Oh the fun that was had!!

Hi gang! I surely do hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful July. Its been nice here the past few days, in the 80"s, a little rainy & I love the rain!!  We have had alot going on this summer (as Im sure you all have!). Two of my older girlz are out of state seeing family, and the other (older one) was in Waco last week on a poverty mission trip w/ our church. She had some amazing stories. One was that they did the prayer of salvation with two sisters who wernt saved. I cried. Its such an awesome feeling to see how Gods plan is unfolding for your baby. We are very proud of her!!! Lil P hasnt gone anywhere except over to a friends to sleep over. She said the other day that she is LOVIN the sisters being gone. She's "not treated like poo and she gets to do what she wants" ( her words!!) We had a wonderful 4th of july party with friends.There were about 12 people and lots of food n fun. The kids swam for hours then we did fireworks for even longer. Here are some photos of the fun filled night...(at the top in our bff Kevin and Syd!)

 This lil P and her friend Abby.

These are my sweet friends Christy & Jw.

This is Abby's older sis. Makenzie...

My bff JW & my man!!

lil P and her bff Kenzie

and JW's sweet lil self w/ moi!

The forth was one of the first nights that I had been out in awhile, for 2 reasons. One is that Im doing this weightloss challenge and OMGAW its been realllly difficult. Ive lost considerable weight, but I've barely made it through!!(thank you honey for your love and patience!!)

The second reason is because I fell in my back yard...(ugh!) Sprained both ankles, my right knee, anddddd peepled all the skin off my big toe on my right foot.( I posted pic's on FB case yer interested ;)

So Sat. night was a very special treat, not to mention the fact that we were celebrating the men and women that have fought and are fighting for our freedom. I am so very thankful to live in this counrty, and am deeply thankful for the sacrifices being made!!

I miss all of your beautiful selves and promise to be here way more! Hope your having a fabulous week!!

xoxoxox ♥ LA

We survived!!!!

Friday night we had a lock~in birthday party for Kait's sweet 16th. Oh man was it a BLAST!!! I am so dang tired but it was totally worth it!! We had her fooled into thinking that we were meeting friends in Tulsa at her fav. mexican place & that we had to stop by our church for camp papers. So off we go upstairs to the youth area where a room full of people lay in wait to jump out & scream "Happy Birthday" to her. She,was SHOCKED!! The whole thing went off w/out a hitch, including the fact that 5o people from our church & friends knew & managed to keep it a complete secret~ Amazing!!

I had a cake made with a precious pic of her when she was 1.

(It's sitting in the kitchen right now beacause I cant force myself to cut into her precious lil body!! We did eat some, all around the edge, lol!) . 7 or 8 of my girlfriends came up to hang with us. I love my friends. They are truly supportive & sincerely love the girls & myself. I can see it in their actions, & I couldn't feel more blessed!!. Jenn Wedemeyer & Kelly Grubb did above n beyond & were there to get their "up -all- night" on & I am soooo thankful that they were. We played a series of games in the dark & after the boys went home these 2 ladies kept right up with the action & totally joined in on the chaos!  The alarms went off somewhere around 1am & we missplaced the code, we ran around for 20 minutes trying to find it, imagine 15 girls running around , SCREAMING  for 20 solid minutes!! I called 911 to let them know what was going on so they wouldn't send anyone, they didn't know a thing about it!!. The poor security company chap showed up around 2 am, I guess he didn't get the memo?! Mayyyyybe we need to re-evaluate our alarm situation?? lol. At one point Kelly & I hid in an area together that one of us could barely fit in, let alone both of us. We laughed, & laughed our henies off!!!. (also lost feeling in our butts & toes, & still continued at a ridiculous pace well past 4 am!!) And this is a pic of Jenn stuck, in a secret location that we cannot devuldge otherwise there might be consequences!! ;) Thank you ladies for taking time away from your families to embark on that adventure with me, your awesome!!

Kait & her friends are still talking about it & are already ready for the next one. Which is perfect because Kevin & Jenn are already offering to chaperone so I gatta get it on the calendar!! ;)

I cherish this time in our lives & hope to drink it all in. I just really hope that I'm not to worn our when lil P gets this age & needs me to participate in her life, lol!!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend & I can't wait to read all about it!!

LYLAS/B ♥ LA

My baby is turning 16 tomorrow....

Kait my oldest turned 16 in ummm, 28 minutes ago. I seriously cannot believe it!!! Where in the world did all the time go, huh? A few days ago on Mothers day I was sitting doing somthing & suddenly realized that I only have 2 more mothers day's with all four of my girls under one roof~it hit me like a mack truck. I'm just not ready.

