What a busy weekend we had. Our little town had a parade that we go to every year. This year, Ethan got to ride in it with his Cub Scout group. Mark & I watched while Emily waved at everyone & caught candy.

Here is Ethan & his finished cubmobile. Thanks to Paw Paw and all his hard work on the paint & even adding Ethan his own cup holder.

Lots of other stuff happened but I'm too tired really busy tonight to blog about them. I'll end on this note.

My first baby's birthday was yesterday. Chandler McKenzie would have been 10 years old. That blows my mind. It doesn't seem like it has been 10 years already. I wonder what he would look like. I wonder what he would act like, would he be into sports or a bookworm. Would he be outgoing or shy? Would he still have a head full of dark curly hair?

I love you Chandler McKenzie Stroup. Happy 10th birthday. I will see you again soon.

Happy Father's Day

I hope everyone had a good weekend and a very happy Father's Day.

For all the men at our church, I made these...

The boxes were filled with an assortment of mini candy bars.

And for my dad,who has had a mustache for as long as I've known him, I made this & filled it with his favorite candy...

Did you know there is a website out there dedicated to quotes about mustaches? Yeah there is, baby!! I found a quote and painted it on the cup. His cup says "A man with a mustache is never alone." Deep thoughts, huh?



Ethan got his cubmobile this weekend and our job was to fix it up.

Here, Emily ran out in her Spongebob pajamas to get a ride from her big brother.

It went from bad...

To fab! Thanks to my dad, who helped Ethan paint it! Ethan gets to ride it in our little towns parade next week with his cub scout group. I'll post pics of the finished project one I get all the decals on!

Last but not least, I actually decided to decorate my little table in our entryway for the 4th of July holiday.

Maybe I'll keep it up and decorate it for each holiday. Heavy on the maybe there.

Sunday Afternoons & Amish Cookies

I found a new blog I'm loving and while reading it I came across a new recipe for cookies that looked amazing. You can check the recipe here.

 So I started off with this.

Add a little All Southern Gospel Radio... (Which you can find here)

You get this...

And BAM...

Now that's what I'm talking about! Amish Monster Cookies, yum, yum & and yum!

A Little Rambling

I treated myself to lunch out today. I spent all morning long freezing in my office and I wanted to go somewhere and warm up. Being in central Texas, it doesn't take long to warm up outside. So, I decided to have lunch at Taco Cabana because they have a covered outdoor patio. So I bought my brisket tacos and headed outside to the patio. On the other side of the patio was a family that looked like a dad, a mom, their little boy (probably around 3 years old) and a set of grandparents. 

So there I was, just chomping away on  my tacos & chips & queso. The family on the other side was chatting away, and I couldn't help but overhear some of their conversation. Apparently, the little boy was recently in a play at his school and he was playing a firetruck. The mom was telling the grandparents that the little boy went on stage like a pro and waved to her from the stage and proceeded to sing the cutest firetruck song. Then, she told the little boy, to sing the song for the grandparents. And like a pro (I guess mom was right), he stood up, sang his ABC's and then he DID sing the cutest little firetruck song. Everyone on the patio clapped and the little boy just grinned from ear to ear knowing he had an audience. 

It was funny. I smiled because that little boy was too darn cute. And so was that little firetruck song. Then, there is was. That little pang in my heart. Why was that there? Where did that come from? Then it hit me. Oh, because my little Max would have been that age. I also should have a 9 year old.

You know some days I'm ok. Then something little, simple, out of the blue will hit me. My two boys are gone. Yes, they are in Heaven. No, they are not suffering or in pain. No, they don't have a g-tube or have to be suctioned out or have to have oxygen anymore. Yes, they are with the greatest parent a child could have. But... sometimes I hurt. Sometimes I cry.  Sometimes I think why, why me, why them, why us, why such a short little life?

Then, God does something amazing. He comforts my grieving heart. He reminds me of the two little ones I DO have here. He tells me I will see my boys again and spend much more time with them in Heaven then I ever could on earth with them healthy. 

Next month my Chandler would have turned 10 years old. I blows my mind that I would have a 10 year old. My Max would have been 3 in September. Here are some pics in honor of my heavenly boys.

