Season's First Snow!

It sure is beginning to FEEL like Christmas...even if the snow is on the light side!

First 5K!

It's funny...in MY mind, I was the one that was supposed to be running a race this Fall, but instead it was Ben. 2nd place in the 18 and under division of the Fireman's 5K put on by several area businesses. Maybe I will have a running buddy in the future!

My Two Acolytes

Proud MOM moment...loved seeing Ben and Ava walk down the aisle at church as Acolytes during Sunday morning service. I remember doing this as a child...very special memories.

Costume Winners!

We managed to scrounge up costumes despite my "disability" this year. (Sorta hard to shop PERIOD with a broken hip, two crutches and no extra arms to carry stuff. Plus, after my traumatic experience on the motorized scooter at Wal-Mart, I pretty much resigned myself to groceries via Will...but that's another post.) The kids got to go to our annual Trunk or Treat at our church AND the Fall Festival at the school. The Mad Scientist received 1st place honors in his age group, and the Flapper got 3rd. Ava's friend Karsen, got 2nd. Fun Fun!

Visitors from Cobbtown!

Will's mom, Grammy, and brother, Uncle Jamie, came to Texas for a visit this past week. Ben and Ava LOVED having family from another STATE come to Quitman. A large portion of the weekend was spent negotiating WHO got to sleep with Grammy and discussing why Texas chickens lay better eggs that their counterparts in Georgia. (Well, duh...they are from TEXAS!!! Now if I could just teach them how to say Hook'em!)

FIRST DAY of 2nd and 4th grades!

Fall Ball with the Texans!

Ben is playing Fall baseball again this year for the Quitman Texans (a group of 8,9 and 10 year-old boys from Quitman and Mineola and a coach he adores)! We had our first (of 8) double headers this weekend. We fell short against the Gladewater Sluggers, but pounded the Carthage Ballhawgs. Way to go boys!

Playa del Carmen, Nicole is 40!!!

Can we say, "ROOM WITH A VIEW?" This was from our front balcony.

 

 

 

After a day of sailing, sunning and eating. Thanks Reilly-Ann!

Our own private terrace! Indulgent!!

Everyone should be game to celebrate as a dear friend turns the big "FOUR-O"...Especially when they choose to celebrate in this fashion. Thanks Nicole! (And Steph, Erin, Reilly Ann, Val, Mandi, Wade...) Spending not just a weekend, but FIVE days laughing, eating, drinking, laughing, sunning, shopping (and did I mention laughing?) made this one of the best vacations ever! I loved every minute of it - - even the 4 hours spent in the bar at the Cancun airport ALONE while the others tried to find me!

Fun Day at the Drivers!

                                

Maybe subconsciously it's a strategic move on my part...they ALWAYS want to go to the Driver's to play!

Nine Years Old! It seems like just yesterday...

June 22, 2002...it seems like just yesterday we were welcoming Benjamin Reid Burroughs into this world. 6 weeks early, but he still weighed in at 7lbs 6oz...

We were blessed to have Kelley, Megan, Nate, Dad and Bud join us for dinner last night at Nina's in Tyler. We enjoyed yummy tamales, fresh tortillas, quacamole and an ice cream cake that somehow came without the ice cream! :-) No one seemed phased as we celebrated Ben's 9th birthday.

Florida Fun 2011!

Our annual family vacation to Florida this year was once again packed with lots of time on the beach, by the pool, and visiting our favorite restaurants and watering holes. We even added a new twist this year by meeting up with some of our favorite Quitman folk to hang out, introduce them to some yummy Mellow Mushroom pizza (a favorite from our days in Atlanta) and to watch the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat to win NBA Championship. (Watching this WHILE in Florida was just an added bonus!!) Is it too soon to start counting down until next year???  365, 364, 363, 362...

Yummy pizza and fun with the Burgos family at Mellow Mushroom.

An annual favorite...AJ's Landing after a long hard day on the beach!

