The Great Wolf Lodge

I am glued to the news today as I see the faces of the children involved in yesterdays tornado's in the OK.  So glad the death toll was inaccurate at first, but still very sad to see so many lives lost.  As I have said before there are many wonderful things that come of these situations though.  It brings a community together like nothing else and makes you realize what life truly is about.  It is said that Oklahoma is an extension of Texas as far as the people go!  Very selfless, Christian people.  Those same storms are supposed to hit Dallas today, so I pray that everyone there will be safe.

Today I am trying to get the house together.  We can’t have mutual at our building because the carpets are being cleaned thus it is going to be here!  I wish we were a cleaner bunch, but unfortunately these kids don’t seem to understand that concept very well. 

The kids only have about 2 weeks left of school and we are really looking forward to the break, but I am also hoping the kids can get along better than they have the last couple of months.  Contention has been a serious problem between the kids lately!!  Hope we can nip that in the bud sooner than later.

I feel like the summer is just starting to fill up super fast!!  This weekend we are headed to Dallas to go to The Great Wolf Lodge Fri/Sat and then to stay with Jeff and Mel through Monday.  Should be fun!  The kids are super excited and don’t know we are doing the Lodge (a hotel with an indoor water park!) yet.  Then in about 3 weeks the Ford family will be coming out to start searching for a house!!  We couldn’t be more excited, although I’ll be honest part of me still doesn’t want to believe it!!  Strange I know, I guess in the small chance that things could fall through I don’t want to be vulnerable to my emotions.  But truly the reality of living near family hit me like freight train when Shane sent that email.  It sent me into a crying fit (of happiness)!  I didn’t realized I was so emotionally involved…well I knew I was, but didn’t realize to what extent I was.  Anyway, we CAN NOT WAIT!

We are also still struggling to know what to do with Kaylee.  I am going to have a candid conversation with her teacher this afternoon, so I hope I can get more specifics as to why they think holding her back is best.  I keep going back and forth.  Part of me thinks she is so physically underdeveloped that it would be good for her, but then the other part of me worries about the emotional aspect of it.  She still has potty accidents daily and has a really hard time with math concepts and reasoning skills.  Her reading has truly taken off, which to me is the biggest deal of all considering what we have gone through with Audrie.  So I teeter back and forth, but need to decide by the 28th.   These decisions are SO HARD.

Tyler has almost finished his baseball season.  He has one more game and is so ready to be done.  He needs to be moving more and I think that aspect of the game is boring to him.   He says he wants to continue with soccer next year (or lacrosse…but I don’t think that will happen as it requires traveling for games). 

Audrie is doing pretty good, although she has been giving me some serious attitude lately.  I don’t know if it’s the age or if there is something else going on, but she has gotten a few pops on the mouth as of late!  She has been coming home with some stellar grades though, which has been wonderful.  In fact she says that her favorite subject is now math, which was shocking to me simply because with her dyslexia math can be incredibly frustrating.  All in all it makes me think we are making progress and that going to this new school next year will just continue to build her up.

Sam is just a hoot.  She talks more than any of my children.  Constantly talking and using the word, “sweetie” with her little lisp.  Such a joy to have around.

Last Day of School 2013

What a whirl wind life is these days!  I have had three "Celebration of Learning" events this week, one for each kiddo.  Super fun, and very entertaining to see your child interact with their peers :)  Always a little surprising!  Audrie is much more shy than I would have though, Kaylee is much more outgoing than I would have thought and Tyler is a little more confident than I thought. 

I just returned home from Tyler's official Elementary Graduation.  They make these events such a big deal!  I think it's great to celebrate them, but sometimes I think they go a tad overboard. 

I've been thinking a lot about Katie, praying for some relief for her and I have to tell you what thoughts I have had as of late.  I have had several thoughts about the "trial of her faith." That this is a refining process, teaching her (and the rest of us too, but mostly her) how to totally turn to the Lord and trust in Him.  In fact I was reading a talk from the YW broadcast this past spring called Your Holy Places in which is talked about where holy places are, what they can be and how you can created them despite your circumstances.  It talked about Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail and how it was one of the absolute worst times in his life, but yet he turned it into a Holy Place.  Sister Dibb quoted Elder Holland saying, “You can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experiences with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life…, while enduring the most painful injustices, when facing the most insurmountable odd and opposition you have ever faced.”Anyway, my thoughts immediately turned to Katie when I read that!  Something to think about anyway J

We are anxious about the Ford family coming down!  The kids and I have a list of all the options of “fun” we can do while they are here!  Cousin’s are the BEST!

Ali!!!  Do you have any inklings that this baby might come sooner than later???  I so wish I could be around one of these babies births!!  I have yet to witness one!!  Maybe I’ll be able to be around for Lyndsey's or Katie's babies?  

I have got to run.  Sam is yelling and I think I just heard spit being spat from the upstairs overhang onto the first floor entry way….she is turning into such a stinker!

Elder Lindsey's Wedding and our Mother's Day Retreat!

Elder Lindsey (as we will forever call him) got MARRIED!!!  I was fortunate enough to be there and couldn't have enjoyed myself any more than I did.  While sitting in the sealing room I had an overwhelming feeling of love for him (and Jess) and I couldn't help but think it was a surge of all the love from the Katy 3rd ward.  Needless to say I had to reapply makeup afterwards...I am SUCH a baby.  It was awesome and they just BEAMED with happiness.

