4TH PLACE AT NATIONALS

Well some know already and some do not, so here it the latest update from the Bible Quizzing Nationals. Our boys placed 4th out of 43 beginner teams! This is beyond awesome to me, and we are so very proud of them both. I've said this already but I must say again the boys played very good team work. One could not have came in 4th place without the other, and they did GREAT working together. I think this is the most awesome way for them to finish out their time of quizzing together. They have made a special memory that neither of them will ever forget, and have made a wonderful team for the past four years now. As I say every time though, the most important and wonderful thing about all of this is the word of God that has been put into their hearts. Nothing in this world can compare to what these boys have gained from the word of God. Also, at nationals Haiden made the all tournament team. He actually received a 2nd place trophy for the highest individual scorer from the top eight teams. There were about three other quizzers who had a higher average score than him on the all tournament team, but the top two are picked from the top eight teams. Yes, we are so very proud of him for this. He had a few bad games with very low points so we were not expecting him to get this 2nd place trophy, but even with the bad games, he played well in the others which must have made up for the bad ones. Haiden and Austin have done a great job!

After the awards on Friday, we went to a nice restaurant and let Haiden get whatever he wanted. He picked ribs to eat! His daddy told him don't get used to that kind of meal now, LOL! Then there were a few shops I wanted to go to before leaving town, and Haiden still wanted to play a game of Putt Putt. Needless to say we did not leave Branson till a little after 7pm and arrived home at 4am Saturday morning. What is crazy is that it did not seam like we were in the car for eight hours. My husband and I talked about Bible quizzing for 2009 a lot and this helped us both stay awake. Thank the Lord for a safe trip home and a wonderful week!

ON A WINNING STREAK

Okay, the boys are doing totally AWESOME! They won all their games today and are now gauranteed no less than 4th. They are doing so awesome as a team, I have just been amazed. They are playing the best team work I've seen here yet! I'm sure there are others as I have not seen all games played, but our boys have done the best team work that I have seen. I love this for them so much seeing how this is there last year to quiz together, and what a way to end their quizzing together. They are making a huge memory for themselves by playing the way they have played. I'm so proud of them both and we are going to hate to see them seperate as quizzers, but time and places does have a way of changing things. We love Austin and have fun with him, and we will miss the quality time we have had with him during quizzing. WE ARE VERY PROUD! Oh, and we attended the Noah Musical tonight and thought it was wonderful. I was so amazed at the props they have for this drama and how fast they changed the scenes. I would say it is a must see for anyone who comes to Branson! Also, want to say a huge THANK YOU to anyone who helped support Haiden coming to Nationals. With you support he has been able to have fun, but at the same time be serious and play to best of his ability during quizzing. Thank you all for your help!

WEDNESDAY IN BRANSON

On Wednesday we actually got to sleep in due to the boys not having to play one single game that day. The boys watched a few other teams play, and we did a little practice in the room. We enjoyed lunch at Shorty Smalls and it was very good! We talked to the little ones during lunch and it made me cry. I miss them and hearing their voice on the phone just made me miss them even more. Breann asked me, where are y'all and for whatever reason I just started crying. I guess I had not really had time to think about how far away we are from our children. That evening we enjoyed our dinner and show and The Dixie Stampede. It was a lot of food! Oh, and the South won for those who know about this show. That was it for Wednesday!

TUESDAY UPDATE

On Tuesday the boys started off that morning playing a game. They lost this game down to the last question, but I hear they played great. I didn't feel too well Tuesday morning, not sure if I had bug or what. So, we headed out to the Kirby magic show that day at 2pm. We enjoyed that very much, and continue to wonder how they pull some of those things off. It was neat to watch! After that we ate at The Pasta House, which was good! Then we headed out to Shepherd of the Hills for that drama. We really enjoyed this, and Haiden said it was awesome after watching. Then we stopped at the Lumber Jack and rode a couple of go kart rides to finish off our evening.

