Don't Blink...

playing in the alley...

2012-02-16T17:41:00.000-08:00

The lost bunny...

2012-02-13T19:02:00.000-08:00

Foof ran away from home sometime in the middle of the night last Wednesday.

This by no means is out of the ordinary...

this was the 26th time...

I know it's crazy!

We have him living in the back yard. He has a hutch and a small fenced in area to retreat to when the dogs start to chase him.

Well he managed to move some of the bricks that we have lined under the gate to keep him in...

and off he went.

He usually stays right around the house, eating the flowers and weeds and playing with the wild bunnies.

It usually takes about an hour of looking and we find him.

Ally scoops him up...

gives him kisses...

and brings him back home.

This time we looked for about 30 minutes with no luck.

Then the kids needed to go to school.

I came back home and continued the bunny hunt.

No luck.

I looked on and off for hours...

no bunny.

The kids came home and we continued looking...

and looking...

no bunny.

The panic and worry really started to set in.

Right behind our house is a huge field...

with ponds...

and a lot of bunnies.

We looked everywhere...

a dozen times.

No bunny.

We still can't find the little fur ball.

Now I know that to most this is a sad story...

a girl and her lost bunny.

This is so much more than that.

This is about a girl that has lost her best friend.

We bought him while living in South Carolina...

for Ally.

She LOVED this bunny...

more that I think any bunny has been loved before.

We got him right after moving across the country...

knowing no one.

He became a constant...

a confidant...

a best friend.

He wasn't like most bunnies.

Ally would hold him for hours...

he would love it...

and lick her the whole time.

They truly had a little bond.

It was amazing to watch.

Now he is gone.

Now there is a little girl whose bunny is missing...

and a Mom who has spent countless hours looking,

praying,

wanting to fix the problem.

And I can't.

I have cried more in the past few days than I have in a long time.

Of course I miss the bunny,

but I want to make my baby stop hurting...

and worrying...

it's hard because there is no closure.

He is just missing.

We haven't given up.

We still look every day.

There are signs hanging all around our neighborhood,

and many friends that are helping us look.

Audrey told me today that not every story has a happy ending.

I hope this isn't one of those stories.

Mother Nature...

2012-02-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we woke up to fog...
it envelops you in mystery and calm.

Like a veil...

blocking you from the world.

Just waiting for the hot sun...

to force it away..

to reveal what it has hiding.

Man down...

2012-01-27T19:32:00.000-08:00

This past week Jared was in Orlando for Allergans yearly National Sales Meeting.

He was having a great week...

until Thursday.

They had a meeting with a motivational speaker.

Aron Ralston.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/B2XLoQ1xYB0

Well due to the content of the pictures and the description Jared started to feel a little light headed.

He decided that he would head to the bathroom and just walk it off.

Well as he was standing in the bathroom he passed out...

falling straight backwards...

onto the tile floor.

Well he hit hard enough to knock him out for a few minutes and also causing a 4 inch gouge on the back of his head.

They called 911...

and off he went in the ambulance.

He had a CAT scan done and it came back fine...

thankfully.

And then he was able to get some new bling in his life...

in the tune of 17 new staples.

And no they don't numb your skin when they do it...

eeeek!

He felt really dizzy and nauseous for most of the day.

Thankfully he was well enough to leave the hospital and fly home the next day.

He is still not feeling great.

His neck is really stiff and new aches and pains are starting to arise.

But all things considered he is doing well.

We now tease him about his extreme measures to show that he is a BYU fan...

with the Y scar to prove it...

yep...

I think he might just be the new #1 fan.

For the Love of Music...some of my faves

2012-01-27T18:58:00.000-08:00

http://www.playlist.com/playlist/22486110219

2012-01-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

Yay for exercise!!

2012-01-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

Many of you know I have a heart condition called Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia.

It basically means that the lower right chamber of my heart can become enlarged...

causing not super fun things to happen :)

A few years ago it was enlarged...

thankfully we caught it early and nothing major happened.

After a few MRI's and other tests I was told that I can't do any cardio.

Anything that "works" the heart will cause that chamber to continue to enlarge.

I followed the Doctors orders and quit exercising.

There currently is nothing that can be done except a heart transplant if it ever got REALLY bad. Nice.

Not something I am really wanting to do, so I followed the Doctors orders.

I went to my cardiologist here in Dallas and had a few tests done last week.

My heart looks AWESOME!

There is no sign of enlargement or any other problems...yay!

I still can't do any hard cardio, but he said I am able to do little 15-20 workouts that don't raise my heart beat much.

I know that exercise is a pain for most...

but when it is taken away from you...

not by your choice...

it is nice to get a little bit back again.

So now my new goal is to spank the kids at Just Dance 3...

GAME ON!!

The "Unlucky" bird...

2012-01-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

This is "Lucky" the unlucky bird...

We found Lucky stuck to a sticky trap in the garage.

I have never been a fan of sticky traps...

I have had to hit one too many mice with a shovel because of those things.

We haven't used sticky traps for years,

but the new pest control guy put two in the garage a few weeks ago.

They had captured a lot of bugs,

which I was more than fine with...

not so much a fan of birds being stuck to them.

We have no idea how a bird got into the garage

and somehow

managed to get himself stuck on a trap.

The bird was definitely

in the wrong place at the wrong time.

