Treasure(s)

A package or, shall I say, a TREASURE,

arrived in the mail a few weeks ago.

It was addressed to Walker and Hadlee.

We had no idea what it was!!!

NEEDLESS to say..............

the kids were OVER the TOP excited...

This treasure was from my best blogging buddy BETH!

You will not EVEN believe what all she sent!

On top of the perfectly packed package

was a book written by Beth...

"The Adventure of the Mystery Box".

It was complete with pictures and

descriptions of Beth and her family's

recent vacation to Sunset Beach, North Carolina.

OF COURSE the book was quite funny!!!

It's Beth writing the book!!!

This was Hadlee when Walker read the part

about Beth almost sending some stinky seaweed

in the treasure box!!!WOW...this really was a treasure!

As quickly as they possibly could,

Walker and Hadlee pulled out these perfectly

labeled containers of TREASURES!!!The book explained their trip, their family,

and how Beth came up with this idea.

One container had big sea shells,

one had shells with holes, one was wacky

and weird things, one was fragile shells,

and one was oyster shells.

Are you kidding me?!?

This was UHHH-may-ZING!!!!!!!!!!!!Walker was the chief treasure hunter...

reading every last detail and opening

each container for Hadlee and him!The kids were MEZ-mur-IZED!!!Beth also sent two, cute little turtle

keepsakes for the kiddos...AND a bag of Sunset Beach SAND!!!The sand was Hadlee's favorite...

or maybe the sea shells with holes in them

that we are using to make a necklace with

or maybe it was the pretty and fragile ones.

She loved it ALL I guess I should say!!!

Walker was absolutely CRAZY over everything

...come on, it was a REAL life TREASURE!
This is every little boy's dream!

Not surprisingly his favorite

was probably the WEIRD and WACKY

or maybe it was the really big ones...or maybe...

just maybe it was EVERYTHING!!!Beth makes several references to Hudson in

the book, too. She mentions that he was really too

small to play with these ocean wonders but that

he would enjoy watching is big brother and big

sister as they played. Beth, you were RIGHT ON!Beth...Hudsy Puds loves you, too!!!A map, too!?!?! Absolutely!

This was just crazy cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was a little bit in shock over this package! It was so very thoughtful and creative. Beth mentioned to me over the phone when I called her that she was practicing being a grandma. Well, Beth...you may practice on us ANYTIME! What an INCREDIBLE grandmother you will be someday!!! Seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walker, especially, has shown this to everyone. It's just priceless!!!I think that my newfound friendship with Beth through our blogs is PRICELESS! Sometimes I just can't fathom how God blesses me with such kind people in my life like Beth. It truly, truly overwhelms me. Beth, you are a Godly and kind and praying friend. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving me and my children (and T-dawg, too...I know you do!).

Not only did this make for a SUPER fun day (and summer!...we play seashells all the time now!!!), but it was an incredible lesson for me to share with Walker and Hadlee. I talked a great deal with them about the kindness of people and doing for others. I told them that this package wasn't the ONLY treasure but that BETH, mommy's dear friend, is a TREASURE herself!!!!!!!!!!!!The Pierce Party of Five thanks you so much, Beth!!!

We will treasure this "treasure" forever!!!!!!!

We love you, Summer!

There was no better way to kick off our

summer than with Hudson's first swim!!!
Of course it was at the Reed Resort...

our favorite pool around!

I love seeing Big Bro's face peaking around

there! He was so excited for his Baby Bro...

Big Sis was beaming, too!!!

"He likes it!"God love his little heart!!!Hoodies at the Pool...

that's what summer is ALL about!I loved my first swim!

Thank you Ro Ro and Mr. Casey and the 3L's, too!Next we were off to Guderian Gardens...

gotta love our hoodie pools!!! I went ahead and booked us a vacation here!Because some little somebody thought he

was KING of this resort!!!Bubba Love at four, fun months old!!!During bath if you say "kick kick kick", he

gets so excited to "kick kick kick"!!!Summer also means crashing with a sucker

in your mouth while doing an art project...I've been trying to get on the tread mill when

I can...exercising has never been my strong suit!

When I do get on there, I am lucky enough

to have LIVE entertaiment. This is usually my view...

Bumber Jeep/Gator

Drivers, start your engines!!!Wonder if this is what T-Daddy had in mind

when he built his new garage...

My treadmill, Hadlee's jeep, & Walker's gator?These tan little things absolutely PASS OUT

each night (usually in our bed while watching a

video...you should see Troy carrying Walker to bed).

Their days are long and fun!Sometimes I find Hudson wearing his

big brother's boxer shorts?!?Troy and I usually love our hot date to the

Cattler Baron's Ball each summer which benefits

the American Cancer Society. Troy works his

booty off volunteering for this. Louis was the

one who got Troy involved. The actual ball was

ALWAYS our night to be with Louis and Carla.

Lots of tears were shed this week...we all

miss Louis so much. It's hard for me to see

Troy miss his best bud like he does.

In honor of Louis, Troy stepped up again

and worked so hard with the other guys

to get things done...just like Louis would have!

We invited Carla to go with us and we were

SO HAPPY that she did! I just know Louis

was smiling down on his sweet wife all.night.long!

She is amazing!!!

It wasn't an easy night, but we all

loved Carla through it!And that's what we're going to keep on

doing...loving her and praying her through!Blake Shelton was the performer...

he's a cutie! My beautiful doctor friend that I met through

Walker and her daughter being friends...

The night was nice, but there was just something

HUGE missing and that was LV. I am so proud

of my man for working so hard in the fight

against cancer and for honoring

Louis the way that he did. We miss you, LV!Water balloons have become a very frequent

fixture around our backyard. They are SO fun,

but not so fun to make (trust me!!!).Trips to our favorite hambuger place where

my handsome nephew just happens to be

a manager are always in order, too!!!She screams. He screams.

Hadlee and Walker scream for Ice Cream. NOTE TO SELF...

if your child doesn't like the cone, but still

wants to get a cone and the temperature

outside is 100 degrees, then say "NO"

to the cone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Walker, being seven and all, seems to

get lots of invitations to go play with friends

or go to movies and all that sort of stuff.

This is difficult for a certain four year

old little sister!!! So one day when

Walker was going to the movie with a friend,

I told Hadlee she could choose anything

she wanted for us to do that day.

She is SO my daughter...

she chose Chickfila at the mall,

riding rides, ice cream, and a cookie.

Thankfully, I was able to work in a little bit of

shopping in between the ice cream & the cookie!Life couldn't be any sweeter with

this precious little girl! Glad she didn't get any of that cookie on her precious, new dress from God Mommy!

Guess who made another appearance one Saturday morning?!? "H. Walker" and her big brother, Walker!

I couldn't resist...just wanted to see how things would have looked with three boys!!!Pretty cute!!!

AHHHHHHHHHH summer also means

evenings hangin out in the hood.

Hudson loves having him some Ro Ro LUV!!!Hadlee is one smart girl. Never hurts

to wear a life jacket when going on a

walk with your brother pushing you!!!I'm thinking summer time is a mighty

fine time......................

We are especially lovin' the extra set of

toes we have this summer!!!

Hello Summer!!!

The Pierce Party of Five LOVES you!!!