will have to go through pathology testing. The procedure won't take long, and it is outpatient. Recovery should only be a day or two, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal, but I am feeling kinda wimpy about the whole thing. I know this is soooo minor compared to the things many of you have gone through, but I am asking you for your prayers this week. Please pray that I would have peace about the whole thing as it approaches so quickly and that it would go smoothly. I pray that this procedure will cure some of the problems I have been having. Thanks for praying for me....it means the world to me.

On a lighter and sweeter note....One of my favorite sounds in the whole world is hearing Presley and Grayson laugh TOGETHER. Tonight my house was full of laughter as they were playing their first independent game of Hide and Seek. Presley's hiding skills are much better than Grayson's. I love it how he cannot wait to be found, and so he makes it pretty obvious. I love it how Presley knows right where he is, but pretends that she can't find him for a little while. She told him he was such a good little hider. It is such a precious site to see them playing together and loving on each other. I hope your houses are filled with laughter this week!

Toughest Job in the World

2009-01-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

Sigh...I am having one of those days. You moms and dads out there surely know the ones. The days when you feel like a failure as a parent. Okay, that's a bit drastic, I guess. I think I know I'm a good mom. I have so much love in my heart and soul for my kids, sometimes I seriously think my heart is going to explode. Sometimes it actually does explode in the form of tears of joy just spilling out or a laughter erupting from deep inside that I can't control.
It all started with a cavity. Presley complained of her tooth hurting last night, so I automatically thought we might be getting close to a visit from the tooth fairy. Kindergarteners lose teeth, right? Well, as I got a closer look, I saw that to my fear, shock, and horror, my daughter did not have a lose tooth, but a big black spot on her tooth. Unfortunately, as I looked closer I saw not one spot, but three! Even as I type this, I know that it probably sounds ridiculous to some, but I feel personally responsible. Yes, we make sure Presley brushes her teeth every night and day, but how did her mother let those cavities get there?
Secondly, I know that it is inevitable that my children are going to make mistakes very, very frequently. However, sometimes we get into a nice swing of life, when all is manageable, and then BAM! We are reminded that parenting is the toughest job in the world. Tough for so many reasons. Again, there is that feeling of personal responsibility for how they act, how I choose to discipline them, and how I am going to make it all better. I know that it is my job and Jim Bob's job to teach our children that while we all make mistakes, there are consequences for the choices we make. Sometimes those consequences require tough love. Sometimes I have an easier time with this than others. It is difficult to see my kids make bad choices, but it is even harder to discipline them while trying to explain that you love them. I mean, come on, how can I LOVE them if I'm taking their favorite toy away until their behavior improves? How can I LOVE them if I am making them go to time out, grounding them to their room, or giving them a spanking?
Don't you think that is how God feels about us? This afternoon, I watched Jim take our sweet kiddo into his arms and just hold her as she sobbed and sobbed because she had made a bad choice and knew there were major consequences to come. I watched him wrap her up with all he had and let her cry on his shoulder. The consequences were still to come, and they both knew that. Her daddy's heart was breaking even more than hers was, I know this for sure. I imagine that when I make a bad choice, that God's heart is breaking. Often, I come to Him, just like Presley came to us, and I say I'm sorry and ask for forgiveness. Often there are tears. I imagine my heavenly father crying with me, forgiving me, but allowing me to suffer the consequences of my choices. Yes, because he loves me.
I feel as if I am rambling, and could go on forever, and if anyone makes it to this part, thanks for letting me be honest about my parenting thoughts and my daughter's cavities. My prayer is for all parents who have had "one of those days" lately. I also thank God that while parenting is definitely hard sometimes, it is also the absolute most rewarding, most incredible, most important job that I have.
Thank you, God, for the gift of my babies. Help me to lead them in the way they should go. Help me to show them your love and teach them to be more like you. Lord, help me to be more like you.

