What Goes Around Comes Around...

All of my life, my mother has said, "what goes around comes around" or "paybacks are hell." I have known that those sayings are oh so true, but I experienced it first hand last week!!

We traveled to Austin for my niece Marlee's 5th birthday and some family time at the lake. Marlee's party was on Wednesday and we stayed in Austin with my brother, sister-in-law and their three kiddos. Thursday was reserved for the girls to play together, but it started off with a little "payback."


When I was about six years old, my brothers were supposed to be watching me while my parents were at work. Needless to say, they were not!! So, I proceded to lock myself in my mom and dad's room and cut my bangs. I had watched mom do it before and was sure that I could too. NOT PRETTY!!! My mother was FURIOUS at me!!! I have heard the story numerous times over the past 24 years. So here it is "coming around"...


We, as in me, Molly, Emma Beth, Ava Grace and Marlee, were talking about how long AG's hair had gotten as the girls were sitting down to breakfast. I think I was feeding Annabelle when the next thing I heard was "Ava Grace, I don't think you should do that" come out of Emma Beth's mouth. I told AG to sit down for breakfast and as she re-entered the room, she was holding a handful of hair. She smiled at the girls and said that she changed her mind and wanted short hair. Yes, folks, she cut it herself - PAYBACK!!


She picked it up and whacked it!! I now have a baggy with her hair and we are not talking first haircut - inch. We are talking INCHES!!!


We did go today to try to have it fixed. Kacy tried to blend it by cutting some layers and feathering it so that it wasn't so obvious, but it is the first thing I see. It did look cute when we left the salon but after a nap, this is what we get...

7 Months, Already???

Today, at lunch, Annabelle and I ventured outside so that I could document her 7 month marker. Here are some of my favorite pics. We love you sweet girl!!

FIVE Amazing Years

Five years ago today, I married my very best friend. I don't say it enough but I truly consider myself the luckiest woman in the world. Neno is kind, giving, focused, loving, talented, an amazing father, a Godly man and he absolutely completes me.

When we started dating in 2000, we eventually chose our song "Keeper of the Stars" by Tracy Byrd and I must say that God definitely had a hand in putting us together and making us a family. I am thankful for that everyday.

Here is a glimpse at one of the most amazing days of my life. Most people think I am crazy when I say that I would go back and do it all again. I loved being engaged, I loved planning a wedding and most of all, I loved standing in front of our friends and family and marrying the man of my dreams.

To my husband, this remains one of the best days for me as it is a marker of the amazing 9 years that we have spent as a couple and the past 5 as man and wife. You are my best friend and all of the best parts of me. I love you!!!

And she's off...

This is a very short video that took yesterday of Annabelle crawling. By no means is she up on all fours, but she can army crawl like a champ to get what she wants. I am sure she will be doing the real thing in no time.

What a Wonderful Weekend!

We had a fabulous weekend with all of our family and friends, capped off by a sweet and sentimental Mother's Day. Here goes...

Friday - The girl's and I spent the morning with their Aunt Bess (Beth) and Aunt MariAnne. We went shopping and to Chick-fil A. I have to admit that I made the mistake a while back of telling Ava Grace that if she wanted something in a store that she should remember it for her birthday (July 30). That was my easy way of saying "you aren't getting it now". Now, all she does is go through stores saying, "I want this for my birthday". She was convinced on Friday that it is July and that should be taking these items home with her. I pray I can make it two more months and beyond, as I am sure it will continue past the actual birthday.

Friday night was spent out at Jeremy and Beth's with all of the other friends and family that ventured in for a cow-filled weekend. They had seven adults at their house and we had five adults plus five kiddos at ours. Sadly, I got lots of individual pictures but nothing of all of us together. Here are some cute pics of the kids from Friday night...

Saturday- Holly (Neno's cousin's wife), Carrie (Neno's sister) and I stayed in town with the kiddos until lunch time and then we headed out to Ropes to catch all the action. The guys had been hard at work since early that morning and by lunch, they looked a little worn out, but they still had a full afternoon ahead...

