Abby Grace's 6th Birthday!!!

October 24th was Abby's birthday!!! We has so much fun! Bethany made homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast and after that Abby opened presents and has lots of fun! Overall it was a fun day and Abby now loves being 6! Below are some of our traditional birthday pictures that Bethany takes of the birthday person. since Abby loves getting her picture taken I had lots of fun trying new poses and styles on Abby. :D



Abby & one of her birthday presents, a baby doll that kisses you back when you kiss her and talks!



Abby's birthday cupcakes!

Happy 6th Birthday Abby!!!

So which picture is your favorite?

Robby's New Glasses

Lately, Robby (2 1/2) has been really cranky and has cried often over hardly anything. One friend who has a son that needed glasses, told us that it might be his vision. We took him to the eye doctor and sure enough he is far sighted in one of his eyes. He also has a eye that pulls in a bit and they are hoping that the glasses will help move that muscle to were it needs to be. We aren't sure is the glasses are going to be a long-term type thing but we are supposed to go back in two months and have them see what has changed. In the mean time he looks super cute and very intelligent and sophisticated with his new (tiny!) glasses! :D

Robby & Pa Pa

Robby

Hearts For God Magazine Site

Hello! I just wanted to do a quick post telling you about my magazine and my newly re-done site for it.
As most of you know I publish a magazine for girls encouraging them to grow in their Christian faith. I have recently re-done the site and previously I did an published an article every week or so but as time pasted I realized that it was more work than anything to get the article published on time and it took a lot of time up. I decided to do start publishing a monthly post at the beginning of each month. Octobers article is up and ready and I would love for you to check it out!
I also have a page with the current issue's information. I still have a few extra copies of the last issue and if you would like a copy then please let me know! On the site click on the "current issue" page to see all that is in that issue.
I have really been trying to spread the word about HFG as it seems that word travels very slowly. It would be a huge help to me if you would consider telling all your friends about HFG, giving them the link to the site and let them know about it. For those of you who have a blog I have a button that links to HFG's site which I would love for you to put on your blog if you'd like. For the HTML code for the button go to the "links" page on HFG's site.
Thank you all so very much for your help with this ministry, as always I'd love to hear what you think of HFG, it is always such an encouragement to hear what other think!
Because He Lives,
Bethany
To go to HFG's site click here

Flag Football

Recently Tommy has started Flag Football (it is similar to normal football except instead of tackling the other player you pull their flag) He plays with Upward which is a Christain program. He has enjoyed playing games and making friends! Above he is in his jersey all ready for Saturday's game!

Here Tommy and his team (with the white shirts Tommy is #14 and the tallest on the team!!!) get ready to start the game. 

Tommy gets ready to make a play!

Tommy's team the Tar Heels won that day 19 to nothing! (Tommy in the white shirt)

The team plays at the ROC (see photos in previous blog posts), he has really enjoyed it as and had lots of fun!

Pappy's Pumpkin Patch

We just love the fall, don't you?! For the last two years we have gone to this neat pumpkin farm called Pappy's Pumpkin Patch (also known as the Bell family farm) there is lots of fun stuff there and is very clean and kid friendly. Since we don't "do" halloween we always look forward to this fun fall family field trip! Here are some pictures and videos of this year's trip! Enjoy!



Robby.



Robby and our pumpkin.

 

Robby & Abby.



Go TX Aggies!!! :)



So cute!

The train ride.

 

"Pappy" & Robby



Robby & Pa Pa in the hay maze.

 

Courtney & Abby playing in the hay.

Courtney & Abby.



Mommy, Robby & Ashley on the hay ride to the pumpkins.



Robby & Pa Pa on the hay ride.






So many pumpkins!!!





Robby & the tractor.



In Memory of Anna and Her Friends...

Hi everyone! This afternoon we had a surprise visit! The old owners of this house that we have lived in for 14 years, came by from Arizona to see their old house! We were glad that you all came by!!! So Anna, once the little ones heard about how you all used to have lots of fun in the old shed they all got the idea of cleaning it up (which we had been meaning to do for awhile) and making a fort of it! Here are some pictures that we hope you will enjoy!

