mississippi state fair

i love the fair. keith pretty much tolerates it; he knows it makes me happy to go. 

caleb starts asking in july when we're going again, however collin had no memories of last year. it's kind of fun to do new things with him, because you know he'll remember it all and look forward to it next year.

y'all will have to forgive me on all the pictures. i brought my REAL camera. i love my phone, but it doesn't compare to the awesomeness that is my DSLR (obviously, right?). the awesomeness is big and bulky and the lens usually hits my kids in the head when they walk next to me and there's so much to think about when i'm using it- BUT, these pictures are awfully pretty aren't they?

although he kinda looks serious here- collin was pretty enthusiastic about it all. just not about mama and the awesomeness taking his picture every 5 seconds.

and yes, i married a big bearded man. whatchall gone say 'bout it? it works for korie on duck dynasty. 

love them babies.

yeah buddy. drive that tractor!!

at first we had to keep collin from eating the carrots himself, and then he got all into feeding the animals. i'm telling you, the kid will eat anything.

caleb makes them work for their carrots, he barely holds it out there and will drop it quick if they make any sudden moves. he's cautious like his mama :)

collin would just about shove it down their throats. so different, my two. 

 he studiously avoided the camera at all costs! i'm not kidding. i was yelling his name and waving like crazy. or maybe i was embarrassing him. i don't know, but he ain't lookin'.

 big c kind of had a dilemma this year- he wouldn't ride any "baby" rides, but he wasn't too sure about big kid rides either.

 he loved this bubble thing. it looked kinda fun to me too!

busted!! big beard daddy on his phone. punk.

C's turkey hunt

a few weeks ago these little guys (caleb and trey) went with their daddies (keith and john) to the woods. they had a pretty big time, and even got to hear a gobbler! very exciting. i wouldn't know of course, but i'll take their word for it.

i wanna move to the country

neenaw and pawpaw love

happy birthday daddy!

C made his daddy a card. he used scissors, tape, and the stapler.

i took cman to the store to buy his daddy some presents. every salesperson there (it was a huntin' store) ended up helping us. C could not make up his mind for nothin'. i really think he just liked walking around the store a whole bunch so he just kept delaying the inevitable. i guess C was pretty thoughtful because keith really liked his gifts :)

i brushed buff's hair when he got out of the tub and we decided he looked like either a televangelist or an ole time gospel sanger. yes, i said sanger. the picture does not do justice to the height his hair achieved. it was quite funny!

daddy blowing out his candles. C helped me make and ice the cake- or i'm blaming the way the icing looks on C- because it really does look kinda bad in this picture. oh well, it tasted good!

country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm!

this afternoon we took a little trip to keith's family home, aka polk ranch, to visit with his sweet mom and dad.

our (new to us) four-wheeler. we were blessed with this fun big kid toy, and a trailer too after a little bartering on keith's part- how cool is that? God is good! He even provides things you never even knew you wanted (in my case anyway). no really, i'm thrilled to have it :)
anyway, keith took buff and i for a ride this afternoon and i mentioned that this was buff's maiden voyage, to which keith said, "naa, he's been one time before. he loves it." and sure enough, when i started downloading pictures, i found this picture from the wienie roast a few weeks ago. y'all don't think for a second they were just posing. nope, they'd been touring the ranch people. he does love it too- laid back little youngin'.

collin wanted to be just like big brother and ride

big C is one cool kid

thankful

i've been thinking a lot lately about what i'm thankful for. i love this time of year and i really see the benefit in taking some time to look at all my little blessings. here are just a few things i'm particularly thankful for (in no particular order):

this little guy went with his dad to a "bless the hunt" event at our church the other night. i'm so thankful for the kid that he is- most of the time he's pretty pleasant and fun to be around. i'm thankful that there are adults (other than family members) who enjoy and want to spend time with caleb and pour into him.
i'm also so thankful that he seems to have a passion for the outdoors, just like his daddy. while i would say that this is something he enjoys because his daddy does- i really think it's a real interest and one that won't go away with time (and i think my friends and family would be in agreement with this!) i've been praying that it doesn't. i think it's so important that teenagers have something to identify themselves with (okay, actually dr. dobson says this :) and i think my involvement in extra-curricular stuff in school was a true testament to this as well. my hope is that caleb can spend his time in the woods with his dad and brother instead of time playing mindless video games or watching tv or getting into stuff he shouldn't!

