Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Happy Birthday Ed...

Monday would have been my father-in-law's 67th birthday.
I know I always say this, but it still doesn't seem real.
We miss him so much.
Every single day.
Ryan and I decided to take the boys to visit him on his birthday for the
first time since he passed away a little over a year ago.
It was the first time my boys have lost someone they were so close to,
and the whole concept has been a hard one for them.
They all asked a lot of questions at the cemetery,
and Ryan and I used the teachable moments to further bond as a family.
They were moments we needed.
It certainly put some things in perspective for our little crew.
As I've said before, blending families can be tough.
The kids are stuck between 2 families that don't always agree with each other
or agree with things that go on in the other parent's home.
The kids' feelings get hurt and sometimes go unheard
because they don't always know how to express them,
but at the end of the day, with the strong foundation
Ryan and I have worked hard to build...we'll be just fine.
Leave it to a visit with Pop to help put things into perspective.
I apologize for the sappiness, friends, but I wanted to document where we are right now,
so that one day, when the boys are grown, we can look back and see how far we've come.

After singing happy birthday to Ed,
we took the boys to Joe's Crab Shack for some seafood and fun!
The little guys loved hanging on the playground while we waited for our food

My Lord, my husband is handsome. =)
While the boys played,
Ryan and "The Teenager" got in some much needed male bonding time.
It's nice to see a smile on that kid's face.
There was some serious eatin' goin' on.
We told the kids that everyone had to wear the bibs.
They complied, although Preston wasn't very happy about it.
He's approaching the preteen years waaaaay to quickly.
I have to include this pic of Trysten because
he took cracking the crab legs to a whole other level.
It was intense.
He left no meat uneaten.
The kid can eat more than a lot of grown men can.
No joke.
And last but certainly not least,
the obligatory kissing shot taken by Austin.

Good times.
Here's to you, Ed.
Happy birthday.
We love you.


Sunday, April 22, 2012

Just What We Needed

This weekend was just what we needed.
The weather was beautiful,
and the company was even better.
Hope yours was just as wonderful!
Have a great weekend, friends!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Hurting...

Hello, friends.
Without going into too much detail,
I am hurting today.
"The Teenager" isn't in a good place, and it's reeking havoc on our little family. 
We would stand in front of a moving vehicle if it meant saving our child's life.
There's nothing we wouldn't do for them.
Problem is that sometimes they don't want what they need.
Sometimes we have to do the right thing for our children
even though we know they will temporarily turn on us.
To help my mother through the times when my siblings and I weren't on the right path,
I remember her telling me she relied on
Proverbs 22:6
Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
And we all returned.
Safe.
Sound.
Happy.
Doesn't make it any easier right now.
He was once my baby.
I can still see that little toe headed boy outside pushing his toy lawnmower
with his dad's socks pulled up over his knees in case he fell.
And as the only grandchild for the first 5 years of his life.
Here he is with my brother when he was almost a year old.
The good ol' days...

Thursday, April 12, 2012

A Random Stream of Nothingness

Hello, friends!
Seems like there's always a lot of nothingness going on.
That's the best kind of stuff because it means nothing bad is going on.
Guess I'm a glass half full kind of girl.
I want to first, thank you for all the kind words regarding
 my new gig as the art teacher for next school year.
Whether you posted a comment or emailed me directly,
your words are so appreciated!
Now, on to my ramblings.

* Do you have Pandora on your smartphone?
I'm hooked.
You can type in your favorite artist,
and it will take you to a radio station with only music similar to that artist.
My current favs:
John Mayer station
Kenny Chesney station
Jack Johnson station
Paul Taylor station
Ryan, the boys and I have lived on the patio at night listening to music and just hanging out.
Perfect.
Go check Pandora out!

* I have decided that I want Pinterest to be my real life closet.
You know, press a button, and this appears for Monday:
Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:


Saturday:
Annnnnnnd Sunday:
You know you'd be right there with me.
Pinterest is causing me to shop too much.
All you have to do is click on the pic,
and it takes you to the store to buy each piece in the vignette.
For instance, the white shorts above...yep.
I bought 'em.

