Fall Family Fun!!!

Who doesn't love Fall? I think what I love most about Fall is how it fills my heart with thanksgiving.  Kinda how Thanksgiving fills my tummy with yummy food... haha! I digress... the temperatures cool down a bit, there are soccer games to play, there is candy to eat, pumpkins to carve, feasts to be had, and the list goes on.

Carter finished his first ever soccer season on Team Brasil! I realized how far Jackson had come as I was taken back to his first season. You put a bunch of four-year-olds on a field and you never know what you will get.  Sometimes you get some good action, definitely some crying, but mostly a lot of running around.  It never gets old watching my kids play sports, entertain a crowd, recite the Bible, just about anything.  I am so proud to be their mama.

Jackson finished his fifth season of soccer! Wow! I can't believe how much he has grown as an athlete. He is so much fun to watch. One thing I love about Jackson is his passion. When he plays, he is focused and determined.  He gets knocked down and gets right back up. It doesn't even phase him. He's fast and strong. I think he can excel at just about any sport if he really wants to. We'll see what this guy does! I'm excited to find out!

The kids were really looking forward to Halloween! Carter changed his mind about his costume many times, of course.  He started the day as an Indian and then ended up as a cowboy. That was after he decided not to be the Hulk or Batman. Oh, and he was an Aggie football player the day before! Luckily, we have many costumes for him to pick from! I ordered Jackson a sweet ninja costume which he loved. It is awesome! Gotta love Chasing Fireflies. They have the best costumes. Kylie wasn't too concerned about her costume. I guess that goes along with age. She decided to wear her zombie cheerleader costume from last year, so easy cheesy. She even did her own makeup this year. Sigh... she's growing up so fast. We had fun walking the neighborhood and seeing our neighbors out and about. I'm glad we live in a safe neighborhood with many families and kids!

And, then there is Indian Day! My cute little guy makes the cutest little Indian! This Friday will be his big Thanksgiving Feast where he will be my little pilgrim:)  It was a special day for the first graders at Regents! They got to shoot bows and arrows, make beads, eat dried food, make a fire, and play games.  Special days at school make very special memories. It's nice to get out of the classroom and have some fun!

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

Back-to-School!

Well, that summer went by in the wink of an eye.  Geez! I think it was the quickest one yet. I'll have to do my next post on our summer shenanigans:)

For now, we'll press on to another school year of Pre-K, 1st Grade and Fifth Grade!

My Baby Boy is Four!

It is really hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that this sweet guy has been here for four years already! Considering he's the baby it just doesn't seem right! I am so thankful for his tender heart, his sweet compliments, and his hugs and kisses. He's such a polite little guy and is always thinking of others. He melts my heart. Just the other day he asked Grandma Mary to help him get me something special, so he picked out some beautiful roses! God blesses me every, single day with this sweet boy.

Now, that he's four, here's some important facts about Carter Man -

Favorite Foods - Eggo waffles, Cream of Wheat, Tacos, Cheeseburgers, Apple Sauce, Bananas, PB Sandwiches, Pizza, and Chicken Nuggets. He still has a love affair with Apple Juice.

Dislikes - Pretty much any other food not listed above. Seriously. He doesn't like much of anything. The boy doesn't even eat donuts... what? Crazy.

Weight - Approximately 43 lbs.

Clothing Size - Still rocking some 3T and moving into 4T.

Shoe Size - 11. He loves his new Skechers he got for school:)

Favorite Books - Batman Lego, Go Dog Go, Are You My Mother?, Dinotrux.

Favorite Shows - Mighty Machines, Dinotrux, Spongebob, Chuggington.

Other fun facts - He loves swings... and swinging really high! He has a very good sense of direction. He is swimming like a rockstar. He starts his first team sport in a few weeks - soccer! He just started Pre-K at Bannockburn Christian Academy and is the youngest boy in his class. He turned 4 the day before school started.

We celebrated his fourth birthday with a weekend of fun activities he got to pick and then celebrated with cousins at our house and the Minions!

Did I love you enough today?

I recently read an article written by a mom titled "Did I love you enough today?" which touched my heart in many ways. At first I thought I might copy and paste it into my blog, but I realized her words are not my words. Yes, some of the things she said were words which could easily be my own, but why not make them my own?

Some days I find myself sighing at the monotony of the typical day.  Get up and get the kiddos ready for whatever activity is scheduled for the day.  Sometimes counting down the minutes until Grandma shows up to take them where they need to go and sometimes wishing we had just five more minutes to be together before the day starts.  My feelings depend on how many fights the kids have already had about who's playing with what toy or what show they can watch for a few minutes or who woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day.  Some mornings I am frustrated when I have to tell them over and over to do something or chase one around the house who wants to stay in his jammies or maybe because I REALLY dislike packing lunches. Like, really dislike.

