Rayne won 2nd place in the 7th- 8th grade spelling bee. Yay, Rayne.
Rance said he came in 5th in the 5th-6th grade bee. Lex says Rance slammed down his microphone after he misspelled his word, but Rance denies it. lol

Addie

I spent the afternoon yesterday at Brittany's trying to get some pictures of Addie. It's hard to get good pictures of a newborn. Especially one that wants her passy in her mouth. lol. \

She is a sweet pretty baby girl!!!! I love her!

I did however manage to get some good shots.

Rayne Driving

I let Rayne drive home from church today. Actually he drove home from the bank after we went to the store after church today. He has got to practice. Hopefully he can go take the written part of his driving test next Monday. We have to get his grades and attendance reports from school first or we would have gone over Thanksgiving break.
When I was a kid you could check out from school walk to the police station across town and take the test. These days it's a major ordeal. Oh, well it should be.

Paris's Christmas Parade

Yesterday was Paris's Christmas parade. We all met at Rogerland and then went out to watch the parade. Kim didn't get to come this year and Jeffery was in Virginia visiting Kelly so he didn't get to come either. Here is who did make it : me, Lex, Rayne, Rance, Sissie, Rod, Leigh, Katie, Neal, Christina, and their 3 kids, Mary, Butch, David, Brittany, Daniel, Nikki, Ethan, Daddy, and Connie was working her butt off they were so busy. We all had a good time visiting. Well I did anyway.

Thanksgiving 2009

Today was the best Thanksgiving, except for missing Poppa, that I can remember. Maybe because it wasn't so crowded. It was me, Lex and the boys, Gram, Memaw, and Pappy. We had a nice dinner and a nice relaxing afternoon. When I got tired around 4, we came home.
We spent the afternoon going through Ma Nichols' Bible. She had a lot of newspaper clippings in it and she had written births, deaths, and marriages in it. I had taken a family tree chart and was able to fill it out through Ma Nichols' all the way through to her parents. We found a copy of her birth certificate in a box of papers that Pop had kept.
I had been worried earlier that I would get sad and cry while at Gram's, but the Lord really gave me strength, and I had a blessed day for which I am very thankful.

Rayne's Birthday

Today is Rayne's birthday. He is 14 years old!!!!!!! I can't believe he is that old already. Now he just needs to take his driver's test so he can be my chaffeur!!
Poor baby has basketball practice tonight on his birthday.

Addilynn Presly Bogan

Addi is finally here. She was born on Sunday, November 8th at 11:08 a.m. She is perfect!!
Poor Brittany had a rough night Saturday. The nurses kept telling her she wasn't in labor, and she was hurting really badly. She was throwing up from the pain. She didn't get any help until the day shift came on around 8:00 and then Addilynn was born 3 hours later.
I would like to have a word or two with the night nurses!!!!
Bud took good care of Brittany during all this. He is a good husband!!

Rance

Rance is a character. Monday he was working in the floor on his project for science behind the chair I was sitting in. He thought I was talking to Kymberly on the phone, but it was actually Angela. Anyway, we were talking about some people that weren't married to each other, but were hanging out together. They said it was ok even though one of them was married because they weren't having s-e-x. (I think I spelled it, like Rance can't spell or something. LOL) So after a few minutes Rance gets up and tells me I am having a conversation he shouldn't be in the room for and off he went. That kid cracks me up!!!!

Pig Roast 2009-accident

It started out as an innocent game of volleyball. Yes, the game was not set up in the safest area, but it had been raining and this was the driest spot. I was afraid someone would fall face first into the concrete or the milk truck, but instead someone got tangle up in the net. That caused one of the poles to fall. Daddy ran to help and ended up getting bonked on the head by the pole. Lex ran to help and got scraped down his back by the other pole. That was the end of the volleyball game. Daddy went to the emergency room and they gave him a tetanus shot and told him to ice it every two hours for 24 hours.
Thankfully Lex just got scraped and the pole didn't hit his spine.

Going to Pop and Gram's house in the morning after Rance's soccer game. I am scared to go.
Pop won't be there. Pop has always been there. The one person I can truly say has never hurt me one time in my entire life. He never ever said a hateful word to me. I miss him so much.
If I stay in Mansfield, I can pretend all is well. By going to Paris tomorrow, I have to face the fact that he is gone. I have dreaded this as long as I can remember.
Jesus is Lord. I give Him all the glory, praise, and honor.