Not only was I able to see Elder Lindsey, but I saw Elder Simons as well!!!  (Again, I apologize Colten, but it will forever be Elder Simons!) It was AWESOME to see him.  There were several other mission buddies there, but seeing Elder Simons just warmed my heart.  Loved them both!
 

Not only was I able to be there for the wedding of my cousin CJ, I was also fortunate enough to have MOST of my family together all at once!  (Lynds is still on her mission in CA)  We turned the wedding into a "Mothers Day Retreat."  It was SO MUCH FUN.  We laughed and giggled until the late hours of the night (oh the irony of leaving our children behind) and reaped the consequences the following mornings, but still it was all worth it.  (Cami, my twin and I are above)

My handsome Mother and Father.

You know how sisters can all be a like in some way or another?  Well get this.  We all packed the same color dresses....without realizing!!  I mean what are the odds??  Seriously, we should have been in a wedding party of our own.  However we did decide on my sister Lyndsey's future wedding colors, that is if she approves, HAhahaha!  (Disclaimer: Lyndsey is currently serving on a mission for our church and is NOT engaged, or close to it)

Man, I COVET Katie's gorgeous hair.  Check out that hot mama!

All in all we had a great time.  Katie wasn't feeling all that great, but I think she still enjoyed herself as much as she could.  Thanks to all my sista's, Mama, and Padre for such a fun time!  I would do it again in a heartbeat! 

 

Random Pics

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I have a few random pictures that I wanted to document.  Andy and I went couch shopping a month or so ago and Sam had to participate in the process :) 

I had to go to the Dr's office to pick up some paperwork and Sam could NOT walk by these tiny, little flowers that were growing by the steps.  So we sat there for 15-20 minutes just picking little flowers, putting them in our hair and enjoying the beauty all around.  It's good to have a little person to remind us (me!) of these important things!

She has also taken to a new found liking of trains.  All I keep thinking about is Wade and how I wish we were all closer so they could build together!

Uncle Shane came to visit with us which the kids thoroughly enjoyed! (As did Andy and I)

The famous "Sunglasses" shot that I have of each one of my children :)  It's always at the same age too...love it!

And the most random of all.  Kaylee asked for eggs for a snack, but it had to have maple syrup on them ;)  She ate every bite!  For a girl who is a wisp of nothing and has trouble staying healthy I will feed her whatever she wants, especially when it's loaded with protein. 

Riding Bikes and Smiling Eyes

Kaylee has FINALLY learned to ride a bike.  She has been our latest rider!  When we lived on Garden Mist Lane we had a culdesac that the kids could practice riding around without much supervision, but now that we are on a corner lot I'm not as free with them playing in the roads.  So it's definitely not the fault of Kaylee! 

The best part of all of this is that she is riding her bike to school (it took her a month from this exact day of bike riding discovery to ride to school though).  Which means I don't have to pull 90+ lbs any more!  Hallelujah! Although now she has asked me to jog next to her in case she falls.  So now I am running to school and back 2-3 times a week (2 miles each way!).  My gym membership needs to be obliterated.

This is a random picture from the "spring" party the kids had a school.  I absolutely ADORE this picture of Audrie.  That is her genuine smile.  It just makes my heart sing :)  Love that girl.

Another reason I love Audrie.  She loves to play with her siblings and thoroughly enjoys it.  She has a tender heart for little ones!!

And she's gorgeous to boot!

Rodeo Houston

During our Spring Break this year I tried really hard to keep the kids busy.  I tend to be a home body and would love nothing more than to veg and play games and watch movies with the kiddos, but apparently my kids think that is the definition of "Party Pooper." HA!  Someday they will understand ;)  Needless to say we STAYED busy.  I hate to say it, but for the 10 years we've lived in TX my children have never been to the rodeo....and for anyone that has lived in Houston that is completely unforgivable!  We got up early (well not really, but for spring break yes, early) and drove downtown and took part of the "fun" we have apparently been missing all these years.  Lol.  I think a bit of my mother tends to come out in these dirty situations :)  Hahaha...but we really did have fun. 

They learned the cycle of farming.  From planting the seed to sowing, milking the cow, harvesting eggs, to selling to them all to the market.  Then buying a treat!  It was really cute.

 

 

 

Sam particularly enjoyed this part.  Not sure why.

Then there was the birthing center.  We witnessed a piglet being born!  Tyler and Andy were incredibly grossed out, but the rest of us were genuinely interested.  I guess it has to do with maternal instincts because all of us Girls had no problems at all!  (Oh and just FYI we all wore cowgirl boots and hats!  Andy wore his boots too, but we're working on a hat)

I think they could have watched the chicks hatch all day long.  Kaylee particularly loved this part and didn't want to leave.  Ever.

Now I don't know my rodeo history, but I think one of these boots are made every year with a "theme" related to the current rodeo.  I should also mention just prior to this photo being taken the children partook of their very first funnel cake.

All in all a good time, although Andy did have to leave after lunch.  After he left we did a few carnival rides (which I really loathe.  Maybe I am a party pooper after all).  And got TERRIBLY lost (on foot) trying to find our way back to the car.  Seriously and hopelessly lost.  It took us 50 minutes to find where we had parked.  But we did shed a few extra calories!!  This may end up being an every other year event :)

Ty the baseball Man

 

 

 

Tyler’s first baseball game.  He did great!  He’s so funny about attention though.  I really had to sneak some pictures of him!  He made a great play when he was in the shortstop position, getting the first baseman out.  Andy was super proud and whooped and hollered like I've never heard him.  Usually he’s telling me to settle down, HA!