No matter how the morning has gone while they are still home, there is always a sadness that comes over me when they pull out of the driveway.  I could have been pulling my hair out just 2 minutes earlier, but the minute I give the last kiss and hug and close the car door, they are off again without me. Did I love them enough this morning? Did I make them feel special or nag at them too much for not brushing their teeth when I asked?  Did I give them confidence to face a new day or did I tear them down in some way I may not even recognize? When I gave them that one last kiss and hug did they truly feel my love or did it feel obligatory to the goodbye routine? Lord, I hope not. Behind every kiss and hug is a mother's love which has no boundaries. A pride which makes her heart swell to three times its size. A gratefulness beyond measure.

Did I love them enough this morning so they can carry that love through them until we see each other again later? When they feel the uncertainty of a new situation, do they feel me near telling them they are the most special creature God has put on this Earth? When the mean kid puts them down or says he/she doesn't want to play with them, do they know I will ALWAYS want to be with them? I will never push them away? Do they know?  When they feel alone or scared, can they feel my loving arms wrapped around them saying "Precious child, you will NEVER be alone."

When the day is coming to a close and school or camp is done and afternoon activities are over, here is my chance to seize the moment! Hours of uninterrupted, blissful, quality time, right? Well, it sounds great, but any parent knows it doesn't always turn out to be so dreamy.  Maybe the work day was a real killer and hours of long meetings or putting out fires have left me at a zero. I'm wiped out. "Push me on the swing Mommy!" "Let's play army Mommy!" "Please jump on the trampoline Mommy!" How about we all snuggle on the couch and watch a movie and order pizza so Mommy doesn't have to worry about dinner? Yes? No? Hmmmm... Okay.  Oh, how I will yearn for them to want to play with me in years to come when electronics and other friends have taken my place! Who cares how tired I am, suck it up Mom! Not always easy. It can create a real, emotional and physical struggle

Did I love them enough this evening? Was I more concerned with how tired I was or what work I didn't get done or perhaps what Facebook posts I missed during the day?  Did I make them the center of my attention or did I become distracted?  Sometimes distraction can't be helped. I'm a working mom, so I can't continue to beat myself up about it.  But... am I being distracted by things of no real importance? Is what/whom I'm allowing myself to be distracted by of any real significance?

I treasure the bedtime routine.  Adam says I drag it out way too long, which is true. I really do drag it out, only because it's the one time during the day where I can have one-on-one with each kiddo.  We read books or devo, we chat about the day, and we pray.  This is the BEST part of my day, and many days, I feel it is the best part of theirs.  If I'm lucky, they will fall asleep as I lay beside them for a bit. I will hear their sweet breaths and feel their soft, warm skin.  I can gaze at their beautiful faces as they are peacefully resting. There is no picture more beautiful.  Thank you God for the faces of my sleeping children.  And as I look at their sweet faces I have to ask... did I love you enough today, or did I fail to show how I truly feel about you?  I'm sure there are days I do fail. I'm not perfect in any way, not even close. I am perfectly broken and sinful, as we all are. I get irritated, say hurtful things, and act on selfish motives.  My prayer is the same mercy and grace my Heavenly Father shows me every day, will resonate through the hearts of my children and they will never doubt the love I have for them.  I love you to the moon and back Kylie, Jackson, and Carter!

Bye bye Kinder... hello six year old!

To my sweet boy Jackson,
Well, we made it through Kinder!  We had a few bumps along the way, but we got through it Jackson! I am proud of how much you have grown this past year. It hasn't been easy... we've had some tears, but thankfully most of the time those end in laughter.  You finished all your Kinder readers, which was quite a chore for both of us. Now, you are reading like a champ!  You are listening better and using more self control, which can be really hard for a super-active little boy.  Teachers seems to describe you with words like "enthusiastic" "energetic" "all boy"... there are times when I worry it's not always a compliment, but your sweet teacher Ms. Bobbi always says God has given you great gifts of enthusiasm which you will use someday to further His kingdom.  I think she's right! To go along with your energy, you are very LOUD! At one point, we even had your hearing checked, but it seems you hear just fine.  I think you want to make sure people hear what you have to say at all times, because you are passionate about your thoughts.  Maybe you'll use that big voice to preach the word of Jesus to unreached people some day?  Who knows?

Here's a little about you right now:
Age: 6
Weight: 56 lbs.  You're a pretty stout little guy:)
Height: 48 inches
Favorite Foods: Pizza, Cheeseburgers, Grandpa's Eggs, Waffles, French Toast, Chicken Patties, Ribs, Drumsticks, Yogurt, Fish Sticks, Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat.  You've never met a treat you didn't like.
Foods you Dislike: Pretty much any vegetable except corn (which doesn't really count).
Favorite Toys: Guns, Legos, Army Men, Shovels, Grenades, Swords... okay, any kind of weapon.
What you want to be when you grow up: A Navy Captain. You want to drive the boat.
Sports: Soccer, Golf, Baseball, Swimming (just for fun).
Favorite Books: Anything about sharks or snakes! The Day the Crayons Quit, Yes Day,
Favorite Shows: SpongeBob Squarepants - man, I thought we were done with him! Dang. Wild Kratts, America's Funniest Home Videos.

