I have had weight issues since I was in 1^st grade, and I love to eat. I’ve had double chins, man boobs, pants that would not go over my butt, my gut hanging over my belt periods in my life. I also have stretch marks on my stomach and gluts where the ebb and flow of growing and shrinking fat cells have stretched my skin. Taking away a lot of fats and carbohydrates from my diet combined with jogging about 50 minutes a day help keep the weight off now. It’s hard!!

Okay, having said all that, I’m not poking fun at chubby people in this blog. Our household (Ammon and Carter included) like the music of Adele (“Rolling in the Deep”, “Set Fire to the Rain”, “Rumor has It”, etc.), and everyone who knows her can see how lovely yet portly she is.

Wednesday evening, Sean, Carter, and Ammon were watching an Adele video while I cleaned up some dinner dishes in the kitchen. I heard the music and then Carter says, “That’s Adele.” Sean then said she was heavier a few years ago. Carter asked, “Why is she fat?”  Sean said, “Bless her heart. She is like us: she likes to eat.” Without skipping a beat Carter continued the interrogation with, “Does she like ham?” Sean and I burst into laughter! As we were laughing, Ammon added, “Does she like green eggs and ham?” like from Dr. Seuss. It was a priceless moment.

I truly enjoy watching Carter and Ammon learn. For over a year, I have written the ABCs in chalk in our driveway. I put them in a circle so we can run across them, jump on them, bounce a ball on them, or now drive tricycles and electric cars over them.

I also place their names in chalk and in huge circles as well, and Ammon started spelling her name Tuesday as she drove over the letters with her tricycle. I was so amazed. Carter came up, looked at his name and said, “I have two R’s in my name!” I nodded and said, “That’s right Carter!” Letters make words, and I can tell during our reading times that they will be reading soon. They are so blessed with good minds, and I am so grateful to God.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Praise the Lord for medicine. God has given us brains to figure out how to fly, create embryos in a “test tube”, and make medicines to help heal people. Several months ago, I lauded and magnified cough medicines, and I am adding fever reducers (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) to my “thank you, God” list.

Early Monday morning (2:30 a.m.) I woke up to the horrific sounds of Ammon coughing and not being able to catch her breath. The sound was like the whooping cough I’ve had and heard about so much. I tried two different cough medicines, and finally around 5:00 a.m., the second one took effect. I was also using fever reducers. When Ammon had not coughed in a time frame of about 20 minutes, my mind relaxed, and I feel into a deep sleep until I heard Sean’s alarm clock at about 6:15. I then plunged into another 30 minute sleep. It was DELIGHTFUL. LOL.

So, as we should all do, read the instructions on the medicine bottles or consult a physician, alternate your fever reducers, and stay in constant prayer that God do His work in the process.

Have a great Tuesday!

Psalm 118:24-“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

All right everybody, let’s get out there, rejoice, and be glad! Carter, Ammon, and I are right there with you in thoughts and prayers! Happy Monday!

Carter & Ammon before the wedding

The wedding went well. Ammon made a good flower girl, walked down the aisle, and stood with the brides maids. Carter took the rings to the preacher, and went back and forth from Ammon to Sean and me in the audience. There were no melt downs, and we were glad. In a few days, we should have some better pictures from DeAnna’s “professional” photographer.

Realism photo shot: Diego Velazquez would be proud

We are attending a wedding for our friend, DeAnna Mowery today. She is marrying Marty Runion. We were honored when she asked  Ammon to be the flower girl and Carter to be the ring bearer. If all goes well, we will post pictures soon.

We hope and pray you all have a Super Saturday.

When I started teaching in 1989 and didn’t a life per say (no other responsibilities except to myself), I would bring “tons” of work home. I would grade papers, make lesson plans, and grade projects. There was even a time that I would go to work for a couple of hours on Saturdays and Sundays! I think I needed “professional help”. LOL There were also times when I brought home “mental baggage” as well. Students with problems, administrators yelling at me and making threats to me,  and parents wanting me “fired” because their children lied to them about how I was using school rules to make my class into a “fascist dictatorship”! It is all so ridiculous now.

I must admit that by the time Ammon and Carter were born, I had very few summative tests (chapter/unit type tests) that had essay questions, and students would grade multiple choice tests. I did, however, have formative evaluations (written paragraphs, art projects, quizzes, etc.) that had to  be graded by Haven alone, so there were quite a few times I brought papers home to grade.

However, when I work with Sean now at his practice, I get to leave work at work. The mail is opened, the bills are paid, the insurance billings are posted, and there they all sit and stay until the next day. I leave it all where it lies, and I come home to play with my children, make dinner, and see to my house and yard. I love it!

I hope and pray all you working people get to leave work at work as well. If not, start investigating how you can!

Psalm 37:1-6

¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil    or be envious of those who do wrong; ²for like the grass they will soon wither,    like green plants they will soon die away.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. ⁴Take delight in the LORD,    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;    trust in him and he will do this: ⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,    your vindication like the noonday sun.

Hey, Folks…the thought I want to share today is in verse 4: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

There is reciprocity there, everyone. If we take delight in him, he will take delight in us.

Turtle friend, Ammon & Carter: Grand Cayman January 16, 2012

The Caylor-Browns just returned from a cruise to the Panama Canal. It included stops like Aruba, Cartagena, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Grand Cayman Islands. From talking with Carter and Ammon, it seems that their favorite part of the trip was their trip to the Turtle Farm on the Grand Cayman Islands. They talk about it just about every day.

So, parents/grandparents, if you all find yourselves wanting to take children on a cruise, a trip to the Grand Cayman Islands with a stop to the Turtle Farm is a recommendation from Ammon and Carter.