365

2008-12-31T12:32:00.000-08:00

Let me start off by saying we had an absolutely amazing Christmas (6 actually)! It has been so wonderful being off work at the same time as Jim Bob. The four of us have had such sweet, sweet family time. We were truly blessed to get to spend so much time with our extended family as well. I was also excited to catch up with friends I hadn't seen in way too long. Thank you Kori, Amber, Misti, and Robyn for making time for me.
I always get a little sad as the Christmas season comes to an end. We have to wait 365 days to get to do it all again. As I was taking down our Christmas tree this last morning of 2008, I spent a lot of time reflecting and thinking about the past 365 days and the future 365 days. You know, A LOT can happen in a year. I realized just a few things that can happen even as I was putting my Christmas card labels on this year. Being the organized person I am (Ha!), I planned on just using the labels saved on my computer from last year's cards. However, as I printed them out and began looking at them, I realized that I have many friends whose address has changed. Some have moved into their dream homes just across town, some to a new city because of a better job, some to a new state many miles away. I also realized that many families have grown in number due to sweet new babies being born. My heart was also broken as I realized that some families had broken apart within the last year. In the last year I have known people who had babies, people who lost precious loved ones, people who got married, people who got divorced, people who were diagnosed with illness, and people who were healed, just to name a few. As I said, a lot can happen in 365 days.
2008 has been a wonderful, amazing year for our family. We have been so blessed through Jim's new job as a Psychology Instructor at SPC. It has allowed our family to have so much more quality time together, and Jim absolutely loves his job now. This year, we became a part of a new church family at The Heights Fellowship. Jim has done an amazing job as the worship leader, and even though it was hard to "leave" our BHBC family, the wonderful folks at THF have embraced us and welcomed us with such love. My "baby" girl started Kindergarten and Grayson has turned into a non-stop, talking, preschooler. I also became an aunt to the sweetest little miracle, Camren.
What will the next 365 days hold for us, for our family, for our friends? In 365 days, my little girl will be 6 1/2 and my baby boy will almost be 4. I have many friends who will have new little ones for me to love on. My incredible husband and I will celebrate 10 years of blissful marriage. I, personally, can spend too much time playing the guessing game of the future. However, one thing I was reminded of this morning that I know without a shadow of a doubt is that my God is and will be Lord of Lords and King of Kings through each of the 365 days ahead. As Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I pray that you and your family will be blessed in many, many ways in 2009 and that you will know God's love and peace this new year.

Dear Santa

2008-12-21T06:29:00.001-08:00

As I was sitting on my bed early this morning putting on my makeup, I heard a rustling outside my door by the Christmas tree. I figured Presley had gotten up early and was snooping around trying to find presents with her name on them. I tiptoed to the door and quietly opened it. Look what I found....A precious little girl with a paper and pencil, laying by the Christmas tree, writing a letter to Santa! How sweet!

All Aboard!

2008-12-17T21:11:00.000-08:00

We had such a great time on the Polar Express last weekend! Thanks Mimi and G-Dad for taking the whole fam to the North Pole. It was so much fun to experience it through Presley and Grayson's eyes! They had a blast...even though Grayson told me he "actually just wanted to look at Santa Claus, not talk to him!" Jim and I also took the kids to the 34th Street parade on Saturday. We picked up a One Guy's Pizza and some Toys for Tots, backed into a parking space on 34th, climbed into the back of the expedition and snuggled until the parade started...It was a lot of fun! I also decided to take Presley to the Nutcracker. I think she really enjoyed it! There are also some pictures of Presley's class party and Christmas with my Memaw! It's beginning to FEEL a lot like Christmas! Only a two more days until school is out! I am already thanking God for the time I will have to relax and spend time with my family, and most importantly focus on Him.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2008-12-10T19:55:00.001-08:00

Christmas trees, lights on houses, Christmas specials on TV every night, shopping with a mission to find the perfect gift, stockings, the cold night air, the Christmas music, and most importantly anticipating the celebration of our Lord's birth! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! I really don't mind the hustle and bustle of the season. There are so many fun, exciting, wonderful family things to do...I want to do them all! Tonight the fam and I had a yummy dinner together(Thanks, sweetie for cooking us up some delish burgers), put on our p.j.s, made white-chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa, and snuggled on the couch while watching The Polar Express. It gives me the "warm-fuzzies" just thinking about it! This seems to be the weekend for lots of fun things. Some of the things I would love to do are:

***Take Presley to the Nutcracker (I think she would like it....anyone have any advice for me on that one? I've never seen the whole thing)

***Candlelight at the Ranch

***34th Street Parade

***Shane and Shane Christmas Concert

***Christmas Shoes at Trinity

***Santa Land

I'm sure there is even more going on that I don't know about! I am looking SOOO forward to our trip on the Polar Express on Friday, too! I know we won't be able to attend all these events listed above, if any, so if any of you find yourself at any of the above...I want DETAILS!!! That way, I can at least experience them through you! Below is a pic of my Santa Babies (Next week is Christmas hat week at my school, so I bought Presley and me Santa hats....apparently I have a rather large head because my hat did not fit, so Grayson gets to keep it...He looks much cuter in it than I do anyway!)

So Very Thankful

2008-11-30T19:07:00.000-08:00

Well, the turkey has been eaten and pumpkin pie devoured.....This turkey is stuffed! We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving. I love the Thanksgiving Holiday so much! I feel like it is a time when I am more likely to stop and actually think seriously about all that I have to be thankful for. I thank God every day of the year for the obvious things like my incredible husband, my beautiful, healthy children, and my parents. However, Thanksgiving makes me remember some of the things that I am very thankful for, but often forget to mention to my heavenly father. I wish I would realize more often that everyday is a day for Thanksgiving.
One of the things that I have been thinking a lot about this Thanksgiving is family. Now I realize that is something that most people think a great deal about during this time of year. But, I've got a serious extended FAMILY to be thankful for. Our Thanksgiving plans consisted of THREE Thanksgiving dinners. THREE seperate occasions that our family welcomed us into their home and looked forward to seeing us. THREE days of feasting and visiting with people who had an enormous part in molding Jim and I into who we are today. THREE different families that loved on Presley and Grayson more than one can even imagine.
We started on Thanksgiving day at my mom and dad's house. I'm sure I looked funny walking down the street with a green bean casserole in my hands. Isn't that awesome that I just have to walk less than 50 yards to see my parents? We celebrated with Coby, Jen, Camren, and my Memaw. It was great! This year I have a sweet nephew to be thankful for! The whole family even went to see Bolt in 3D later that night.
The next day we headed to Lamesa to celebrate with Jim's family. It was great to see Jim's parents, Donnell and Family, Dale, Madonna, Tony, and Weston, and Aunt Lana. I am so blessed to be a part of the Archer Family. I couldn't have asked God for a better family to marry into. I loved the way we each had to say something we were thankful for before our prayer. I especially loved how my husband said he was thankful for his "Smokin' Hot Wife!" (Thanks honey.....You might want to explain to Presley why she should stop calling me that.)
The next day we stayed in Lubbock and went to the Tech game. I did have my first national TV appearance during the game, and yes I was freezing if you could not tell! Go Red Raiders!
Finally, today, we drove to Lamesa again for our third and final Thanksgiving dinner. This time we celebrated with my Mimi and Papa and all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and all the new babies. I love how close my family is to one another. I also hope that I will never stop spending the Sunday after Thanksgiving at Mimi and Papa's house like I have for the last 30 years.
As we were driving home tonight, exhausted with belly aches and ready to get home, I couldn't help thinking about how amazingly blessed I am to have so many incredible people I get to call FAMILY.
Thank you God for all of your wonderful blessings of FAMILY.

TAG! 8 Things

2008-11-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

So, I got tagged for the first time ever! Thanks to the Jennifers!

