Give Thanks!

The first grade Pilgrims invite the Indians to a feast!

Indian Games

Lovely Laughing Hyena

So, this is the season of giving thanks. I am thankful for so many things, but I thought I would share some things that I am thankful for!

• A God who loves me despite my many faults and the grace and courage He gives me every day.
• A husband who has loved me for over 15 years now and still finds ways every day to show me his love.
• A daughter who is the greatest joy of my life. She makes me want to be a better person. She is the light in my life that is always there, despite the darkest days.
• A precious little boy who has taken hold of my heart in a way I never thought possible. His hugs and kisses are worth more to me than anything money could ever buy.
• A mom who continues to be my rock and my saving grace every day. Without her, I simply would not be where I am and who I am today.
• A family who loves me and supports me in all that I do. I am thankful to have my family nearby. It is so comforting to know I am surrounded (literally) by my family.
• A church that has already blessed us in many ways in less than a year that we've been there. It has helped us grow our faith beyond just Sunday mornings. I am thankful for its people, its purpose, and its potential to reach so many.
• A home to call our own. In these difficult times there are so many people facing such terrible struggles and having to give up things we take for granted every day.
• Faithful friends who bring me so much joy. Seeing my friends become moms and being able to share the experience with them has been so wonderful and I will cherish my sweet friends forever!
• A job that allows me to work out of my home. Although it's a challenge to work from home, I am so thankful that I have a job, I work with people I truly enjoy and I am able to contribute for my family's needs.
• Regents School of Austin, a school that I believe might just be the greatest school on earth. I have never been in a place so secure and so filled with love. Kylie's teacher is truly annointed with the Spirit and has to be one of the most amazing teachers I have ever met.

So, thank you God for your love, your patience, and your guidance. Thank you for giving me more than I will ever deserve. Thank you for your son Jesus and the ultimate sacrifice He paid. As a parent, the revelation of this sacrifice and how you gave your son for me, has made this gift more precious than I could have ever imagined.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

Sic 'Em Bears!

Rainy Game! No umbrellas so a sac will do!

Brad (my old cheer coach) was there too!

All the girls!

Deanna, Katie, Kylie, Becky, Grandma Mary, Taylor

Kylie and I on the field!

I still can't believe I graduated from Baylor 10 years ago! Really? And, after visiting the campus, it felt like 10 years. I was amazed at how much it has grown and really changed for the better. Everything looks so nice and the grounds are more beautiful than I even remembered.

We headed to Waco on Friday afternoon (Kylie and I) just in time to get there and have some Ninfa's. Oh, how I love you Ninfarita and how I've missed you! We met up with friends and had a super dinner. Then, we headed over to campus for the bonfire. The Baylor bonfire is pretty tragic, but I know they try hard. Once you've seen the old A&M bonfire in all it's massive glory, it's hard to look at any other bonfires the same. Still, it was a fun event! We stayed long enough to see the yell leaders, hear the band, and sing "that Good Ole Baylor Line...." and then we headed out. Living in a town surrounded by Longhorns and working for an Aggie-owned company in Aggieland itself, sometimes this Baylor Bear gets lonely! So, it was nice to be surrounded by my fellow bears for a weekend.

The next morning we were up bright and early to go see the ever-so-famous Homecoming Parade. The floats were great as usual and I'm glad Kylie got to see what the parade is all about. Tri Delts float was super cute, but unfortunately didn't win any awards. The winning KOT float was amazing! It had a miniature ferris wheel and roller coaster that actually worked. I was thoroughly impressed.