* Check out Carter:
I swear.
This kid cracks me up.
He came home from school one day this week determined to make
homemade ice cream like they did at school.
Without rock salt.
I tried to tell him it wouldn't work.
He figured it out.
Sweet boy.

* Moving to a new school next year is bittersweet.
I am totally stoked to have my own art room,
but I have made some of the greatest friends where I am now.
We had a staff get together at Splitzville recently.
Holy bowling we had a blast.
Out of control fun.
I love these girls, and I will miss seeing them every day!
Jamie!

* Let the summer concert season begin!
One of my favorite parts of summer is about to commence.
Live music.
Ryand and I are kicking the season off next month at Winstar with the
Zac Brown Band.
Love.
We're making a weekend out of it, gambling, hanging by the pool, and live music at night.
Heaven.
Next up, Kenny Chesney and Time McGraw in June.
Good times ahead!

* While sitting on the patio,
Trysten came up to me and said, "I love you Alli." and handed me a heart he made out of wire:
Seriously?
Boys can melt your heart.
Ours are going to make some great husbands one day.

That's it for now!
Have a great weekend!!!



Tuesday, April 10, 2012

So Incredibly Excited!!

There is not a single thing that could bring me down today!
There is so much in store for our little family!
First up:
I got the job!!!
What job you ask?
I am now officially the art teacher for
the new elementary campus here in the big P
for the 2012-2013 school year!
I am so incredibly excited.
How many people can say they have their dream job?
It feels pretty darn good.

Have a great rest of your week!!


Monday, April 9, 2012

Memories...

I was going through our blog today
and came across this video from 2 years ago.
Memories like this are what it's is all about.
Life is good, my friends.
I have been blessed beyond measure.
Why do our babies have to grow up so fast?

My sweet little Carter...


Have a wonderful week!!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Spring is Here!

 Spring is here!!
The weather has been absolutely beautiful here lately
signaling the onset of my favorite time of the year:
SPRING & SUMMER!!
Carter helped me change our message on the chalkboard to reflect the change of seasons.
We have already logged countless hours on our patio.
In fact, this is where we lived all weekend long.
Ryan and I spent a lot of time planting flowers.
I can't remember what these are, but I love them.
Anyone know?
My roses came back again this year!
This year we'll make sure to move these when Ryan uses the grill.
We didn't last year, and my sweet hubby burned all of them.
A little bee for the birdbath
Petunias
Begonias
I bought this wind chime at Hobby Lobby, got it home, unwrapped it,
and it makes absolutely NO sound.
Awesome.
Hibiscus
They always remind me of Hawaii.
Creme brulee petunias
No clue what these are.
Lemon zest petunias
You can't go wrong with petunias in the Texas heat
Annnnnnnnnd moving on.
These sweet boys had a blast hanging while "The Teenager" was away all weekend.
I love watching these brothers together.
Doesn't get any better.
There was not even one moment of arguing between the trio.
Heaven.
Silly Trysten.
The kid is going to be famous someday.
Seriously.
 Enjoying one of their favorites:
Steamed artichoke
 Even the dogs enjoyed the patio.
At one point, Shelby became consumed with some of the begonias waiting to be planted.
We soon discovered why.
This is Fred.
He's a lizard.
In her excitement, Shelby injured him.
The boys were determined to nurse him back to health and return him to nature.
Sweet boys.

Poor Fred.
Little did he know what his day would entail when he woke up Saturday morning.
The boys decided to carry him around the yard.
Poor Fred.
 Love this pic =)
Goodbye, Fred.
No, we cannot keep Fred, Preston.
I know y'all won't enjoy this video like I do,
but I love how curious they were about the tiny scaly creature.



Annnnnnnd done.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend, friends!
Go outside, and enjoy the weather!

