The Smith's

Ashlyn's Baptism!

2008-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day for Ashlyn. She was baptized by our new preacher! She was excited, and we were very proud of her on her decision!

First Day of School!!!!!

2008-08-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

Wow....where did the summer go? Actually, we had one of the best summers ever as a family of four! I think it went so fast because we stayed so busy. Between Disneyworld and San Antonio, Golf and Tennis camps, VBS and other church activities.....there were very few dull moments for us! Also, going back to teaching meant working in my classroom off and on through out the summer.

Well, today was the big day.............I have to admit I cried a little last night thinking about Hayden starting his kindergarten adventure. We have had lots of special times together and today was the beginning of a new school adventure. Thankfully, I had to go to my own school after dropping him off, so I was distracted right away! He seems to have done well and has told me a lot of information about his day! He says he isn't going back tomorrow......I guess he doesn't realize he doesn't get a choice!

Ash seems to have had a great day as well! She enjoyed her teacher and says the day went by quickly. Third grade is a big jump....she has a binder with dividers and even switches classes for part of the day!

Here are a few pictures from the morning! Don't they look so grown-up....what's a mom to do?

Last Golf Tournament of the Summer!

2008-07-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

Ashlyn participated in the last golf tournament of the summer on Monday. I was able to go as her "caddy" again. I don't help much except for giving out a few tips and lots of encouragement. I love watching her play......she does quite well for only taking lessons since January. She came in 2nd place this time..............I was very proud of her. As my memere would say about Ashlyn trying something new, "She has another feather in her cap!"

Here she is with another girl named Ashlyn.....she is super sweet and a very good golfer. The girls have fun playing together!

Oh and you can partially see Ash's new haircut. Her bangs had grown out past her chin, and so we had the rest of her hair cut short to match.

One Word

2008-07-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

My friend, Pam, put this in her blog, so I am putting it in mine to see who else will answer and play along. It's easy because it's just one word answers so it doesn't require a lot of time or thought.

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Significant other? Strong
3. Your hair? Highlighted
4. Your mother? Precious
5. Your father? Sentimental
6. Your favorite thing? Starbucks
7. Your dream last night? None
8. Your favorite drink? Mocha Frappachino
9. Your dream/goal? Mom
10. Room you're in? Playroom
11. Your hobby? Family
12. Your fear? Illness
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? ?Happy?
14. Where were you last night? Home
15. What you're not? Relaxed
16. Muffins? Blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? Vacation
18. Where you grew up? San Antonio
19. What are you wearing? clothes
20. Your pets? Dog
21. Your computer? Old
22. Your life? Wonderful
23. Your mood? Happy
24. Missing someone? Grandparents
25. Your car? Toyota
26. Something you're not wearing? Bracelet
27. Favorite store? Loft
28. Your summer? Perfect
29. Your favorite color? Pink
30. Last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Often

Happy 5th Birthday Hayden!

2008-07-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here is Hayden with his cookie cake. I usually enjoy making cakes for the kids; however, this is truly his favorite cake and it is just too easy and yummy!
The theme was Star Wars....so here is Hayden holding the Darth Vader decoration.
The party was at an indoor inflatable place called Jumping Party
Hayden and his friends!
Can't believe my little guy is already 5! He is such a joy and such a handful at the same time!!

Tennis Camp!

2008-07-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ashlyn is attending tennis camp this week at Ridgewood. She attended this same camp after kindergarten, but last year we couldn't work it out. So far the week has been great. They play tennis during the first part of camp and then eat lunch by the pool and swim.

Two fun teachers from her school teach at the camp as well as one of our babysitters. The girl in the third pic is our babysitter.....she is real sweet and Ash has been glad to be with her. The fourth pic is with Ashlyn and her good friend, Callan......they have been good buddies since kindergarten. We also go to church with his family!

Some how we picked a good week......the temps have been in the lower 90's and more overcast and this camp only has 25 kids instead of the usual 50-60!

It all reminds me of tennis camp when I was kid......loved going with Andrea and my cousins! Oh to be able to go to tennis camp again....I probably didn't even appreciate way back when!

Ashlyn's First Golf Tournament!

2008-07-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

Today Ashlyn played in her first golf tournament. All summer long, kids can play in golf tournaments at different courses around Waco. This was the first one we were able to make and Ashlyn had a ball!
Not very many girls participate, so she was in a group of four for her age group. She ended up in 3rd place and even got a trophy. I was her "caddy"....kind of scary but we managed!
I hope to post pictures soon!

Oops...I lied! I have one more story about Hayden the Hero!

