oh man...

Yes, I backed into a car this evening. I'd like to blame it on the other car because afterall, they WERE parked well over the line. But really, I should have seen them and I just didn't. I am so mad at myself right now!

reece's first day of pads...

...didn't go so well. Noone taught him how to hit... yet, he was thrown in there hitting against boys almost twice his size. Needless to say, he was in tears afterwards. It broke my heart to see him in this state. He was so excited to go to practice today but came home so deflated, discouraged and heart broken. He wanted to quit.

Cayce and I both talked to him for a long time - several different times. Finally, we convinced him to try it a little longer. Cayce and Colton are going to work with him tomorrow afternoon, teaching him the basics of tackle. And soon, the boys will be divided into different levels, which should keep Reece with boys his own size.

Football may not be Reece's thing but as much as he loves flag football, I hate to see him give up on it so quickly. I'm so thankful he's giving it another chance - it shows a glimpse of persistence, which we're not used to seeing with Reece. I so hope it pays off!

an original play...

a new addition...

Ben and Gail asked us if there was anything of Mommy's (Cayce's grandmother) that we might want to have... it was unanimous: We all wanted the lion. Last night, Ben delivered our new family member who for now, we'll call "Jackson". If you have to ask why, then you don't know the youngest child in our family very well!

life group warriors...

goodbye acu...

Today, we picked up our campers!! It was so good to see my sweet and smelly Reece and Cecily! Showers are definitely in the near future but for now it's just nice to hug them and kiss them and listen to the stories of all their wonderful adventures from this past week.

perrini ranch...

Perrini Ranch is an Abilene staple... actually situated just outside Abilene in Buffalo Gap. Known for it's steaks, live music and dancing under the stars, it is popular date night destination for the many Abilene college students. That being said, I never once ate there during my college years. Dawn, on the other hand, went there often with her then boyfriend, Barry, his brothers and all their friends. 18 years after my college graduation, I have finally visited Perrini's... and I must say, it was well worth the wait!

my boy!

Look who I ran into in the Campus Center today! And he even let me hug him! Oh, how I love my Reece-boy and oh how I've missed him!

brock's day at the farm...

I couldn't fit all the pics from "Brock's Day at the Farm" but these were some of my favorites. Brock LOVES being at Aunt DD's and Uncle Barry's. He has always wanted to be a cowboy and being here allows him to be one. He loves to work and doesn't mind getting hot, sweaty and dirty so he really is a good little helper at chore time. Today, he got up early to help Dawn build a rabbit pen. After breakfast, the day was wide open for anything and everything "farm" for this little boy. Jumped on the trampoline on and off all day; drove the golf cart to the dump the trash and then down the county road (whistling all the while, of course); helped Barry feed the fish and the birds; went 4-wheeler riding with Barry; got a tractor ride; and lots of swimming complete with plenty of belly flops and diving for rings. He's been in heaven all day today and tonight, he is one tired little boy.

shopping with the sis...

It was a hot but great day for outdoor shopping with my sister and our cute little tag-a-long, Brock. Dawn and I always have so much fun together during excursions like this... lots of laughing is required and today was certainly no exception. Wonder if Brock will ever recover, though?!

a road trip snooze...

Traveling to Dawn's today brought on an out-of-the-ordinary, mid-day nap for the Brock-man.

dorm life...

Cecily and Natalie became roomies today... Dawn and I helped them get settled into Gardner Dorm, the same dorm she and I were college roommates in 21 years ago. Weird.

It's ACU Camp time and everyone's excited... Reece, Cecily, Morgan, Natalie and all the many other kiddos who came from far and near to attend. This is our 5th year to bring a child to camp but it's my 1st year to bring a girl. In the boys' dorm, you simply drop off their suitcase, help get their bedding on the bed, and leave. Many times the boys are already gone by the time I finish - enjoying their newfound freedom by roaming the halls and campus for new and old friends. If I can find my son(s) when it's time to leave, I am lucky to even get a goodbye hug (kisses aren't even an option)!

The girls' dorm experience is much different experience I have learned... Dawn and I actually talked on the phone AHEAD of time and planned out the things we would bring to "decorate" the girls' room. Dawn knew from previous experience that this was a must. Looking at the pictures above could make one think we went overboard but oh no, I can assure you - we did not. To walk around and see some of the other rooms, one would have to pick their lower jaw off the ground (which I did). Nonetheless, Cecily and Natalie loved their room and we succeeded in making it into a place they felt comfortable and at home in... an important aspect for girls. The girls were good to hang around and help however needed but they also flitted about visiting their neighbors and counselor. And as for the lovin' department -- hugs and kisses were a'plenty as we left... not once or twice but THREE times!

I'm glad I only have one girl - not sure I could do this more than once - but it sure was fun doing it for Cecily! Maybe next year, I'll have to add just a LITTLE pizazz to Colton and Reece's rooms - just for fun!

just hangin...

Last day in San Antonio... Oma made a very yummy lunch and we got to just "hang" with Oma and Uncle Tony... very fun!

institute of texan cultures...

This was a place I visited several times as a child and I have wanted for years to bring my children. Cecily and I definitely enjoyed it more than her brothers. Just too much reading for the boys to "get into it". I learned so much from the exhibits, though... it's kind of like you travel back in time and are walking the streets centuries ago, when immigrants from all different countries began to move here and settle this great state. I learned "why" some of them came, and "what" they did to survive once they came. I spent alot of time, reading and learning about my own ancestors... the German immigrants, Irish, Italian and Polish. It was also fun to look at the Belgium exhibit because some of our dear friends growing up were featured in it. Their family was one of the first Belgium families to move to San Antonio! My mother believes her own grandmother was also one of the first Irish families to settle the area. We learned about the native Indians, the War with Mexico and slavery. We walked through a replica of a sharecropper's shack and how humbling it was to see how they lived.

