On the Road Again....

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

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

Wedded Bliss

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

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

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

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!