You LOVE all things Army right now.  Your are a gun-lovin', camo-wearin' dude. You own about 20 guns of all kinds to practice your shooting techniques and you like to sneak up on people and shoot them. You just got your first set of golf clubs and you are super excited to learn how to play and go golfing with dad.  I can already tell you're going to be a natural. You are also working hard on learning to catch and throw the baseball to get ready for your first baseball season next Spring!

Here's what I LOVE the most about you Jackson, and there are so many things to love.  You are sensitive.  You really take others' words and actions to heart. You want others to be proud of you and tell you what a good boy you are and how well you can do things. You play so hard all day long you are exhausted at bedtime and fall asleep in a matter of minutes shortly after we say our prayers, and you NEVER fall

asleep without saying prayers first.  I always know you are ready to go to sleep when you say "Can we say our prayers now?".  I love it that you yearn to hear me speak to Jesus on your behalf and I look forward to the day when you feel comfortable speaking to Him on your own.  Until then, I am honored to do it for you and with you.  Sometimes you are a tough little boy to parent.  You tend to be impulsive and have selective hearing.  You are destructive and break things all the time.  You ask the same question over and over again and drive us bonkers. But, you are also hilarious and make me laugh every day.  All we have to do is look at each other and we both smile almost instantly. Our souls are connected. You always want to help me do things around the house, whether it's cooking, picking up leaves, making the bed, or fixing something.  Just don't ask you to pick up your toys... that's a different story! Ha!

I am so incredibly honored to your Mom and I realize what an important role I continue to have in your life, and will likely always have in your life.  I will ALWAYS be here for you, no matter what. I will challenge you and cheer for you.  I will pick up when you are down, and then I'll tell you to get back up on the saddle. I love you with every ounce of my being. You are my treasure.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BOY!

 

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WITH MRS. WISE!

 



 

LOOKING DAPPER IN HIS COWBOY GEAR!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORNING!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARMY MAN!

 

SWIM PARTY WITH HIS BEST BUDDIES

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR JACKSON:)

 

 

Easter 2015

So, I may have missed Kylie's and Carter's birthdays (oops), but by golly I've got Easter!  We had a pretty laid back Easter this year.  Not many egg hunts since we had soccer, but I almost think it worked out better.  Having 10 egg hunts gets a little redundant!

Kylie and I both got to attend Carter's Easter hunt and picnic lunch at WHPP.  Getting to see Carter with his sweetie Corinne was just too cute.  Those two are quite smitten with one another!

I hope we get a few more years of egg hunts out of these kiddos.  Kylie was not very interested this year,  but she'll definitely get after it if money is involved!  The good news is... the kids have pretty much forgotten about their candy.  Bad news is... I haven't!!!

Hangin' with sister!

 That, my friends, is JOY!

Sweet Corinne and Carter

 Inside Easter Egg Hunt 

Getting a group shot is a piece of cake (ha!)

Grandparent's Day 2015

Grandparent's Day is a HUGE tradition at Regents.  The kids love having their grandparents come to school to see their classroom, look at art projects, buy a book for the library, and listen to songs and recitations.  Lucky for me, I get to go too!  We also display our Family Project for the year. This year we decided to try our hand at string art.  It was really a cool project and I think they turned out super cute!

We are very blessed to have grandparents who live in town and even more blessed because Gigi was in town from Arizona! Perfect timing!

Getting to watch these kids perform and speak the Word of God from memory is one of the greatest joys I have found.  It is hard to fathom the amount of information even the kindergartners can retain and recite by memory.  Surely God was in that place! Amen!

 Just right for our superhero room!

Awwww.... Sic 'Em Bears!

 Special Memories

J Man showing off his classroom!

Gunner

This time next week, we will have a new family member. He will be 8 weeks old and he is a brindle, male boxer.  We have been anxiously awaiting his arrival and getting prepared for a new puppy in the house. I hardly remember Harley being a puppy.  I do remember how she loved to dig holes in our backyard and would sometimes play so hard we thought she might pass out.  I look back on pictures of her when she was so very small, and I can hardly believe it. So, bringing Gunner home will be bittersweet.  What a joy to have a new furry friend and to love and spoil, but yet a reminder of a sweet girl we lost not long ago.

The breeder says he has perfect markings and wanted to keep him for a show dog, but her husband told her she needed to wait until the mama's next litter.  He comes from a great bloodline and the breeders seem to truly LOVE raising Boxers and have been so great to work with.

