End of Week Themed Health & Beauty

Well, last week was a long week on health and beauty. The doggie got groomed, the girls got hair cut. The kids all got their teeth cleaned (no cavities! YAY!) They also got their vaccines up to date and are legal for the next school year with their 2nd Chicken Pox vaccine.

Here's some crazy pics at the very end of the week in their PJs. Yes, Glory is wearing Freedom's pajamas! Crazy girl.

Belated Father's Day Post

The kids spoiled their daddy with wonderful homemade Father's Day gifts. Joy made a #1 Dad Trophy. Glory painted a full page with an amazing bear holding a heart that says "#1 Dad." Freedom is holding a poem with his foot prints that he made at church. It reminds us to walk a little slower. They made various other drawings and homemade envelopes. We celebrated with steaks and garlic mashed potatoes! :) We have all the stuff to make matching tye-dye t-shirts (per Jon's desire) but didn't get to them on Father's Day. We'll try that project this weekend.

Happy Father's Day Jon! I am so thankful and appreciative for ALL you do for us! You're a great daddy and I'm very proud of you.

My Birthday Cake

Jon and the kids made a birthday cake for me for my birthday. It's a spice cake with cream cheese icing. It's got lots of candy letters on it b/c they are the bomb (I love them!). They tried to think of the best way to use all the letters. THANK YOU! I LOVE IT! It's the most beautiful cake I ever saw!

We laughed and laughed because we didn't have enough "y"s. So I said, well, Glory you could be "Glo," which we call her all the time. After about 10 seconds of silence, she looked at Joy and said, well, you could be "Joe." I'm still cracking up. So we thought we could get smart and make a homemade "y" out of another letter. Glory suggested Joy get that "y." You girls crack me up. Good job standing up for yourself Glo!

They sang Happy Birthday!

Freedom started to get messy.


Joy thought she would join the fun.

As did Glory.

The letters didn't last long. Jon was mad because "he was going to eat that!" LOL (just kidding!)

Glo Dressed Like a Shepherd

The girls love to help Jon and I teach Sunday school (we have a little 3 year old class). Glory helped me get together some things so the kids could have dress up clothes this Sunday and dress up like a shepherd. Glory, you are always such a helper to me. I can always count on you! I love to see her in her dad's sandals. The whatchamacallit on her head is a silk cape dyed and sewn by a dear friend - thanks Farra - we use these ALL the time! Very cute Glory! Oh, and I should also say - the cute dress is a hand-me-down from a well-dressed friend down the street - thanks Emily!

Boys with Buckets on Their Heads

Freedom has enjoyed walking around with buckets or boxes on his head for some time now. At least the past year. There was a week or so where he went everywhere with a box on his head. Even to the elementary school and into the building and everything. He was so happy in there - what did I care? He would take it off and look around for something to deliberately walk into. Someone gifted me with this cool bucket, but Freedom has pretty much claimed it.

HEB Buddy Bucks

So you get these at these "HEB Buddy Bucks" at the grocery store. Then, you take the bucks to a claw machine and get these HEB Buddy Points in the form of stickers. You save them up and buy stuff with them. We must be up to one million by now. I asked Glory to put all the stickers we had in the books for collection and I thought it was very funny that she tossed the sticker backings all over the kitchen floor. She dramatically threw each piece onto the floor as she removed the stickers from their backings. She was very good to clean it all up - she likes to use The Shark.

Watermelon Time

These two are uniquely close in their own unique way. I'm in the house taking the picture through the back door, so I'm not sure of the dialogue. He does have his own piece. Hillarious. I love you two!

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

Freedom copied Snoopy and Charlie Brown's racing skills Saturday morning. Wow! You're fast Freedom! Especially when you get ready and set!

Poolside Break

It's break-time at the pool! Poor Freedom - always surrounded by girls.

Jon's Awesome Picnic Table

Jon built us a picnic table! I told him I would love to have a table in the back yard (especially for Back Yard Bible Club coming up next week Monday) and I asked him to think about what we should do for a table in the back yard and voila! Within one week he made us this awesome table! Thank you Honey!!! I am so impressed and love it! It's cool because it's made out of two benches that fold down into a table.

We ate dinner on the table yesterday evening when the weather was nice and breezy. I know we will enjoy this table for a looooong time! Thank you again Honey! I love it!!!

Freedom at Little Gym

Freedom was signed up in Little Gym the last several months and it was definitely his favorite part of the week. He is going to be soooo excited and have so much fun in preschool three days a week next year! I'm happy for him (and me too!). I'm proud of you Freedom! You were crazy at Little Gym! You did a good job of following instructions, but you would also thrash about every spare second you had. You are truly wild at heart and extremely physical. I love watching you grow up.