MONDAY FUN

On Monday after the boys won one game and we watched a few other teams play we headed out of the hotel for a little duck adventure. We took a ride on "The Ducks" in Branson! These ducks start off on dry ground, drive us out to the lake, and then drive right into the lake. Ride around the lake a little bit then the duck drives right back out of the lake. It was neat, but hot!

PICS FROM 1ST WIN

Here are some pics from the boys first winning game! They lost there second game played in round one, so they are now in round two. They play their first game in round two tomorrow morning bright and early!

THEY WON 1ST GAME

Well today was the boys first game in the Nationals and they won there game. They played awesome as a team! I have pics but the internet seems to be running slow and I'm tired, so maybe tomorrow!

1st DAY IN BRANSON

We made it to Branson today and headed staight for Silver Dollar City. We had a nice fun filled day and enjoyed ourselves there. I actually got on two roller coasters, LOL! I was a little worried cause I had not been on one in 10 years and sure didn't know if I could still handle it. Haiden loves roller coasters and he enjoyed the rides at Silver Dollar City. I think our favorite was this one water ride that totally drenched us all! We had fun, but I did miss the little ones not being with us somewhat. Just wondering how they might would react to the rides and stuff makes you miss them. Michell, tell them we said we love them, miss them, and will be bringing them back a few suprises! Check out http://texastripletts.blogspot.com/ for more.

THE WAY TO BRANSON

Well we had a nice trip today. We actually just drove to Springfield and we will drive on to Branson in the morning. It didn't seem to take us long at all due to the book on cd we listened to, which even the boys were all in to it. It was fun listening to it, and we look forward to finishing it on our way in the morning. Tomorrow we are all going to Silver Dollar City!

THINGS THE KIDS HAVE SAID

Last Tuesday night on the way to clean church, Breann asked, "whats that place?" Told her it's the John Deer Place. We pass this every time we head into Wichita and it is the first time she ever mentioned it. Well nothing else was said until on the way home! Which we are now on the other side of the highway and she states, "that place is silly." I ask why? She proceeds to tell me, "cause they don't got no windows and doors on those cars." I just started laughing and told her they were tractors not cars. So then she tells me, "that place is gonna close cause we don't go there." I was laughing! Then on down the road she ask me, "why did the police put you and daddy in chains." I'm like what are you talking about. She tells me again, those police had you and daddy in chains. I'm asking her about this one and she could tell me no more just ask me the question. I don't know where that one came from, LOL!

Last Wednesday night I ask Haiden if he had asked Brother Andrew & Mandy for a donation for his quiz trip and he tells me no. So I'm like why not, and he tells me, well let me say he looks at me crazy "like mom" don't you know, "because they have been gone so long and I just figure they probably don't have any money, plus they are going to Sea World in a few weeks." He may have said, "if they have any money they probably need it for Sea World." Can't really remember what else he said for sure but something like that.

Last night after church we went to Walmart to buy water and snacks for the Branson trip. Before we ever went in Walmart the kids were saying they were hungry and "starving to death" as Ryan always says. So we told them they could have some of the snack stuff we get for the trip when we get home. We let them pick out stuff and my husband and I picked out stuff. Just want to say that we don't usually buy much snacking food much less keep it in the pantry. I just figure if I buy it I'm gonna eat it and I don't need to eat it, LOL! So we get home we are all having a little of this and a little of that and the phone rings. It is Austins mother, and he says, "guess what we are doing, we are gluttoning." He continues on to tell her Pastor Holley preached about gluttoning and how it is like sin and we should be holy and modest in everything we do. My husband and I just look at each other and laugh! We told him it was a good thing we didn't do this kind of stuff in our house all the time or we really would be indulging ourselves.

