Two weeks, really???

It has been two weeks since I last posted anything and even today, I am wondering what to write...

In the past two weeks, I helped host a baby shower, Ava Grace started camp at TEGA, we took at trip to Granna's and have been recovering from the trip to Granna's. Sadly, of all of these things, I have one picture to show for it. My camera had a part break Memorial day weekend so I don't just pull it out for everything. I have to manually focus and that is no fun!!!

Anyway, here are a few details from all of the items listed above.

• My friend Alysia had a baby at the first of May and we had a "Sip and See" shower for her and her beautiful addition - Piper!! It was fun to get out and get around some other girls. Piper was 9 pounds, but she looked tiny compared to Annabelle. It is amazing how fast a child can grow in almost 8 months. I can hardly imagine her having been that little. Ahh, tear...

• I decided a few months ago that I wanted to put AG in swimming lessons this summer and looking into it, I found TEGA. They offer swim lessons, but they also have Kid's Day Out or "Camp." I could chose how many days a week she attended and which days. During that time, she would get swim lessons, arts and craft time, gymnastics and rest time. So, I enrolled her and on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, I drop her off at 8:15 and pick her up at 3:15. She LOVES it!! In fact, on the first day she took off and didn't even say good-bye to me. I should have been ecstatic but I was in shock all day. When I picked her up I told her hello and that I had missed her. Her response, "Mommy, I love camp!!" She had gotten nothing less than perfect reports from her teachers and has continued to love it. Her last day will be Thursday the 18th. I might have to get really creative with our activities after that. She is going to want to go back!

• We set off last Wednesday for Granna's for some family time and Neno's 10 year reunion. Beth and I loaded up with the girls after AG got out of camp and were on our way to get some good pool-side girl time. The guys would join us on Friday night. We swam everyday, got good tans and got lots of good family time. Though, it never seems to be long enough. I did leave the crew on Friday for a Advisor Training for AXO, but joined Neno and Ava Grace at his reunion on Saturday afternoon. Annabelle got to stay at Granna and Grand Pappy's to nap. It was a fun event and I got to meet a lot of people that really think a lot of my husband - I loved it. I loved hearing all about him in his "Glory Days" - Mr. HHS, Mr. Touchdown and according to one of his friends, he still holds just about every record in football and track at Howe High School. That is right ladies, he is taken!!!

• Now, about that recovery. I have mentioned in other post that it seems to take days for us to get on track after being gone or having family in town and this one is no exception. Annabelle and I have been fighting sinus infections and now that we have arrived back home, AG has one, too. YUCK! Lots of snot and crusty noses - MY FAVORITE!! It doesn't help the girls that I am that mother that cannot stand a crusty nose and I want to clean it constantly. AB has really learned to fight me off. AG on the other hand has decided that she doesn't like it either and runs for a Kleenex every time there is sign of a runny nose - GOOD GIRL!!

As for the rest of the week for us, AG will be back at camp tomorrow and I am off to talk to a friend about building a website for mine and my mom's new business venture. As I know more, I will post more, but please pray for us. I am very nervous to be putting it out there - finally. For those of you that don't know, my mom and I have started creating baby items since I became a mom and now we want to share them. I am the eyes and creator of most projects, but she is the one that has the know-how to put it together. Together, we make a great team. She has made the most amazing stuff and now you could get your hands on some of it too.

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!!