oh, this little fella. i just love him. and i'm so very thankful for every little part of him. even though he doesn't say mama unless he's mad. he does say my name, however, and he does associate it with me. i should be thankful for that, right?
i didn't understand before i had two, how i could feel differently about my kids and yet love them equally. it's not a favoritism thing, it's just a difference. i so can't adequately explain what i mean here- it's not a negative thing, i promise :) having collin has taught me so much about faith, patience and trusting the Lord these past (almost) two years (i'm counting the one that he was in my belly). he is my baby, and i'm just filled to the brim smitten with the little dude- and i'm thankful for the lessons that he came with.


my little pilgrim and his beloved mrs. mistie. i've been thinking a lot about C's school and how thankful i've been for these past two years. one of the best things about caleb being at preschool is that he's learned how to be a friend. he's learned how to make them and be one, and this is a skill that's far more important to me at this age than any book learning (although he gets that too.) he's learned how to show empathy, share, take turns, stand up for himself, and make good choices even when someone else isn't. so many times i'll be talking to C about something that happened that day at school and he'll say, "i KNOW. mrs. mistie said that already". while cdawg isn't perfect at any of these qualities by any stretch of the imagination, i'm glad that a foundation has been laid. i'm so thankful that his teachers have helped me to pour in biblical truths in a way that he can apply them while in a safe environment. i think he's going to be SO ready for kindergarten next year. me on the other hand, that's a different story!

i'm thankful for my man. i'm thankful that he's such a good and selfless daddy. he started his new job this week and has been really stretched, and yet no matter what time it was when he came home he's been quick to take time with our little punks and love on them. he was ex.hau.sted friday night and still took C to bass pro, and then made a trip back after he got home because caleb left his beloved camo hat. i'm thankful that he gets up early with collin so i can sleep and he can spend time with him since collin goes to bed so early. i'm thankful he does the dishes without being asked too, and willingly bathes caleb and gets him ready for bed almost every night. it's no small thing to have a man who desires to spend time with his kids and his wife, and makes a lot of sacrifices to do so. today he kept the boys all day instead of hunting so i could work (yes, i really wanted to! it's a little decorating side job, i super heart it!)
i'll shut up now, 'cause i know y'all are all saying blah blah blah in your head, but really, the man is pretty tough to beat. unless he's your man, and then i know you're thinking all of the best things about him too :)

meet frank

usually i include a sweet little pumpkin prayer that we do about God scooping out all of the yucky stuff inside and making us into new creations. it's just that this year caleb informed me that we were going to talk about that later and just work on making "frank". alrighty then. he got all into scooping out the guts....

and daddy did the eyes, nose, and mouth to exact specifications per caleb. (this was his first time to ever carve one so don't judge him to harshly. actually, i never did any better but it kinda makes me a little ashamed when i see all the fab pumpkins people carve!)

and now, you get to finally meet dear old frank. instead of taking him outside, we decided the best place to view his loveliness would be in the bathroom. he is kinda pretty, huh?

and last, but not least- my favorite part of the whole process- toasted pumpkin seeds! they are awesome! no really, you toast them with a little butter and salt and they taste kinda like popcorn. yummy!

the polk boys

here ya go- my heart wrapped up in three men. how much do i love them! just as a side note, i'd like to add how happy it makes me that keith has such a good relationship with his little guys. there's not a day that goes by that keith doesn't take time to play with caleb and collin- whether it be building with blocks or wrastlin' on the floor. they adore and look up to their dad so much. makes me love him all the more!

C and Daddy

helping daddy mow the lawn. and just as a side note- this is the ONLY tree that has ever lived in our yard. we kill everything! i think this is our fourth tree and it's still not for sure it'll be a sucess.

daddy n his sexy white legs


this one is of C throwing his baseball. not sure how it got stuck in here, but oh well! just a bonus i guess.