8 TV Shows I Watch
Survivor
Grey's Anatomy
The Today Show
Backyardigans
Dora
Little Einsteins
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Imagination Movers
(Pathetic....I know)

8 Favorite Restaurants
Carino's
Outback
Lujan's
One Guy From Italy Pizza
Chick-fil-a
Manna
Red Carpet
Pei Wei

8 Things I Did This Weekend (This one is easy...we had the BEST weekend!)
Booked a cruise to Mexico to celebrate our 10th anniversary (for June)
Went to see Madagascar II with my sweet kiddos and hotty husband
Shared a Cookie Monster with my family at Cheddar's
Went to eat breakfast at Cracker Barrell after sleeping later than usual
Took the kids to play at Legacy Play Village
Watched a depressing Tech game with Matt and Rebekah....but at least we were in good company!
Cleaned my house...it looks so much better!
Had family pictures made with Coby, Jen, Camren, Mom, Dad, and us!
(Too bad I could only list 8 things...I didn't even mention putting up Christmas lights, hanging out with our LifeGroup.....this was a busy, but awesome weekend!)

8 Things I Look Forward To
Three Thanksgiving dinners with our families
Christmas Shopping
Putting up the Christmas tree
The Holidays in General
The Polar Express
A Cruise to Mexico in June
Getting to spend the summer with Jim and the kids (We will all be out of school for the entire summer!)
Family Camp in Branson, MO

8 Things on My Wish List
To be more like Christ
To be the best mom and wife I can be
To be a better friend
To be a great teacher for my sweet students
To get all my Christmas shopping done early
For potty training Grayson to be easy
For my house to be more organized
For Presley to NEVER grow out of her princess dresses

I tag Rebekah, Melissa, and Holly

My Rock Star Politician

2008-11-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

Grayson...my sweet, sweet, boy.....my little rebel without a cause....my snuggle bug....my adventure. G-Jack, as we affectionately call our boy around here, is at such a "funny" age! I use the term "funny" lightly since some would not exactly call it that! For example, last week he asked his G-Dad if there was a baby in G-Dad's tummy. G-Dad did not exactly think that was funny. My mom, however, thought it was wildly funny until Grayson told her in the most innocent way that she was too old to go to the Halloween Carnival with him. On the same note, we think it is hilarious that Grayson has been heard rambling in his carseat about Barack Obama and John McCain. Last night, before he knew we were listening of course, Grayson was saying, "Barack Obabma winned...NO! NO! NO! John McCain winned!" It is pretty adorable when he gets his toy electric guitar and head bangs while making "electric guitar" noises....just like Daddy. (No, I have never seen Jim headbang, but Grayson apparently has!) I just love his BIG personality!
Everyone knows the reputation that comes with a two-year old. I'm certainly not saying that we haven't seen our fair share lately of evidence of the "Terrible Twos." However, I wouldn't trade the sweetness of this age for a year without tantrums. Grayson is so affectionate. He is famous among family and friends for his "night-night sugar and big hugs" that he has to give everyone at least twice before he hits the sack. Those big brown eyes just melt my heart when he looks at me and gives a goofy grin...he sure can charm his way out of trouble with that one! Thank heaven for little boys! I wanted to share some of my favorite pics of Grayson that capture this precious boy of mine.

FYI--That is a lollipop (one of his favorite things) in his mouth...I know it resembles a cigarette!

Walking In His Daddy's Footsteps

Whose Got Talent?

2008-11-12T15:22:00.000-08:00

Presley and her friends have talent...that's who! Last night our school had their annual talent show, and Presley and three of her friends from her class were ready to entertain. I must say I was a little nervous....much more so than Presley was! I was armed and ready with my video camera in hand, and yes on the second row! (The first row was already taken..:) They were awesome! They sang Boom Chick-A-Boom, The Pink Song, and did a Wildcat cheer! I was so proud of her for being so brave! Here are a few pictures and even a video!Enjoy!

Here's to Perfect Weekends!

