MUD FIGHT!!!!!

I know, I know, all of the pictures I post of my kids are of them doing something to get dirty. I have come to the conclusion they are just "NATURALLY DIRTY!" I bathe them at least 3 times a day (Not exaggerating) but they always seem to find a way to get dirty again. I think I will have to nick-name both of them PIG-PEN like off of Peanuts. (Was that the dirty kids name?)

This time was fun to watch. We have a well in our front yard that isn't working very well so we let it run as long as it will on our pecan trees to try to clean it out. Darrell and Tad started out by just driving their trucks through the mud and then it turned into a full blown MUD WAR! They had so much fun, I couldn't stop them. Why should I? I figure dirt can't hurt them and it washes off!

He's to sweet!

Darrell has been saying some cute things lately. He has quite the imagination. This morning though has been my favorite so far. I am always telling him how much I really Love him and he usually says "No!" and he won't say it back. This morning I was laying on the couch and he came over and rolled up on the couch with me and looked at me and smiled and said " Mom I really Lub you!" It was so cute. He is funny. He is a Sunbeam now so while he was waiting for primary to start, he got bored so he went over to our secretary that had just gotten her binder out of the closet and he said, " Hey whad ja find!" It probably isn't as cute to everyone else but his little personality is so sweet. He is going to be our class clown. He does everything he can to get you to laugh.

Darrell, I really Lub you too!

By the way, we know FOR SURE Joe will keep his job. WHEW! Thanks for the prayers!

Mondays the day...

I haven't posted in so long I figured I had better post something even if it is just ramblings. Things have been a little tense around our little town this past month and I need to vent or I am going to have a serious meltdown.
Freeport-McMoran (the mine in Morenci that Joe works for) announced a month ago that there was going to be a mass layoff. The price of copper is below production cost and I guess they figure laying off a ton of people is going to solve the problem. They didn't give anyone a clue as to who was going to get layed off. They offered an early retirement package and this past week Joe brought home a paper offering a deal for anyone who would leave voluntarily. Pretty much the only thing keeping our little town alive is the mine. It is the main source of employment. The air in the town is heavy. You can feel the stress and tention anywhere you go and the only thing anyone talks about is this layoff. Well Monday is the day they will start to let people go. My heart is heavy when I think of all of the families I know that could be effected. It makes me sad to think the future for these families our little town could be grim. They are going to layoff 1550 people so who knows what the outcome will be. That is about half of the mine.
I don't like posting negative things on my blog because I hate to dwell on the negative. The only reason I am posting this is to ask for your prayers for the people that are going to be effected by this. Not us imparticular but for the whole group. I know there is going to be a lot of anger and contention all next week and I am hoping nothing to serious happens. If you are a reader of this blog and you or any of your family members work for Freeport, know that our prayers are with you. Thank you all for everything you do.

ALL ABOARD!!!

We have this great family that lives in Duncan that adopted us. Joe used to work for this family when he has a lot younger and they adopted him then and the kids and I were adopted as we came along. They got us tickets to ride the Polar Express Train for Christmas this year because they knew how fascinated the boys are with trains. It was such a sweet gift and we can't thank them enough.
I don't know who was more excited to ride a train, Darrell and Tad or ME! They had so much fun. We boarded at 6:30 p.m. and they gave all of us hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. They read the Polar Express book to us on the way to the North Pole. After about 30 minutes we got to the North Pole and we saw SANTA! Who knew he would still be around. He got on the train and visited all of the train cars. He gave each of the kids their very own bell. Darrell and Tad LOVE them! The ride back was for 30 more minutes and we sang Christmas Carols and had a ton of fun. It was to stinkin' cold to put them in their pajamas so we looked like hum-bugs in regular street clothes. Oh well. We are going to go back but I think next time we are going to go all the way to the grand canyon and stay the night then come back the next day. These aren't all of the pictures I wanted to post some are on another camera so I will post them as soon as I can get them.

Joe, Darrell, and Tad

Our Conductor

Darrell, so excited to finally be on the train

Joe and Tad on the train

They had so much FUN!

Darrell with his Hot Chocolate, Tad didn't want to drink his.

Darrell getting his bell from Santa

Darrell with his bell

Tad with his bell.

Outside the Train Depot they had tons of amazing lights

Their Bells

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Last night we finally got our tree put up and decorated! It only took till the middle of December to do it but we DID IT! Darrell is so excited. All he talks about is the Christmas tree and Santa Claus. It is starting to get a lot more fun, the older the boys are getting. Darrell and Tad got to put the ornaments on the tree. It had a nice band of colorful balls around the bottom. I think there was to much tree for Tad to decide where to put his so he just put all of his on the same branch pretty much. Santa's little elf had to rearrange after they went to bed or it would have drove her CRAZY! We hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas!

Somebody call Calvin Klein ....

Because he LOST his model! Who knew this years fashion would be Mr. Incredible undies and IRRIGATION BOOTS! This has been this young mans attire for the last 3 days and he is so stinkin' CUTE! Our little midge looks so silly in his little tiny undies!


Darrell made it to the end of his train chart!!!!! So this was the prize hiding inside of the treasure chest! He will not put it down for the LIFE of him! He is so excited about it. All day he has walked around the house saying," Mom, I'm playin with my prize!" or "Mom look at my present, it's a little baby tractor!" He is so funny. They both are doing great! Only 1 accident from each of them today and Darrell is starting to tell me when he needs to go before he starts to!

Hopefully the end.....

The end of diapers anyway! I am taking on my biggest challenge so far with my children.......

POTTY TRAINING!

I have been working on this task for I don't know how long with Darrell and he is finally starting to get the hang of it. I still have to take him to the bathroom but for the most part he will tell me when he has to go. As if Darrell wasn't enough, I decided I would potty train Tad as well. He is showing all of the signs of being ready so why not! Today was our first day and Tad only had 2 accidents and he had a dry nap! Hooray! Darrell had a good day also! I made these potty charts and they are the only thing that has seemed to work with Darrell. Tad wanted one so bad that his is working great! Wish me luck! This week is going to be the toughest!

This one is Tad's. He loves everything about horses, riding them feeding them and petting all over them. When the horse makes it to the sack of grain, Tad gets a surprise. If he has an accident, he has to go backwards.

Darrell is obsessed with trains so I knew Thomas would work great for him. If he has an accident, he also has to move back a dot away from the treasure. He does not like that very well!