We found the bird with it's little wings completely stuck,

and the glue is STICKY.

The only way to get him off was to cut his wings.

I grabbed the scissors and went to work on the clipping.

He let out a liitle chirp every once in a while,

poor little bird.

We got the bird off the trap and put him into our empty bunny cage.

The kids were thrilled at the thought of having another pet.

It was hard to convince them that a wild bird has a special diet and needs that we can't take care of.

We decided to take the bird to a rehabilitation center...

yes we are that crazy.

I get that most people would have just let it go and wish it the best.

That would be the normal thing to do,

but since we are far from normal,

we all loaded up in the car to make the 3 hour round trip to the center.

We had the bird laying on a towel in a box with a raspberry to eat.

The bird didn't look great,

but I just figured it was traumatized.

We only made it about 5 minutes into the ride when I looked into the box.

Only to find a little breathless bird.

It didn't make it.

The kids were heartbroken.

We turned back around and went home.

The kids then buried it in the field.

It was a sad life lesson learned that day.

The lesson of Lucky the Unlucky Bird.

2012-01-14T05:44:00.000-08:00

Ally and I went exploring in the back field yesterday.

The kids LOVE it back there.

They play for hours...

they have hideouts, a pond, MANY animals and most importantly...

their imaginations.

We followed the cow trails around the pond...

anticipating a snake, mouse or rabbit to jump out at any second.

Thankfully we only experienced the mouse and rabbit part.

She showed me their hideout locations...

and where they keep the things they find.

I love that they have this space.

A place to run around and just be kids.

Whithout a care in the world...

Day at the Park...

2011-12-31T20:45:00.000-08:00

A Texas style Birthday Party...

2011-12-24T05:40:00.001-08:00

Audrey was invited to one of her friends Birthday party...

at a horse ranch...

hello heaven!!

She LOVED every minute.

Climbing, playing, exploring, smores around a campfire, but especially riding the horse.

They were taught how to guide the horse and off they went.

It was amazing to see Audrey guiding the horse around...

especially when they went through the creek...

the squeals and giggles were AWESOME!

I love this girl.

The Aquarium...

2011-12-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

Life...

2011-12-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

Why is life so much harder some days than others.

Sometimes I feel like I have it somewhat figured out.

Not perfect by any means,

but good enough to survive the craziness.

Other days I feel like I am swirling around in an empty space.

Grasping for anything to hold onto.

I know everyone feels these emotions at different times...

most of the time these insecurities and doubts come out at the most random of times.

In the shape of parenting, self image, health, knowledge...

the list can go on and on.

I am greatful for the peace in my heart.

Knowing that even though my best may not be enough at the moment...

eventually...

it will all add up to something beautiful.

2011-11-15T07:19:00.000-08:00

I have been symptom free for over a week...

hopefully this means that the flare is over!

I still see the rheumatologist to make sure I keep it in control,

but thankfullly I feel great unless I am having a flare.

I am just grateful to be using my hands and feet without them hurting.

I love that life is constantly throwing curve balls.

It helps us grow...

and become the person we are meant to be.

I believe in jumping in the deep end and just living life to the fullest....

regardless of what obstacle is in the way.

Why not?

What do we have to loose?

Because even if we can't see it...

there is always a light at the end of the tunnel...

and it is worth the journey.

Pictures of the kiddos...

2011-10-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

Oklahoma City Memorial...

2011-10-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

This might slow me down...but it won't stop me...

2011-10-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

I was recently diagnosed with an Auto Immune disease.

We are not sure exactly which one,

but it looks like it is Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Apparently it can take years to find out which disease you have.

This has been my second flare in the last year.

My wrists and feet have been affected the most this time...

although there are days that it seems like every joint in my body hurts.

It has been a hard emotional journey...

knowing what the future might hold for me...

deformed hands and all.

There are days that it definitely slows me down,

but it won't stop me.

I think that trials are all about attitude.

If you keep your chin up...

smile...

and just be grateful for the little things you do have.

Suddenly...

your trial doesn't seem that big after all.

There is too much to live for in this life...

to not enjoy

every moment...

even if they happen a little slower than before.

Walking with D...

2011-09-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

Audrey and I went on a walk in the field behind our house...

and of course...

I had to take some pictures :)

The New Rockstar...

2011-09-08T17:47:00.000-07:00

Jagger

So we did it again.

We bought another puppy.

He is a Schnoodle...

and absolutely adorable.

I think he may be the most perfect puppy ever.

He is totally mellow and LOVES to cuddle...

the girls are in heaven.

I just can't get enough of these two.

Stella did better than expected with the new member of the pack.

Stella is a naughty Chihuahua...

no really.

She thinks that she rules the world

and likes to bark at anyone who disagrees...

which is basically everyone.
She is great with our family...
past that...
it just takes a long time for her to trust.
She barked at Jagger and he just sat there...
wondering what all the commotion was about.
They chased each other around for the first two days,
trying to establish the pecking order.
Now they are best little buddies.
We are all shocked...
and extremely grateful.
I just want to squeeze them...
and thankfully...
they let me.

The Drought...

2011-09-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Texas drought has been long and hot...

to say the least.

It seems as though everything is slowly dying...

unable to withstand the relentless heat and lack of water.

The grass crunches under your feet as you walk...

and the beautiful flowers have wilted.

Except the sunflowers.

They have thrived in the heat...

unwilling to let it win.

