Bedhead At Its Best

Okay, okay...yes Mari, life IS happening. I have been such a slacker this past year. Adjusting to life in Arkansas, creating the Lemon Tree, and having baby #4 was all I could handle I guess. I plan to get on the ball and keep this more updated with the crazy fun that is our life!

To start it off again I shall show you a picture of my sweet Emmy that made my day. Nothing better than a little bedhead...

Private Swimming Lessons

Private swimming lessons the week of June 6 with Miss Jo were fantastical for us all. This lady is the sweetest, most patient, yet persistent swimming teacher. Just what my kids needed. At one point Kaela was refusing to do what Miss Jo asked and Miss Jo looked over at me smiling and said, "I'm just as stubborn as she is, so I'm not going to give up until she does it!" It was then I knew she was worth every penny.

They had her all to themselves for 30 minutes each day for one week. Kaela was thrilled to learn to swim but that girl became so whiny when Miss Jo asked her to do something new. I decided to write a few of the classics down. I also recorded Luke's daily progress:
Day 1: Kaela was refusing to try something and Miss Jo said in her little southern accent, "Do you want to get better (sounds like "badder")?". Kaela confusedly repeats, "I don't understand what you're saying!" Kaela did swim on the first try though! She was so ready.
Luke refused to put his face in the water.

Day 2: Kaela states, "I think I'm getting sea sick".
Luke yells grumpily, "I can't do it!"

Day 3: Kaela squeals, "my innerds hurt too much!" when she didn't want to put her face in the water while swimming.
Luke's face goes in the water and he loves it and he tells Miss Jo, "sometimes I pee in the pool."

Day 4: Kaela told Miss Jo before their lesson started, "I'm not going to whine today." And Miss Jo claimed she didn't! I had to leave for this lesson and when I returned Miss Jo said about Luke, "This one was so brave he had me scared to death!"

Day 5: Kaela broke out in a rash and fever so we postponed (no wonder she was so whiny most of the time!). Their last lesson was really great and they were both doing exactly what Miss Jo wanted and were all smiles. That is, until a big old lightening bolt flew out of a cloud literally feet from us and everyone bolted out of the water. Sadly, it had to end early before they could jump off her diving board.
These swimming lessons saved us. I can go to the pool now confident with Kaela's ability to swim, and Luke is much more comfortable too. It's made for a lovely summer at our neighborhood pool.

Emmy's First True Laugh

Emmy is a walking, babbling, steal-your heart little munchkin. That girl has me smiling at every turn. She has been our only child, though, that doesn't seem to truly laugh. She giggles here and there but doesn't surrender to it...until now. Amazingly , I caught some of her first real laughing fit on video.

My Little Lemon Tree Project

All of my extra time lately has been spent on creating a new blog called The Lemon Tree Project. It is a blog where life's "light bulb" moments can be shared. Simple tips, tricks, and advice to make life easier and more fun. This random idea has felt, not to be cheesy, inspired.

Since being jolted out of my comfort zone with the new move, I've been sort of going through this stay-at-home mom crisis and needed to feel like I was contributing to the world and growing as a person. This blog idea came to me and when I dare told Joey about it, he really encouraged me. So, after almost calling it "Life Shared", "Fireflying", and "Unexpected Insight" - the Lemon Tree finally wafted into this brain of mine and it just flowed from there.

Where did I come up with the name you ask? I always adored the Lemon Tree in our front yard growing up and as a kid I loved to climb and practically live in trees (no kidding, does that make me so strange?). So, what better place for me to "sit in" for a while than my own little Lemon Tree.

You can click on the "button" Katie created to check it out. And before you do, just know that she is the talent behind the beauty and graphics of the blog. I couldn't have done it without her!

Rockin' the Mid-Week Date

This is me and Joey on a hot mid-week date at what they call here a "Walmart Shareholders Meeting". This was just one of the many free concerts they put on when they have these so-called "meetings".

This is REO Speed Wagon entertaining us with songs I didn't even know I liked, like, "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" and "Heard It Through A Friend Who Heard it Through A Friend Who..." and other awesomely 70's songs.

This is REO Speedwagon's drummer, who kept me in giggle fits with his pursed lips, wife beater, and American Girl Doll hair. Classic.

These are the Skinners, our bestest buds and neighbors out here, who weren't fortunate enough to find a school night sitter. Love this candid of them. That little cute guy Connor is Luke's best friend. They can't seem to get enough of each other.

This is The Bare Naked Ladies, the reason Joey wanted to go. And before you size my man up, it's a band people! They sing that "Chickity Chine of the Chinese Chicken" song and "If I Had A Million Dollars". Arkansas didn't seem that into it, but were.

This is a video of the sign language interpreters that were signing & dancing their hearts out to every song. I've never seen anything like it, and man could they groove. The Bare Naked Ladies couldn't get over the fact that they were, and I quote, "deaf people's favorite band".

And to top off the night, the newbie babysitter, who just so happens to live a few houses over, had a glowing report! Good Times.

We (He) Did It!

Lucas Dale Hobson is officially potty trained! Phew.  I promised myself I wasn't going to stress over potty training him because trying to train Kaela just about sent me over the edge.  So, I figured I'd let him figure it out on his own.  Only that wasn't happening.  Joey finally had had enough and encouraged me to at least get this boy started a good month ago.  So I did.  And 4 Weeks Later we dare leave the house in BIG BOY UNDIES!  So nice.

Turtle Crossing