Crazy-busy-tired-week!!!

Hello all! This week is winding down- thank goodness... the little girls had Vacation Bible School everyday this week- the church bus picks them up and brings them home- Madison babysits the rest of the day- we've had several ball games this week too- Victoria's are over- the people in the stands nick-named her White Lightning- because every time she hits that ball, she flies around the bases- no one can catch her- so the coaches tell her to JUST RUN!!! And boy does she!! So cute! It's amazing to us, because just a few months ago, she ran like an orangutan!! Not kidding! We thought she was going to be our little sports-challenged child... ;)- but she has proved us wrong. Sofie's last game is tonight- she has been recruited to be on a tournament team for the summer- she will get to play with the best of the best and travel all over!!! She is so excited!!! Maddie's last game was last night- it was THE MOST exciting game all season... it was against the only team that beat us (just once)- and we tied 1 to 1. Our girls made not 1 mistake!!! Maddie played 3rd base- she caught a grounder and then threw the ball to 1st so fast- "OUT!" My voice is so scratchy from all the yelling I was doing- I couldn't even sit in the stands, I was standing right next to the fence watching every move!!! Then Maddie hit an awesome grounder and made it to 2nd base... she was trying to steal home the next play, and she slid across home plate and everyone went NUTS!! The ump called her out, but her whole leg was across the plate before the catcher touched her with the ball- oh well, that's the way it goes... she has a giant road-rash on her little bottom this morning- ouchie... Mad & Sofie are going to softball camp next week; Victoria's kind of sad about not being old enough- so I really need to find something fun for her to do- anyone want to come hang with her, feel free!!! The week after next, Maddie has pole-vaulting camp in Ft. Worth- Mamu paid the fee for that one ( Thank You Mamu )!!! Couldn't ever do all of this without the help of grandparents- her PawPaw Chris paid for her cheercamp and she helped him around his home in return... (Thank you PawPaw). Mamu has house-painting plans for Mad when she has some free time... Anyway, the pole-vaulting camp is the most exciting for Mad because it's stay-away camp- she'll be there overnight Monday through Wednesday- and she doesn't know a sole there...she is only one of 3 middle-school girls going to the camp so far... Maybe July we can actually have some lazy summer days- hope so- I need a break!!! Blog stalkers- please keep in touch, and please learn how to leave me some comments on here- is anyone even reading this stuff- I never know?! Thank you Andrea for commenting- at least I know you are reading...
xoxoxoxox
Amy

Happy 1st Anniversary to us!!!

Mr. Clark: Tending the irises...

Max & Billie Clark

We celebrated our anniversary this weekend! Saturday we worked in the flower-beds and yard- then watched a movie (Into the Wild-a true-story, and a MUST-SEE) had rib eyes, corn on the cob, and stuffed peppers on the grill- YUMMY!!! Yesterday I made home-made biscuits & gravy for Mark- first I gave him coffee in bed & turned on the History Channel for him and he stayed in bed and enjoyed that for awhile...later we went to Clark Gardens and walked around all by ourselves- it's so beautiful there- everything's in bloom- we actually met Mr. Clark and his Chocolate lab- we sat and talked with him and played with his pup- we felt honored to get to talk to him about his garden...I wish we got his picture (DANG-IT!)... we met a young couple walking through- they are trying to find a place to have their wedding- I think we sold them on having it there!! As we were driving home through Jacksboro, Mark said "turn here", and we ended up on the beach- no bathing suits- but the water looked so good- we had to jump in- and we DID!!! Crazy, spontaneous, fun, I loved it- we swam around for about an hour- had a girl take our pic in front of the lake as we were leaving... A perfect weekend in my book... Seriously- I have the most perfect man for ME!!!

Life is good...

1. Paige moved into her own house! She is staying in her mom's old house, which is a block down the road from her mom; and it's on Bowie Lake; she is thrilled, and so are we. She is on her own, but still close to family- for support, security, and help if she needs it. She got a new job at The Armadillo Grill- one of the best restaurants in Bowie- it sits on the highway, right next to a truck-stop, so it's really busy- she should make good money!! She will start college in the fall here in Bowie, we are so excited for her. ;)

2. Monday is our 1st anniversary!!! How fast a year goes by! We haven't even had one knock-down, drag-out YET!!! I keep waiting... Mark is just so laid-back most of the time- nothing I do bothers him... I LOVE THAT!!! If I feel like eating a bowl of cereal for dinner- he will just get up and make his own dinner- and he doesn't act like it bothers him one bit- maybe he is just really good at keeping the peace- (THANK YOU HONEY!!!)