Here is the crew that put in all of the work on Saturday. They stopped long enough for a picture during their lunch break. The following photos are the guys at work...

Sayler and Ava Grace thought it was fun to be out in the dirt and hanging on the fence. They were too cute.
Aunt CJ, Aunt MariAnne and Annabelle taking part in the festivities.

Saturday night- They finished up around 6:30 and we were back at J&B's for dinner and some time to kick back for the guys.

Can anyone see how dirty Jeremy's face is??

Hebron and Holly used this time with all of us around to celebrate Barron's 1st birthday (he will be one on May 15). This was the funniest part of the evening. Barron had on overall's with no shirt, we put a match in his cupcake for a candle and when he wanted nothing to do with it, his daddy shoved some icing in his face - poor Barron. I just kept hearing Jeff Foxworthy - "You might be a redneck...."It was also Ava Grace's first experience with a mud fight. Kennedy decided it would be fun to put muddy water in a squirt gun and AG was at the other end. She thought it was hilarious and it made for a cute picture.

Sunday- MOTHER'S DAY- This was a great day from start to finish as my sweet hubby was the first to tell me Happy Mother's Day when he was on his way to start breakfast (eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy - it doesn't get much better). Then it was off to Church. We had both of the girls dedicated and AG has carried around her little pink bible ever since.

After Church, we headed out for lunch with all of the family - Carrie, Jeremy and Beth, Hebron, Holly and their kiddos. MariAnne and Seth didn't get to join us as she had to get back to Fort Worth to work, but we are so glad they joined us for the girls dedication - thank you!!!

Sunday also marked the start of a new series - "Raising Hellians". The challenge was to take the week and read a chapter of the bible or a bible story to your kids. We did just that with AG last night and she is especially fascinated with how the woman in the bible became a pillar of salt. She wasn't really sure whether or not she could believe it was because she didn't listen to God.

It really was a great weekend!!! We loved having everyone here!!

(I guess I will have to post the remainder of the weekend pics in another post as it doesn't want to let me add anymore).

What's Up, Wednesday!

As I listen to Ava Grace playing in her room, I am reminded what a blessing it is that I get to be home with my girls. The past three months have flown by and time will continue to do so, I'm sure, but at least we are making priceless memories together.

Like today, we headed out to Jump'n Jungle. It is a big barn filled with jumping castles and slides and it is perfect for wearing AG out. She made two little friends and spent the morning chasing them down slides and through obstacle courses. She did stop to get a much needed drink and to lose her jacket. She was a little puddle of sweat. Annabelle just laid back and took it all in. I am sure that she will take off to catch her big sister as soon as she can.

By the way, this is now the face that we make all of the time - Tongue out!! As for this little cutie, she is going to spend her first night away from Mommy tonight. We asked Jeremy and Beth to babysit and since they live out in Ropesville (25 minutes away) we thought we would try it. AB goes down between 8-8:30 and has been sleeping until 9 a.m. I pray that she does that for them tonight. Neno and I are going on a date - YAY!! We have been doing game night and have been to friends' houses for dinner, but we haven't gone out by ourselves since before Christmas (YIKES!!). I cannot wait!

Not much else is going on with us. We are preparing for lots of company this weekend as the guys work their cows. If I haven't mentioned it before, Neno, Jeremy and their cousin Mike own cattle. MariAnne, Seth, Hebron, Holly and crew will all be joining us for the festivities. That's if you call castrating festivities??? Either way, it will be a lot of fun to have them here.

Other updates from the week:

1. I signed AG up for her first camp at TEGA - she will go 3 days a week starting June 1. She is so excited to get to swim, do gymnastics and probably just get away from me and AB for a little bit. She is way too social to spend all of her time with just us.
2. We are having the girls dedicated at Church this Sunday. They are doing it on Mother's Day - totally fitting!! This is something that we have wanted to do, but they only do it twice a year or so and the last one was right before AB was born. We decided to wait and do them both together.
3. AG has decided that she likes the show - "Dancing IN the Stars". She tries to dance and then wants me to critique her and let her talk into a microphone. Hopefully, I can get it on video to share. It is priceless!!