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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Happy Birthday Ed...

Monday would have been my father-in-law's 67th birthday.
I know I always say this, but it still doesn't seem real.
We miss him so much.
Every single day.
Ryan and I decided to take the boys to visit him on his birthday for the
first time since he passed away a little over a year ago.
It was the first time my boys have lost someone they were so close to,
and the whole concept has been a hard one for them.
They all asked a lot of questions at the cemetery,
and Ryan and I used the teachable moments to further bond as a family.
They were moments we needed.
It certainly put some things in perspective for our little crew.
As I've said before, blending families can be tough.
The kids are stuck between 2 families that don't always agree with each other
or agree with things that go on in the other parent's home.
The kids' feelings get hurt and sometimes go unheard
because they don't always know how to express them,
but at the end of the day, with the strong foundation
Ryan and I have worked hard to build...we'll be just fine.
Leave it to a visit with Pop to help put things into perspective.
I apologize for the sappiness, friends, but I wanted to document where we are right now,
so that one day, when the boys are grown, we can look back and see how far we've come.

After singing happy birthday to Ed,
we took the boys to Joe's Crab Shack for some seafood and fun!
The little guys loved hanging on the playground while we waited for our food

My Lord, my husband is handsome. =)
While the boys played,
Ryan and "The Teenager" got in some much needed male bonding time.
It's nice to see a smile on that kid's face.
There was some serious eatin' goin' on.
We told the kids that everyone had to wear the bibs.
They complied, although Preston wasn't very happy about it.
He's approaching the preteen years waaaaay to quickly.
I have to include this pic of Trysten because
he took cracking the crab legs to a whole other level.
It was intense.
He left no meat uneaten.
The kid can eat more than a lot of grown men can.
No joke.
And last but certainly not least,
the obligatory kissing shot taken by Austin.

Good times.
Here's to you, Ed.
Happy birthday.
We love you.


Sunday, April 22, 2012

Just What We Needed

This weekend was just what we needed.
The weather was beautiful,
and the company was even better.
Hope yours was just as wonderful!
Have a great weekend, friends!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Hurting...

Hello, friends.
Without going into too much detail,
I am hurting today.
"The Teenager" isn't in a good place, and it's reeking havoc on our little family. 
We would stand in front of a moving vehicle if it meant saving our child's life.
There's nothing we wouldn't do for them.
Problem is that sometimes they don't want what they need.
Sometimes we have to do the right thing for our children
even though we know they will temporarily turn on us.
To help my mother through the times when my siblings and I weren't on the right path,
I remember her telling me she relied on
Proverbs 22:6
Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
And we all returned.
Safe.
Sound.
Happy.
Doesn't make it any easier right now.
He was once my baby.
I can still see that little toe headed boy outside pushing his toy lawnmower
with his dad's socks pulled up over his knees in case he fell.
And as the only grandchild for the first 5 years of his life.
Here he is with my brother when he was almost a year old.
The good ol' days...

Thursday, April 12, 2012

A Random Stream of Nothingness

Hello, friends!
Seems like there's always a lot of nothingness going on.
That's the best kind of stuff because it means nothing bad is going on.
Guess I'm a glass half full kind of girl.
I want to first, thank you for all the kind words regarding
 my new gig as the art teacher for next school year.
Whether you posted a comment or emailed me directly,
your words are so appreciated!
Now, on to my ramblings.

* Do you have Pandora on your smartphone?
I'm hooked.
You can type in your favorite artist,
and it will take you to a radio station with only music similar to that artist.
My current favs:
John Mayer station
Kenny Chesney station
Jack Johnson station
Paul Taylor station
Ryan, the boys and I have lived on the patio at night listening to music and just hanging out.
Perfect.
Go check Pandora out!

* I have decided that I want Pinterest to be my real life closet.
You know, press a button, and this appears for Monday:
Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:


Saturday:
Annnnnnnd Sunday:
You know you'd be right there with me.
Pinterest is causing me to shop too much.
All you have to do is click on the pic,
and it takes you to the store to buy each piece in the vignette.
For instance, the white shorts above...yep.
I bought 'em.