They are standing tall and strong...

regardless of what has been thrown at them.

It is beautiful to watch them sway together in the wind.

Supporting each other.

Surviving.

Exploring...

2011-08-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Jared and I hopped in the car and went exploring.

We drove through small towns and endless farms.

It was beautiful.

We found so many wonderful places.

I had to get out of the car frequently to take pictures.

This is when I realized that I need to be very careful about where I step.

I was taking pictures when I realized that I had stepped on top of a fire ant mound.

I had at least 40 ants on my foot...

and the burning began.

I went running back out into the street.

Ant covered flip flop in one hand...

camera in the other.

Trying to swat them off my foot.

I quickly got them off and ended up with 10 fire ant stings on two of my toes.

They ITCH like crazy!

To the point of not being able to sleep.

Note to self...

DO NOT step on a fire ant mound EVER AGAIN.

Wounded and pouty I jumped back into the car...

ready to explore some more...

just more cautiously this time.

We came across this old, worn down house...

full of trash.

I was amazed.

An old run down house in the middle of nowhere...

looking almost as though the owners had just walked away...

adding any trash they had to the huge pile on their way out.

I didn't dare walk through.

Who knows what animal or disease was lurking behind the corner.

I just stood there.

Wishing walls could talk.

2011-08-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you need to step back...

just to take a look at yourself...

and make sure you like what you see.

Everyone has things they can work on.

No one is perfect.

I think that is what makes us all beautiful.

I find that I am the happiest and most peaceful when I am pleased with the kind of person I am.

It doesn't matter what you own...

who you know...

how important the world thinks you are...

all that matters is what you think when you look in the mirror.

I believe in surrounding myself with positive energy...

and along the way...

teaching my children that the most important thing you can do is to be true to yourself.

Whatever that might be.

2011-07-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Making the best of the summer heat...

2011-07-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

The nest is empty.

Our little bird spread its wings...
and flew away.

I love the idea of just jumping...
knowing you will fly...
without question...
or fear.

To find out where your wings will take you.

Day 9...

2011-07-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

The kids came running into the house earlier today...

so excited...

the baby was out of the nest...

getting ready for the next adventure of life...

learning to fly.

A week later...

2011-07-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a fun adventure

watching this baby grow...

as ugly as it may be.

We check on our baby bird every day.

The other eggs never hatched.

I think that by now...

with the heat we have had...

that they may very well be cooked...

poor babies.

2011-07-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

There is a tiny little nest in one of our trees...

This baby hatched yesterday.

Diet Cokeaholic...

2011-07-12T18:43:00.000-07:00

Diet Coke...

I wouldn't even be able to guess how much I have consumed in my life.

I was addicted.

I finally got to the point where I didn't want to drink around 90 oz. every day.

My body just craved it.

Right after breakfast I opened a coke can and had one open the rest of the day.

Healthy...

I know.

I felt foggy all the time, tired, had mild headaches.

I knew I needed to do something to make myself feel better.

I stopped...

cold turkey.

It was BRUTAL people...

BRUTAL!

I had a terrible headache and was nauseous for 5 days.

There were many times that I just wanted a Coke to take the discomfort away.

After a lot of research I found that the Aspertame in Diet Coke is the real problem.

It is as addictive as Cocaine for some people...

Nice.

I had gone off of Diet Coke before and never really had a problem.

I was tired for a day or so...

and then I was fine.

Not this time.

This time was bad enough that I have no desire to ever drink it again.

Apparently the withdrawl symptoms of Aspertame last up to a month.

I haven't had headaches or nausea, but have struggled with depression.

I would feel like I was in a funk that I just could not get out of.

This has progressively gotten better...

thankfully...

depression is not pleasant either!

It has now been a month and I don't miss it.

At times I miss the habit of it,

but not the drink.

I am grateful to have gone through this...

as crappy as it has been...

only to come out a little stronger and healthier...

and strive to never fall into the addiction trap again...

I have already embalmed myself enough for one lifetime.

The 4th...

2011-07-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

Keeping the Monkey's busy...

2011-07-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

I love the adventures of summer...

that you have time to dream...

and be who you want to be.

Time to explore new things and ideas...

and wonder about what the day has in store.

Enjoying the moment...

every single one.

Fishing with Grandpa...

2011-06-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

Utah Part Two...

2011-06-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

2011-06-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

We have had many responses due to my last post...

so...

I just wanted to explain a little more about the decisions we have made.

We have always enjoyed being Mormon,

but never truly felt right there.

I'm not sure why.

We were fine doing all of the things that we were supposed to be doing.

I think that is why this has taken us as long as it has to finally make the jump that we felt was right for us.

It was hard knowing it would affect others...

especially our family.

We are still the same.

Nothing happened to us.

We were not offended by anyone.

We didn't sin.

Jared is not selling his body for money(hee hee)...

We were fine paying tithing.

We were fine having callings.

It just didn't feel right for us.

We have researched many topics and spent hours and hours praying...

open to whatever answer we would recieve.

This answer led us to where we are now.

We are happy,content, peaceful

and open to what life throws us.
We are just trying to hang on...
this ride has been crazy.

2011-06-12T18:05:00.000-07:00

Life is about change...

no matter how hard you try to stop it.

I know that some people resist the change...

not me..

I love the growth, experiences, and lessons

we are often forced to learn.

