Karate Kid

We thought we would put Easton in karate and help him tame some of his excess energy. He wasn't sure how he liked it at first, but now that he has a uniform, he loves it. he told me that karate was easy because he already knew how to kick!

If all else fails, I guess Easton can scare his opponent away with this scary look....

more kids

Adding to our family...

I have a friend who graciously allows me to steal her sweet little boy every once and awhile. His name is Luka and he is just the sweetest little boy. Luka has four sisters who also come with him from time to time. Our boys have so much fun with them all. One day the y all came over and one of the girls brought a doll with her. While all the other children were off playing, I found Easton in the living room with the doll. he was playing with the eyes (they opened and closed). He sat there for over an hour just fascinated at that. It was so weird to me because I grew up surrounded by dolls, but I realized, my boys have never been around dolls! You know as a parent sometimes you forget that your kids haven't been exposed to certain things yet and you take for granted that they would know things. (Well at least I do.) Dolls and girly things are just one of those things. Once I bought Easton a bag at Hobby Lobby (a craft store) and it was shaped like a ladybug. He liked it and used it to haul his baseball and cars in. When Jeremy got home he wanted to know why I bought Easton a purse. I told him it wasn't a purse just a bag, then he pointed out a dangling zipper and handles and ok then I saw the purse! By this time Easton loved it and carried it everywhere. now that Jeremy gave it a name he would carry around his "purse". Jeremy finally convinced him that purses were for girls and Easton gave it away after about a year, but that was one fun year!! Anyway, back to my original thought, here are a few pictures of our additions to our family. With the Hislop crew, we have four girls and four boys. I always wanted eight children!!

March for Babies

From now until April 19th you will hear me talk a lot about this "March for Babies." It is through the March of Dimes and it is one of the greatest mornings you can have. You have to show up and walk. There is no race, they have kids as young as three out there walking and some of the elderly people have to be closely followe by family as they were walking with canes. It is so neat to be united with hundreds of people all there to show their support and do what they can to help save babies. If you don't live in the Dallas area, you can find your local walk. I have had to watch my friends suffer and go through so much as they have lost babies and been able to do nothing. Through this, I feel like I am doing something, maybe it is small, but I am doing something. I remember when one of my closest friends had her first child who was stillborn and I attneded the funeral of this tiny baby. It was one of the most daunting feelings I have ever had. You never have the right words and never know what to do. I have another friend who had a similar experience but I was not able to be there with her. She is the one who introduced me to this walk. I have participated the past few years and I walk in honor of babies Jessica, Hannah, and the others who never made it here to be named. Taking a few hours out of our lives to show we care and want to make a difference is hardly a sacrifice but a blessing. Please visit our team page at:
http://www.marchforbabies.org/496670

or my personal page at:
http://www.marchforbabies.org/jrholdstock


Please get involved.

Love Me Tender

The other night the boys had a movie night and I could hear them talking and thought we were about to have another argument. Things got quiet and I got worried so I peeked around corner and found this.

Out on a little walk

This one has to be my favorite. In typical Easton fashion, he sees a stick, picks up a stick, and begins to chase his brothers. Good thing Cade can run so fast. I can hear him no yelling, "Cade, wait up!"









The weather has been so nice lately that Jeremy took Cade and Easton out for a walk the other day when I was out on a date with Davis. Jeremy never leaves home without his camera so he got a few candid shots of the boys.

Isn't this the truth!!

Three Things to Ponder :

1. Cows
2. The Constitution
3. The Ten Commandments

C O W S
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that during the mad cow epidemic our government could track a single cow, born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she slept in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give each of them a cow.

T H E C O N S T I T U T I O N

They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years, and we're not using it anymore.

T H E 1 0 C O M M A N D M E N T S

The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments posted in a courthouse is this: You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery," and "Thou Shall Not Lie" in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians...It creates a hostile work environment.