* Check out Carter:
I swear.
This kid cracks me up.
He came home from school one day this week determined to make
homemade ice cream like they did at school.
Without rock salt.
I tried to tell him it wouldn't work.
He figured it out.
Sweet boy.

* Moving to a new school next year is bittersweet.
I am totally stoked to have my own art room,
but I have made some of the greatest friends where I am now.
We had a staff get together at Splitzville recently.
Holy bowling we had a blast.
Out of control fun.
I love these girls, and I will miss seeing them every day!
Jamie!

* Let the summer concert season begin!
One of my favorite parts of summer is about to commence.
Live music.
Ryand and I are kicking the season off next month at Winstar with the
Zac Brown Band.
Love.
We're making a weekend out of it, gambling, hanging by the pool, and live music at night.
Heaven.
Next up, Kenny Chesney and Time McGraw in June.
Good times ahead!

* While sitting on the patio,
Trysten came up to me and said, "I love you Alli." and handed me a heart he made out of wire:
Seriously?
Boys can melt your heart.
Ours are going to make some great husbands one day.

That's it for now!
Have a great weekend!!!



Tuesday, April 10, 2012

So Incredibly Excited!!

There is not a single thing that could bring me down today!
There is so much in store for our little family!
First up:
I got the job!!!
What job you ask?
I am now officially the art teacher for
the new elementary campus here in the big P
for the 2012-2013 school year!
I am so incredibly excited.
How many people can say they have their dream job?
It feels pretty darn good.

Have a great rest of your week!!


Monday, April 9, 2012

Memories...

I was going through our blog today
and came across this video from 2 years ago.
Memories like this are what it's is all about.
Life is good, my friends.
I have been blessed beyond measure.
Why do our babies have to grow up so fast?

My sweet little Carter...


Have a wonderful week!!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Spring is Here!

 Spring is here!!
The weather has been absolutely beautiful here lately
signaling the onset of my favorite time of the year:
SPRING & SUMMER!!
Carter helped me change our message on the chalkboard to reflect the change of seasons.
We have already logged countless hours on our patio.
In fact, this is where we lived all weekend long.
Ryan and I spent a lot of time planting flowers.
I can't remember what these are, but I love them.
Anyone know?
My roses came back again this year!
This year we'll make sure to move these when Ryan uses the grill.
We didn't last year, and my sweet hubby burned all of them.
A little bee for the birdbath
Petunias
Begonias
I bought this wind chime at Hobby Lobby, got it home, unwrapped it,
and it makes absolutely NO sound.
Awesome.
Hibiscus
They always remind me of Hawaii.
Creme brulee petunias
No clue what these are.
Lemon zest petunias
You can't go wrong with petunias in the Texas heat
Annnnnnnnnd moving on.
These sweet boys had a blast hanging while "The Teenager" was away all weekend.
I love watching these brothers together.
Doesn't get any better.
There was not even one moment of arguing between the trio.
Heaven.
Silly Trysten.
The kid is going to be famous someday.
Seriously.
 Enjoying one of their favorites:
Steamed artichoke
 Even the dogs enjoyed the patio.
At one point, Shelby became consumed with some of the begonias waiting to be planted.
We soon discovered why.
This is Fred.
He's a lizard.
In her excitement, Shelby injured him.
The boys were determined to nurse him back to health and return him to nature.
Sweet boys.

Poor Fred.
Little did he know what his day would entail when he woke up Saturday morning.
The boys decided to carry him around the yard.
Poor Fred.
 Love this pic =)
Goodbye, Fred.
No, we cannot keep Fred, Preston.
I know y'all won't enjoy this video like I do,
but I love how curious they were about the tiny scaly creature.



Annnnnnnd done.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend, friends!
Go outside, and enjoy the weather!