Tomorrow we are having a surprise lock-in birthday bash up at our church, & I'm having a pic of her on her first b~day put on her cake. As I sat going through all of the pictures of her over the last 16 years, I started to really struggle with how quickly the time has gone by. Did I spend enough quality time with her?. Does she know how very special she is to me?. Have I been a good mom to her?. Have I listened & encouraged her?. She was born 13 months before her twin sisters, & the first few years were really hard on her & took some adjustment (for all of us!!). I have wondered over the years if she got to be a baby long enough?.

She has really been a great big sister. When lil P came along she just jumped right in and was such a huge help to me. She has always been so mature & level headed & before she was a teen she was already offering to watch our friends children so that they could have a break!!

As of late, our life hasn't been one filled with very many tender moments. She & I are so much alike & there have been times when I wondered if I would make it through, but I have realized is that this is a time in her life where I am working on letting go, & she is working on going......

I couldn't have asked for a more precious Kaitlyn. She was hand picked just for me. I cherish every tick of the clock that God has gifted me with her as my daughter, & right now more than ever I want to celebrate having her in my life.

I love you very much Kaitlyn. Always know that I believe in you. I'm always going to be on your side. And you always , always, have a home here with me.

I cannot wait to see all of the wonderful things you have yet to do, & all of the mountains you have yet to climb.

Happy Happy Birthday Baby!!! ♥ MOM

Florida, Girlfriends, The Lord Jesus, & a sunburn! Ugh...

Had the best week, nearly ever!! I flew off to Fl. last Sat. for a week on the beach with my girlfriends. Just some time to rest and renew & boy did I. We moved from Florida 4 years this Sept. & until last week I really didn't think I missed it. I quickly realized, I do. I not only miss the white sandy beaches, 90 degree days, aqua marine water, but I realllly misss my friends.
I know God moved us here for a few reasons. I have seen our buisness blow up, I've seen God truly work in my family's lives, but theres somthing about girls who know your dirt, & still love you...The friends I have there are strong,so loving, very tan (lol) real women of God who were (& are) such a special part of my life. I came home on thursday & told hubbs to pack it all up!!( although I couldn't leave my friends here.......... with out a few weeks advanced notice... :)
I have found some awesome friends here too. Why, just last night I had a teriffic G.N.O. & feel truly blessed that God has placed them in my life!!
I have just realized that the saying about season's of friends in your life is so true, but it takes alot of time & dedication to grow "old friends". I truly hope you are growing some of your own...

LYLAS/B ♥L.A

Well, It's official!!

Summer has arrived!! Hi ya'll, boyyyy have I missed you!!
Today (as most of you know) is Earth day.We went to see the movie Earth with some of our friends... (this is a pic of the little girls that went). It was really good and I just love how they filmed it.
It's so beautiful here today and 95 degrees right now. A few months ago I wasn't excited about summer, but after these last 3 windy cold months, I am READY!!
I have said this before, but I am so vexed about what to do with this blog. People have been getting on to me about not posting, but I just think of so many things I want to tell ya'll!!!
Well, lets see, I have recently lost some weight. It's been a toughie but I have had the most awesome support system of girlfriends and hubby, and I am well on my way. I am doing this wonderful eating thing, and if any of you want it, please email me and I'll be thrilled to share it with you. The weight has been seriously dropping. I had lost quite a bit of weight a few years ago on atkins, but the eating was so darn strict I couldn't stay with it... This isn't like that ;)
The girlies are at church right now so my casa is quiet. Ahhhhhhh.I love getting on here and not having a bazillion interruptions.
Things are going really good. We still have the typical life stuff, and parent of teen stuff, but I couldn't be happier. Our summer is already booking up. We have church camps, then 2 of the girls are going to Iowa to visit their cousins and Nana, and then in Aug. we are going on a vacation with some of our bestest friends. I can't wait, and hopefully I'll be 40 pounds thinner!!
We are about to start getting the pool ready. The girls have started to mention it often, so week after next I'll do may annual trek to the pool store and begin my daily ritual. I don't mind it, they spend alotttt of time in it during the summer.
I am also going to Florida next week with my girlfriends. I can't wait. I'm gonna sit my self on the white sandy beach and lay around laughing, loving and visiting the entire time!! I'm going to spend time with one of my bestest friends in the whole world! For some strange reason the girls are very excited for me to go. I think I might need to install motion censored security cameras in my house whilst I'm away??!!
Oh and I am twittering now. If you wanna add me shoot me an email and I'll be happy to link up!!
Okay, I have about covered it for now, and I want to pop around and see what you have been doing... I Heart you and can't wait to hear from you!!