As many of you know Jared and I were both raised LDS.

After 6 years of soul searching we have decided

that organized religion just doesn't fit us.

I know that some will be shocked...

others may have seen it coming...

I don't know.

All I know is that after countless hours of prayer,

this is the path that my family needs to be on.

We are extremely happy and at peace.

I feel like I have found myself...

after not even realizing I was lost.

I believe that you can never cross the Sea..

unless...

you have the courage to loose sight of the shore.

Life is about change.

Not always in ways that you see coming,

but in ways you know are meant to be.

Suprise!!

2011-06-12T05:10:00.000-07:00

We did it!

We snuck into Utah without my Dad knowing.

Hid out for a few days...

and then pulled off a GREAT

Suprise 60th Birthday party!

It was PERFECT!

2011-06-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

We returned home yesterday from our vacation in Utah...

it was beautiful.

I forget how blue the sky is there...

I could stare at it for hours.

We had many wonderful experiences while we were there...

900 pictures worth.

I wish I could just walk across the country with my camera...

capturing the beauty that surrounds us each day.

2011-05-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

We have had a wonderful weekend...

Full of dance recitals,

pictures,

swimming,

movies,

cookies,

and chasing a naughty dog down the street.

I love this time of year...

The kids start to look sun kissed and smell like sunscreen

and we can sit outside for hours and enjoy the warm breeze...

breathing in the beauty of Spring.

This week we celebrate Jared's birthday and the last day of school...

I can already tell...

it is going to be yummy!

Summer! Summer! Summer!

2011-05-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

There is only one more week of school until summer break...

yep...

they are excited!

Audrey's dream for the day...

2011-05-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

She has wanted to have her face painted for weeks.

Every Saturday she eyes the face painting booth...

in hopes the line will be short enough for her to get a turn.

Yesterday her dream came true...

The other kids announced that they were too old for that and would just like a scone instead.

I guess the dream doesn't last forever...

It rained...just a litte

2011-05-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

My daily flowers...

2011-05-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Every day I am greeted at the door with beautiful flowers.

This sweet girl hunts for the perfect flower between the bus stop and our house...

and she finds the perfect one...

everyday.

I love her.

Lazy Sundays...

2011-05-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Warm, peaceful Sunday afternoons...

the breeze helping you smell the sweet flowers...

If only we could freeze time...

stay in the moment for just a little longer...

just because...

2011-05-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

The Farmers Market is officially open for the year...

I am in heaven.

2011-05-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

I am grateful that I am the Mother of my three kids...

they really are amazing.

I am thankful for the ways they have made me grow...

higher than I even thought possible.

It is beautiful that you can have other people in the world...

that actually carry around a piece of your heart...

everywhere they go.

And it is comforting to know...

that I carry around a piece

of my Moms heart too.

2011-05-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

The blood tests came back perfect...

so we took Stella in today to be spayed.

This picture was taken right after we got home...

look at that sad little face.

She did great...

hopefully the recovery goes smoothly too.

Right now she cries if she even moves

and she is able to hit a note that seriously could break glass...

not pleasant,

but I don't blame her.

I also may or may not have almost passed out

when I was picking her up from the vet...

lame...

2011-05-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

2011-04-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

Stella aka Stelly Bean was taken to the vet today for the dreaded Spay appoiontment...

we took her in at 7:30 this morning.

At 9:00 the Vet called and said that she wasn't able to do the surgery today.

Stella had to have blood work done first and she did great and the tests came back perfect...

the only problem was...

they could not get her neck to stop bleeding.

They said they had never seen this before...

nice.

She had a huge hematoma on her neck and needed to be watched closely all day.

They were worried it would start to bleed again...

thankfully it didn't...

Her blood has been sent away for testing.

Our fingers are crossed that it is nothing crazy...

I have never really been an animal person.
I have always liked them...
but never needed one.
Having her gone for awhile this morning made me realize...
maybe...
I like her more than I thought.
Even if she is naughty.

2011-04-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter Friends...

We had a beautiful weekend...

full of candy...

smiles...

bubbles...

eggs...

bunnies...

and most importantly...

our Savior.

2011-04-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Isaac had this red scabby circle form on his arm...

I thought it was either eczema or ring worm.

I treated it for both with no sucess.

Two Dermatologist appointments later we found out it is

Granuloma Annular...

a chronic skin disease that can last for up to two years...

nice.

We had to inform the teacher, school nurse, and everyone else that it is NOT contagious...

although if I saw a kid with that on his arm...

I would be freaking out!

He has also been through more allergy testing this past week.

He is a trooper!

Thankfully there is nothing major going on...

at least this week.

2011-04-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

It was 95 degrees outside and raining...

need I say more

2011-04-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

I am grateful for all of the beauty around us each day....

and that all we need to do...

is slow down and notice.

2011-04-19T15:42:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that she is 12...

she now tells us how many days we have until we "own" a teenager...

not nearly enough people...

not nearly enough.

2011-04-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

I love that these three are friends...

they are fun to watch...

even while enjoying a Popsicle.

2011-04-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

2011-04-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

I really love this time of year...

Blossoms, new leaves, and baby bunnies hopping around the neighborhood.

I even planted a tomato plant, rosmary and a few other bushes in the backyard...

the next morning they were gone.

Our cute little bunny ate them...

all of them...

completely gone.