2008-06-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have forgotten to tell one of my favorite stories from our vacation.
I took Ashlyn to a medical clinic when her ear was bothering her on Monday afternoon. While we were away, Chris took Hayden to the beach area of our hotel (his favorite place). Hayden built sand castles and waded in the water. When the boys headed back to the room, Hayden told Chris, "Look what I found in the water". It was a diamond engagement ring! Chris said he could hardly believe it, and they took the ring to the front desk. The person working said that he knew who to call right away. Supposedly a young girl had been crying all day because she lost her engagement ring on the beach! Our little treasure hunter found it and probably made that girl's day! Talk about finding a needle in a haystack!!

Some of my favorites!

2008-06-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

Here are the last set of pictures from our trip I will put on my blog. I took over 200.....not as many as I thought I would take, but I slowed down as the trip went on because I was tired and so was everyone else.
These pictures are some of my favorites. I love the kids with the characters....especially since I know the next time we go back they might not want anything to do with them.
We are eating at a place called Chef Mickey's...it is a very kid-friendly restaurant inside the Contempory Resort. The food was not my favorite, but still good......you definitely pay for the atmosphere here. It's so hard to get pics/autographs with the characters at the parks because the lines can get so long, so character meals are the perfect way to get pics!!!
The Contempory Resort also holds a special place in my heart because it is the resort we stayed at the first 2 times I came to Disney as a kid. It's not the place I would want to stay now....there are so many other great places here, but as a kid we thought it was so neat to have the monorail run through the hotel!

The pictures just keep coming!!!

2008-06-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Each "longhouse" at the Polynesian has a different name....we stayed in Aotearoa. I still don't know how to pronounce it! Ha!
Ash and Chris at Hollywood Studios!
Just finished a yummy meal at The Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot!
Can't go to Disney without the family pic in front of the castle! Wish we would have thought to take our sunglasses off....oh well, maybe next time!!

Hope I am not boring you!

2008-06-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Boat ride to Ft. Wilderness for the Hoop de doo Review dinner show!
The kids at Epcot....Hayden becoming less cooperative for the camera and Ash with her eyes closed.

Breakfast with the Princesses!

2008-06-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

When I was younger and went to Disneyworld, I thought it was so disappointing to only be able to see Cinderella's Castle from the outside. So this year, I think I was as excited as Ashlyn (if not more) to eat breakfast inside the castle with the princesses. We made it a girls only meal! The castle was lovely, the food pretty good, and the princesses were very friendly!

More Pictures!

2008-06-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here is one view out of our hotel room......we loved watching the monorail zip by through out the day!
Hayden playing in the sand.......the rain on it's way in the background!
Ash on the beach, too!
View from the beach looking back at our resort.....the volcano in the background had a cool waterslide in it!
Another view from our room....I was so impressed with the beauty of all the landscaping!

Animal Kingdom!

2008-06-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

Ok...I added this picture and I can't seem to move it. Ash and Hayden with the Everest rollercoaster in the background. We never got to ride it because we thought we would come back to Animal Kingdom but we never did!

Our first trip to a park was Animal Kingdom. It was neat place, but I have to admit it was not my favorite! It seemed more crowded, but we did enjoy a few things. We took the Safari trip and The Lion King performance was incredible! Here is Hayden with my dad on his scooter. The scooter was great for my dad because he was able to stay with us the whole time...plus Hayden got to ride as well which kept him rested! Also, we learned quickly that having my dad on a scooter allowed us to get on many rides without the long waits. My dad was one continuous fast pass for us. We called him V.I.P.!!!

Ash and Hay in the stroller!
The tree of life....very impressive in person!
Ash and Pocahantes (not sure of spelling!)

Pictures!

2008-06-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Here is one view from the pool area looking across the Seven Seas Lagoon...The Grand Floridian Resort is in the background!

I loved being able to see Cinderella's Castle from our pool as well........it really added to the atmosphere!
Chris and Hayden lounging by the pool!
Ash and Hayden getting ready for our first night's dinner at Ohana's! Ohana's is a restaurant at our resort with a very Polynesian theme. The kids get to limbo, hula, shake maracas, etc. throughout the meal. All the food is cooked over a large open fire pit and the servers bring the meats on giant skewers. It was a lot of fun!
Hayden with one of our servers.....his name was Cliff!

The beginning of our trip!

