Today's Blessings

WOW!  We are loving this fall weather at the James house.  I know it is probably just a little teaser but we will take what we can get when we can get it.  The extreme heat has rarely bothered Cash much, Arden a little and Alese a lot! ha.  Cash will play outside in a shade in 105 degrees and not think twice about it but I don't enjoy playing with him! ha.  This week has been great, yesterday we played all afternoon outside.  Today was a special day because Papa came to visit us and as most of you know, Cash adores his Papa!  He mimics his Papa's every move, I mean literally down to the sound his Papa makes when he spits! :)  Cash was so excited about our special visitor, as soon as he woke up this morning he said "is Papa coming to hang out with us today"?  Now for those of you that know my daddy you know that "hanging out" is not something he does well.  He is a worker, a hard hard worker.  He does nothing that requires him to sit still so hanging out was going to be tough even if it was gonna be with his favorite and only grandson.  When daddy called to say he was at Foxworth (30 minutes from our house)  I told Cash, "Papa will be here soon" so he and Arden got so excited that they climbed on the couch in front of the window and began the task of "watching for Papa".  I knew the moment they could see his truck coming down the road because I heard Arden scream "PAPA HERE" and the front door flew open and out they both went.  We were very happy to see him, we had a loud lunch with him and then went shopping at the "Eagle Store" as my kids have tagged it.  Of course Cash wouldn't let Papa out of his sight and took a ride with him to Patrick's office all the while sweet little Arden cried and cried "I want Papa".  They came home soon enough and Arden was squealing like she hadn't seen him in weeks.

While we were waiting for Papa to get here I  decided to roll out some dumplings that he could take home for he and Mama to have for supper.  Mama took off all last week to be with Daddy and she had to take off Monday and Tuesday this week to tend to some stuff for Maw Maw.  I knew her first day back at work would be rough but because she is just so giving I knew she would feel the need to come home and cook.  While I was cooking the chicken pie Cash came in the kitchen with his new little camo Bible I bought him and he said "mama you want me to read you something from my Bible"?  Of course I said yes and I was amazed as I listened to my 3 year old son tell me about baby Moses, then about the Red Sea and on the story of Noah!  Wow!  I love that he loves these stories that glorify God.  What precious years these are.  How appropriately that when he finished his "reading" Arden started singing Jesus Loves Me.  She knows all the words and it makes my heart smile to hear her sing it. 

I am so thankful that Master P works so hard so that I can indulge in these priceless moments with my children!!!! 

Fall is in the air

What a beautiful Day!!!!  High of 80 which means...... lots of playing in the yard!!  It  was as if Arden knew this morning when she walked out on the porch that today was NOT meant to be spent indoors! She took off running through the front yard, looking over her shoulder as if she was daring me to try to catch her.  So we played chase and we chased some squirrels, or she did I should say.  We played with Cash's trucks and tractors that Gigi just bought him, in fact that's what we did most of the afternoon.  Of course we took a break to "build" a house out of sticks.  I LOVE these kind of days where it isn't to hot to stay outside all day long.  I did actually manage to roll out some dumplins for supper tonight, they were YUM O but I am TIRED O! :)  I will blog later about the August beach trip and the dove hunt at the farm.  I will also get everyone up to speed on Daddy's ticker troubles! Love to all!

Miss Arden's personality!

My sweet little Arden is going through her "inquisitive two's" early!!  She is into everything, climbing, digging, hitting, you name it she is doing it.  She keeps climbing on the table (along with everything else she wants to) but the other day she was climbing on top and standing of the table for the 3rd or 4th time and I told her that if she did again she would be in big trouble.  So I got her down and she ran off with Cash to play.  A few minutes later I was in her room putting clothes away and I hear her saying "Mama trouble, Mama trouble" over and over.  When I walked in the room, there she was standing on the table again letting me know she was in trouble!!! :)  I see a challenge on my hands with her!

Cashism's

The other day I was moving a chair and I moved it right across my toe.  It was obvious I was in pain by the way I was hopping around and holding my foot.   Cash asked me what was wrong and when I told him he looked at me so seriously and said "You want me to make it feel better, I can make it feel better".  I told him yes and he walked over and took my toe and started rubbing it gently with his fingers and then he said "it feels better don't it Mama"?  OF COURSE it did!!  I love that he is so compassionate!

Yesterday we stopped to get gas and a man pulled up next to us in a '41 Chevy, it was a beautiful car and we talked to the man for a minute.  When we drove away Cash said "that car is a class"! ha  I think he meant classic!!!

Some Summer Fun Moments....

My good friend Bill brought us this giant "slip and slide"! TONS of fun!

At one point Arden had a diaper change and ran off before I could finish

Little air guitar playing with the Mr. Bubbles bottle



At the waterpark with Gigi and all the kiddos



This is what happens when you leave little boys alone for to long! :)

I decided it would be a good idea to take Cash skating for the first time.  Let's just say I laughed so much my sides were hurting!

We switched to "training skates" but they didn't make a huge difference.  What a fun morning!

Cash on his first canoe trip! This was so exciting for me because I love canoeing! I would have taken him at  6 months old if I could have.

Cash and Aunt Jessi

My little man is very well rounded.  Here he is helping me bake a cake!

Cash and his friend Aiden and Arden headed to Mobile to see the snake exhibit at the Discovery Museum

He is ALL boy, all country boy at that!

Look at the look she is giving me!

Cash and his good buddy Colby playing together after preschool!

4th of July trip to Destin

As most of you know there was a terrible oil spill in the Gulf this summer.  One of the least important things this horrible disaster affected was every one's beach trip plans.  We decided to go anyway after hearing that Destin beaches at that point had not been affected.  This was a family vacation but "Uncle Jeffy" tagged along.  Jeff is Patrick's best friend and just part of the family.  Alese is also at an age where she would not enjoy herself for 5 days on the beach with a 3 year old and a 1 year old so we agreed that she could bring a friend along.  She invited our cousin Amy!!  It was sweet relief that Alese and Patrick both had someone to "play" with. ha ha.  I must admit that it thrilled my soul to see life coming circle, remembering how Amy's dad, Perry (my first cousin) use to spent tons of time on the farm growing up.  He use to be the ring leader of all the torture that "the boys" put me through.  Okay so maybe torture is a very strong word but he did start the phrase "Julie butter" that has STUCK for all these years.  That story is for another blog :).  Amy was such a pleasure to have on vacation with us and her and Alese had a great time, I can't wait until we can take her with us again somewhere!!  We had beautiful weather and I broke away one day and drove to Pensacola with Arden for a baby shower for one of my best friends, Bridgett who actually now lives in Nashville.  It was so great to see her and her beautiful belly and her mama there!!  I miss them dearly. 





Bridgett with the little jacket we got for baby Faith

This is the only picture I managed to get in Arden and Cash in their matching outfits!

I love this picture! I hope they always love each other this much

sweet sugar

This would be Cash "relieving" himself! ha

This was the ice cream beach man! ha

This would be Cash relieving himself again at the waterpark.  The fence he is using is facing the major highway in Destin.  I will work on indescent exposure with him soon! :)