Then, we spent some time walking around the campus, taking some pictures, and checking out the floats up-close after they had parked them. The rain was off and on, but we had no idea what was yet to come later that day. We picked up some Cracker Barrel (yum) and headed back to the hotel for a short break before game time. When we got the game as we were walking into the stadium, they were evacuating what soon would be 20,000 people out of the stands and under them. Yikes! Luckily, I found a small ramp to sit on for the next hour or so while we waited to be let back in the stands. When we finally got back in the stands, the temperature dropped drastically! Then, everyone headed to the shop in the stadium in a frenzy to buy every blanket and sweatshirt on the shelf. It was a mad-house! I ended up buying an XL long sleeve tee because it was the smallest size they had left! At this point, I was starting to worry I would never make it down on the field for the spirit squad alumni reunion during the 3rd quarter. I had been so excited to get back on the field for one more time. I loved being down there. I never cared whether we won or loss, it was always a great joy to be out there cheering.

Luckily, Kylie and I made it down to the locker room during half time to get ready to go out on the field during 3rd quarter. Unfortunately, they wouldn't let kids on the field which I thought was strange they didn't mention that after I specifically said I was bringing my daughter. Kind of important information! Luckily my mom, sis, and nieces were there so she went back and sat with them. During the third quarter, Michelle Nall and I did our thing (mainly just clapping and cheering on the bears) while a group of forty-somethings having their 20-year reunion proceeded to kick our booties. They were stunting, jumping and even tumbling. What? They even remembered the fight song. It was hard to believe it was their 20 year reunion the way they were getting after it and cheering like a bunch of youngsters. It was awesome!

What ended up being a very loooooong game, turned out to be well worth the wait as BU beat KSU and is now eligible for a bowl game. Sic 'Em Bears! So proud of my team!

On Sunday we paid a visit to Lady and Joy, the current Baylor bears who have a pretty sweet pad there on campus. They might be the most spoiled bears ever, but they deserve it! Then, we headed back home to be with our guys whom we left behind for the reunion weekend.

I'm so glad I went back and can't wait to go back again. Such great memories of my four years in Waco. Treasured memories for sure! Who knows, maybe Kylie will rootin' for the green and gold some day? I hope so!

10 Years Already...

It is hard to believe in one week I will be on the Baylor campus celebrating my 10 year reunion. I still feel like it was only a few years ago. Since then, I've been married, had two babies, moved a few times, and even managed to work for the same company for ten years. It will be interesting to be back on campus with Kylie in a whole new way, with a whole new outlook on life. Sometimes I miss those days of going to class, cheering at games, and hanging out with friends every, single day. I hope to see some familiar faces that I haven't seen in a long while and to do some of the things I would have considered dorky before. I am really excited about showing Kylie around the campus, standing with her at the parade, introducing her to the Baylor bear, and taking her down on the field with me during the 3rd quarter.

Yep, that's right! I'm going to go down on the field for the yell leader alumni gathering during the third quarter. I have such great memories of being on that field. I didn't care whether we won or loss, I just loved being in front of the crowd. I miss it! I guess here's another chance, so to speak. Watch out Floyd Casey... here I come!

Here are some updates on the kiddos:

Kylie is a busy girl, as usual. She is really loving her piano lessons and got her Christmas piece this week. I love watching her sit at the piano and play and can really imagine her there playing some amazing piece some day. So, I'm anxious to see how she does with "Away in a Manger" for her recital! Her cheer team at Cheer Station is working hard to prepare for their first competition in November. I will be a nervous wreck for that one, and it's not because I'm worried she won't hit her tricks. I mean, the girl does a cartwheel for goodness sake. No, I will be worried that she'll completely forget what she is supposed to do or where she's supposed to go and stand there freaked out. Uggggghhhh. They are just so little and a whole routine is so hard to remember! I am so proud of what a great big sister she is. She is so wonderful to Jackson. I feel so blessed to have such a good big sister in her. Jackson loves her so much and Kylie really takes good care of him. She's always looking out for him and loves to make him laugh. It's nice having a little mommy every once in a while to let me know if he's doing something he shouldn't and I miss it. He's so quick, it's almost like I need four eyes to watch him! She got an abnormal read on her hearing test at school, which I was surprised to hear. I'm sure it's nothing, but I have to take her to the doctor to get it checked again. I'm sure she has perfectly fine hearing, but those calls from the school always freak me out!