Oh well...

the plus side...

I love going to the farmers market on Saturday mornings...

besides all of the colorful veggies and fruit,

they sell really yummy chocolate cake...

I haven't figured out how to get that to grow in my garden...

yet.

2011-04-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

San Antonio...

2011-03-29T10:39:00.000-07:00

Jared and I went to San Antonio for the weekend... it was beautiful, romantic, and absolutely perfect....

Loved.

2011-03-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

Six flags 3-11

2011-03-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Six flags 3-11

2011-03-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

Braces...

2011-03-11T06:21:00.001-08:00

I am grateful for expanders and braces...

I know he will be to...

someday.

Fairy Garden...

2011-02-28T11:38:00.001-08:00

I love the idea of Fairies...

beautiful, magical little creatures...

secretly flying around...

never to be seen.

We decided to build a Fairy Garden...

just in case...

a fairy or two decide to stop by for awhile.

The 6th Floor...

2011-02-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

Jared and I went to the 6th Floor Museum.

It is a museum that depicts the life and death of JFK.

You actually see the spot that Lee Harvey Oswald sat waiting for the President to pass by.

The view was beautiful...

it was hard to believe that such a terrible act actually happened there.

They wouldn't allow pictures to be taken in the museum...

I wish I could have at least taken a picture of the view from the 6th floor window.

We put on our headphones and took a walking tour of the museum.

Afterward we wandered around...

taking pictures of buildings, people and things...

one of my favorite things to do.

The Mouth...

2011-01-26T06:50:00.001-08:00

After losing the 1st appliance in Fort Worth...

we opted for the one that is glued in...

BRILLIANT!

Isaac actually likes it a lot more than the one he could take out...

so do I people...

so do I.

I asked the orthodontist whether I should just buy her a new car now or later...

seriously...

I'm guessing that with all of the money she will be receiving from us in the future...

she will be able to buy a new car...

or two.

2011-01-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

Parenting is by far the craziest thing I have ever done. I remember when I was pregnant with Ally...

12 years ago...

I can't believe how fast that time flew by...

at times it felt like life was taking forever to get to the next step...

then that next step came...

and I wondered how it got there so fast.

It is a journey that I am humbled by daily. Being the Mom to my kids is awesome...

even on those hard days.

Our days aren't always sugarcoated...

but for the most part we skip through the day...

trying to have the courage to be happy...

content....

peaceful people.

It's a roller coaster that I am grateful to ride everyday...

motion sickness and all.

Fort Worth...

2011-01-06T17:46:00.001-08:00

The kids had the chance to be a cowboy and cowgirls for the day...

you know that magical moment that happens when you actually get to live in a make believe world for awhile...

they did just that...

and absolutely loved it!

My parents came to town and we headed to the Fort Worth Stockyards.

The kids rode horses...

wore cowboy hats...

ate taffy and fried creamed corn balls...

and had a blast!

Isaac said howdy partner to every person and animal that he could get to listen.

He felt like a true cowboy when he climbed up on the mechanical Bull with his new hat on.

He loved it and he lasted 8 seconds before getting bucked off...

the smile never left his face.

The girls were in heaven riding actual horses.

Audrey would like her own horse now...

of course.

We had a wonderful time and only lost Isaac's $500.00 retainer...nice.

We all walked away saying ya'll...

enjoying the smells of Texas BBQ...

cheeks sore from eating too much taffy and smiling and laughing alot.

It was a great day.

November...

2010-12-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

Audrey Turns 6...

2010-11-24T18:03:00.000-08:00

We surprised Audrey with dinner reservations at the American Doll store.

She was really excited...

Audrey was able to bring Britney...

her first American Girl doll...

because Britney had dinner reservations too...

Happy Halloween...

2010-11-02T14:36:00.001-07:00

Halloween...

the day that you get to dress up and be anything you want...

you can be a kitty princess, rock star kitty, or a Transformer.

Anything goes.

It's acting like whatever you are dressed up as...

and truly believing that you are awesome...

and quite possibly magical or Superheroish.

The best part...

people actually give you handfulls of candy...

just for being.

The butterfly...

2010-10-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Kindergarten field trip...

2010-10-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Grandpa and Grandma come to visit...

2010-10-22T15:38:00.000-07:00

2010-09-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

It's true.

We survived the aftermath storms of Hurricane Hermine...tornadoes and all.

It rained...no down poured...for two straight days.

It had been so hot and dry here that it was nice to have a cloudy, wet, make you want to bake couple of days.

The only panic moment was on Wednesday night when the tornado sirens went off.

The kids went into panic mode and ran to the tornado closet...yes, they named the storage closet under the stairs the day we moved in.

It was full of water, flashlights and food.

Just in case.

I of course wanted to sit out on the front porch and watch.

This made the kids panic even more, but I would rather watch and run to the tornado closet at the last minute.

Crazy?

Maybe a little, but whats life without risk?

Soon the storm cleared and the sirens were turned off.

We made it without even a scratch...

just mild panic attacks.

School...

2010-08-28T14:15:00.000-07:00

One of the most challenging things about moving is going to a new school.

New teachers.

New friends.

New rules.

New, new, new.

Isaac the 3rd grader, and Audrey the big Kindergartner, were actually really excited to go. They woke up ready to meet their new life.

Ally the 6th grade Middle schooler....not so excited.