2008-06-21T06:38:00.001-07:00

Ashlyn and Hayden in the pool at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas...it was cool to watch planes come and go!
The hotel was really nice except the rooms weren't sound proof....I heard every plane all night long....no sleep for mom! The kids wanted to sleep together, but that didn't last long!
When we arrived at the Polynesian Resort, they gave each of us a lei...it was fake but none-the-less a great way to start our vacation! The lobby of the resort was absolutely gorgeous. I felt like we were in Hawaii without the 8 hour plane trip!
Ashlyn puts on everyone's lei!
Hayden's version of the same thing!!!

We're Baaack!!!!!

2008-06-20T12:49:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Disney was wonderful! It was great getting to spend a whole week with my mom, dad, Andrea, and Brian! I will post pictures and stories from our trip soon. However, I just had to share our airport adventure stories first!
On our way out of town last Thursday, we got down to the lobby of our hotel early in the morning to catch the shuttle to the airport. When they asked us for our flight, they couldn't seem to find it in the computer. Our flight was suppose to be at 6:35 AM (I had just checked it the day before), but the computer was only showing a flight at 6:00 AM and 7:20AM. The hotel worker thought our flight was probably the 7:20, but we continued to the airport to make sure. Well, we tried to check our luggage in at the curb and the rude worker told us we were too late.... our flight was the 6:00 one. Needless to say, we were racing through the airport and went through security (which was very busy at 5:30 AM). Of course, we were in Terminal C and our flight was in Terminal A. I felt like we were in a movie racing through airport only to get all the way to the plane just in time to watch it back out of the gate. Fortunately, they had already put us on the next flight at 7:20.....but we had to go back to Terminal C. It was quite the crazy morning, especially after getting no sleep the night before. I heard every plane come and go all night....not to mention the howling wind! We ended up making a great flight to Orlando!

However, the following Thursday our return flight to Dallas became quite the nightmare! I promise my story is 100% true even though you may find it hard to believe. This story makes the first one sound like nothing!!!

We were all exhausted from a great week at our resort and at the parks. We were not thrilled with having to get up at 5:00 to leave for the airport, but we knew it would be worth it to catch our 9:00 AM flight to Dallas and get to Waco early afternoon.
Oh, I forgot to mention that the day before we were suppose to receive flight confirmation from the hotel so we would know what time the Magical Express bus would pick us up for the airport......our note arrives and says they can't find our flight!!! Ugh!!! Not a good sign but we weren't completely surprised since it happened to us the week before.
Anyways, we finally get the flight confirmed and we begin to wait at the airport. Then an annoucement is made that there are storms in Miami and our flight crew will be late so we are delayed until 9:45....then until 10:15.......then until 10:30.......and then the whole flight was CANCELLED!!!
I don't know if any of you have ever had this happen.....but all I can say is NIGHTMARE!!!! Everyone from our plane went rushing to the American Airlines counter......Chris and the kids went to reclaim our luggage and I got in a long, slow line with lots of angry people. I got on the phone with American and the only option we had for getting to Dallas on Thursday was to take a flight to La Guardia (yes...New York) and then to Dallas arriving at 7:00 PM. I was just about besides myself, but I went ahead and took it. I was hearing from other people that there were no other options for that day or we would have to wait until the next day and then who knows.
We had to go back through security for the second time in one day which meant that we had to get checked with more scrutiny.....Ash and I even got patted down!
OK....so we are sitting around waiting some more for our flight and then I realize the one to La Guardia was delayed an hour...which means we would miss our connecting flight to DFW. I told Chris that I didn't want to be stuck in New York either....which would have been farther than Orlando. I was ready to take our luggage and starting driving.
We ended up getting on a flight at 11:45 to John F. Kennedy airport in New York with a connecting flight to DFW arriving at 8:30. So yesterday at this time we were in New York City....it still seems like a dream......and then our flight was delayed again.......and then once we were on the plane we had to sit on the runway for an hour......and then we took off and the flight was 3 hours long......and then when we finally arrived in DFW at 10:00PM all the gates were full and we had to wait longer on the plane! By the way, did I mention our luggage was on another flight so we had to go from Term. A to Term. C to get it. We pulled into our driveway last night about 1:15 AM!!! What a day....what a nightmare....and yet, we were home safe and sound! I was in tears yesterday at times and now I can almost laugh about it! Ash and Hay were excited to see the New York skyline and the Empire State building.....too bad I didn't have time to shop for a Coach purse on Canal Street!!
Pictures to come soon..............but I am sooooo tired it may not be until tomorrow!!

Time to Play Catch Up!

2008-06-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

I have finally taken the time to figure out how to transfer pictures from my new camera to the computer! It wasn't all that hard...I just needed to take the time to do it!
Here is what we have been up to for the last several weeks! It was wild and hectic but oh so much fun!!!!