PawPaw and the boys.

Megan enjoying a little seaweed wrap while buried in the sand.

This was Will's favorite hangout each afternoon.

Outside Angler's after the Mavs took the Championship!

Cooling off with PawPaw at the pool. (Or, washing the sand off...)

The best purchase of the vacation...bright green beach chairs! We logged many hours in this position!

Sand castle construction...

School is OUT for Summer!

Ben and Ava wrapped up 3rd and 1st grades yesterday with an awards ceremonies and a sad goodbye to a very special friend who will be moving to Amarillo next week. Overall, both had a great year, made some new friends, loved their teachers and from the number of awards each received, managed to learn a little too!

Ava received the: Read Naturally Award, Citizenship Award (perfect conduct), Presidents Award (awarded to a student with perfect conduct, top grades and excellent participation), Music Award and an AR Award (for reading 136 books this year.) Way to go Ava-B!

Ava and Mrs. Ellison (Both kiddos had her as their 1st grade teacher and boy will we will miss her!)

Ben received the: Citizenship Award, Science Award, was recognized for his Commended Performance (missing 3 or less) on his reading and math TAKS tests, and the Sports Award. Good job Benjamin!

Homeroom teacher Mrs. Bradshaw and Ben (He LOVES her!)

What has BIG ears, SAD eyes, LARGE feet, and MY heart?...

Stanley! He showed up at the office uninvited, and stayed patiently all day waiting for someone to notice him, and maybe even take him home. Any guesses who the sucker was? (I swear there is an animal-to-animla adoption network out there and I am on it somehow! How do they know?) So...

I ask YOU, how could you say NO? We were hoping the Little Rock Atwoods were going to adopt him, but it's just not feasible, so I began home hunting. I was actually successful right off the bat to a great family, but now I don't think I can say goodbye! He's just good family entertainment in my own backyard. (And, when it's almost 100 acres what's ONE MORE dog, right?)

And, Deets adores him, so how can I tell him NO? We are pretty sure he thinks he's a lab watching him hang with Deets and Major.  So, I guess, meet our third dog and newest family member...STANLEY!

Who dunnit?

 Was it YOU, young lady?

 How about you, Red?

 Or, you?

Who dunnit? 

Our first (three) eggs have arrived!!

Nationals Bound Bake Sale!

Not only was Saturday morning filled with Dogwood Fiesta events, but the Jr. Boys Little Dribbler's team also had a bake sale to help raise money for their upcoming trip to the National Tournament in Franklin, Texas. We leave in a little over a week! The boys did an AWESOME job selling the tasty treats their mom's made, and it only took the policeman coming ONCE to "remind" the boys to stay OUT of the road! (They might have started out a bit aggressive with their selling tactics.)

Logan (behind sign), Trey, Josh, Camden, Trey, Hunter and Ben

River, Blake, Ben, Logan (behind sign again), and Josh position themselves near the parade action.

Ben takes a break to watch Ava in the parade!

Dogwood Fiesta Begins!!

We kicked off the Dogwood Fiesta season today with the annual parade. The season ends with the PAGEANT (said with a groan) on April 23. All of the princesses participating were asked to ride in a car in the parade.  Will drove Betsy, and at the last minute invited Deets and Major to ride with them! I am not sure who was more excited about being in the back of the truck...Ava or Deets. (Major slept through most of it.) The parade ended in the park where Ava was more interested in playing than she was selling baked goods at the bake sale. It has been a beautiful day and we have ALL had fun.

Pre-parade...before the humidity killed the curls!

Ava with a few friends before the parade. Who by the way, are all AT LEAST six months older than her! (If there was a TALLEST category in the pageant, I think we'd have it in the bag!)

You tell me...who is having the most fun?

 

Ava introduces herself to those attending Fiesta in the Park!

Ava and her BFF, Karsen.

Taking time for some fun. We ARE at the park for goodness sake!

Thank you Nina for your help with the car signs!!