She definitely was NOT ready to meet her new life.

We all got ready to go.

Packed lunches and snacks.

Jumped on the trampoline...to help with some of the nerves.

Grabbed the backpacks and headed to the Elementary school.

Ally and I walked the kids into the school and took Audrey to her class.

Audrey confidently walked in, sat down on her chair, and said "bye Mom"...done.

Not even a frown or whimper.

Isaac being the awesome, big 3rd grader just wanted to find his own class.

I just let him do it.

He found his class, and was already hanging out with 4 other boys when I went to make sure he actually made it.

Mr. Independence.

Ally and I drove over to the middle school.

The moment I was DREADING.

There was just something scary about dropping my child off at Middle School.

All of the kids walking around in their trendy clothes.

Talking on their cell phones.

Flirting.

BOO!!!

We pulled up and I just dropped her off.

Seriously, just watched the fresh meat go into the pack of wolves...and hoped she would survive.

She did.

And actually liked it.

The first week went great.

The kids really like their teachers and they already have a lot of new friends.

Maybe new isn't so bad after all.

The Cell Phone...

2010-08-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

So we went back and forth... do we get Ally a phone...or not?

After talking to the office staff at the Middle school we found that our suspicions were true...

most of the kids have a cell phone...

BOO!!

Why do 6th graders need a cell phone?

Texting.

That's right.

No talking.

Texting.

I think that Middle School is hard enough socially as it is.

If packing around a cell phone helps Ally

feel like she fits in easier....

great.

So yes, we totally gave into Peer pressure.

Unfortunately I don't think it will be the only time.

It just better not ring during class or it gets taken away.

The only way to get it back is to have a parent go in and buy it back for $15.00

I am sure the school makes alot of money.

And yes Ally LOVES her phone.

Now she wants to wear mascara....

hmmmm.

The Piano...

2010-08-15T08:43:00.001-07:00

The locker...

2010-08-13T17:49:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that Ally is old enough for Middle School. No really.

How is that possible?

I knew that it was coming...but still I am not sure what I think about it.

Ally wandering the halls with 6-8 graders...

hmmmm....

I know she will survive...

at least I am pretty sure.

Ally is getting more excited to start school now that she has her own locker.

You know...

the important things in life...

at least in Middle school.

We went over today and "decorated" it and

she practiced opening it about 10 times and never had a problem...yay!

We did change from her original locker that was on the top row...

she couldn't see the numbers....

my little shorty.

I know she will do great...

she always does.

Summertime...

2010-08-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

McKinney....

2010-07-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

Spot's visit to the Vet...

2010-07-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

Spot had some dry, flaky spots on his ears. Since he is the "baby" of the family we packed him up and took him to the Vet....30 minutes away...yeah, there aren't a ton of Vets that see rabbits. We went in and had a full bunny exam done.

He even had a manicure.

The Vet thought that there could be a slight chance that he had ear mites...

Spot was going to need a shot.

GASP!!

The kids instantly became very worried.

Ally and Isaac left the room and Audrey and I stayed for moral support for Spot :)

He of course was unaware that it even happened.

We are happy to report that his ears are doing fine.

To punish us for taking him there he found a way to open the backyard gate that night and run away.

We found him within 2 minutes of looking for him.

I was surprised....there are A LOT of cute little girl bunnies hopping around here.

I thought for sure Spot had moved on to greener pastures.

I am grateful that we found him again...yes he has done this before....the stinker.

This bunny may very well be the death of me.

Best friends....

2010-07-26T13:49:00.000-07:00

So those of you that know Ally will know that she LOVES animals.

Ally would like to own at least one of every animal in the world and be a vet when she gets older...for now she just has a rabbit. ...Spot.

Spot is a Mini Rex rabbit that we had no intention of buying until we picked him up at the pet store.

Can you say LOVE at first sight?!?

He has been the BEST pet for her.

They cuddle all day and he kisses and licks her and she hugs and loves him.

I walked into her room the other day and this is what I found.

They were playing Polly Pockets together.

Seriously.

How cute is that?

Pride...

2010-07-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

Yes this is what pride looks like.

The first visit to Claire's ended up with us walking right back out.

The next time she marched proudly in, sat down on the stool, and got her ears pierced.

She didn't even cry...only a few whimpers.

She has been building up the courage to do this for awhile and finally did it.

She is so excited to start Kindergarten....

but especially with pretty pierced ears.

Austin....

2010-07-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

Jared and I were able to get away...to Austin. We stayed downtown and had a beautiful view...I love beautiful views. Downtown Austin really is a very quirky place to visit. I am a huge fan of quirky so I loved every minute. It felt like a really big Retro flea market. One of my favorite things to do is look at pretty things...I know it sounds silly, but I really just enjoy roaming around and just looking at all of the amazing, beautiful things that people have created. People really are incredible.

We attempted to see the 1 million bats that fly out from under the Congress Street bridge at dusk. We saw a lot whirling around, but no grand exit...by the time they all decided to take flight it was too dark to see them. Standing on the bridge at dusk was beautiful though...worth the hour that we stood waiting.

I definitely want to go back....soon.

Grandma Jill....

2010-07-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

We loved having my Mom come and visit us ..... I love that right when the kids see her they run up to her and smother her with hugs and kisses.