End of season baseball parties....I thought this was such a cute idea....it's not a cake but a bunch of cupcakes frosted together!
Ashlyn's Poetry Recital...she did the poem "One Inch Tall" by Shel Siverstien!
End of Year Inflatables Party at School

Beach Day at Hayden's Gymnastics Class!

Hayden celebrates his "unbirthday" at school and picks out a prize!
Hayden's last day of school "Luau"....he is signing "autographs"
Ashlyn's Dance Recital

Ashlyn's Track and Field Day....her class won 1st Place!

End of the School Year Wrap-up!

2008-05-22T11:10:00.001-07:00

Once again I find myself enjoying reading everyone elses blog and having a hard time spending time on my own! Sorry again for a delay between blogs!

Well, it is that busy and crazy time of the year when everything we have been involved in is winding down for the summer. I have a lot of new pictures to post (loving my new camera by the way); however, how sad is it when you don't have a moment to sit down and figure out how to tranfer pictures from a new camera to the computer? Pretty sad I guess because that is where I have found myself these days!

Between dance recitals, baseball games, end of baseball party planning, end of year class gifts, end of year parties, poetry recital costumes, track day, pre-k interview, etc., it's hard to keep up. Monday I cooked a big pot of beans....we usually eat some for a couple of days in a row....then i freeze the rest. Well, silly me wakes up Tuesday morning and I realize I left the whole pot of beans out all night. What a waste....I was so sad.

Also, I did interview Friday and was hired to teach part-time pre-k 4 in the fall at the school Ash and Hay both attended preschool. It sounds fun, but I am already remembering how hard it is to be a teacher. (A lot of planning....a little pay! hahaha!) Most of all, I think it is hard for me to believe that I am turning another chapter in the book of life.....Chapter 10: Two kids in School, Stay at Home Mom Goes Back to Work!! It use to seem so far away, but I am looking forward to the opportunity to work part-time.

Guess that's all for now! I feel like I have a lot more to say...just not in the mood to type it up!

Have a safe Memorial Day Weekend!!

Happy Birthday Pam!!!

2008-05-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

Thanks for being such a good friend all these years!
Hope your birthday is extra special.....wish I was there to celebrate!!
Love ya!
PS Did you realize that we have known each other for about 23 years! Guess that makes us sound old!!

Ashlyn's Birthday Party!

2008-05-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ashlyn had her birthday party on Saturday and it was a blast! It turned out to be the perfect party for an 8 year old and her friends. This was the first year we had a small girlie party.....it was fun and stress-free! I am loving that!

The party was at a salon not too far from our house. The girls were able to pick their own hair styles and glitter eye shadow. Then they had mini-manicures and mini-pedicures to top it off. At the end, the girls modeled their new looks while I took lots of pictures. I think everyone had a good time.......especially the birthday girl!

The ironic part of the whole day was that is was Midway's Prom......I guess in only 8 or 9 years these girls will be going through these same rituals....not just for the fun of it.....but to look their best for their prom dates! Ugh....too hard for a mommy to think about right now!

Also, thanks to my super sweet friend, Elizabeth, I have some new features on my blog! (finally, ha!) She also let me me borrow her wonderful camera for the party since mine broke a few days ago. She posted these pictures for me!!! Thanks so much Elizabeth!!

The "before" picture of the girls!

pretty as a princess

glitter eye shadow

The "after" picture of the girls!

Happy Birthday Ashlyn!

2008-05-08T06:46:00.000-07:00

My baby girl is 8 years old today! I can hardly believe it! Eight years sounds like a long time and yet it seems like only yesterday we were excited about her arrival! My how time flies!
Of course, 8 years ago I had no idea how wonderful (and hard) life could be as a mother. Ashlyn was a great mother's day gift, and I am so thankful for her everyday!!!
Happy Birthday to my favorite girl!

Unfortunately, my camera is on the blink and I am unable to upload pics at the moment.

Been Tagged!

2008-04-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

Tagged by Elizabeth!

What was I doing 10 years ago:
I was 2 months away from celebrating my 1st Anniversary and nearly finished with my first year of teaching! I am sure I was also laying out at our apartment pool and doing a few other things I haven't done in a long time! ha!