Poppa and Rayne

Poppa died last week. He ate right up until the end. His funeral was Friday and that is all I can say right now except that I am so happy to know he is with Jesus although my missing him is unbearable at times.

Rayne has the swine flu of course. Doesn't he catch everything? He is slowly getting better. Praise God, he never had a high fever or a deep cough!

Gram and Pop's House

This has been the one constant place of my entire life. I can't imagine life without Gram and Pop here in their little house.

Still haven't been to see Pop yet. I am feeling stronger about it though. I am not crying as much. The Lord is really helping me deal with the whole situation. I am still afraid to go see him, but not as scared as I was. I love him. I pray for him to be peaceful and pain free. I also pray for Gram, Momma, and Sissie to have the strength needed, mentally and physically, to take care of him.

Here are a couple of layouts I have done recently. The first one is Rance, Ethan and Gramdpa/Papaw at Mamaws after she passed away.






The second layout is at Rogerland on Christmas Day. It was our last Christmas with Mamaw and the last time I saw her before her stroke.
















In the picture are Mamaw, Sissie, Leigh, Kim, and me.

I am pooped. Going to Fort Smith the last two days has worn me out. Yesterday I took clothes to the Growing Kids Sale and had to stand in line almost a whole hour. Today I went back to the sale to shop and stood in line for 30 minutes because I got there early. The line was huge behind me. And actually, I got to sit in line because I happen to be right where they had set a chair with a sign on the back of it.
The Duggar females were still at the sale but there were so many people I never did see any of them.
I got several pairs of jeans and pants for both boys and even some shirts. I was too tired to have them try them on yet so I hope everything fits. If not I guess I'll take what doesn't fit to a consignment shop.
I am not feeling well right now, but I hope I feel better tomorrow so I can go see Pop. I really need to see him and touch him. I need to hold his hand like I always do. I don't know how I am going to make it through this. I love him so much. Jesus will have to carry me through this hard time. Thankfully, he can carry me, Pop, the rest of the family and the whole world all at the same time. He is a mighty God who loves us more than we can dare to think or imagine.

Duggar Family

The Duggar family will be at the Growing Kids Sale tomorrow. Filming. I hope they are still there when I get to go at 5:00. I hope I get to meet some more of them. I have already met Michelle, the baby, and Grandma Duggar. I don't want to be on television though. How embarassing!
The sale has tons of clothes this time. Even more than usual. The boys' racks are full and piled up on top. I hope I find some clothes for the boys. I'll have to dig. Some clothes are piled in the floor because they never have as many boys' clothes racks as girls because they don't usually have as many boys' clothes.
I turned in a few clothes to sell just so I could go to the early sale tomorrow and maybe meet the Duggars. I love their show and their book!!! I hope I get to meet them.

Poppa

Pop is in a rehab place in Paris. He went into the hospital last week in a lot of pain. One of his shoulders is separating. They have him on a pain patch and it makes him loopy. I haven't been down there yet and it is killing me. I think I will have to go tomorrow if I feel well enough at all. I am scared to see him. (Seeing him made Brandon cry.) But I can't stand being away from him either. I have been crying alot.
He also now has mrsa, an antibiotic restistant staph infection that you sometimes get while in the hospital.
Pop has always been more like a father to me. He took care of me in ways that my daddy should have. He has always loved me no matter how many other grand-kids or great-grand-kids he has accumulated over the years. We spent a lot of time together when I was a kid. I just went with him everywhere. I grew up feeling like my sister was "the important" one in the family, but I always knew Pop loved me too.
Yeah, Pop has an ornery side, but to me he is perfect. I have on rose colored glasses as far as he is concerned.
I am so scared I will go see him and he won't know me. I can't imagine life without Pop. I still have a hard time with Mamaw being gone. 2009 has been a hard year, but yet I have so many blessings for which I am thankful.

Stuffed Me

This is a picture of what Rance calls "stuffed me." The only problem is it isn't stuff....yet. He keeps wrestling with the couch cushion so I told him I would make him a life size stuffed doll (for lack of a better word) for him to wrestle. So one day he lay down on the floor on a huge piece of fabric that I already had, and I traced around him. I don't have any patience so he came out a little deformed. lol. Now I just need to stuff and sew him. No telling what he will look like then!!!

First Day of School

Rayne is in the 8th grade, and Rance is in the 5th. Lex is happy they are both in middle school, so he only has to make one stop in the mornings. Their school day is from 7:45-4:15 this year, and they only have to go 4 days a week.