Tonight I was sitting in bed talking with Ryan. He likes to talk a lot! He tells me that Chad and Cameron pick out there on clothes. I'm like, okay! I still pick out his clothes so I know what he is thinking. Then he says, jeans and black shoes look tacky. I said, "you think so." He tells me yeah! He then says Cameron just wears black shoes and jeans and it looks tacky. I just laugh! Then he tells me if I could wear black dress shoes and jeans I would. I ask him why you just told me you thought it looks tacky. He says, "I know but I would just do it if I could pick out my clothes like Chad and Cameron." Talk about being influenced! No offense to Chad and Cameron for their style clothing, this is all from a 4 year old, who obviously has two new role models in mind, LOL!

Dwelling on the Word of God

Every since Sunday I have found myself dwelling on the word of God that was ministered to us in Sunday School and Sunday night along with the incredible move of God that we had. Brother Andrew did an awesome job talking about the parable of the sower, and asking us, "what kind of ground are we?" Pointing out that we can make the decision before we go into the house of God what kind of ground we will be for the word of God to fall on. It just has me thinking about it all in a new light. Then Sunday night our pastor encouraged us to stretch forth for the miracles and harvest God has for us. Anyway, with me finding myself dwelling on the word of God we heard, I must say it was a total battle on Monday. Doesn't it seem to be for most of us, LOL? Monday was an awful day for me. If the kids could be bad and in as much trouble as possible they did it on Monday. The little ones pushed me in every way possible it seemed, and it felt like I was getting on them every time I turned around! The day did not go the least bit like I imagined it would go. Plain and simple it was just a bad day for me. I was even emotional, LOL! The thing that I kept thinking about this was, that it was stupid, I had not felt like this since I was pregnant with Colten or right after having him. I asked myself several times where is this coming from. Somehow, through it all I found myself dwelling on the word from Sunday every moment I possibly had to do so. Then last night lying in bed, I thought, this is exactly what the devil wants to do to all of us. If he can get the first day of our week totally off focus from the presence and word of God we here and feel on Sundays then he is happy. He doesn't want us dwelling on the word of God we hear on Sunday because this then means that the seed fell upon good ground, because the more we focus on God's word it is going to grow in us and make us bear fruit. We must all strive to be good ground and be ready to fight on Monday anything the devil would throw in our day to distract us from the word of God we hear on Sundays. This same thing applies for Thursday as well after hearing the word of God Wednesday nights. Satan wants us to be distracted every moment possible from the things of God. We must be ready to fight to keep our minds on the word of God, and what he wants to do in our lives and in our church. We can not let him distract us!

LATE NIGHT

Every once in a while I will stay up really, really late cleaning house. With little ones it just seems easier to do at this time. However, also there are those once in a blue moom times that I let the kids stay up late with me. So the other night was one of those nights! They wanted to help with some desserts so I let them. After that was over I got to cleaning my kitchen. Haiden went on to bed, Ryan and Breann kept telling me they didn't want to go to bed, but I knew they were tired. They were being good and we were just talking while I was working so I didn't make them go to bed. I don't remember how late it got before this happened, but next thing I know Ryan had fell asleep in the kitchen floor. Then a little bit later Breann climbed in Colten's highchair and was looking at books, but that didn't last long and I found her asleep in the highchair. Just thought it was funny and cute!

COLTEN THE COPY CAT

FROM BEGINNING TO END CHURCH SERVICE

GIVING PEOPLE IN BURKBURNETT

I'm just blown away and very thankful for the giving neighbors in Burkburnett. Since the boys qualify to go to Nationals in Branson they are both having to raise the monies to help fund the trip. Our goal is for them to each raise enough money to cover all expenses for each family and for the boys to be able to do some fun things while there. So the past two nights Haiden has been at it. He knocked doors for about two hours Monday and Tuesday night and both nights received one hundred dollars. He has only knocked about fifty doors and we have not gotten far from our own house. I've just been amazed at the peoples giving! I pray every time for the Lord to bless them for their giving. I do not like making Haiden knock doors and ask for money, but when there is only three weeks to raise monies you must do whatever possible. I know also that it is good for Haiden to work for the money. I don't ever want my children to think things come easy and are just handed out with no efforts involved. I thank God for the peoples giving in this city and I know his hand is upon this fundraising process.