Five things on my to do list today:
Take Hayden to the doctor
Exercise
Cook Dinner
Take Ashlyn to church
Type on blog

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Travel, Travel, Travel
Own homes in Hawaii, Colorado, and the Carribean!
Give to St. Judes and The Shriner's Hospital
Pay off all debts for close family members

Three of my bad habits:
Worrying
Driving from the passenger seat...sorry Chris!
Being gossipy sometimes

Places I have lived:
St. Louis, MO
San Antonio, TX
Waco, TX

Jobs I have had:
Babysitter
Yogurt server at I Can't Believe it's Yogurt
Cashier at The Sportster
Weight Consultant at Jenny Craig
Pre-K Teacher

I tag anyone who wants to do this!!
Have fun!

My funny little man!

2008-04-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows Hayden....knows he loves to make and/or build things. I use to say, "Hayden doesn't care anything about writing his name, but he can take a flashlight apart and put it back together without any trouble."

Sometimes he likes to get out "ingredients" and mix differents ones together just to see what happens. Yesterday, he made his own dough out of flour, salt, water and a couple of random spices he found in the pantry. I thought it was pretty cute (and then I usually just throw it out), but this time he wanted to cook the dough he had shaped into biscuits. We put them in the oven and they came out like hard rocks. After they cooled, I found Hayden painting them with watercolor paints.

Here is a picture of his project!

Our Garden is Growing!

2008-04-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a little update on our garden!

Last week Hayden and I planted tomatoes, jalepenos, green bell peppers, green beans, and zucchinis to go along with our potatoes and onions that we planted a couple months ago.

Everything looks great.............now, we just wait and water and see if we can actually produce some yummy veggies.

I have big plans to make my own hot sauce............only time will tell!

Allergies, Allergies...go away!!

2008-04-15T12:05:00.001-07:00

This past Friday Hayden and I had a wonderful day together. It started off with a field trip with his class and playtime at the park. I enjoyed visiting with other moms while Hayden and his friends played so nice!

After we left, we went to the mall for some yummy Auntie Anne's pretzels and then to the Great American Cookie Company. We even stopped in Gymboree and Hayden picked out a new pair of shades! Ha! There are just some days where I am in awe of how grown of he can be and how much fun we have together. I love that he wants to hold my hand while we are walking down the mall........I know there will be a day when it won't happen. I am also very aware that he will be in full time kindergarten in the fall and these afternoons together are super special.

Ok.....so I said all that to say.....Hayden started having allergy troubles over the weekend and now today they are pretty rough! My sweet little boy that I just bragged about has become a bit of a grumpy goose!! Allergies, Allergies...go away!!!

Here is a pic of Hayden with his new sunglasses!! I think they are a bit big, but he loves them!!!

Let's Play Ball!

2008-04-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and baseball season is in full swing. It keeps us busy with both kids playing, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Of course because of our schedule, I have been a "bad blogger" (going way to long between posts)......so hopefully I will get better about it!!

Ashlyn's first game was last night. It was sooooo much fun! It brought back a lot of memories for me and reminded me of why I loved baseball when I was growing up!! (In elementary school I use to live and breathe the St. Louis Cardinals....thanks to my dad!)

Ashlyn did well.....however, I wasn't prepared for her tears when she struck out at her first trip to the plate. Thanks to a sweet pep talk from her dad/coach...she was good to go and then made a base hit on her next turn at bat!!

Here are a couple of pictures of Ashlyn at practice and then before her first game.

Easter Pictures!

2008-03-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe Easter has already come and gone! Here are a few pictures from our weekend of egg hunting, egg dying, and church activities.

One of the neatest things we did over the weekend was a "scavenger hunt" in our church. We had to follow clues to different parts of the church and each hiding spot contained a bible verse. By the time the hunt was complete, we had read the whole Easter story of Jesus's death and resurrection. I thought it was a great idea!!

Spring Training!!

2008-03-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Here we go!! T-Ball season has begun for Hayden! He had his first practice last night and he seemed to enjoy it! T-Ball is so fun to watch because the kids are all about having a good time. When the ball is hit, they either don't do anything or they run after the ball in a big group.

Here are a few pics from practice!

Ashlyn New Glasses!

2008-03-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

My girl has her daddy's eyes!! We had been suspecting that she was having trouble seeing things from a distance for a couple of months. Then she was even having trouble seeing the board in her classroom. So....it was off to the eye doctor for her very first eye exam. The doctor said her eyes looked healthy, but she couldn't see clearly beyond 10 feet.....poor Ash! She did great and was very excited to get her very first pair of pink glasses. I think she looks adorable in them!

A So-So Spring Break!

2008-03-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

Spring Break is over and what a strange one it was for us.....definitely not what I was planning on.....but then at the same time I guess it all worked out!!!

