{Five on Friday // Bribing for pictures // Park Dates // Best Friends}

{One}

I have to bribe my son to take pictures. Seriously. Otherwise he wants absolutely nothing to do with the camera. Not good for a photo-takin'-lovin'-mama.  

For this one?

Had to agree to run around actin' a fool so that he could "arrest me" while playing cops and bad guys! And? I didn't even get a smile out of it. Still cute, though,

For this one?

I had to pretend that I was a bad guy and that my camera was a gun.

He's so much fun!

{Two}

I've talked on my blog before about Nate having to work 7 days a week for the last several months, but I've never went into depth why. Nate works for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control and they've been working on a tactical vehicle prototype to repalce the humvee. They are 1 of 3 companies going after the bid from the government. This would be HUGE for his company! Anyhow, I can talk about it more now...I mean since it was on the news and all this week!!!!!!

{Three}

Nate, Mason and I went to dinner last night and then to the park. I absolutely love Getzendaner Park. It's so big and nice and completely shaded with trees. It was hot and humid, but we had such a great time. And, it made me a little more ready for Fall!!! I see more trips to the park once it cools down some here.

And we ended the evening with the most glorious sunset!!

{Four}

September 13 - I cannot wait for you! My best friend and I are heading to see Miranda Lambert!!!!!!!! Counting down the days! We also really want to go to her store, the Pink Pistol. Have you ever been?

{Five}

Happy Friday friends! Any plans for the weekend?

{Getting to Know You - Texas Women Bloggers Linkup}

1. What part of Texas do you call home?

We live in Rockett TX. Ever heard of it?

2. How long have you been blogging?

4 years on 9/28. You can find my first post here.
 
3. Why did you start blogging?

I was trying to think of a way to tell my {huge} family all at once that we were pregnant...so I started the blog and emailed them all the link at the same time! Then it became my pregnancy journal, and now it's our family scrapbook!

4. When we visit your blog, what can we expect to discover?

Lots and lots of pictures, for sure! Along with our family adventures, things my crazy kid says, motherhood, toddlerhood, marriage, stuff about Texas, Texas Rangers, travel, etc.

5. How did you come up with your Blog Title and what is its meaning?

Next to Heaven - it was our wedding song and one that just describes our life perfectly....

Next to heaven lies my fate, my best friend and my soul mate
God knows this kind of love only comes from up above
You're the answer to my prayers, nothing else compares
I'm next to heaven when I am next to you 

Next to Heaven it doesn't get any better than this.

6. What do you love about being part of Texas Women Bloggers?

Such an amazing community! Seriously, some of the best people right here! And who would have thought that one of my best friends was met through blogging! And we met IRL for the first time at a Texas Bloggers meetup!

7. Who inspires you to blog?

My boys!

8. If you could pick a favorite blog post from this past year, what would it be?

Hmm...Well, I really loved participating in the Blog Every Day in May challenge. You can find those posts here. Of course our birth story, here. 

Did you link up?

{Wordless-ish Wednesday - Mason and Lucy}

Mason loves little Lucy! 

And she is so chill with him. It amazes me because she's normally a little high-strung!

 That would be her climbing up the post on our porch!

{If I weren't a boy mom}

If I weren't a boy mom I wouldn't know things such as...

How bad it hurts to step on a hotwheel. 

Finding rocks and bugs in pockets of jeans and shorts.

How to dodge that {inacurate} little built in sprinkler.

What Monster Jam is.

 I wouldn't know how to make a mohawk {around a good ol' cowlick}

That there are zombies everywhere...and I mean everywhere.

The wrath of legos.

Dirty faces and stinky toots. All day everyday.

I wouldn't know how cool dinosaurs, monster trucks, jeeps, airplanes, spiders, Ninja Turtles, bull frogs, worms, mud, snakes, firetrucks and superheros really are.

Or that camo matches everything.

What a miniature version of my husband is like.

And I would never know the joy of a Mother/Son relationship!!!  Or a love so deep.

What do you love about being a Mother?

{He said what? V12}

7/4 - Driving to Galveston

Mason can I please have my phone back? - Me
Hold on Mama, I'm playing Candy Crush! - Mason

...

7/10 - at his Nana & Papa's house

Here Mom, I'll show you where the potty is. But, don't laugh when I pee.

...