We had a week of continuing to unpack, going to the movie, exploring our new town, playing Tom and Jerry ( I am sure Grandmas feet are still sore), finding the library, making crafts, game stop, seeing bunnies, unpacking some more, and just having a great time together.

The kids love playing with Grandma (Grandpa Mark was on a fishing trip in Canada...poor guy!). They were so sad to see her go,

but we are happy that she is now only a 2 1/2 hour flight away.

We made it....

2010-07-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

We made it...after about 18 hours in the car with 3 kids and a bunny...we made it.

The road trip was actually a lot better than we thought it would be. We were prepared to be totally crazy by the end, but it was surprisingly good and Jared and I were relatively sane. The kids did great...thankfully. We took 3 days to travel which helped it feel a little more like a mini vacation than a relocation road trip...we figured that way the kids would have a couple hours to swim at night after being squished in the car all day.

We arrived in Texas on Sunday and went to check out the new house...the picture is of Isaac and Audrey running up to the house for the first time. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the house! This was my first time seeing it too...crazy I know...but when you feel like something it right you just go for it...right?

I am so glad we did.

I am so grateful that we just took the risk...moving somewhere we had never been...to a house I had never entered....and then to have it feel instantly like home.

Goodbye South Carolina...

2010-06-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that we are finally to this point.

We knew that when we moved here it would be temporary...it ended up being 15 months....sometimes I am amazed that it was only that long. At other times it seems like we have been here for years. It has been such a great experience living here...the people, the beauty, the laid back nature, our backyard, yes Ma'm, the trees, Maurice's BBQ, the fun critters that the kids are always finding...I could go on and on.

The packers came on Thursday. It really is a strange experience having other people pack up your house.

These people see everything.

It's great letting them go to town and pack your whole house in a matter of hours...they really are like a well oiled machine. On the other hand it is a little odd having someone in your bedroom packing everything into boxes.

The next morning the moving crew came.

4 huge guys...1 house full boxes and furniture...100 degrees...really humid = dripping wet, stinky men moving everything you own. I kept giving them water bottles and ice cream. I felt SO bad. It was REALLY HOT!! I asked one of them if they do this every day...he said

"Yes Ma'm...it pays the bills".

I can't imagine doing their job, but I am extremely grateful that they do.

After they finished loading the truck we packed up our car, said some tearful goodbyes to friends, and started our journey.

We will be taking it easy getting there...enjoying the experience together.

I recently read this and loved it:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore.

Dream.

Discover.

Our ship is officially at sea...

we are excited for everything ahead of us and grateful for the strong winds behind us...

encouraging us to keep sailing.

South Carolina Summer....

2010-06-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Summertime. The heat...something I used to not really care for...now I can't get enough.

I have loved that Summer seems to last so long here. Heat and humidity, Mosquito bites, swimming, lazy warm mornings, squirrels running around the backyard, grilling, thunderstorms, and the peace of having my kids where I can see them and squeeze them...

13 years ago...

2010-06-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

I married my best friend.

Truly the most amazing person on the planet.

There is a saying...to the world you may just be one person, but to one person you may be the world...Jared truly is my world.

Thanks to him I am happy, balanced, incredibly in love and have three beautiful little love beans. It has been an incredible journey that we have taken together so far...13 years has gone by so quickly...I wish that time could slow down...at least just a little. I have a hard time truly explaining in words how I feel about him...I just know that everyday that I wake up next to him I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Fathers Day...

2010-06-17T12:59:00.000-07:00

Father’s Day Prayer Lord, please bless our fathers, these men who mean so much to us, who are greatly responsible for who we are and who we are becoming. Bless them for having the courage to do what’s necessary to keep us out of trouble, for making us do the right thing, for helping us build our character, even when it makes us angry; and bless them for pushing us to do our best, even when they just want to love us. Bless our fathers for being our protectors, for leading us through stormy times to safety, for making us believe that everything will be all right and for making it so. Bless our fathers for quietly making a living to provide for those they love most, for giving us food, clothing, shelter and other necessary and not so necessary material things, for unselfishly investing time and money in us that they could have spent on themselves. Bless our fathers, Lord, for saving some energy for fun, for leading us on adventures to explore the outer reaches of ourselves, for making us laugh, for being our playmates and our friends. Bless them for being our secure foundation, our rock, for holding on tight to us...until it’s time to let us go. Lord, bless these men we look up to, our role models, our heroes, our fathers."

Loved this poem.

Love the "dads" in my life....thank you for how amazing you each are.

Just keep swimming...

2010-06-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

I think the kids would literally live at the pool if given the chance.

I love that right when they jump in they become whoever and whatever they want to be.

Audrey has a whole pool of fish friends that only she can hear and see. I love that.

It really is an amazing feeling when you are underwater...goggles on...waving at each other...if only we could each hold our breath a little longer. One of the kids favorite games involves Jared being a shark and the kids are his prey... I love seeing their faces and hearing their screams as they are hunted and grabbed from underwater. I am so happy that it is summertime and my kids smell like sunscreen, have crazy tan lines, and messy pool hair.

Where we are now...

2010-06-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

It's funny how life can go by slow and fast at the same time. I can't believe that we have been is South Carolina for over a year. At times it seems as though we have lived here forever....other times it feels like I blinked and the year passed by. We are now getting ready for our next adventure....TEXAS. We are so excited to get moved and feel settled.