On Tuesday, I took the kids to Practically Pikasso to paint plates for fun! They were so excited because they had been wanting to go for a long time. As they were painting, I began to get very achy and before I knew it...I couldn't wait to get home because I felt awful. The rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday I spent on the couch completely out of sorts....achy, headache, cough....ugh!!! The kids had to fend for themselves and entertain each other all day long. I have to admit they behaved so nicely for me. I think they were just glad to be home without any schedule.

We were suppose to leave for San Antonio on Wednesday but that didn't happen. I did muster up the strength to drive us down on Thursday....only to spend three more days on the couch!!! However, my mom took the kids to the movies to see "Horton Hears a Who" (which is supposedly adorable) and then they went to the park! It was good rest time for me! On Saturday, Andrea and Brian took the kids to an indoor play park where they did glow in the dark mini golf, bumper cars, 3-D movies, video games, etc. So their Spring Break finally had a little bit more excitement, and I slowly recovered.

I can't remember the last time I was so down and out for such a long time. I am thankful for my family for helping me recover by helping out with Ash and Hay.
The best part of all was bringing my mom home with us! She will be here with us for the rest of the week!
Also, Chris had the house spotless when we arrived......that really made me feel better!!!

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures all week.....so you can just imagine the kids playing doctor with their webkinz, building forts with blankets, playing putt-putt in the dark....all the while I was on the couch!!!

One last thing......GO BAYLOR!!! Congrats to the boys basketball team for making the NCAA tournament for the first time in 20 years!!!

Snow in Waco!!!

2008-03-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to a fun surprise.....About an inch or two of snow was covering everything!!! It didn't stick to the streets, so Ash still went to school.
Here is a picture of the kids with the snow.....it's already melting away at 8:00 AM, so I had to take it fast!!!
I am sure we will be in the 80's in the the next few days. Gotta love Texas weather!!

Just Another Manic Monday!

2008-03-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

"It's just another manic Monday, wish it was Sunday, cuz that's my fun day, and I don't have to run day!!!" Love that song and it came to my mind this morning when I was driving Ash to school on a cold and dreary Monday. I am thankful we had beautiful weather over the weekend, but the weather this morning was a whole different story....it was one of those Mondays when you wish you could just stay in bed all day long!!! However, nobody was going to get ready on their own without me, so I managed to get going and haven't looked back!

We had a busy weekend....the calm of January and February is definitely over for now!!! But it's a good thing because it means that baseball season is here!! As well as lots of other things to look forward to...warmer weather, spring break, dance recitals, spring cleaning (maybe), etc!

Friday night Hayden had his school fundraiser/program. It was quite cute....they sang "This Little Light of Mine" and all the kids held flashlights. I knew my camera wouldn't take a good picture during the program because we were too far back. So these are the only two pictures I have from the evening. Hayden with his head down....typical.....those sweet girls kept trying to help me get him to smile but it never happened. In the other pic, my nephew Jace, picked Hayden up after the program! It was a cute, unplanned picture......those are usually the best anyways!
We have really enjoyed Hayden's school (Ash went there, too). I will miss sending him there, but I won't miss the monthly tuition!! Ha!
Ashlyn went to a slumber party with girls from our church GA group Friday night. GA stands for "Girls in Action" and they learn about missionaries. She had a great time and I was proud of her for going!

Chris is helping a good friend of ours coach a little league baseball team. It's a long story, but to keep it short....let's just say Chris is helping them get started and then he will be coaching Hayden's t-ball team and Ashlyn's coach pitch team as well!! It's a good thing I love baseball......because that is going to take up most of our time the next few months!! Chris's team started practice on Saturday...we had perfect baseball weather! I am really looking forward to Ash and Hayden starting practice after spring break!

Well, I guess that is all for today!!! Hope everyone is having a good Monday!!

Five on Friday

2008-02-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while......so here's Five on Friday!

1) Ashlyn will play in her first golf tournament tomorrow with Chris. It is a parent/child tournament sponsored by the place where she takes lessons. I think she is looking forward to it.....should be fun for her to play with her daddy!

2) Ash and Hay's doctor is moving to Houston next week. He's been the one to take care of them since they were born. I am happy that he is getting to move closer to his family, but it's kind of a bummer for me. Anytime I called up there they knew us and have helped us out so many times when the kids were sick....especially when we were out of town. I don't think it will bother the kids at all....just me!

3) By this time in February, I am soooooooo ready for warm and sunny weather!! I prefer shorts and bare feet to jeans and sweaters. I know I can't complain since several of you are living where you could have snow in May, but I just love the summer. I love it when we can bbq and the kids can swim or hits balls in the back yard. I love planting flowers and getting the yard fixed up! Come on summer....I'm ready!

