There's nothing like a Daddy!

I can't say enough about the importance of a Father. I was very blessed to have the best Daddy ever growing up. I am doubly blessed that my children have been blessed with the very best Daddy too! Father's Day is a special day at our house. While I like to think Terry knows how special and important he is to us throughout the year, it is nice to have a day in his honor.

Terry is an amazing Daddy! I love to see him with our kids. He plays with them, laughs with them, snuggles with them and obviously loves them so much! And they truly love him back! My Daddy was a very special man in my life, and I am so thankful God has given my children a Daddy that is truly special to them too.

Happy Father's Day, Terry! We love you very much!!

The kids made cards for Terry

They got a kick out of watching him read them!

Avery - 12 1/2 Anna 10 Tanner - 7 1/2

So silly!

Summer Garden

This summer Terry decided he wanted to start a garden in the backyard. After building the raised beds, he planted radishes, carrots, okra, peas and, by my request, sunflowers. We were so excited to see the plants start growing! We knew next to nothing about a garden, and unfortunately because of that, we didn't get a lot we could actually eat out of it, but it was alot of fun and we learned a little bit. Maybe next summer we'll have so much we will have to learn all about canning!

Look! It's time for picking!

Our very first produce! A radish!!

A close up view!

This is where it ended up! In my salad!! Woohoo!

More of the garden

Some of our sunflowers! Love it!

Who Knows??

Let me just say - Tanner cracks me up! He does the funniest things sometimes and he just makes me laugh. I had to include these pictures he took one day. He had my camera and decided to have a little photo shoot around our den and they are just funny to me. So since I'm including them, I'll tell a little bit about some of them, since most things in our house are not just decoration but special mementos or memories made. Thanks Tanner for making me laugh! Who knows what he was thinking when he took these?

This is a picture of all the Ashleys - my mom's side of the family. It was taken in front of my grandmother, Mama Bert's, house in Lone Star at Thanksgiving one year. These are all of my aunts, uncles and cousins - there are many of us! Everyone happened to be there that Thanksgiving and I think that year there were 55 of us. That number has grown by about 5 or 6 since then. We are truly blessed to be part of such a big family! And there is never a dull moment when we all get together for holidays! Tina, Terry's sister, asked me when she saw this picture if this was from a family reunion. Ha! Nope! This is the normal crowd on a normal holiday!

Tanner took this lying upside down in our recliner. How talented is he!

I love this desk! I found it at an antique store after Avery was born, for $10, and Paige painted it for me. It's so colorful and fun and the kids over the years have colored many a picture while sitting here.

Another upside down picture from our talented photographer!

The kitchen table - the close up view from the den

Self portrait - I wonder if he was upside down??

Anna was not a willing subject

Terry was willing!

The mantle. I took the picture of the kids at Orange Beach, AL, the candlesticks were a wedding present, the rhino is McCarty pottery.....I could go on......

Terry and I bought this mirror in New Orleans when we went there for our 10th wedding anniversary. Love it!

Silhouettes of my sweet 3!

A baseball game on TV. Hmmm......

Don't have a clue about this one!

School Ends for the Summer

The end of each school year is always a little bittersweet. The kids are so excited to be out of school, but it is also the end of a school year full of friends, great teachers and new experiences.

Our kids all had great school years. Avery finished up the 6th grade in the very first year Milam Elementary was an all 6th grade school. Her teachers, Mrs. Corban, Mrs. Doss, Mrs. Wilson, and Ms. Fields-Jenkins were great and Avery really learned a lot. She loved her challenge teacher, Mrs. Otis, and made some new, great friends this year. She is definitely prepared for the middle school next year! Unfortunately, the older our kids get, the less I'm able to be in their classrooms, so I didn't get any pictures of Avery on her last day of school.

Anna finished the 4th grade at Lawndale Elementary School. This was her first year at this school and it couldn't have been any better! Her teacher, Ms. England, was great and her class as a whole was awesome! She learned sooo much and made new friends too.

Tanner completed 1st grade with his teacher, Mrs. Cartwright. This was her first year to teach and she was great! Tanner loved going to school and he made several new friends this year.

Another school year in the books! Let summer begin!!

Tanner and Mrs. Cartwright

Some of Tanner's class

Tanner with 2 of his buddies, Teagan and Jalen

Anna with Ms. England

Birthday Girl

My birthday this year was a BIG occasion! We celebrated as a family --- on a ball field! Where else would we be? I'm kidding when it sounds like I WANT my birthday to be a big occasion, because in reality, I don't. I don't mind birthdays at all, but they are really just another day with a little cake! Terry and the kids got me a great chocolate cake! It was chocolate through and through and was delicious! So after a couple of softball games, we came home and ate some cake! Oh - and they did sing Happy Birthday and I did get a few presents too! (We did a little more than just eat cake!)Every day with my precious family is a celebration, but I AM glad when a little chocolate cake is involved!