2008-11-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

It's been a week since I last blogged, or should I say, let Jim Bob take over my blog. We had a good, but busy week, and this week looks like it will be even busier. We were able to have a wonderful weekend. It was just one of those weekends that just goes exactly like you envision it. It started off Friday night with an incredible night of praise and worship. Jim and the Heights Band held a concert of worship and prayer called Deep. We had a babysitter watch the kids so we could just focus on praising our Father...it was a wonderful way to spend a Friday night. My prayer is that I would continue praising Him and worshiping Him throughout this week at school, at home, in the car.
Saturday morning was a monumental moment in the Archer house as Presley had her first Kindergarten friend over for a playdate. Presley and Rece had a blast decorating cookies, painting butterflies, and of course, playing dress-up. For lunch we were able to meet up with some of our college friends that were in town for the Tech game. We had such a great time catching up with Ryan and Naomi, Nathan, Jennifer, and Jake for some One Guy pizza. Just like the good ol' days! We finished a great day with another Texas Tech victory! Go Red Raiders!
After a wonderful time of worship at church this morning and great meal at Lujan's, we were able to have a very restful Sunday afternoon! Here is to a perfect weekend! Only five more days until Friday!

First Time for Everything-Jim Bob's First Blog

2008-11-02T20:30:00.001-08:00

It's me, Jim Bob, blogging. Just call me Jim Blog. Big day for me. Kelli coaxed me into starting a facebook account, and she's somehow persuaded me to submit my first blog. It's hard for a guy named Jim Bob to really enjoy technology. I guess this is just the next natural step that will lead to me being fed through the slot in my cage by my computer master. I hope my computer master will let me out to play with you all on weekends. Pretty sure that I'll be obselete before you though, so you've still got a little more time than me before you are replaced by the computer version of you.

I celebrated another big first tonight. Grayson and I had our first real game of catch. I got to say, "Keep your eye on the ball," which resulted in him getting beaned right on the noggin. True, it wasn't like a last second game winning toss from Harrell to Crabtree, but it was definitely a game of catch. Back and forth we tossed the nerf football, and I've got to say, he's got a good arm. It's funny, because two nights ago, he kept me up all night crying and refusing to let me go to sleep. I really thought I was going to lose it with him. Then tonight I had that moment that I've dreamed of having with him since I found out that we would be having a boy. I wouldn't trade our game of catch for a thousand nights of good sleep or even a Crabtree catch to beat Texas (that's a bold statement). I hope this was the first of many good games of catch with my boy. God, remind me of that if he keeps us up tonight. One day, he'll be my Crabtree, and I'll be his Harrell.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T06:23:00.000-08:00

We had a very Happy Halloween! It all started last weekend when the kids went to a Halloween party at the Falls. Presley was a princess (of course!) and Grayson was a Dallas Cowboy football player (again...no surprise!). The next day we went to the Calvary Fall Festival. It was super fun! We still had our football player, but this time Presley was a Red Raider cheerleader! Both of them were absolutely adorable if I do say so myself! Finally, on Halloween night, we went to the Heights Fall Festival and to Coby and Jen's annual Halloween party. Jim and I got in the spirit, too. (In case you can't tell...I was Sarah Palin and Jim was John McCain. The precious baby we are kissing is Camren!) It was great fun! Here are a few pics from our Halloween....And I cannot end this without saying, "GO RED RAIDERS!" How awesome was that game??? Incredible!

My Princess Presley

2008-10-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

This time of year always makes me think of one of the most special times of my life. It was October of 2002 that I found out I was pregnant with Presley. I will never forget how I felt, but I could never put into words how thrilled I was. She was a very prayed for miracle. Today, as school was letting out, I looked up and there she was coming down the hallway with all the other big kids, wearing her backpack and a huge smile. My heart seriously skipped a beat...My baby isn't a baby anymore. Yes, she has been in Kindergarten for 10 weeks now, and we have both done wonderfully, but every now and then it hits me like it did on the first day of school, or on her birthday, or on some random Saturday when I realize she is doing something completely without my help! Do you mothers out there ever have those moments that just take you by surprise? Everything is going great, when all of a sudden something so tiny reminds you of how fast time flies?