3. I've been teaching my Parrot, JiJi, a new trick... When I ask her "Do you love Mommy?", she shakes her head up & down, when I ask her "Do you love Daddy?", she shakes her head back & forth! It's so cute!!! I've been putting her cage on the back porch some in the evenings- she loves it!!! She watches the puppies and all the birds that come to our feeders. If she's in the living room and we're trying to watch TV, she squawks so loud it makes our ears ring- she wants me to hold her all the time if I am in the room.

4. My wishes for this weekend are: Treat my husband to breakfast in bed... clean my carpets... clean out garage once and for ALL... work in the flower-beds... go to Clark Gardens (where we were married) and have a picnic... share a bottle of wine & watch movies all night long on Saturday night (no kids in the house!!! YIPPEE!!)... get a massage... of course not in that order though .... To me, that is a perfect weekend- Mark thinks it's work to stay at home all weekend though- so I'm sure we will have to compromise... THAT'S how we roll!!!

Brazos River- Rochelle's Canoes

HELGREMITES!!!!! EEEEUUUUUWWWW!

After about 2.5 hrs of paddling, and 4 beers (I KNOW!) What a lush- I laid down in my canoe and took a little nap! The boys parked the canoes on shore and decided to play in the rapids- they were lying on the rocks, in a shallow part- letting the water rush over them- as they were lying there, they were turning rocks over, and they starting getting attacked by bugs that live under the rocks- I was talking about this at work today, and found out what the bugs are- Helgremites are larvae of the Dobson fly- GROSS!!!! They have huge pinchers and mouths and they bite pretty hard- so I texted this picture to Mark & Tyler just now- YUCK-YUCK-YUCK- Thank goodness I had all that beer- right?!

Pictures that Tyler, (16-yr-old) sent me from his phone...

Tyler's view of Brazos River...

Wildboyz...

Tyler's playing football...

Toilet- I think Tyler was the only one who used it ;)

Father's Day camping trip...

What a fun weekend we had!!! Mark, the boys, and I went to the Brazos River and I stayed in a tent all night for the first time in my life. Mark packed for the whole trip, bought the food, got an air-mattress for me, and all I did was get in the truck Saturday morning. (Thank you Mark)!!! We set up camp, and then played in the river all day. We were completely primitive all weekend. No running water, no electricity, no toilet (except the bucket over a hole in the ground Mark made), I just peed in the river, and thank goodness I never had to do a #2 :), TMI, I'm so sorry... We made burgers over a fire that the boys made with wood they gathered and SAWED- they were delicious- and then I showed the boys how to make banana smores- they LOVED them!!! The guys played cards while I laid in the tent looking up at the stars... Sunday morning we made another fire, and had instant cappacino, then Mark made us breakfast burritos- AMAZINGLY GOOD!!! We set off in our canoes at 9:30 and away we go!!! The owner told us the winds were up to 26 miles-hr, and that we probably wouldn't make it down-stream- so 2 hrs in, we had only traveled 1 mile and 3/4- the wind was so strong at that point , we were paddling as hard as we could and were moving backwards!!! So funny- we turned around and went back. It still took us 2 hrs to get back- the water had white-caps- very strange in a river to see THAT!!! But we had a blast stopping and swimming- we had a picnic on a bank- played with and caught minnows in my bare hands with a pringle for bait!!! Will have more pics soon- from the waterproof camera Mark bought- these few pics are from my phone... I recommend this trip to everyone- it's really beautiful- and if not windy- you wouldn't have to paddle that much- its a 5-7 hr trip to get the 11 miles down river, and a shuttle takes you back to your car.

Madison is ALL-AMERICAN CHEERLEADER!!!

Madison has been in cheer-camp this week, and she was nominated, and then chosen for All-American Cheerleader!!! It's a National Award!!! She was the only cheerleader from Bowie to get this award, and only 6 girls were chosen from the whole camp!!! She gets this talent from her mother, of course! ~wink~wink~ She was given a patch for her letter jacket and she gets to register on-line with the organization, and possibly travel &/or perform with the others!!! Not exactly sure yet what it all entails... All 3 girls have a ball-game tonight- Mark got the boys today, we are going camping on the Brazos Saturday, then canoeing on an 8 hr trip on Sunday!!! So excited- I have never been on a primitive camping trip in my LIFE!!! It's just the boys, Mark and I- this is our Father's Day Celebration!

All-Around Cowgirl & her trophy!!!!!

Madison was awarded the All-Around Cowgirl Award yesterday- and won a SADDLE!!!! HUGE BIG DEAL!!!! Amazing job Maddie- we are all so proud of you!!! Thanks to Brad for taking the pictures!!! Thanks DAD!!!