We hope that our house wasn't to messy! :0 Thanks again for coming by!





Our home





Our Mantel

 

Robby



Courtney, Abby and Robby playing "school".

Remember this Anna? Where you carved your name into the cement when you laid it out years ago? :) (P.S. We looked for the hand prints inside the shed but we didn't find them, do you know were they might be?)

Thanks again for coming by!!! If you ever are in Texas again come on by! (Ever since you guys came everyone has been keeping the house really clean for any "surprise visitors" 24/7! Which Mom has enjoyed. :D)

The Newest Members of our Family...

As of today, we are now a family of 10!!! This morning we were going to help Pa Pa at Wal-Mart (he locked his keys in his car!) and on the way out we saw this couple who had free dogs. They were SOOOO cute and we just HAD to get them so we came home with 2 dogs!!! They are miniature long haired Dotson's. The brown one is a female and her name is Kiley (she is 2 years old) and the brown one is a male, his name is Baby (he is 4 years old). (There previous owners named them). They said that Kiley likes to cuddle and that Baby likes to play. Baby is the daddy (kinda funny that the daddy is the "baby" =)), and Kiley is the daughter, we are all so excited!!! We mainly got the dogs because just recently our cat Rudy has (what we think) died. We have not seen him in a few days, we think that he ran away. =(

Kiley

Kiley

Baby

Baby

Courtney's 8th Birthday!!!

Sunday (9/4) was Courtney's 8th birthday!!! She has gotten so big, so quickly!!! She is such a sweet young lady, and quite tall too!!! (she even wears a size 7 ladies shoe!!!)

We had lots of fun on her birthday, we had birthday donuts and eggs (the family tradition) and we open presents afterwards. As a special treat I posted some pictures of Courtney as a baby...hope that you enjoy!!!

Courtney as a baby.

Mommy, Courtney and Daddy.

Mommy and Courtney,

Courtney and Mommy.

{HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY COURTNEY, WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!}

The Easiest, Cheapest, Yummiest, Summertime Pies You'll Ever Make!!!

We Wards just LOVE desserts!!! But in the summer it is way to hot here in Texas to turn on the oven for very long. We have been experimenting with easy, cheap and yummy pies that you have to try! They are all sooooo good and so easy and are perfect for a cold summertime treat, and the best part is that they are so cheap to make!!!

Jell-o Pie

8 whole graham crackers, finely crushed

7 tablespoons melted butter

1 carton of cool whip

1 box of jello, any flavor (in the pictures we used orange and it tasted like dream sicle!!!)

Put graham cracker crumbs into a pie pan. Pour in the melted butter and stir around with your fingers, press to fit into the pan. Take a carton of cool whip and pour the jello powder directly into the carton of cool whip. Stir until well mixed. Spread on top of your crust, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard.

Pudding Pie

8 whole graham crackers, finely crushed

7 tablespoons melted butter

1 package of pudding, any flavor

1 1/2 cups milk

1 carton of cool whip

Put graham cracker crumbs directly into your pie pan. Pour the butter over the crumbs and stir with you fingers. Press to fix the pan. In a bowl, mix the milk and pudding powder. Mix in half the carton of cool whip into your pudding and then spread on top of your pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard.

Ice Cream Pie

8 whole graham crackers, finely crushed

7 tablespoons melted butter

softened ice cream (just eye ball it  until your pie pan is filled.:) )

1 carton of cool whip

Put graham cracker crumbs directly into your pie pan, pour the butter over it and mix with your fingers. Press to fit your pans shape. Take some ice cream and mix with half of the cool whip. Spread on top of crust. Spread the rest of the cool whip on top of the ice cream. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard.

Tricks & Tips

• 
  
  If your pie is a little bit to hard to cut and eat, put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
• 
  
  With all these pies you can add vanilla, cinnamon or any other flavors into your pie crust to add a special taste.

Enjoy!!! :)