Old Man's Cave! Batch 3 of 4

The boys! :)

Here is the 3rd batch of Old Man's Cave pics!!! These ones are of the "water hole" we found (which, of course, the kids absolutely LOVED)!!!!! If you look closely, you can see how the water suddenly "drops lower" the closer they get to the rock. The "big kids" finally made it to the other side after numerous attempts! Needless to say, the boys were FILTHY in the end, but it was worth it! We had a great time! :))

Old Man's Cave! Batch 2 of 4

Jacob

(he got upset b/c he wanted on the "big" rock)

Jacob

(happy now 'cause he is still on the "big" rock)

Cousin Jerod & Jackson
(on the "big" rock)

Jackson

(on the "big" rock)


Jerod
(on the "big" rock)


Cissa
(I've almost got it)!


Jacob w/his leaf!
One of my ABSOLUTE FAVES!!!! :)


Daddy took this pic of Jake!!!
I love this one, too! :)


Awwww! :)
We were all soooooo thirsty by the end!


Howdy Folks!
Welcome to Old Man's Cave!!!


Cissa
(on a "not so big but still scary" rock)!


Awww!
Handsome Boys!

Okay, here is the 2nd batch of Old Man's Cave pics!!! Two down and two to go!!!! :))

OLD MAN'S CAVE! Batch 1 of 4

Jackson!

Jacob!

Mark!

Cissa!

Cousin Jerod!

The "Amazing Jacob"

on "one" foot!

Cousin Jerod & Jackson! :)

Jerod!

Jackson!

Jacob!

Just the "1st Installment" of our trip to Old Man's Cave!!! We took the boys on Labor Day Monday and had a real fun time! Cousin Jerod came w/us and we always have a great time w/him!!! It was a nice, hot day, but since some of the caves are down low it ended up being VERY hot in some places and not-so-hot in others! :)

Look for 3 more batches of pics (I really did narrow them down - I did, I did, hee, hee) b/c I didn't want to squeeze them all into one! :)

Mark and I have a "gig" tomorrow. We are, once again, taking the preschool pics. As some of you already know, we took them last year and they turned out pretty good (if I do say so myself). :))) The only difference this year is that Jacob won't be there! :( You see, he is now a big kindergartner and he goes to a different school!!!

Soooo, even more pics to come, but only AFTER my next "3" batches!!!! lol!!!! :)

Have a good week!!!

Cissa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!!

Mom, Me, & Dad! :)

Just wanted to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to my mom who just had a birthday on Sept. 8th!!! :)) As I was looking through my pictures, I realized how very few of them have my mom (or dad) in them!!! All my pics are mostly of the kids, which is great, but I am realizing that "I" would like some more pics of my parents. Sooooo, mom & dad, get ready to smile and "say cheese" 'cause Cissa is coming and bringing her camera w/her!!!!! :))

I also want to say "THANK YOU" to my parents for ALL THAT THEY DO FOR US!!!!!! I rarely have ever had to get a babysitter thanks to Gramps and Gramsey!!!! They watch our kids for us 99.9% of the time!!!!! We are very lucky to have that and I appreciate it lots!!!! How do you say "thank you" to someone for loving your children that much??!! I can only hope to repeat the pattern and, someday, be the greatest, bestest grandma to my grandkids, too!!!! I must say, I have BIG SHOES to fill!!!! :))

Thanks, mom!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!!

Love you lots!!!!!!!

Heather

At The Park!!!

Jacob :)

Morgan :)

I love this pic! :)

Fun-filled sunny days! :)

Morgan's Flower!

Jacob's Flower!

Cissa

(w/the flowers the kids gave me)!

I just couldn't resist posting this picture of myself!!!! I am holding the two flowers that the kids gave to me!!! We had a real fun day at the park! It was HOT!!!!!! But, I will take hot over cold ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!!!!!!! :)))) My absolute favorite pics of the day are the ones of their hands holding their flower!!!! I am trying to "branch out" and take pictures of things I normally wouldn't. I am having such fun w/it and what better subjects than kids, huh?!!! :)

I must also say a "thank you" to the Lord b/c on the way to the park I saw that my car had NO GAS!!!!! It was completely and totally on E!!!!! We meant to get gas the night before and had forgotten! Sooooo, I was soooooo afraid I wouldn't make it back from the park at all!!!! But, I did!!!!!! Thank you, Lord, for getting us home after having such a fun day at the park!!!!!!

Have a good week!!!!

Cissa

1st Day of School (2008)

Jackson w/his buddies Samer & Michael

Jacob getting on the bus for the
1st time EVER!!!!! :)

My boys started school last week after a nice, long summer. We are always sad for summer to end and the start of a new school year to begin. I, as the mom, have been trying my hardest to make it fun and positive! Soooo far, soooo good! Jack has been at his elementary school for the past 5 yrs. (k-4). This year he started the next school up (5th & 6th) so that was a new experience. While Jack is busy starting his new school, little Jacob is starting something new as well................kindergarten!!!!! Sooooo, big changes around here! I am very impressed at how well they both did this year! I don't always like the beginning of the school year. I like to be care-free and spontaneous and "school" doesn't really work that way! I have to be organized and "on top of it" as the mom, ya know?! I guess I have a hard time adjusting. I always do adjust eventually, but it doesn't come naturally. I am trying to focus on the fall and the holiday seasons. I am also trying to clean and get my house in some kind of order. I am most thankful for my boys and especially proud of Jacob!!!! He has been such a shy little boy thru these past five yrs., but on his 1st day of school, he got right on that bus and went to school all by himself!!!! He did soooooo good!!!! He is changing and growing up and it is amazing to watch the transition! :) As for Jack, I, of course, am so proud of him, too! People have told me how easy going he is and they are right! He may get a little nervous at times, but overall, he goes w/the flow. I don't think he got that from me (probably his father and his grandpa). I am a little envious b/c I would like to be more like that!!! :) You know your child is growing up when you see things in them you admire (the way you would an adult)! Does that make sense?!

Anyway, it was a good week and we are adjusting and the boys are doing real well! Last year I had an anxiety attack over the school year starting (and everything was great, so the attack was for nothing). Soooo, I do have to add that "mommy" did really well this year, too! No attacks and waaaay less worrying over nothing!!!! :))

Here's to a great start of what is going to be another great year!!!!! There are soooo many things to be thankful for!!!!! And........I need to remember...............take it "ONE DAY AT A TIME!"

Have a good week!!!!!

Love, Cissa

P.S. I must also mention that the boys started on different days due to a "scattered start" the schools have. B/c of that, I don't have any pics of them together. Jack started first (Weds.) and Jacob started Friday. :)

JADE!!! :)

I love you, Jade!

I just wanted to send a "shout out" to my niece, Jade, who turned "13" this past July!!!! :)) She lives in California so we miss her lots!!!! This pic was taken in April 2007 when Mark's whole family went to the Grand Canyon (Mark's parents live in AZ and it was a family trip! Most of the immediate family was able to make it)! It was a lot of fun and I loved spending time w/my girl, Jade!!!! :) She is so sweet and smart and she is an equestrian, too!

I feel a little bad b/c I just realized that I don't post much about Mark's family on my blog. I think since they live far away, I forget to post things. Sooooo, this ones' for Jade!!!! I love you, girl!!!!! :)

Happy 13th!!!!!

Love,

Aunt Heather