It was refreshing to be reminded how, in a lot of ways, life used to be so simple. Back when my grandparents were children, very few material things were needed to enjoy life. Life was hard work but it was good. I love the stories, the pictures and the historical treasures... and I am hopeful that my own children will love learning about history as much as I do once they are older... because there really is SO much to learn from history.

fiesta texas!!

From open (10:30 am) to close (10 pm), the kids and I spent this very HOT and very HUMID summer day at Fiesta Texas! It was a great day. Hot, yes. Humid, yes. But lots of water and the occasional icey treat, helped us make it through an amazingly fun day of rides and attractions.

Brock surprised us all by riding ALL roller coasters he was allowed on... as did Cecily! I personally rode one too many - and let me just say that if you are prone to motion sickness at all and/or could possibly be suffering from heat exhaustion, the "Poltergeist" ride is definitely NOT for you. To say that I was miserable for hours afterward doesn't do it justice. All I could think about was, "If I pass out, what will my kids do?!". Thankfully, the kids were very understanding and made adjustments to help me make it through the remainder of the day.

The highlight of this day, for me, was the laser light show after dark. I had forgotten how incredible it is. The history of Texas, as well as all things that have to do with modern-day Texas, are shown on the sides of cliffs with the use of an amazing laser light show and fireworks display. Music and narration make it both entertaining and educational - and the kids loved it! I loved it because my kids learned so much about this great state that will always hold a special place in my heart.

a full day...

Cecily and Brock had fun with Oma today... making homemade blueberry muffins together, playing the piano, talking and playing games. Special times for them and some rest time for me!

Tonight, my Reece-Boy joined us, compliments of Southwest airlines. This marked his first time to ever to fly by himself. He was very excited and as it turned out, there were actually quite a few kids flying solo on his flight, so they all sat together and had a great time.

Our hotel is downtown, so the kids and I spent some time walking around down there tonight. The above picture shows them at The Alamo - another first!

tacos...

Tacos. Brock wants them for every meal it seems. I'm not complaining... at least not yet!

mall fun with uncle ricky...

Today, we drove to Austin to visit Ricky and Courtney. After a yummy lunch at "Serrano's", Ricky and I hit Lakeview Mall with the kids where they had a blast doing "bungee jumping" and doing a hurricane simulator. Of course, no visit to the mall is complete without Dipppin Dots ice cream and some shopping time for Mom. Later that night, Ricky and Courtney treated us to dinner at "Texas Land & Cattle Co.", and then back at the house, everyone participated in a cinderella play, directed by Cecily. It was repeatedly performed with changes in the casting... but performed in different accents and different styles. Haven't laughed that hard in a long time!! Kudos to Uncle Ricky and Aunt Courteny for being GREAT sports!!

Texas!

We have arrived! Cecily, Brock and I traveled from our home in Franklin to Rockwall, Texas, today. For the most part, it was a very uneventful day. The kids traveled well and aside from the many bathroom stops we had to make for the Brock-man, we made really good time. I can't get over how easy it is traveling with just two children! This picture was taken in Texarkana, just after we had passed over the state line into Texas. The kids were as excited as I was! I love Tennessee but Texas will always hold a special place in my heart.

well checks...

Annual well checks at the doctor's office today... those are some mighty cute patients!

world cup at the powells...

It's World Cup time which means the Powell household has suddenly become soccer fanatics. Colton, in fact, is so crazed by the sport that he even sets his alarm so he can get up early to watch the games. It's almost as bad as football season around here... did I really just say that?!

a hot day alternative...

What to do when it's incredibly hot outside and we need a break from the pool? Why, puzzles of course! A whole living room full of them provides hours of entertainment... and the best part is, it was the kids idea!

swim meet #2...

Reece and Cecily have improved so much by their second swim meet. I don't know what their scores ended up being yet (will find out at next practice) but they looked so much more confident in the water. I do know that Reece finished 2nd in the Backstroke - a huge accomplishment for him. And each of them won one of their heats (both were team relay events) today... again what a confidence booster! I look forward to seeing if they placed in any other events. As I said at their last meet, I am so proud of them!

belated fireworks...

Today is July 5th and while our family enjoyed an awesome fireworks display last night at Old Natchez, TONIGHT the kids got to help put on their own display. Together with ALOT of friends, we gathered at the Parker's where the Mayor of Franklin arrived with a truckload of fireworks to shoot off for the kids. This has become somewhat of a tradition and has evolved into the kids lighting them and the adults supervising. What a fun and festive night for all!

the first tooth!

At the age of 7 years and 3 months, my baby has finally lost his first tooth! Obviously, this is HUGE news in these parts and to say Brock is excited is an understatement. While teeth #2 and #3 aren't far behind, for now we will just soak up the moment and celebrate this rite of passage that every child longs for. And yes, I am a little sad that my baby won't be looking so much like a baby for much longer.

date night...

Beautiful Gerbera Daisies (surprise!) + an hour and a half dinner and conversation at Zolo's (deliciouso!) + a movie that made me cry from laughing so hard ("Grown Ups") + dessert at Sweet CeCe's (with the rest of Franklin) + a gorgeous summer night = AN AMAZING DATE NIGHT WITH MY AMAZING HUSBAND!

summertime...

Today was just one of those beautiful summer days that we all love. The temperatures finally dropped, low humidity, clear and vibrant. Just beautiful!