Cherish the moment

This might be a melancholy entry but I felt I needed to write it for all those who read this and for those who don't. I would have to spend a few days if I had to write this to everyone individually but please read it as if I had because if you read this, you are someone we care about (or we wouldn't have told you where to find us!) Jeremy's cousin Nicole had married a man who had three daughters. Two lived with their mother and last weekend the husband was driving them home. Nicole couldn't go so the oldest daughter who lived with them went along for the ride. That night they were in a car accident and both died. It breaks my heart for Nicole because if you have ever met her, you know what a wonderful gorgeous person she is. I am so sad for her. As I have been thinking about this situation, I am reminded how none of know when it will be our time or how sudden lives can be changed. I can't help but to say to you all how much you have meant in my life. Every person who has ever crossed my path (good or bad) has had an impact on who I am and I am thankful. You don't know how sometimes the smallest thing as a smile in the hall, a phone call, a comment on the blog, a kind word, a listening ear when I need to vent, etc. means. Without those things and all the others too, I would not be able to make it through this crazy journey that is my life. No one is meant to be alone and friends and family make us stronger, better, and sometimes crazier! I am especially a person who needs connections with others and once you are part of my life, I don't let go. I have been blessed with incredible people and great friends in my life. I believe we are all brothers and sisters and truely feel that my friends and family are all the same. I don't want to take anything for granted or miss an opportunity to tell you I love you and thank you. Thank you,thank you, thank you. I am very scatterbrained and a lot of the time do crazy things. I am grateful for those who are able to look past my faults and love me in spite of myself. I am truely blessed. We never know when it will be our time to go but I know that with each of you in my life I am a better prepeared. You all help me be a better person. Thanks for uplifting me and holding me up at times. Friends are a treasure and I fell very rich!!!!!

To all my girlfriends...

I got this email from a friend and absoluetly loved it. It was titled 2008 Motto. The motto was: Put on your big girl panties and deal with it!
A POEM ABOUT OUR GIRLFRIENDS:
Someone will always be prettier.
Someone will always be smarter.
Some of their houses will be bigger.
Some will drive a better car.
Their children will do better in school.
And their husband will fix more things around the house.
So let it go, and love you and your circumstances.
Think about it! The prettiest woman in the world can have hell in h er heart.
And the most highly favored woman on your job may be unable to have children.
And the richest woman you know, she's got the car, the house, the clothes~~~~ might be lonely. And the word says, "If I have not Love, I am nothing." So, again, love you. Love who you are. Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say, "I am too Blessed to be Stressed and too Anointed, to be Disappointed!"
"Winners make things happen~~ Losers let things happen."
Be "Blessed" Ladies~~~~~
"To the world you might be one person, but to the one person you could be the world.

Before

This one is for Becki because she asked for before and after pictures. The way before I couldn't take pictures of, but anyone who has been over to our house knows that the open formal dining room which was to the right whenyou walk in was our "catch all" room. It is much better now but when the room is done it will be even better. I love having a husband who can take my ideas and make them happen. Don't worry Becki, Jeremy is always avaiable to lend out.

Child Labor Laws?

Cade got a little tool kit for Christmas and couldn't wait to use it. Since we have been home for the past two weeks solid with at least one or more members of our family sick, Jeremy decided to begin work on converting our formal dining room into a Study with french doors. The boys jumped at the chance to use their new tools and Jeremy got a kick out of watching them enjoy building. In a few years, we will have ourselves a good little construction crew.

Happy New Years?

Well I was suppose to get back and post my goals for the New Year but last night after days of thinking we had finally rid our family and house of the terrible bug we had, it struck again. We were at our Nana's house and the boys were running around playing when Easton said he was hungry. He went and got a snack and sat down. He started to cry so Jeremy picked him up then he started to scream. He was yelling for me, so just as Jeremy hands him off to me, Easton pukes all over me!!! Isn't it great to be a mom. The saddest part was that everyone there was al worried about helping me get cleaned up and it didn't even bother me at the moment because I was in "mom" mode. Once we got Easton cleaned up I thought about cleaning up. Once we got home and I could shower, I realized how gross it really was. Like I told everyone there though, it wasn't the first time and I know it won't be the last! Now that I have grossed all of you out, I can get back to my excuse of why I did not post my goals. So here they are for 2008!!

1- Send the kids to grandma's house for any and every vacation (that way we ensure a sick free holiday!! Sorry Granny!)

2- Before the year is over I want to train for and run a half marathon which considering the fact that I am so out of shape is a huge undertaking, but this is my year!

3- Learn to knit or crochet. I have always wanted to make my own hat but am deathly afraid of any type of craft/sewing that I can mess up so I avoid it at all cost. This year I face my fears.

4-Prepare my baby(Cade) to be baptized. Although the thought has occur ed to me that since we are moving to the 8:30am time slot, that we could go to one of the local baptist churches around here for a year and wait to have Cade baptized next year with Davis. It is a win win situation. I don't have to go to 8:30 church and can procrastinate letting go of my babies! Not to mention one hour church services!!