And, my little stinker Jackson. Yes, he is such a toot. I swear I have never seen a kid move as fast as he does. He can get into something quicker than you can even imagine. I feel like I'm telling him "no" about a million times a day. He still doesn't quite get it. He usually just looks at me and grins when I scold him- arrrrghhhh. He got a horrible tummy virus this week when I was out of town (of course), but luckily Grandma Mary was with him and got him to the doctor. On top of it all, he had an ear infection too. Poor baby. He's still not really talking which worries me a bit, but I'm sure he'll catch right up when he's ready. He understands so many things, so I know he gets it, he just can't speak it. I can give him a command like "go get the hat" and he knows what I'm saying, so we'll see how much longer he holds out on us. He's enjoying his time with Grandma Mary during the day when they go to Gymboree and Jumpy Gym. I'm so glad he is able to do those things, even if I can't take him. We found his first favorite movie and it happens to be "Alvin and the Chipmunks!" He actually sat on the floor to watch some of it yesterday. I was shocked! And he laughs and claps with the movie. So, we'll be tuning in to that one quite a bit, I'm sure!

Adam is recovering from the same brutal stomach virus Jackson had. He was laid up for about two days and couldn't really eat anything. He was miserable and I am not only glad he is feeling better (although still a little sluggish), but I didn't get it. I think the Lord is protecting me from it, knowing I have no time to be sick and out of commission. Nope, not an option for this lady. He won second place in a golf tournament on Monday which I thought was very impressive! He loves this time of year full of football, football, football. And, the Rangers are in the playoffs...yeah!!!

I have been working crazy hours the past few weeks. From multiple trips to College Station to train and late nights to catch up, I am one tired momma. It has been so exhausting to keep up with everything and it will continue until about mid-December, so Lord help me stay strong! This time of year is always hectic and challenging, but I seem to get through it after all is said and done. I am losing one of my best employees soon and I am sad to see her go, but I know she will be a great full-time mom. My new hire has a lot of potential and I feel blessed to have found her so quickly. Fingers crossed she can pick things up quickly and mesh well with the job and the team.

In an effort to get my body back into shape and just overall healthier, I started a cleanse this week. No sugar, bread, soda, coffee, dairy, red meat, and so on. Ugggghhhhh. I've been hungry for four days now! Only 6 days to go and I'm counting down people. I am hopeful this will jumpstart my get healthy goal to a better me inside and out! If I could just get my booty to the gym, I would be pumped (no pun intended).

Adam and I are a part of the Married Life class at Stone this semester. We enjoyed the class so much last time, we offered to help with this one. We have already gotten to know some neat people and are excited about the friendships we build as a result of the class. Not only that, we get to hear the messages about a godly marriage again. You can't hear those too many times! One thing we always talk about in class is how at our 50 year anniversary we don't want people to just say we "endured" marriage. That's not enough to just endure marriage. My goal for our marriage is to be one of testimony, one that represents God's intention for marriage. It's a lofty goal, but it's one we will work year after year to attain. Then, at our 50 year anniversary it won't be that we just endured... it will be a story of two people who touched many lives by just the example of their love for one another.

I guess I'll close this out now! That's what happens when you only blog once a month! Love to all. Until next time...

The Lord is my Shepard

Kylie can now recite almost the entire 23rd Psalm and has learned the Star Spangled Banner in only 3 weeks of school! Every time I hear her recite the Psalm, it just melts my heart. I ask her to do it for me a few times a day. She's not sick of me asking just yet! I guess I never realized how quickly kids as young as 5 can learn new things, and not simple things! To learn an entire Psalm is amazing. I am so proud of her!

She did ger her "clip moved" in class this week, which is another way of saying she got a warning. Her sweet teacher emailed me and said her eyes filled with tears when it happened. It sounds like she was being a chatty kathy during a math lesson with her classmate. I am hopeful this will be a one-time thing for this year, although I was disappointed that it happened only three weeks into school. But, like I told her teacher, sometimes we all need a little humbling reminder to be respectful and do what is expected.

