The Boys!

Last week I was fortunate to get to keep Hudson. We also had Sierra and Pierce (and a few of Sierra's friends) that week. Each time they are here, they seem to grow up a little more. It's fun to watch this transition, but also saddens me because I realize how quickly that happens - looking at our two oldest. Both Sierra and Pierce are very good with Hudson. The photo of Pierce and Hudson was the sweetest thing ever! I was preparing Hudson's breakfast when Pierce woke-up and walked into the kitchen. He didn't say a word, pulled a barstool next to Hudson's highchair, and reached over to give him a kiss. Ahhh...kids, aren't they great! I DO LOVE OUR CHILDREN!!!

Oh, the girls, by the way...were still snug as a bug in bed. That's just what girls do. What can I say, a girl needs her beauty sleep.

Four years and stronger than ever...

Four years ago, July 23, 2004, I married my best friend.

Just like all friends, we've had our occasional disagreements, but those are getting fewer and farther between. At times, I almost feel guilty about how happy I am, and how compatible we are together...but Brett always reminds me, we didn't have anything to do with it - God had a plan for us. Well, I'd just like to say the plan is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Not only did I get a wonderful husband, I also was blessed with two children and a wonderful extended family as well. God has more plans in store for us...and I can't wait to spend each and every one of them with Brett.

Here's to many, many, more wonderful years.

KB

Boring

I'm usually pretty good about updating our blog. But for the life of me, I can't think of anything "interesting" to write about. Our life has been pretty low-key lately. Other than playing golf, swimming, and doing the occasional yard work, not much going on.

Thursday evening I came down with some kind of nasty stomach virus. By Friday morning, Brett had it too. We got the kids at noon on Friday, so that was pretty interesting. All we wanted to do was sleep, and when we weren't sleeping, we were in the bathroom throwing up. We were a sight to see! The kids felt sorry for us and pretty much stayed in their rooms watching T.V. I was bound and determined NOT to ruin their first day with us, so I loaded them up, and took them both to Target. I know I must have looked terrible, due to the number of people that were staring. Haven't they ever seen a woman white-faced, bent over walking with two small children?? Sierra got a new back-pack for school, and Pierce got a movie that he spent the evening watching (thank goodness for movies). Sierra left around 6pm to go to the lake with a friend. Pierce was an angel and watched tv with us until it was time to go to bed. We both are feeling better today...still moving a little slow, but I think we'll survive. Oh, did I mention, Megan was off work two days last week with the same thing? I felt like my face was on fire (but no fever), my eyes watered, my stomach cramped, and I couldn't keep anything down. Just wanted to give you the low-down in case you start feeling the same...again, no fun - and not interesting. Therefore, no blog lately.

Here's wishing you don't EVER get that nasty stomach virus. It's not a pretty.

KB

Our "only" Child

This week we only have Pierce. Sierra went to the lake with a friend for the 4th of July holiday, and won't return until the 10th or 11th.

It is really nice to have that 1:1 time with your children. Pierce has been an ANGEL (just ask him:) and he is really enjoying the attention. I will have to say, I have laughed so hard my jaws hurt this week. He is SO serious, and funny at the same time. I really need to keep a journal to write all of this down - because as much as you think you'll remember, he says something new and I forget the last thing he said.

Pierce is a sweet, loving, funny, independent, smart, little boy. In fact, the other night we were outside looking for frogs. We found a huge toad in our front yard and Pierce bent down to pet it. Well, low-and-behold, this toad just sat there! Pierce not only petted the toad, he went and found 3 june-bugs to feed it. It is now his new best friend. I asked him how he got to be SO good with animals (and insects), and he said because he is just a smart animal doctor. He explained to me the reason he is so smart is because he eats a lot of smarties! Makes sense. I think I'm going to try it...can't hurt. He also asked me the other day if he could ride his electric scooter around the block. Now that we have sidewalks all the way around, we will let the kids ride around it "once" and check-in...we (or I) usually stand outside and wait until they get back - they also take walkie-talkies with them. But, knowing Pierce, and just that instinct that you get as a parent, I had a funny feeling about this. He gets distracted very easy and I just didn't know that he would actually just ride around the block, with no stops, and come straight home. Well, after what seemed like an eternity, I convinced Brett to jump on a scooter and go look for him. Not long after, here he comes, speeding on the side-walk, with dad behind on another scooter. He got to the house, jumped off his scooter, and said to me, "do you wanna know WHY I broke the rules?" and without a breath continued..."would you like a dog to die, huh, would you?" I acted very concerned and told him, of course not! He said he noticed a friends dog down at the pond and wanted to save it. He went to the friends house, they didn't believe him, so he had to take them there himself to prove it. All this to say - sorry mom, I didn't go around the block and come straight home. He was out of breath, dazed and just down-right horrified that a dog almost drowned! So he had to aide in it's rescue - which I found out later the dog always goes over to the pond to get a drink.