What Makes a Woman Happy

If I were to make a list of things that make a woman happy, this would definitely be in the top. I am so blessed. I love you boys! It reminds me of James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift comes from above. Thank you Father, for my boys and their love for each other.

I got the Hooked on Phonics set (for only $15!) and one of our summer goals is to get Freedom to doing some minimal reading. Jon went through it with Freedom and Freedom kept yawning. After 3 rounds, they cuddled up in the big brown chair...one of my favorite spots in the house. We bought that chair for me when I was nursing Joy. I still love it.

A lot has happened in the last 3 days but I haven't had my camera. Grandma came to a long swim meet (over 4 hours). Glory won her first ribbon. Her 100 yard relay team got 6th place. They've had swim practice - swim 200 yards and then do lunges all the way around the pool! YIKES! They've picked out a few crafts from Hobby Lobby and have been painting little stain glass decorations and also painting a little nativity set. Christmas is just around the corner you know! Memaw helped us gather some material to sew some matching skirts this summer.

Ice Skating

Look how little he looks! He could do it by himself! :) His Daddy is a GREAT teacher!

It took Glory a few rounds around the rink with Mom before she got comfy in the skates. After that she was skating all over by herself.

Joy just went and out and got after it. She's very comfortable on ice skates, and faster than her mom (which actually doesn't say much)!

The Burgin Trio! I love this picture!

It was SO fun to watch the girls with Freedom! It was the first opportunity I got to skate alone with my boyfriend ;)

My boyfriend and favorite kiddos in the world!

I never thought I could stand on ice skates ... until Jon told me I could.

It was a great day to go ice skating since it was 102 outside!

Nighttime Conversations

Why is it kids like to talk a ton at bedtime?!?! It's a catch 22 - you want them to go to bed, but you also want to take the opportunity to talk with them. Freedom had a VERY rough night before bedtime. He was already tired and he HATES getting the eye drops and so started out with a fit. Then, he wanted to read 2 books and I told him only 1 tonight. So then he thew himself down on the floor with a temper tantrum so then I told him he lost his book privilege all together. Poor thing. Anyway, finally, in bed for some reason he started to talk and asked if Jesus was an angel. I explained that Jesus made the angels and is Lord over the angels. Jesus made everything, puppies, kitties, babies and little boys. Freedom says, "Yes, and he made me a big boy." I respond enthusiastically, "Yes, he did, and he did such a good job when he made you! And you know what? There is no other boy like you. You are the only one and there will never be another like you Freedom." Oh my, that was the WRONG thing to say! He bursts into tears to the point he can barely talk and buries his head in his pillow as he wails, "But I WANT everyone to be just like me!" I quietly respond, "Well, one day you can be a daddy and have a little boy just like you." His response was adorable. He says "Thank you!" through the tears and closes his eyes to go to sleep. This is a picture I took of him 10 minutes after our conversation.

Riding Bikes in the Evening

Even though the neighbor had given us a cute bike this exact size for Freedom and even though Freedom loved it, it didn't have training wheels. I asked Jon to please be in charge of getting Freedom some training wheels for the bike... Jon and Freedom came home with a whole new bicycle. Why am I not surprised? Freedom and Jon are both thrilled with Freedom's new little motorcycle bike. It's a blessing. Look at Freedom's tough face! He looks so big in this picture!

Glory and Joy were out on their bikes too, but by the time I went out with the camera, Joy was inside and Glory was on her scooter. Look how long and lanky she is! You're beautiful Glo! Thanks for letting me take your picture!

Fluffy the Ferocious

Look at this beautiful checkered garter snake in our back yard. Blondie was barking, so I sent Joy to get her in and she witnessed Blondie shake it up and throw it. It sat stunned in this state for a while - long enough for us to examine and take pictures. It's bleeding a little bit. When I came inside to look it up on the internet, the kids watched it slither away. I hope it's OK and eats some mice hanging out around here!

Joy says: "We named this blog "Fluffy the Ferocious" after a book called "Fifi the Ferocious" which is about a white, fluffy poodle who thinks she is a ferocious predator and tries to eat a turtle, a skunk and a porcupine. Fifi ends up with a broken tooth, a smelly coat and quills stuck in her snout."

New 4th of July Wreath

Grandma gave us a nice surprise by stopping in today (a boring day of cleaning house and doing laundry, s-l-o-w-l-y but surely) and she brought us a new wreath she made! Thanks Grandma!