LYLAS/B ♥ LA

wii are a lil late in the game!!

The older three girls stayed over at their friends last night, so lil P, hubbs and I went to dinner... Ahhh.

Then after, we wanted a coffee naturally and hubbs asked...

"Hey, how bout we buy a wii." Well, how could I say no?? So he and lil P stayed up well past midnight kicking each others butt at the various games. Why did we wait so long?? The girls and I created our wii~selves this morning. Ughhh!.

I've been working out with a personal trainer and the girls still made my wii girl chubby~ Sooo not fair!!!

The older three girls wern't home an hour and 2 have already been sent to their rooms!!

Well just as most of you, we got snow. It started early this morning and is still comming. We have a total white out!! We've got satelite TV and it's out today due to snow, which gives me the perfect excuse to be on here, for hours!!! ( I should have said" to do my bible study", but who am I kidding??)

Welp, I just sent # 3 to her room... This day just gets better and better!! I seriously just heard thunder right now, THUNDER & SNOW??? I have never heard of that in my whole life!!

Well,thanks to Keli's (Dream Imagine Live) update on facebook, I am heading out for wing's today~ Yum and eakkkk!!!

Okay, well I'm off to check some of you out, then get dressed to head off into the white, cold yonder to get me some wing's.... Man is it quiet here, Mama likie!! ;)

LYLAS/B ♥ LA

Is cause kansas blows and texas sucks?

I don't believe that for one minute, but we have had seriously hurricane force winds and some people here have a theory, and that's it... I grew up in Tx. have a lot of family there and miss it . Might even someday end up back there if the good Lords willing..
I miss you guys so much tho, I can't hardly take not hearing from you!!
God is so good to me. I haven't slept in 6 days, and finally slept last night. A group of ladies from my church is doing a bible study Esther ( I know, I do have a point in this lil story;) and last night one of my close friends called me and told me " You HAVE to do day one right now, it's about God keeping people awake when He is trying to deal with you about something!!" Well, I naturally had to go right away and get it. Sure enough, He had me snotty nose and sobbing in the first 5 minutes!!! I want to encourage any of you that aren't sleeping to please get this BM study and look at week six, day 1. This part of the study is where Esther told her hubby king Xerxes that she wanted to throw a party and asked if Haman would come as well.. Well, this was the night following that party and the King couldn't sleep. God revealed or rather used this time to unfold a turning point in the Kingdom. I don't want to give it away, but God was up to something HUGE. I have been wrestling with so many things lately. One is a life changing thing that has got me in it's grips & needless to say, I had a time with God last night... It was a good, draining time. I am hard headed and sometimes He has to just let me wrestle. He is so patient with me. Is there anything He is letting you wrestle with?Is it your babies, family, finances , your marriage? Well, He already knows the outcome you just have to release it so that He can work it out on your behalf.( Or so He told me last night. And I am seriously trying...)
How are you, whats going on in your world?? I Miss ya like crazy... I'm off to see what you been up to!!
LYLAS/B ♥ LA

A trip Home....

Hello everyone...I suppose alot of you are eather about to have spring break, or its week after next. Well , I can't wait to see pic's and hear all about it ;)  Being that we homeschool, we can do ours whenever we see fit. We will prob. take it the last week in March and take a trip to my dad's in Paragould Arkansas. I was born in Arkansas. Moved from there when I was 5ish. My grandparensts ( moms parents) moved to NM from Ar.and we followed. My dad's whole family lives in Ar. and has my whole life. He and I hadn't really known one another until just over 2 years ago. God totally reunited us. My dad is now saved and a totally different man than I knew growing up, now we see him often. He has grown very close to my dh and girls. He has a twin sister and they celebrated their b-day last weekend, so off we went to hang out for the Birthday Bash. Any of you have Southern roots?? I am here to tell you that if you do & get together "Southern Style" then your gonna grub, aint no two ways about it!!!.... I ate till I couldnt eat anything else. Let me just take you through the the meal we had for lunch Sunday...
This here is a good ole pot of Beans and Southern Cornbread...

 OH MAMA!!

Alongside this delish dish "Fried Taters n Onions" gatta have em!!

With some "Franks And Kraut"

And lastly but certainly not least, "Banana Puddin"!!

All this followed a huge batch of Biscuits n Gravy for breakfast!!