NO MORE MOVING. EVER. NO REALLY...unless Europe can somehow be involved. We head out in two weeks. I am so grateful that Jared's company will pack us up and move us out. That is HUGE!! It always feels strange though...shouldn't I be packing or something? I am really going to try to be better at updating our blog. I love my little people so much that I want to share them with family and friends....they really are a joy to be around.

Ally is growing up so fast. She has really matured this past year. She graduated Elementary school this past year. She is not sure what to think about Jr. High...I have my own thoughts on the subject, but I am trying to stay positive. I told her to just jump in and hold on because Jr. High can be fun and stressful and that everyone is grateful that you only have to do it once. I know she will make some great new friends...she always does...everyone has always liked Ally. Her current love thankfully is not boys, but a mini rex rabbit named Spot. He really is a cute bunny and SO soft. It is like a live stuffed animal that she lugs around. When I say that she holds the rabbit for at least 2-3 hours a day I would probably be underestimating. I have never known anyone that loves animals more that this girl. I am glad that she has him...even if we now have to drive to Texas since you can't bring rabbits on the airplane. Road trip...16 hours...1 bunny...hmm.

Isaac is going into 3rd grade. He still has a very contagious laugh...which isn't always a great thing since he giggles VERY easily! He truly enjoys the moment that he is in...I love that about him. His current obsession is Pokemon and video games. I don't know that I will ever understand Pokemon cards, but he knows all of their names and what they evolve into and a lot of other things that I have no idea what he is talking about. He is totally great about moving. He cracks me up with how "whatever" he is about things. He is ALWAYS game for a new adventure...which may become interesting as he gets older.

Audrey is starting Kindergarten.... FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN!! I still can't believe that my baby is that old! She is excited and nervous about this next big step. She is feeling pretty awesome that she is finally in the"big kid" school...I am thankful that Isaac will be there to help her out a little. Audrey just figured out that she won't actually die if she goes underwater at the pool. Now she spends most of her day with her goggles on, underwater, coming up for an occasional breath and to tell us "this is the most awesomest thing ever"! She has one of those spirits that people are just drawn to...I'm not sure what it is about her, but she really makes you want to be around her...at least most of the time. The girl can pull a serious Diva card if she wants to!

Jared and I are still amazingly happy. I am constantly in awe at how we actually found our perfectly compatible companion. My Mom once told me that she has never known a couple that was on the same page all the time like Jared and I. That really is a huge compliment. We are constantly working on our realationship...putting each other first is our greatest secret. I love that I know him better than he knows himself and that he knows me better than I ever knew was possible. I love that we are always "jumping in the deep end" with each other. There is no one I would rather be swimming with. As a family we try to live in peace, be happy, a little goofy, and to not hold onto anything negative. We try the best we can and know that at the end of the day no one is perfect...and that's more than OK.

1st Day of School

2009-09-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Our 1st day of school this year was uneventful...thankfully :) Ally started 5th grade. She has Mr.A for her teacher (his real name is too hard to say so he has the kids call him Mr.A aka The Math Daddy) he is really good with the kids and has helped Ally learn to love math. Mr.A actually came to our house twice a week through the summer to help Ally with math. That was one difficulty with moving....different math programs = math I have never seen before...needless to say he helped us a TON!! She loves going to school and she has a lot of friends. She is in what I call the Sharpay group. Sharpay is the popular girl in the movie High School Musical. Well there is a "new girl" this year who is 13 and in 5th grade(yeah she is supposed to be in 6th grade...nice). Nothing like a developed cute 13 year old girl at school to get the boy's attention. Anyhoo, Ally hangs out with her and about 10 other girls. She has some really cute friends that are really good little girls :) Isaac really likes his teacher Miss. LeBlanc. She is really cute and great with the kids. She said that Isaac is the peacemaker in the class. Everyone likes Isaac :) He is a great kid that really worries about others feelings. I am the room mother for his class and have been able to help out in his class. It's a great class and Isaac is really smart :) Audrey started Preschool at a Baptist church. It is a GREAT preschool :) They have a religious theme each week. Last week was "Jesus Love Me". She loves being "big" and already has a little group of friends. I LOVE the schools here and I am glad that the kids enjoy going...at least most of the time :)

What is REAL?

2009-07-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

So I checked out this great book from the library yesterday...it's called "The Must Have Mom Manual". It really is a book with a ton of useful information compiled together to make Moms' lives easier. The first page in the book has this wonderful excerpt from the Velveteen Rabbit. "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up?" he asked, "or bit by bit?" "It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." I love that! Being a Mom can be very hard at times, but I know that there is nothing better than being REAL...even if my hair all gets rubbed off and my eyes drop.

Columbia Temple

2009-07-19T14:29:00.000-07:00

So we went to visit the Columbia Temple last Sunday. It is about 30 minutes away from our house. It is kind of in a random spot. I think it's mainly because I am used to seeing temples that are big and beautiful and easy to see. The Columbia Temple is definitely beautiful, but it is the size of a Stake Center (it's a mini temple). The temple is in the middle of some neighborhoods, and surprise, surprise, it's surrounded by huge trees. You don't see the temple until you are right in front of it. We got out and walked around a little ( it was like 100 degrees outside so we didn't last long). It was peaceful and very quiet...we were the only ones there :) The kids enjoyed seeing "our" temple...as small as it may be.