Here is my Max

Sweet Max

Here is my little Chandler-bear

Everone has bad days. Everyone has "why me?" moments. I have them often. But I'm glad that I also have God to comfort me, speak to my heart and love me. Have a great weekend!

Day of Smiles & Tears

Today was a really awesome day. I went with Ethan on his field trip & then went to Emily's Pre-K graduation. My kids are growing up so fast. Seems like yesterday Emily was born & Ethan was just mommy's little guy. *Sigh* Tomorrow I'll wake up and they'll both be stinky little teenagers. *Double Sigh*


Until then...

Ms. Watts 2nd grade class 2011

Ethan & his wonderful teacher!

The class at HEB

Emily's Pre-K Graduation

Emily with her teacher, Mrs. Sandy

Me & my ladybug!

Daddy & his little girl

A+ Daycare Pre-K class of 2011

Pretty Crafty

OK, let me start out by saying that I am not a crafty-artsy person. The desire is there, I want to, but I just don't really know how. Like it states in the Bible, "The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." I want to learn to sew, can jams & jellies & craft my little heart out.

So I came across a new blog that really gave me some good ideas for some cute & easy crafts. Even the title of the blog sounds like something I'd say. Check it out here. 

I found a couple of crafts I couldn't wait to try. So, the next day I headed out to my local craft store. I started with this.

And ended with this.

Not too shabby, huh?

I also found a different craft that I spent a whole whopping $2 on at my local Dollar Tree. I found a patriotic platter and bowl, a little super glue and...

Taaaaaadaaaaaa! A new patriotic cake/cupcake stand.

It takes so little to make me happy.

On the Stinkbug side, it looks like Ethan is going to get lots of great help next year in 3rd grade. We had his ARD meeting last Wednesday and we made some plans for Ethan that includes speech & occupational therapy, as well as pulling him out of class for reading and math in order to pre-teach him ahead of time so he can keep up with his class. According to all the testing the school did with Ethan, that is how he will learn best.  SIGH OF RELIEF!!!!

It came to me today in church, while I was giving a praise of thanksgiving for the awesome ARD meeting we had this week, and I SUDDENLY remembered. Last summer before Ethan started the 2nd grade, I prayed for Ethan's 2nd grade teacher. I didn't know who he was going to get at that time, but I prayed for that teacher to be patient, kind, loving and have a heart for Stinkbug. He got that and more with Ms. Watts. She loved on him all year, tried different things, kept us informed and most importantly, she advocated for him all the way. She believed in him. God gave me such peace today and reminded me of my prayer for her before I knew her. God has His great hand in everything.  

Shoelaces, Justin Bieber, Hail and Bears... Oh My!

OK. Let's start with the proverbial teenage Canadian white elephant in the room. Literally.  Why does my 4 year old have Bieber fever?

Granted, I thought it was cute when she saved some money she had and spent it on a JB microphone. I thought it a little irritating when she kept asking to watch JB videos on the computer, but I didn't mind every once in a while. Then I was aggravated when she cried when I didn't buy here a JB CD. And I was totally mad when she brought this jacket home from daycare. Nice jacket, but it's not hers. I think she got the Bieber fever from daycare. No one at our home even heard a JB song before Emily caught the fever. I hope it leaves soon.  *Sigh*

On the brighter side, Emily learned to tie her shoes. You go girl!!!! Ethan still doesn't have this down.

Peekaboo. There's my toe. You'll see my toe again in another photo. I need to learn to keep my feet out of pictures.

OK. Living in Central Texas, we needed some rain. Desperately. Friday night, we got some rain. Heavy rain. Along with thunder, lightning & .... hail.

There's my darn foot again!

The view from my front porch Friday night.

Thank you Lord for the rain!



Last but not least, my cub scout has graduated from wolf to a bear!

Ethan & Mark doing the Cub Scout Sign.

Ethan waiting to go from Wolf to Bear. He's so handsome.

Ethan graduating by walking across the bridge.

Ethan getting his Bobcat badge.

The new Bears!

After the graduation ceremony, we had a picnic, I then took the kids to play mini golf, the arcade, get ladybug her haircut then went to Wal-Mart. Got home &  Mom & Dad invited us to Austin where we found treasures at a local thrift shop & then went out to eat yummy Mexican food.  Too tired to post pictures of all that. Maybe tomorrow. Goodnight all. God Bless.