To make things better, Jackson tried to bite a little girl in his class! They were playing in the indoor play room and he just decided he'd take a bite at a little girl. He just got the back of her shirt, thank goodness. I really hope it doesn't become a consistent thing. Yikes, I will be really worried if it does. I am hopeful for now that he just had a lapse of judgement! He has many of those lately it seems. I am definitely finding it difficult to discipline the little guy. He doesn't respond to "no" very well and almost acts like it's a game. It's the "as long as I'm getting attention, even if it's bad attention" deal. He can be pretty exhausting as we try to keep him in line. I try to remain patient with him, but stern at the same time. Mainly, I know I need to keep praying for wisdom, strength, and patience to lead him in the right direction.

I have a fun, busy week planned this week! Aside from meetings and getting ready to train a new hire, I get to be the parent helper in Kylie's class on Tuesday and assist with their art project. Then, I have taken Friday off to get things done, go to a get-to-know-you coffee for the class moms, and prepare for my best buddies from Baylor coming into town! I can't wait to see them. There are nine of us who have stayed very close. We all became friends through Tri Delt and have continued to remain friends for over 10 years. They are all amazing friends and I cherish each fun weekend we have together!

Here's to a fun, busy week!

Getting into the swing of things

Kylie waiting for Big Pa and Grandma to take her to Keller. We made a sign!

Big Boy Jackson's First Day of School!Back-to-School Festival at Regents

Kylie and Mrs. Crowell

Jackson having a blast at Central Market

It's always hard getting into a new routine once school starts and now Kylie and Jackson are both in school!

Kylie has a pretty busy schedule, even though she gets out of school at noon. On Mondays she is taking voice lessons right after school with her little friend Aubry. Tuesdays and Thursdays she is doing a Fine Arts class after school until 2:35 where they do all kinds of art and nature activities. She seems to really enjoy this so far! She also has cheer practice for her Cheer Station team on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays she is taking piano lessons and dance after school! I am so excited to see her learn to play the piano. I still can't believe I don't know how to play when my mom has played nearly all her life. I missed the boat there!

Kylie is loving school and seems to really love her teacher. In fact, when I asked her what her favorite thing about school is, she said her teacher. Not recess, centers, or music... nope, her teacher! Her teacher is absolutely amazing and such a blessing to these kiddos. I am excited to get to joing the class on some fun activities. Throughout the year, there are lots of parent-involvement activities in the classroom and on field trips. I am excited to join in the fun and grateful I can do so. At Back-to-School night, I fell in love with her school even more. I am so grateful to have her in a school where the teachers pray with the children and teach them about Jesus and God's word. It is such a safe and loving environment. Oh, and she's already found herself a "boyfriend." His name is Hondo and he is just adorable. Not sure how I feel about calling him her boyfriend, but she said he has 7 girlfriends, so I think I won't be too worried yet. Geez loueeeeze.

Jackson is loving school too. Phew... what a relief! He has never cried when I drop him off and his teachers say he has a blast while he's there. He's quite a bit younger than Kylie was when she started school, so I was anxious about how he'd do, and he's doing great! He goes on Mondays and Wednesdays and when he comes home he takes a loooooooong nap. I love the little art projects they bring home. I try to envision what it is like to do art with 8 13-15 month old kids. Must be interesting.

It is really fun to see our kids growing up in different stages. Kylie is really maturing as that sweet little baby voice keeps sounding a little older every day. Her taste in clothing is changing and her overall mannerisms are changing. Oh, we still have crybaby fits now and then, she wouldn't want me to miss out on those. But, she is becoming more independent. I am really proud of how self-confident she is. She seems like she can just fit right in anywhere she goes and makes friends with everybody. Her one biggest weakness continues to be sleep. She still, at age 5 1/2 wakes up at night. We've resorted to serious bribing to keep her in her bed or at least not climbing in ours. If she sleeps for 30 nights in her bed she gets a surprise. She decides before hand what it will be. Last time it was a new razor scooter. This time it's a new Build-a-Bear. So far so good. Almost halfway there!