4) The other day I kept my neighbors little girl for a couple of hours. She is about 8 months old and just too cute. It was very interesting to watch Hayden try to interact with her....he was trying to entertain her but it was almost like he didn't know what to do with himself. It made me laugh and reassured me that I like him being the baby of our family! Plus there is nothing like holding and loving on someone elses baby and then handing the baby back!! hehehe!!

5) I was reading in the paper this morning about the debate last night between Obama and Clinton. They interviewed 2 people about why they were voting for either one and what issues were most important to them. The first guy said he was voting for Clinton because he was ready for all the troops to come home. (Now, that's a great idea....let's bring the troops home so our enemies can celebrate and plan more attacks on us here at home!). The other guy said he was voting for Obama and that gas prices were his biggest concern. (Help me....I know gas prices are outrageous, but what can Obama do differently to change the price of gas?) I guess I worry about different things, but ignorant voters are the worst!!!

TGIF....hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

Camp Quihi, Texas!!

2008-02-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

Here are several pictures from our recent visit to San Antonio and Quihi. We had a wonderful time with my family.....it is always nice to just get away from it all and get out of our everyday routines!!
We spent the whole day on Saturday at the Quihi Creek....perfect weather, yummy bbq, lots of chatting, fishing with cousins, and most importantly playing in the dirt!!!
It turned into quite a family reunion. My cousin Alyson and her two boys, Trey and Braxton, were down from Alaska. My cousin Barrett and his wife Lori were in town from Lubbock. Andrea and Brian were there as well as my parents and my Aunt Neta and Uncle Larry (it is actually their property we were on). My Uncle Craig and my cousin Dalton showed up, and of course, Memere and Pepere were with us for the whole day!! We sure missed Aly's hubby Charles and my Aunt Michelle and Blaine....but other than that it is so rare to have so many of us all together. My memere enjoyed herself so much that she nearly lost her voice by the end of the night!!
I think what I loved most about the day was watching my kids and Aly's kids play just the same way we use to play in Quihi. The kids don't get to see each other more than twice a year or so, but you would never know it when they are together!!
It was a day that I don't think any of us will soon forget!!!!

3 random bits of information!

2008-02-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

1) For those of you with GPS systems.....have you ever heard of "Geo-caching"? I hadn't heard of it until my friend Emily told me. You can go to www.geocaching.com to find out more about this adventure, but here is a brief run down. People with GPS systems have hidden "caches" all over the world. You go to the website and you can find out where all the caches have been hidden close to you or anywhere. I was baffled that this has been going on all around us. The website will give you coordinates to the "caches" and you punch them into your GPS and then you try to find the hidden treasures. You can find all sorts of things and then you return to the website to log in what you find, etc. You can even hide your own. We haven't done this yet as a family, but it sounds like a lot of fun! Supposedly there is one hidden near a large tree right outside our neighborhood!! If you have never heard of this, I encourage you to check it out. I can't wait for us to start "geo-caching"!

2) Another silly website to check out for a good laugh is www.looterguy.com
My friend who was in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina sent this to me recently.
I don't remember hearing about him, so I got a big kick out of it when I looked at the website. Make sure you click on "Who is Looter Guy" to find out about him.
Then check out the photo gallery where people have photoshopped his face into various photos!

3) I am addicted to another website: www.addictinggames.com
Yes....it is truly addicting. Under puzzles, I like playing Text Twist, The Bubble Game, and Majhong (however you spell it)

Maybe I am just addicted to the computer.....I just spent 10 minutes talking about 3 different websites. I wonder what I could have gotten done if I wasn't sitting here?
Ha!

2nd Grade Big Event

2008-02-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

At Ashlyn's school each grade level gets to perform a program during the year....Kindergarten has a graduation program, 4th grade gets to do a talent show, etc. Well, the second graders have the "2nd Grade Big Event". It seems a little silly incomparison to what she's done in previous years, but it turned out to be somewhat cute! We started in her art class and rotated through P.E, music, library, etc. It was a good time to see what Ashlyn does during the day. Plus it always makes me feel good to see how much Ashlyn loves her school and teachers....I always think of her as a bit shy, but I don't think she is shy at school. (My friends up there have been trying to tell me this and I think I finally believe them!)
As for Hayden, he stayed with his friend Zachary who lives around the corner. It seems like not so long ago I was holding Zachary as a baby and now he is old to enough to babysit my own kids. (I think that just made me sound old!)
Here are a few pics of Ashlyn from last night!! The last one is a little dark, but I can't figure out how to delete it!