Adam and I will drive to Waco next Saturday to pick him up. I pray for some speedy training of this little guy!  I don't have as much patience now that I have three kiddos:) As long as he potties outside and doesn't chew up my house, we'll be great buddies!

Learning to love again... we can't wait to be your new family Gunner!

You have big puppy shoes to fill!

Sweet puppy Harley

Don't cry because it's over...smile because it happened.

I really struggle with this sometimes.  It's easy to get into a rut of focusing on what has passed and those who are taken out of our lives.  I love this quote though.  I seem to have this in my mind on repeat these days!

We lost our sweet Harley about a month ago. My heart is broken and I long to see her sweet face, see her lying next to me while I work, or hear her little scratches on the door because she needs to go outside.  I want to be able to hurry home to let her out of her crate. I want to see her sweet kidney bean, because she is so excited to see me every time I walk in the door.  I want her to stay in the bedroom with us until the last person is out of bed.  I just want her here again. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to keep fighting, but I couldn't bare to see her body fail her. We were blessed by a sweet doctor who came to our house so we could let her go in peace. We couldn't bring ourselves to load her up and take her in. It was just too much. She passed so peacefully and I will never forget how she licked Adam's face as she started getting drowsy. It was her final act of love and loyalty to him. I have cried because I wanted to save her and keep her here with me, but I will smile because she brought my family joy and happiness for eleven years.  She was loved immensely.... and the feeling was mutual.

Since January it seems I've been gone as much as I've been home. In three months, I've been to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Pennsylvania, Honduras, Belize, Cozumel, and New Hampshire.  I do enjoy traveling to new places, eating great food, and if I get to go with my family... even better!  Adam did get to come with me to Las Vegas which was an awesome treat for us. I love Las Vegas and can't wait to go back. The food was sooooo tasty and we even came home with $300.  Even though it was a work trip, we still managed to have plenty of fun! New Orleans was another work trip. I'm not sure it's the place for me. I can't say I really experienced New Orleans, so I won't rule it out just yet. We did hit Bourbon Street for two nights and found a couple of neat places, but it kinda felt like 6th street to me. Been there, done that.  Pennsylvania was a short trip but a cold one. I've never been in negative temperatures before, so this was quite an experience. Thankfully the roads were clear and the driving felt safe. Yikes! The snow makes the terrain quite beautiful, but I could NEVER live somewhere with such harsh winters. Forget it! I'd rather sweat in Texas any day!

SPRING BREAK 2015!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!

The boys and I went cruisin' with my mom, sister and her family. Kylie was in Aulani in Hawaii with her BF Erin during Spring Break having a blast. Of course! I was a bit apprehensive about taking the boys on a cruise (no escape came to mind), but my mom reassured me it was very family-friendly so we went for it! The cruise was certainly family-friendly.  There was a mix of all ages, which made for a fun trip for everyone! I don't think the boys had any idea how big the boat would be and were amazed when we first saw it. The pool won them over immediately.  We sailed out of Houston and cruised for two days before our first stop in Roatan Honduras.

Our first stop was Roatan, Honduras... Gumbalimba Park and Tabyana Beach. It was an interesting shuttle ride to the Park, getting to see many parts of Roatan and learn its history.  At Gumbalimba park, we saw butterflies, iguanas, waterfalls, parrots, and monkeys...oh the monkeys!! These so-called "trained" monkeys are quite adorable. If you get close to their habitat they will come over and see you or even jump on your shoulder! Jackson was excited to let one sit one his shoulder and Carter wanted no such thing. The alpha male monkey started to get upset and the guy working said it was because he didn't want to "work" or socialize for treats. He was showing his big teeth and jumping around.  I started to back up and walk away when he jumped off the fence and ran over where the boys were standing and starting trying to scratch them and jump on them. It was hysterical and terrifying all in one! Thankfully the boys brushed it off with ease and we all got a good laugh afterwards.



Next Stop... Belize!!!  We went to a small, remote island by boat where we had food and fun, as well as a short snorkel outing.  The boys even jumped off the boat with Grandma Mary while we snorkeled.  Big day for my big boys:)





Cozumel was our favorite stop... Playa Mia! Perfect spot for all.  Beach chairs on the beautiful beach, kayaking, big pool, waterpark, buffet, and drinks! Sign me up!!!



What did I do when I got back home?  I cried.  I cried because I was sad my week with the boys was over. My week to focus solely on them with no other obligations to interfere. We were together 24/7. I loved it and sometimes they drove me crazy, but I still loved it. I wanted to be in those moments longer, so I cried. I wanted more time with them.  Then, I smiled.  I smiled because it happened! I smiled because I got to make memories with my little buddies. I got to see them experience so many new things for the first time. I cried... and then I smiled:)