Jackson is still quite the handful! He's a big boy, weighing in at about 27 lbs, he's a stout little guy. He has big feet and hands too! He's very agile and can really walk, climb, and maneuver things well. Oh man, that kiddo keeps us on our toes. I've never seen a kid ransack a house as quickly as he can. It is quite a sight. He might be the busiest kid I have ever known in my life. He has developed some fun new things within the past few months that we are really enjoying...

1. He gives kisses now. At night when he's in his bed if you ask for a kiss, he'll take out his suckie and give you a kiss. He likes to blow kisses too.
2. If he hears the word "GO", he heads straight for the door. He loves to go anywhere! He does not want to be stuck in the house! Sometimes he'll go get our shoes for us and drop them by our feet as if he's telling us to hurry up.
3. He can say "bye bye" and "dog" and "hot" pretty well.
4. At school the teachers said he saw a picture of a lion and roared (wish I had seen it!)
5. He's very interested in using a fork and spoon and demands that you give it to him when you are trying to put food on his tray.
6. If I ask him where my nose is, he can point and touch my nose.
7. He loves to put his diapers in the diaper pail. He is so proud of himself when he puts things in the trash. Do I find things that shouldn't be in there? Absolutely! But, I can't fault him for trying.
8. He is a super swimmer! He is such a good little swimmer and loves to go under water. I think he'll be flying solo by summer next year for sure. He already understands to hold his breath and really tries to move his legs and feet when he's under water. He also loves to jump off the edge. I'm so proud of him!
9. He still uses a newborn soothie pacifier. I could never get him to switch from it, so we've still got it. I tried all kinds of different pacifiers and he would just spit them out. I've given up and we'll just have the soothie for as long as we have the suckies.

Adam and I continue to make every effort to successfully balance home and work life. I think we do a pretty good job of it and make it a team effort. He continues to be very helpful once he gets home from work with cooking, bathing, and picking up. I am grateful to have a husband who does what he can to help me out. Here's to another great school year!!!

Is summer really almost over?

Wow, this summer has flown by so quickly. I can't believe it. In just a few weeks, my baby girl starts Kindergarten and my little buddy starts preschool.

Kylie is going to camp at Regents this week and getting to meet some of her new classmates! She seems to be excited about it and the kids are just adorable. We got her uniforms all picked up. Not the cutest, I have to admit. The whole "one size fits all" doesn't really work well in this family. So, our jumper looks kinda like a box. Oh well. Nothing a little button-moving can't fix. I happen to love the uniform idea. I didn't like it at first, but now that she is so stinkin' picky about what she wears, I am truly grateful! I would not want to have that discussion every day. Uggggh...

Jackson starts a two-day program at Bannockburn soon as well. He will go from 9:00-2:00 on Mondays and Wednesdays. I have no idea how that is going to work with the napping situation, but I guess we'll find out. I'm definitely concerned, but I'm hopeful he will adjust. He is getting to have some fun afternoon playdates with Grandpa Roy which he really loves. He gets out all the toys and spreads them everywhere and just plays and plays to his hearts content! It's great!

Kylie is working on her inner artist this summer! So far, we have created some great masterpieces! She painted a canvas print for her room that I just need to put the final touches on and a stepping stone for outside. I love watching her be creative. It's so amazing to see how her little mind works. Sometimes that little mind gets carried away, like a few weeks ago in church when she and her best bud Lainie decided that "poop" was the fun word for the day. So, she shows me this sweet little book she's made in sunday school that says Kylie's Helping Hands. In the book is all different ways Kylie can have helping hands. But, if you look closely, on every page you will find the word POOP! Geez. Mom and Dad were not nearly as amused as she was. I don't think she'll be doing that again any time soon.

