My mud running boys

My idea of swimming, is in a POOL, with clear water, on a float, maybe drink in hand. If someone is on the bottom of said pool, I enjoy being able to see them. No critters floating around my ankles, oh no. No possible rip tides. CLEAR BLUE WATER. 

So the idea of people lunging into water like this, ON PURPOSE, and actually PAY for it? Uh, crazy.

Or maybe I'm the crazy one. Or just boring? 

Because there are HUNDREDS of people who pay to run through mud. 

I happen to married to one of those people.

Look at all these men and women living out their, I'M A WILD MAN OF THE WILDERNESS fantasies.

Probably pretending they are in Nam or something.

Paul has been Mr. Active this year.

Training for races that involve obstacles and mud..

Look at the mud splashing right in his face. Blech. Oh and look at that guy in the background flexing a muscle, men really never grow up do they?

While I myself would never want to do this, I admire all these people that do it.

Especially Paul.

He decided months back to do a tough mudder, and I was all, that's nice dear.

I thought maybe it was a couple mud puddles.

That's his friend Phillip with him, who decided last minute to join and killed it!

Anyways, it was a lot more than some puddles.

It was legit!

And Paul rocked the whole thing!

I was tired just standing there taking pictures.

So yeah, I couldn't swing this sorta thing.

But watching all this fun got one certain person thinking he wanted to do one too.

Stands about 5 ft tall, and a cutie patootie.

So this got things rolling..

A father/son run in the mud was in order.

Somehow Paul managed to find another mud run, sorta last minute.

I already had plans to be gone the day of the race, so I missed it. Ugh. Look that is my first born scaling a mud wall. 

I mean can you believe I apparently missed Paul falling right on in. Ha! 

Quality of pics are poor, but you can see what I see. MY BABY IN MURKY WATER. Oh my lands. This goes against all water safety protocol that I deem necessary.

Probably a good thing I wasn't there, can you imagine my screaming and carrying on?

Pierce absolutely loved it!

He's really been struggling with his allergies/asthma with running this season , so I was so happy he got to do this and have fun!

So proud of my mud running boys! 

No more brace face

My little fella with his little fella teeth. 

My friends and I have discussed this many times, baby teeth are nice!

Straight and oh so white. 

But eventually they gots to go and make way for the big boy teeth.

Of course as his mother I always see cuteness

Without a doubt though, that mouth needed some work.

Around two years ago we began the process

That meant teeth pulling, spacers and all that hideousness. 

Then finally the first phase of braces. 

Mommy once again found this adorable.

It's so amazing how quickly the teeth move into place!

So here is an official before: Bless it, those teeth needed help

And official after.

Now we have a boy with a really confident, beautiful smile. All mom prejudice aside.

Now we take a breather for a hot minute and then start the whole process on Hope. But for now, no more brace face in the house.

Turn it up for nine

Oh hey, remember me?

I do believe this is the longest I've ever gone between posts. Listen sister is busy, and the ol' blog life is generally last on the list. I apologize to you faithful readers (grandparents) and do vow to ATTEMPT to keep up once a week. ATTEMPT being the key word.

I left off with my little love note to my sweet Hopie poo in regards to being a big 9 year old now. Much has happened since that day, but first I must backtrack. You know the kids moan about my picture taking, yet they do love to look back and read about their little lives on this blog. That's why I keep on keeping on here.

So here goes..


Not a joke, Hope starts the countdown to her birthday in February.

We did some gifts here at home before we had something special planned. How cute is this I had made for her room??

She opened some gifts from her Meemaw and Grandpa..

Jewelry and a diary! Fun!

She wasn't excited or anything

Really how can you not be happy watching your kids get so pumped?

The thing she had been begging for for months? An iPod. In her words "not that shuffle kind, I want one I can hold like a phone." 

She's asked for a phone and we always say no, so she shot for this one...

And what do you know

Mommy and Daddy came through.  Oh happy day!

We decided to do a little thing with some of her friends

Hot mess excited

IS IT TIME? IS IT TIME?

YES IT IS

Bless it they are sweet little girls 

After a fun time jumping we headed back to the house for a slumber party 

I made sure to belt out Happy Birthday in a fashion that would mortify her

Mission accomplished.

Embarrassed or not I think she had one of the best nights of her life.

This freckled nine year old is worth it all.