Pink Eye - Ug

This is the worst case of pink eye I've ever seen. Look how swollen his eye is. :( It came on very suddenly today. I noticed it was watering and then within 30 minutes it was generating a ton of yellow goop. I took him to the Little Spurs clinic within the hour and they gave me Vigamox. He's had two treatments since then. I sure hope it clears up by morning. As a parent, you can't stand to see ANYTHING wrong with your children. It makes me sick to my stomach. I just tested him, he CAN see out of it - so don't panic.

An Unusually Busy Day for The Burgin Team

6:30 AM Amy runs one mile with SA Fit half marathon training group at Stone Oak. Thank God there is no picture to record this event.

8:00 AM Family has biscuits, sausage and eggs for breakfast. Need good fuel for a big day ahead.

9:00 AM Jon takes children to Home Depot. Freedom builds his first project. He is completely thrilled to be set up with his first pair of safety glasses, hammer and measuring tape. He LOVES to do ANYTHING with his Daddy. We are telling him over and over that he is a builder and a fixer.

11:00 AM Piano recital for Joy and Glory!

Glory played

• My Blue Canoe
• Painting with Pastels
• Pop! Pop! Popcorn

Joy played

• Oh Susannah!
• Morning
• La Cinquantaine

Way to go little beauties!

1:00 PM We went straight to Glory's soccer game. Memaw helped her get dressed in the car. Man it was HOT at that time! Glory got to play defense, offense and be goalie. She stopped the other team from scoring and did a couple of reverse kicks in the game. It's fun to watch them play and cheer like crazy people.

2:30 PM We had lunch (compliments of Memaw who brought all the fixings for a nice sandwich lunch!) and a little Birthday Party for Freedom. Papaw got him the largest jar of cookies he'd ever seen and all the kids bubble wands. :) Memaw got him Charlie Brown DVDs (he loves Snoopy!).



4:10 PM We're back on the soccer field for Joy's game. Did I say it was hot at the 1:00 game? Well, it was really hot at the 4:00 game! Poor Freedom - look how exhausted he is! More on that at the end of the post :(

5:30 PM Memaw and Papaw went home and we went to Joy's end of soccer season party at Dairy Queen for ice cream. The team got Jon a $40 gift card at a steak house, so I am excited about a date night with my beau! It was very sweet of the team to gift him like that. He is a teacher at heart and so naturally did an EXCELLENT job as coach. I was so proud! Joy got after the ball this year too. It is so fun to watch her grow and advance in sports. Notice Freedom is looking a bit more perky than at the soccer game, but I notice at Dairy Queen that he feels unusually hot when I kiss his forehead.


7:00 We are all ready to go home for the day! Freedom was running a 100 degree fever when we got home - poor thing. The kids got bathed and then I let the kids eat dinner on the couch while watching the new Snoopy DVDs. It was the perfect way to end a long, hot day! Soccer season is over and our lives will slow down a bit.

The Last Day of School

Today was a day of mixed emotions. Excited for summer, excited about a break, but sad to leave school. The girls LOVE school! This is a picture of them before they walked to school this morning. Glory wanted to wear this little dress her Grandma got her. Joy opted for one of her MANY horse t-shirts. She wore horse t-shirts all year long.

Joy's also carrying her red coat in 90 degree summer weather. She took it to school every day this year because she gets in chilly in the air conditioned classroom. She lost 5 coats/jackets shortly after school started. When it was winter and she was walking to school in 40 degree weather with no jacket (because she truly lost 5 and I told her I was not buying any more), adults felt so sorry for her. It was pitiful. This red coat showed up in one of her classrooms about a week or so later and she never lost it again.

They had a great last day of school and afterward they had six little girls over to play and eat supper (I'm afraid this is the story of Freedom's life - surrounded by girls). We enjoyed having nine children in the house - especially since no one cried :) They are all growing up so much.

We are excited to have a new 4th grader and a 2nd grader in the house now! Way to go girls! You did GREAT this year and we are VERY proud of you!

My Bestest Friend's Kiddos

Yes, that is Santa in the background in May. :)

I got to keep my bestest friend's kiddos (two boys and a girl) on Wednesday for what seemed like two very short hours! We've been friends since Joy was about 4 months old and her oldest boy (now 12?) was what? - Three years old? Wow. Although we talk on the phone regularly, we seldom get to see each other, so her kids seem so big to me!! What a pleasure it was to spend time with them. I love how her two brunettes stick their chins up for the pictures.

Sorting Mr. Potato Head Parts

He entertained himself with Mr. Potato Head for a long time Wednesday while I was cleaning house. I thought it was cute that he sorted the parts in two neat rows here. Do I have to say that he threw them all over the house shortly afterward?

First Grade Awards Ceremony

Glory is first row, third from the right :)