I could go on-and-on...it has been a wonderful, fun, week with Pierce. Tomorrow Sierra will be home and it will be really good to see her. As much as you love ALL your children, sometimes it's nice to have that special time when you can concentrate on them one at a time.

KB

Bragging

Well, since my wife opened up this can of worms, I do believe that gives me the right to tell an incredible story. As posted below, Kelly has taken up golf. "Taken up" is such a light term when you compare it to where she seems to be emotionally with this lifetime sport. Yes, she has admitted that she wanted to get started playing because of my interests, but I think it would be safe to say that not only has she "taken up" golf, but she is now officially obsessed.

A guy at my office that I play often with will sometimes say: "That is the shot that will keep you coming back tomorrow" when someone (usually not me) makes a great shot. I wanted to tell a story of two back-to-back shots that probably led Kelly to get "hooked". It is the #2 hole at our favorite golf course and is a Par 5 - 400 yard hole from the ladies tees. We were playing last week sometime (can't remember the exact day because I think we played five days in a row)and Kelly stepped onto the tee box with her driver. She proceeded to drive the ball 250 yards right down the middle of the fairway (in fact she almost hit it TOO hard - through the dogleg left turn of the fairway). We got to her ball and it was sitting just on the edge of the fairway which left her about a 150 yard shot to the green. At this point I was incredulous and probably already said "That shot right there will bring you back tomorrow". Little did I know what was left to come.....

Kelly had a decision. You see, there is a creek that runs across the fairway right in front of the green on this hole. Most people "lay up" so that their third shot is down close to the creek with an easy approach shot to "up and down" for par. Kelly asked me what to do. I told her that if it were me (and this in itself should tell you something of MY golf game) I would go for it (try to hit it over the green and make it stop), but that she had to decide for herself. Kelly is a little more (maybe a bunch more) conservative than I am, so she asked what club would be the best to lay up in front of the creek. I told her that the pitching wedge would probably be the best, but said "You're not going to have the chance to be sitting 2 on the green on a par 5 very often, why not just go for it?" She reluctantly pulled her 3 wood out and proceeded to crush it right down the fairway toward the creek. Unfortunately, from where we were standing it was kind of a "blind" shot meaning we could not see where it was going, so we lost sight of it (pretty sure it went into the creek).

So we drove around the green and started heading down to look for her ball when we almost stepped on it. It was sitting about twenty feet from the pin on the fringe of the green. (ON a PAR 5!!) It was the two best shots I have ever seen (from ANYONE) back-to-back. It was incredible. See the picture to see where she ended up (and remember this is a par 5 - have I said that already?). I have another picture, but will have to get permission from Kelly before I post it with her posing next to the ball.

That is just one story of my VERY athletic wife that has taken up a very tough sport and just jumped in being able to compete VERY quickly. (You can see her swing in action on the previous post).

Kelly now has the golf channel on the TV in the background pretty much twenty four seven. And we are planning vacations around golf in the future.

My wife is awesome.

BB

New Interest

Just recently we have picked up a new interest...well, I have, Brett has always loved golf. In fact, he is in Enid today playing with his brother, brother in-law and nephew. But I originally started playing because I knew it was something Brett liked to do, and I think it's important to have some common interests in a marriage. I quickly began to love the game! Now, I've got a ways to go to be a "good" golfer, but it's not difficult to love the scenery - and of course the company :) This week, we have played four nights in a row and one of those nights we played with Brandon.

Golf - what a nice, relaxing, sometimes frustrating, sport. But something we do together...which makes all the frustrations worth it.

KB