7/12 - Driving home from school

I love you Sugar Mama.

...

7/16 - Walking to the house from the car

Mama, look at that Hop Skipper {grasshopper}

...

7/17 - Going to bed and Mason kept asking to watch Lightning McQueen.

Okay Mason for 5 minutes only. - Me
No Mama, 2 minutes. - Mason

...

7/21 - Waking up -

Mama, you smell terrific.

Driving to McDonalds we were singing and dancing - 

Mama, you are cute.

...

7/26 - Mason to Nate -

Daddy, it's hard work being good at school.

...

7/27 - Getting ready at home

Mason do you wanna go see uncle Jo Jo play baseball? - Nate

I'd love to! - Mason 

...

7/28 - We were telling Mason how Mommy and Daddy were boyfriend and girlfriend in high school -

Mama I need a girlfriend like you.

...

7/30 - Driving home from school -

Mama I had a bad day today. I was just too busy. I was working hard.

Later that evening I was hugging him - 

Mama I missed you today. That's why I had bad luck.

And a little later - 

I told Levi esterday that I got a new lunch box and I asked him if that was cool.

...

{Five on Friday}

Time for Five on Friday...

{One} I haven't cooked one single meal this week. And? I've kind of loved it. Last week I was just too exhausted to meal plan, grocery shop and cook and clean. I was just over it. Over cooked food. I blame it on the heat. It was nice to just spend the evenings with my boys without having to cook and clean the kitchen. Well, not a real kitchen anyway...just Chef Turtle's kitchen!

{Two}  I am ready for FALL. Texas and Summer = 100+ degree days. Blah!

{Three} My Daddy actually gets to come home this weekend!!! His job has had him working in Oklahoma for a long time and it's been a while since he's been able to come home on a weekend. I can't wait to give him a giant hug and just hang out with him and the family.

{Four} I just finished season 2 of the Killing. WOW! Love this show. Do you watch it? 

{Five} Friends, if you could, please say an unspoken prayer for my sister and her pregnancy. Baby boy is healthy. Just need some prayers. I will talk about this more when I can. Thank you all!!

How was your week? Any plans for the weekend?

 

{Chef Turtle}

Sit down Mama and I will make you lunch. 

I'm Chef Turtle.

What do you want? I will make you whatever you want.

Here, I made you manilla ice cream.

{I pretend to start to eat it}

Wait Mama! You have to pray first.

{Wordless-ish Wednesday - Mason dresses himself}

A few things about this photo - 

- Mason wanted to go outside and play in the 100+ degree heat. So, Nathan slapped on a white tank and basketball shorts to go out with him. Well, Mason wanted to dress like Daddy.

- He dressed himself

- White shirt with red writing paired with camo swim trunks {totally matches, duh}

- The camo swim trunks are a size 18 month. Every time I put them in our "storage bin" Mason takes them back out and puts them on. 

- He did match his camo shoes to his camo shorts

 

 Do your kids dress themselves?

{Texas Tuesday - Lake Grandbury}

Hey y'all!! Happy Texas Tuesday!!

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What is Texas Tuesday? A chance for you to show off the awesomeness that is TEXAS!! You can blog about anything; restaurants, vacation spots, venues, concerts, your hometown, shops, fashion, sports, etc. The linkup is not limited to Texans, we just ask that the post is about Texas. 

We don't make following any of the hosts a requirement, but we do ask that you include our button and at least post about a Texas related topic. Any links that are not related to the link up will be deleted. (button code is in grab box below the image above)

We've invited Texas bloggers to co host with us weekly. If you're interested in being a co host for our link up please email Amanda at princessofthepanhandle(at)gmail(dot)com and she will get you on the calendar. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last Summer we were camping in Cleburne and ventured out to Lake Grandbury. We instantly fell in love. And we may or may not have been trying to talk Nate's parents into getting a lake house there ever since! ha! 

One side of the lake is very hustle & bustle...but the other side is the town square and it's so darn cute! And, I kinda have a thing for town squares! 

Lake Grandbury is one of the 3 lakes damming the Brazos river. Fish that can be found in this lake are Bass, Catfish and Crappie. It's stocked annually with Bass.

If you're ever in the area be sure to check out the lake and downtown area of Grandbury!