Jackson's big ole molars are finally breaking through, thank goodness. He had both bottom and top ones come in at the same time. That was fun. He was such a grouch for a while there. He has this little shirt I like to put on him that says RUFF DAY with a paw print. Super cute!

My buds from BU and I are planning a trip to Baylor Homecoming this October. I'm excited to go back and see all the changes since we were there. It's been 10 years! Unbelievable! I hope to see some old friends while I'm there. It will surely be a great time!

New shoes that make me run fast! I was running circles in the house

when Mommy put them on me!
Seriously? How cute is this?

Mom and Kylie making memories.

Pretty ballerina

Every summer when it gets so incredibly hot that you just literally feel like you are melting, I feel like there is no way it has ever been this hot! But, yes, every year it sure is! Thank goodness Grandma and Big Pa put in a pool in their backyard that has already provided many hours of "cool" entertainment for the kids. I think Jackson is going to learn how to swim really fast thanks to the new pool. He's already showing some natural ability and doesn't seem to be afraid to be under water at all. In fact, he usually seems annoyed that he can't just swim off on his own!

Kylie has been busy with dance camps and is enjoying her summer, full of activities. We are already planning for fall with voice and piano lessons, as well as her dance and cheer classes. She'll be one busy little girl, but with school being a half day she'll need the activity! Jackson will start a program in the fall as well, going two days a week. I'm excited for him to have some play time and meet new friends.

I am really excited to see what Kylie thinks of her voice and piano lessons. She has such a sweet, little voice. She stood in front of me in her room yesterday singing "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood and it always brings tears to my eyes. What a precious moment. She probably won't remember it, but I will. She still has one of us lay with her at night when she is going to sleep, so most nights I am the one laying with her and I like to hold her hand when she's going to sleep. But, she loves it too. Usually she wants to hold both of my hands and it blesses me beyond belief. Then, I usually stay in there for a few minutes after she's drifted off to sleep and just watch her sweet little face as she lies there so peacefully. It's in those moments when I am watching my kids or holding them that I can't imagine loving anything more.

Jackson is soooooooooooooo busy and is really proving the whole "boys are very different from girls" theory. Here are Jackson's favorite things to do that drive Mommy crazy:

Climb on the couch to get onto the side tables to play with the lamps.

Climb on the chairs to get up to the breakfast table and sit on it.

Climb on the toilet to get to the sink. (seeing a pattern here?)

Grab on to the handle and pull himself up like he's doing a pull-up on the oven

Pull all of his books off the shelf (just moved them out of reach last night)

Take his diaper off when he has no clothes on.

Play in the dog's water bowl.

Put things in the litter box.

Pull all of my cookie sheets out of the cabinet.

Eat EVERYTHING!!!!

Did I mention he likes to climb things?

Oh, and his new favorite thing to do when I'm feeding him is shake his head "no" at me before he even tastes the food. Then, when he's had enough, he starts spitting it out all over the place. Awesome.

We went to the beach last weekend in Port Aransas. I thought Jackson would just love the beach and enjoy playing the sand and walking in the water. Well, he just heads straight out to the water and dives in. Then, when Mommy tries to take him out and hold him, he screams in protest! Uggggh... So, he was banned from the beach after that. Maybe next year buddy! But, Kylie, Adam and I had a great time because my sweet Mom took one for the team and kept Jackson at the condo while we played. Kylie had a blast with her new boogie board when Adam took her out in the big waves. She is such a beach girl. We saw a big sting ray only a few feet away. Kinda scary, but still really cool.

I redid the kids' bathroom and am really happy with how it's coming together. I had the hardest time finding a unisex idea that was cute. So, I finally found one and am almost finished with it. It's underwater sea creatures. Cliche' a bit, but still very cute. I wanted to do pirates and mermaids but couldn't find anything with both ideas into one. I'll post pictures when I finish it. I like these house projects, but they are non-stop! I always have something I am working on. It's fun to do, but it can be overwhelming sometimes.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I'll post again soon. Well, maybe not too soon. I seem to be hitting the blog about every month hence the long post!!!