Old Fort Museum

The saturday before school started we went to the Old Fort Museum in Fort Smith. We like to go there every so often. We got to listen to one of the rangers give a talk about the first person ever hanged there. In the 1800's it was the court of Judge Isaac C. Parker, known as the hanging judge.

Shingles

Poor Rayne has had the shingles. We thought it was poison ivy, but when Gramma saw it she said it was shingles and she was right. Poor Rayne suffered for about a week before we took him to the doctor. It started with him complaining with his left side of his stomach and back hurting, but there was nothing there. He broke out a few days later. Now we know, poor baby.

Rayne's All-Star Team

Rayne's all-star team played tonight on the field of dreams in van buren. They didn't do very well. Rayne can't say it was his fault. He only got to bat once, and he wasn't in the field any. They play again tomorrow at 4:45. Yippee! At least the weather has cooled off a lot, and we didn't burn up watching the game.

Mixed Media Journal Page

I am very in to journaling this summer and using mixed media. The below picture is is a page out of one of my journals. I like "rustic" pages.
First I painted the page with primer, and when that dried I covered the whole page with an apple barrel paint called Pear. I then decided my pictures needed matting so I created mats with black paint. After letting that dry, I glued down my pictures and wrote captions with a black permanent marker. Overall, I like it. It's messy but fun. Oh, and I like to prime my pages so that the paper won't soak up all the paint and the marker won't bleed through to the other side.

Fans at the game and the Champs!

Rance's baseball team won their end of season tournament today. They played Hackett at Hackett, and it was extrememly HOT today.

Rance and Isaac
















Rance and Spencer

Yesterday was Pop's birthday. We went to see him yesterday evening. It is the first time I have been down there in weeks because I haven't been feeling good enough. Lex drove me and the boys down there last night. We ate at Rogerland and it took forever. Connie had to recook our food because they didn't do it right. We were wondering why it took so long.
Pop didn't say much last night which means he isn't feeling well. I feel awful for not being down there in so long. I love pop and gram. I don't like them being old.

Gallbladder, pizza, and bowling

I know that is a weird title, but it does describe our evening. First, Rayne and I got allergy shots. While at the doctor's office, I found out I may have to have my gallbladder out!!!!! My ultrasound showed slugge(?) in my gallbladder. Lovely.
After the doctor's office we went to eat pizza at steffie's, where I ate a grilled chicken salad and two small bread sticks. No, greasy food for my gallbladder. (It is hurting as I write this so the bread sticks must have been too greasy.)
Next, we went to BAM so rance could spend some birthday money, and then we went bowling. I didn't bowl because of my back, but did take pictures. It was a fun evening together!!!!

I got to meet Michelle Duggar!

Anyone that knows me knows how much I enjoy watching 18 Kids and Counting. Not only is the family from Arkansas, I know that I never have to worry about what will be on their show. They are christians, and their program is very uplifting. I record it so that I can watch it whenever I want. Somedays I feel really bad and don't even want to read. Or some nights I can't sleep no matter how hard I try. These are examples of when I might be feeling a little depressed and watching their program always helps. They are always upbeat and positive and love to share the Lord.
Weeeelll, I met Michelle and her mother-in-law at Kymberly's homeschool association's monthly meeting Thursday night. I even got to talk to the baby, Jordan-Grace, and make her smile. She is so cute and friendly. Michelle was the guest speaker
and did a really good job.
Afterwards, Michelle signed our books. It was a great evening. (I know this is a horrible picture of me, but I had to post it anyway. )

Answered Prayer

I feel unwell everyday of my life to some degree, but tonight I have been feeling unusually ill. I couldn't sleep because I was sick to my stomach even after taking med for it. When I would get up, I felt weak and shaky. This went on for several hours until I finally remembered to pray about it. Why is that so often the last thing I think of? Why do I still think I can control everything? And why do I still get so surprised when God answers my prayer. A very short while after praying, I realized I feel better. Why does that surprise me. God loves me no matter what. He doesn't want to see me suffer. His love is greater than I can ever imagine. He has answered so many of my desperate prayers, and it surprises me every time.
He deserves so much more than my desperate prayers. He deserves all of me.
God is good always. Even when he doesn't answer in the way we want him to, He is always good and always worthy of praise.

Ballgame

Rayne had a ballgame tonight at Hunt's Park. His team won 8-0. He played against Zachary Ray-Ray's team.



Lex enjoying the game.