BLOG STALKING!!!!!

So I went on a friends blog and she had the FUNNIEST FUNNIEST description of blog stalking. If you want a good laugh you will read this.

My name is ________. And I am a blog stalker.

I check my friend's blogs. Then click on the links to their friend's blogs. Then click on their friend's blogs. And before I know it, I have found a blog I am addicted too, checking it with the same regularity that I run down my own blog roll. It's a blog that would be labeled as a "family" blog, a "personal" blog, a blogger that keeps a low-profile on the internet and blogs to merely keep in touch with their family and friends. A family and friend that I am not. And I do this without said bloggers knowledge.

I break my blog stalking into the following areas:

a. Entertainment. I LOVE reading well-written blogs. Occasionally, through my insane blog link clicking, I will find a blog that is so well-written, I keep coming back for more.

b. Cheap laughs. I can shamelessly laugh at how stupid their blog is. The blogger is most often clueless as to the happenings of the world around them and has a 50s view of women, marriage and motherhood. Spelling and grammatical errors abound.

c. Wishful friendship. I have become attached to the blogger and cannot bring myself to stop checking. We've never met, but I feel like I've known them for years. This category generally concerns me because, if I were to see this person on the street, I could see myself stopping them and striking up a conversation. "So how was the Jones Family Reunion in St. George? Uncle Henry sure looks like a riot!" "Is little Tina adjusting to preschool? I would be heartbroken too if I had to leave my adorable new baby brother at home!" "How is Rich's new job going? He seemed pretty concerned about the transfer."

d. Pure stalking. This category is not as creepy as it sounds because I somehow know the blogger. I went to high school or college with them, was in an old church group or job with them - basically, I have met them at one point or another in my life but was not good enough friends with them to randomly comment. I read because I'm curious. But it would be too embarrassing to reveal that I have somehow found their blog and have taken an interest in reading it since I really don't keep in touch with this person.

e. Degree of separation. I feel like I know this person because my friend has mentioned them, my brother was roommates with them or my husband dated them. I check because I know some level of intimate details about their life. It would be mortifying - for myself and said connection - if this person knew I checked their blog.

There is NO chance I would ever comment on any of my blog stalkees. I mean how would that comment go, "So your sister used to be roommates with this girl who is the best friend of my cousin's inlaw's brother...and then I found your blog and know the name of all your children, what your new calling is in church and the details of your Valentine's Day date with your husband." There is basically no way to get around that without sounding creepy. Maybe one day, I'll comment on a category "d" blog if I run into this person and purposely bring up "So...how can we keep in touch? Do you have a blog or anything?"But with this recent trend of "blog security," I find myself getting increasingly annoyed that my blog stalkees are going private. Most often it's because they are afraid of who is checking their blog. I can see the fear (hey, I AM part of their fear), but I tend to think that out of the hundreds of thousands - millions even - of people who have blogs, the chance is unlikely that a true creep will blog stalk me. My life just isn't that interesting. Naive thinking, maybe. But honestly, as long as I'm not stupid and post information that is too personal, I'm being relatively safe.I know I have my own blogstalkers - I can see what areas people visit from (hello Arkansas!). I hope I have interested the blog stalker enough to keep checking. Hopefully not because they want to kill me, but because they find my blog mildly entertaining. So - creepy labels aside - I want to know. Any fellow blog stalkers out there?

Cleverly written by Amelia Stowell http://ameliorateme.blogspot.com/

Easter Package

I wonder what is in this box???? (Carter woke up two seconds before this picture.)

It's an Easter package from Grandma and Grandpa Mack!!!!! Horray!!!

Their American Idol Lollies played music and they just had to share with eachother.

Yummy! Yummy! Thank you Grandparents Mack!!

The joys of childhood

After the Easter Egg hunt at the park we decided to play in the back yard. And yes Carter does have Chocolate ALL OVER his face.

What did the Easter Bunny get us?

Easter!!

Dying eggs at Grandparents Scott's house

This was the Sat. before Easter. My boys have their cleats on because Cooper said they would run faster that way. So cute.

This is the second year in a row that we have gone egg hunting at the park with the VanWoerkom family. We love them and always have so much fun.

My sweet baby girl and I. Did I ever tell you that I love her to pieces.

So Cade and I have made a commitment to be as active as we can as a family. That means NO x-box or any form of video game and barely any TV at all. When Reagan was born I had to up the TV time and video game time just so I could get her fed. Now that I have a good schedule and things are normal again, TV is out. That would be the reason for the present the Easter Bunny gave our kids...a basketball hoop!!!!! We have a list of fun active things listed in our kitchen that we do with the kids every day and now we can add basketball in the back yard as one of them. (Sorry for the mess. We are having construction done.)

Dribble. Dribble.

I love the way Coop's hands are in this pic.

Made it!!


I think he made it again!!!!!!


The egg hunt took all of 2 minutes I think. Fast little suckers.

Little stud muffin.


Carter got a swim suit and a matching shirt from Grandparents Scott.

Cooper got brown church shoes from them. I can't keep the kid in shoes for a month I swear!! He already wears a size 2 going on a size 3 shortly and he is 5. Heaven help me!!



A fun family pic. I love these peeps.....HAHA get it peeps...easter....HAHA!

Thank You Easter Bunny

After Church we got home and Cooper went out to play basketball. He came in shortly after that and said, "Mom I really really want to call the Easter Bunny and thank him for my awesome basketball hoop." So we called Amber the Easter Bunny and he gave a heart felt thank you. We caught about 1/2 of the conversation. Thank you so much Amber the Easter Bunny! We love you sooooooo mucho.

My pretty baby

My sweet babies

My sweet babies


The third baby always gets carted around. I feel so bad when I have to wake her to go pick up Cooper from school and keep her awake longer than she would like. Through it all she is such a perfect little angel. Always happy and sweet.


This is the only picture I got from Cooper's Easter program. He is way in the back. My dang camera died.........poopy pants.

NAKED.....in a Tinkertoy box!

One night we were getting ready for bed and I left the room for a brief moment to find this. My naked little Carter in the Tinkertoy box. Kids add so much life into a home, I just love it.

When I was taking pics of him he was saying, "Take a picture with my face like this....

and like this.....

And like this.......

and like this." I love my little Carter. He is the sweetest little guy.

From one Mom to another

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Axton's Blessing

First up to bat ever

First baseball game

Coop had his first baseball game last week!!! It had to be the cutest thing on earth. Surprisingly enough practice paid off. The kids actually knew what they were doing. I thought it was going to be a big mess, but the kids did great! This is one of our dreams....to watch our biggest boy play ball!!!!

Coop and his best buddy Brigham. What do you think they are talking about?

Throw him out buddy! Maybe the catcher will catch it.....but then again most likely not.

He HATED being catcher. The helmet was uncomfortable and it made him hot. Those of you who know Cooper know he HATES being hot. When it is warm he always says...."I am MELTING!!!!" The little heater box.

Ready position

Coach Kenny tell him what's up. The man has to have patience of a saint to deal with all of these little guys.

Getting ready to catch the ball.

Throwing to home plate.

My adorable little girl at the game, squinting from the sun. Honestly does it get any better than this?

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Yankees!!!

Good game...good game...good game...good game. Score...who knows?