Ten on Tuesday!

2008-01-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

I have seen other people do something like this in their blogs. Since not too much has been going on, I thought I would just give ten thoughts on Tuesday!

1) I am so thankful for the month of January....It has been less busy than December and a great time for us to catch our breath!
2) There is nobody I am really excited about running for President. All I know right now is that I don't want a President Obama or another President Clinton!
3) Hayden is finally letting me start to work with him on reading and writing....we have started "playing school" at home!
4) We bought 6 boxes of Girl Scout cookies the other day....I think we only have 2 boxes left!!! Gotta love those Thin Mints and Samoas or whatever their new name is this year!
5) Chris asked me on Saturday what we were going to do for the day. I suggested painting the living room...he agreed and we got it done in 2 days. I don't think he'll ask me what I want to do again for a while!
6) I don't really care about either team in the Super Bowl...so I decided to cheer for the underdogs...GO GIANTS!!
7) Speaking of sports.....Sic 'Em Bears....I am so excited for the men's basketball team and the exciting season they are having this year. What an awesome game against A&M..sorry Pam!!
8) Andrea turns 30 tomorrow.....makes me feel so old!! I still think of her as 10!
9) Ashlyn has started taking golf lessons on Saturdays....she looks cute carrying her golf bag around and she is off to a good start!!
10) How sad...I can't think of anything else to say!! Happy Tuesday!!

How does your garden grow?

2008-01-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have been in our backyard, we have had a place designated to be a garden for several years! A couple of weekends ago we finally brought in some dirt, so we will be ready for a garden in the spring! I don't have much of a green thumb, so I am going to let Chris take the lead on this one. He grew up with a garden and has more experience with it than I do. All of us are very excited about it. Here are a couple pictures of the kids "helping" shovel dirt from the trailer to the garden area! Who knows maybe we will have some fresh veggies and herbs one of these days!!

Boys will be boys!!

2008-01-24T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hayden has one of his best buddies over today! They go to pre-k and gymnastics together. His mom and I take turns having the boys over depending on our schedules. Hayden and Anthony get a long great, so it really makes for an easy and fun day!!
I keep an eye on them, but I don't have to intervene much! They build forts out of blankets and just do typical boy things. (You can see the state of Hay's room in the background.....we'll clean it later but I am glad they are playing instead of sitting in front of the TV!)
Since I didn't grow up with a brother, I learn a lot from Hayden everyday! Being 4 1/2 is really a great age. I thought to myself recently..."Why don't I remember much about Ashlyn being 4?" Then it dawned on me...Hayden was 1 then and kept me very busy!!!
It's great to watch my little guy growing up and starting to make friends. I am glad he chose Anthony!!

Little House on the Prairie...Just a few random thoughts!

2008-01-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

I started reading the Little House on the Prairie series to Ashlyn several years ago. I had read the books when I was young, and of course, I loved the show, too.
I thought it would be something different for us to do together, and we had gone through most of the books in our home library by this point. It's been a couple of years since we started with the first book. (Sometimes months have gone by between books while we read other things) However, we have been reading "By the Shores of Silver Lake" ever since Santa brought it for Christmas.
So here are a few random thoughts about my experience rereading these books with Ashlyn:
1)I recommmend reading this series with your kids or for yourself if it's been a while...I have been surprised at how much I enjoy finding out what will happen next just as much as Ash.
2)I am so thankful to live in the 21st century with all our advances in science and technology, etc. My heart breaks for Ma....her whole day revolves around cleaning and cooking (from scratch). I know they didn't know any different, but how scary to head west without an HEB up ahead or a doctor around the next turn. Those were brave people who settled the unsettled country.
3)The stories are also a good reminder to me that sometimes keeping things small and simple beats all the busy craziness we get ourselves caught up in these days!
4)Maybe it would be nice to go back to the basics in some areas...I (and I don't mean outhouses)!
I don't know....just some random thoughts to think about!!!

My First Blog!

2008-01-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my very good friend, Pam, I have started a blog site for our family. I am very excited about it, and I hope to be able to keep up with it! I have really enjoyed reading other blogs, and I think this will be a great way to keep in touch with our family and friends who are near and far!!Now, the trick will be figuring out how to post pictures.....here we go!!!

Oooohhh...I did it! I posted my first picture! I thought I would start with this one..."4 Generations of Girls"! Ash, me, my mom, and Memere! How special it is when all four of us get to be together! And the craziest part is that the photographer was Hayden!!
Looking forward to blogging!!!