I am so proud of my beautiful daughter. She is absolutely precious on the inside and out. I love the way those green eyes dance when she is telling me a story and how her sweet lips and that smile can light up a room. I will never get tired of seeing her change every five minutes into a different princess dress, or get tired of hearing her ask her daddy if she looks beautiful. I am so proud of the way she is beginning to think of others more than herself. Yesterday, she decorated an empty peanut butter jar with a picture of a little girl named Luana from Brazil. She then hunted for any change she could find to put in the jar so we can send it to Luana. Today, she spent what seemed like forever looking for the perfect prize from the treasure box in my classroom to give to Grayson. She then spent the evening playing with him and taking care of him since his tummy hurt. My heart leaped for joy tonight when I started to say our goodnight prayers, and she stopped me and said, "Mom, I want to say the prayer tonight." She preceded to pray the sweetest, most genuine prayer.
I LOVE THIS GIRL! I am so thankful God shares His precious princess Presley with us.

The Corn Maze and More...

2008-10-22T19:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was such a happy ending to a difficult week. On Friday, we went to the Corn Maze here in Lubbock with some friends from the Heights Fellowship worship band. What a fun way to socialize and hang out! The kids had a blast! Grayson loved the farm animals and the cow train. He insisted that I take his picture with every animal. Presley was Little Miss Independent as she marched through the corn maze ahead of mom and dad. She would get so excited when we would come to one of the question clues! We went on a hay ride and then sat by the campfire and visited. The weather was perfect and it was a much needed night with the family.
On Saturday, Presley had a soccer game. Last Saturday, she told Jim she would give him $20 if she didn't have to go, but this week she didn't complain too much about going, and she actually kicked the ball a time or two--in the right direction! This coming Saturday is our last game with an awards ceremony following. I am so proud of her for sticking it out!
Finally, on Saturday night, I had the amazing privilege of spending some quality time with two of my BFFs from Levelland. Amber, Robyn, and I had a Girls' Night Out at Abuelo's and Art Avenue. I wish I had some pictures of us being crafty, but I was too stressed out over the "colorful" mosaic I was attempting to make to remember that I had my camera with me. Here are a few pics I did take on our wonderful weekend! Only two more days until another weekend will be here!

Rainy Day Sunday

2008-10-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a wonderful, rainy day. I love a rainy day...especially a rainy Sunday afternoon! Once we got home from church, Grayson took a long nap and Presley had some quiet time while I cozied up on the couch with a cup of coffee and watched football with my hubby (I may have actually done more sleeping than watching!). Once everyone was up, it was time for some rainy day fun. Jim is such an amazing daddy. He always has ideas to keep the kids entertained and having fun. Presley is really into putting on plays. So Jim, Grayson, and Presley put on a "play" about secret agents. I always get to be the audience because according to Pres, I am not as good of an actor as Daddy. After the Spy play, Jim put up the tent in the middle of the living room floor and we all watched a movie. Good times...

So now what???

2008-10-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I've done it. I've spent the last hour sorting through cute blog backgrounds, trying to figure out what a gadget is, and all the while attempting to convince myself that I can do this blogging thing. After spending the last few (or more) evenings checking out all my friends' blogs, I finally decided it was time I enter the blogging world. That, and since I am a sucker for anything "Fallish" these days, I couldn't pass up the cute fall background. (Probably not a great reason to blog, but I have to start somewhere!) Notice how I have attached my precious husband's name to this since he is more the deep thinker and has a better way with words! I figure I can post pictures of my adorable kids, and he can somehow put into words how wonderfully blessed we are! I love how he is willing to be my partner in anything...even blogging! I am hoping this blog will encourage me to take more pics of my kids and family and share the ones I do take, to keep up with all the incredible people in my life, and to be more aware of all the blessings God gives me that are worth writing down. Sometimes I feel like I get so caught up in the daily routines of life, that I don't stop to appreciate all of life's little joys happening all around me! So there...my attempt at blogging--day one. So, if anyone is reading this, be patient with me-I have a lot to learn!