Have I told you that I have been seeing a personal trainer??? Well, it was totally worth it and I can't wait to go back for more!!  My kids are still detoxing....

What kinds of food do you eat when you go home? I just can't wait to hear about it... I have so missed you all, and I am going to go and see what has been happening in your world!! ;)

LYLAS/B!! LA

Bink Blink Blink....

Thats what my cursor is doing as Im sitting here trying to figure out what to blog about...

Do you ever have those times when you have so much going on all at once and yet you can't even think of anything to say... No?? Me neither... Lol.

Hi Ya'll , wow how I've missed your beautiful faces!!!

Lets see, where to begin...

Well, K & the boy broke up. We let him in our home and lives (against Chris's better judgement). He was right, I was very wrong. The boy was sneaking over when I went to NM to see my fam & also on Tuesday nights locking himself in K's room with her when hubbs & I were at a class at church. K got busted, & asked him to come over & take his lumps with her, he said nope & left her out to dry-alone. She cries every night, has trouble eating & sleeping, has no life, no cell, has lost all her priveledges & is on complete lockdown... He has already asked another girl to Prom, & has pic's of himself with a girl already up on his facebook.

I'm very happy it's over. I can see now that he has no character & certainly didn't care about her. This was her first love. She really loved him. My heart breaks for her, & yet I am so thankful that God was faithful & removed him. She and I are fractured. She blames me, & I am very angry. But I am also prayerful & know that God is the God of restoration & forgivness. I cling to that. Also to the fact that He say's that they have the truth in them, have been brought up knowing , so they will return to it...

I have made an appt. w/ a christian councelor next week for her. S (other former wayward daughter, ok still wayward, but Im speaking it as tho it were... ;) & I saw him today. Awesome man of God and hugely annointed. I truly believe God is guiding my steps right now because I am at the very end of myself with all of this -with both of my babies. I'm sure I'll have more to say as the next few week's unfold round here...

I am really working towards forgivness, inspite of their underserving-ness ( its a word, uh-hu it is...) . I am making friends now. For about the last 7 months I wasnt the least bit intertested in moving foreward because I went through such a painful season.... Maybe not interested isnt the right phrase. I was just stuck, didn't know how... But God is placing some really wonderful girlz in my life & I am finally at a place where I can open myself up to them. Boy, relationship stuff is work huh?? I know God had work to do in me about why it was that I let myself get sucked in to such disfunction. Looking back I see it so clearly now. How exciting to realize over and over that I don't have to fight this on my own. Any of it. He is here fighting, all I have to do is know who I am in Him & stay prayerful. Ahhhh. Do that with me, okay??... Ready, Now say " Ahhhhh" & realllllly let it out.

Feel better?? I know I do. Okay, its your turn. Whats been going on in your world. I am seriously anxious to hear from you. It can be anything you wanna share. Just know, if you need encouraging or an ear (eyes) I am your girl!!

I just love getting to know y♥u better!!!

LYLAS/B ♥ LA

A Tragedy...

We lost a 14 year old boy Sunday night here in Owasso. He was with a friend & crossing the freeway that runs through town. They were crossing to go home after meeting friends at a local pizza joint & didn't want to go all the way around. 3 cars hit this boy going 65 mph and he was dead on the scene. The tragedy isn't just that he is gone, it's the uncertainty of where he will spend eternity... His mother just dropped dead in the parking lot of a local grocery store a few years ago & this was this couples only child together. The boy occasionally came to our church & after his mothers passing, some of the leaders in our youth took Jesse in. He stayed with a couple for a few moths & they got to love on him and share Gods love & purpose for his life, but he never was able to forgive God for "taking " his mom....The friend of Jesse's has barely been able to breathe since watching this happen to his friend, I cannot even imagine.. I am unable to express the sorrow that I feel for this family & for this young boy as I write this, it's one of those times when things just don't make any sense. As a Christ follower you know that the only way to get through it is to know that God is here, in the midst of all of this pain & to turn to Him, but as a child who really doesn't know God & His love n grace you are just left with all of this pain & wondering, why... And as we as believers all know, satan could very easily use this in Josh's life for a very long long time... Please join us in praying for this family, his best friend Josh & also please pray for wisdom for the couple that got very close to Jesse as they minister to this man who has lost his baby boy...

We love and miss you Jesse....

Please, tell your babies what they mean to you, & if you haven't already, make sure they have asked Jesus into their precious he♥rts. It's never to late, until it is....

Thank you all, ♥ LA