{Are you proud of me too, Mom?}

Yesterday {7/10} we were at home hanging out. Nate was cooking dinner and I was asking Mason what he wanted for supper {he never eats the same thing with us because he's so picky}. I scooped him up and kissed him a gazillion times. And as I do everyday I told him how he was my favorite little guy in the whole world. And how much I loved him. And how I was so, so blessed to be his Mama. He looked at me with the sweetest eyes and said,

"Are you proud of me too, Mom?"

My eyes welled with tears. Oh baby boy, if you only knew. If you only knew the pride I hold for you. And that each and every single day it grows. Whether it's a new song you've learned, counting a few numbers more, telling me that a spider has 8 legs, or even saying "actually" before everything. Oh it makes me proud. Everything you do makes me proud. 

Mommy will always be your #1 fan!! Always, baby boy. Always.

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3

 

{That one time Mason played Blastball}

Oh my goodness!! I was looking at pictures on my Picasaweb albums and realized that I've never blogged about Blast Ball!!

Yes, Blast Ball was back in the Spring. Yes, I am extremely late.

But, better late than never. Right? Right!

What is Blast Ball?

It's for toddlers - a step before T-ball. Games are only 20 minutes long and they only run to 1st base. When they step on 1st base it honks. Oh, and they don't keep score. Every kid gets to bat during an inning and then they switch. We normally got 2 innings in during one game.

Mason went into it really excited {and so cute in his little uniform}. But, it was hard to keep his attention - even with only a 20 minute game. But, most of them were that way. Mason was technically the youngest player on the team until the end of the season. They want the players to be three, but they let Mason play at 2 years old. Mason would play for like 5 minutes and then run to the stands. That's where the party was and where he wanted to be. Finally, it took his Nana going out on the field with him for him to stay out there the entire game! Whatever works!!

We had such a great team. Nate and his friend Tyler coached the team....but all of the dads helped. Nate went to the first coaches meeting and came back with the Roster (that the league put together) and we knew most of the kids/families! During a 'game' each kid had at least one parent/adult out there with them. Our first game we went out there looking like chickens with their heads cut off...but from the next game on we were the most put together and best team in the league! Our boys were so good!!!

Mason picked #1 for his jersey and to this day when he sees the #1 anywhere he says "Look, that's number 1 just like me."

We decided to skip Summer ball for many reasons and will start back up this Fall. Can't wait!!

Warning - lots of pictures ahead!!

 

{He said What?! V11}

May version...

Mason was telling me a story about playing on the playground at school and said he was playing bad guy/good guy and I asked who he was playing with and he says {changing her name here} Bella. I said oh yeah? Are you and Bella friends again? He says...

"No Mom, she's not my friend. She's my girlfriend."

...

We recently got a kitten and I was discussing names with Mason. He says,

"Mom, I know...we can name her Joe Diffey"

Thanks Jason Aldean!!!

...

Mason is allergic to fire ants and got bit by one on his foot. This morning {5/30} I was looking at it and he says, 

"Mommy stop messing with my Zombie toes"

"What?" - Me

"Yeah, only Zombies have messed up toes"

...

While driving to school I asked Mason if he wanted a "Monkey drink" {Yogurt Smoothie} and he says "yes, please" I said sure, whatever my baby wants my baby gets and he breaks out in a song with

"And a jeep in my pocket, yeeeeeah"

...

{He Said What? V10}

The April edition...

4/14 - (Watching Odd Parents)

That's not nice. He poked her butt.

...

4/15 - Daddy, I just saw a wapps (wasp). Will you get it for me?

...  

4/16 - We were outside and I was trying to take pictures of him..

Mama, I'm Spiderman and Spiderman doesn't say cheese.

...  

4/18 - Mama, this rain is messing up my mohawk.

...

4/21 - Mama I cooked this snake for you. Want some snake chicken?

...

4/27 - Mama, don't laugh at what I'm about to do. (starts singing Hickory Dickory Dock)

 

{He said what?!? V9}

I'm a little behind on these. Trying to catch up!

2/7 - I love you sweet baby - Me
I love you sweet Mama. Buenos Noches. - Mason

... 

2/16/13 - Does Mr Sun live in Jesus' house?

...

3/8 - Mama, I'm a Ninja Turle - Mase

Really? What color? - Me

Green (duh) - Mase

...

3/21 - Mason, you're so sweet I could just eat you up. - Me

Because I'm crunchy? - Mase

...