Little Texas Tornado x3!

This past week- we had a couple PRECIOUS visitors come to the island... La La and Libby! We were all so excited to see a few of our TN peeps!! I didn't take near as many pictures as I would have liked- we really had our hands full! 2- 15 month olds and 1 4 month old... WHEW!!! Oh- but SO SO SO much fun! I can't get enough of Libby- I remember when my itty bitty's were that little and still-- not anymore. Here are a few action shots...
Hailey showing Libby how to put a bow on! She loves to accessorize- necklaces, bows, hats, shoes, you name it! :)

My girls are also learning where their nose and mouth is- I hope she is just trying to show Libby where her mouth is. HA!

Look at this sweet chunky monkey in her bath! I love it!!!

We even braved the beach one afternoon! I love this picture of Libby- her first time to see the ocean and she is snoozing away. I love that she looks so small and the ocean so big! (Sidenote: singing "I hope you dance" in my head"). I also love that Hailey is crawling towards the water- my girls love to be at the beach. :)

Once Libby woke up- guess who got in her carrier...

Look at these 2 big girls! Libby has just about mastered sitting up! How time flies!!!

Uncle Ken and Libby! I love seeing him with little babies- he is so sweet! You are an amazing Daddy and Uncle!
xoxo,

Splash Day

At school today- the girls were able to play in the water buckets and sprinklers. Although, we weren't as crazy about the sprinklers we did love the water tub! As usually- the girls just climbed right in!

Mattie playing with her friends Cora Jo, Sianna, Hailey and Tomas.

Hailey's favorite part- climbing in and out of the water.

Having so much FUN!!!

Too much fun!!! We didn't like the sprinklers- maybe next time! What a great day at EEP! :)

Happy Summer!
xoxo,

Totally "tube"ular Day!

It is official- Hailey had to get tubes put in her ears. She has had so many ear infections in the past 3 months, I think we were all ready for relief and a few less Dr. visits. :):):)
Here we are on the way to the surgery center! We only had to take Hailey with us because my VERY sweet friend Laura came over and kept Mattie. What a huge HELP!!! Mattie and Hailey both LOVE Mrs. Laura (she used to be their teacher at EEP). Laura- I can't say THANK YOU enough for keeping Mattie on Monday!!! Hailey looks as if she is wondering "Why is it dark out and I am up?" I totally broke my pacifier rule- it usually is ONLY in her bed, but since this sweet baby couldn't eat this morning- a pacifier is the next best thing!!

Here we are at the surgery center- it was a great facility where everything went very smoothly... Ken and I took turns talking to all the doctors and chasing Hailey- who was very busy!

Daddy's turn! Finally around 7:40 they took Hailey back. It was very fast- they let her pick out a stuffed animal and then I had to hand her to a nurse. We were sent back to the waiting room... and less than 20 minutes (time to fix a cup of coffee and potty) they were ready for us to come back. We talked to the ENT that did the surgery- everything went beautifully! Then we got to go hold Hailey. It was so sweet when we went back there- another nurse had her in a blanket- so I never saw her in a big hospital bed... everytime I saw her she was being held- almost as iv someone held her for the surgery (I know that isn't the case- but I like to think that!)

She was very happy to Mommy and Daddy, but more happy to see her milk cup! :)

After sitting there for about 15 minutes, the nurse said we could go! Can you believe it??? We were home by 9am with a healthy happy baby Hailey! What a blessing!!!! Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers!
More soon on our visit with LaLa and Libby!
xoxo,

A LEAGUE of their OWN!!!

It is official- we are no longer pledges... I mean PROVISIONALS, we are ACTIVES! Yay!! As most of you know I decided to join Junior League this year- and what a GREAT choice it was...
I was able to volunteer in so many amazing ways- Special People's Ball, Relay for Life, The Children's Center, and participate in redoing a room for Independence Village- not to mention party harty with some AMAZING WOMEN! I have made some great friendships this year and am so blessed to be able to give back to the community I live in! Here are a few pictures of our annual dinner- a super fun night! I felt like I was back in "sorority life".


Provisional class 2010!!!!

Some of my very favoirte provisional friends:

on the back row (left to right) Nicole, Beth, Sandra, Gabriella
front: Lindsey, Stevy, me, and Trisha

I have loved getting to know you girls and look forward to being life long league friends!!!!
xoxo,

Happy Mother's Day 2010!

What a special day full of FUN! Ken let me sleep in- well until 7:45am (that is late considering)... I woke up to an orchid and a sweet card informing me that we are getting DVR again! Oh how I have missed DVR!!! After we got up, we headed to our 2nd annual Mother's Day breakfast! We met the Perez's at Miller's Landing. They have amazing french toast! After breakfast it was time for a nap and a little "Honey" and "Grammy" gift giving. Since I am going to Memphis in June- I hated to ship such precious art- so I took a picture to email the grandmother's and we will hand deliver when we get there! :)
This isn't the finished product- we wrote "We LOVE you!" on it and each of the girls names by their hand... it is adorable!

I sent them this poem about handprints:

I know you wipe some away,
But these handprints were made to stay.
So keep them forever, a treasure they'll be.
A special "I Love You", for you from me.

After we did the handprints- Ken's job was to entertain the girls while I finished the pottery. He took them into a party store where they gota balloon for being so cute- they LOVED them- that is until one popped...
end of balloons, 2 sad babies... lesson learned when offered balloons "No, thank you!" :)
Happy Mother's Day to ALL of the amazing Mommies in my life that have encouraged, strengthened, and supported me as a Mommy! Isn't this the BEST JOB!!! I am so blessed to say that I am a Mommy- double blessed to say I am a Mommy to Mattie and Hailey.
xoxo,

Day of Yaga's Cookoff

What a fun weekend!!! I started Saturday with a 5k! I am really working on "becoming" a runner! Inspiration: healthy living, promoting healthy habits for my girls, Courtney D., the last 15lbs I want to lose post baby! I started small- 3.1 miles... all of the money goes to the Children's Center on the island! It was perfect weather and had a great time running with Lindsay and Davis.

Lindsay, Davis and I after we finished... We are planning on building to half marathon by November! After the morning run on seawall- I came home and our family headed up to the "Wild Game Cookoff"! What a fun afternoon...

There was a petting zoo

lots of yummy food... (Here Hailey is with Scott Rice and Daddy)

Mattie checking out her new found freedom by being a walker! Today was the first time that we actually didn't want to be held, but wanted to walk... we are in trouble. :)

The girls loved the animals and the goats loved them! Hailey, Daddy and a goat!

Mommy, Mattie and another goat...

Mattie LOVED the 5 and under bounce house! She would just jump on her knees and laugh! It was so cute. Hailey wouldn't even get in it... so funny how their little personalities are so different.

One of the wonderful "Sandbar-b-q cookers" Brandon and his sidekick Davis! The food was great! We had chicken, ribs, and brisket. I even tasted rabbit- no I didn't like it.

This is a true picture of my day- everyday- Mattie loves books. She wants you to read them over and over again... sits so still and content. Hailey is trying to figure out what else she can get into! :) After some fun- time to head home for naps! We ALL took one! Saturday night- we had our sweet friends Laura and Nic come over to keep the girls and Davis so that the Mommies and Daddies could have a night out! We headed back down to the cookoff for some more food and fun!

A couple of my favorite girls! What a fun night! Liz, Lindsay and me at the tent!

The Perez's and The Haynes's enjoying our night out!

More of my favorite mommies: Trisha, Kelli, me, and LP! Thanks for a fun night friends! :)
xoxo,

"Walk that WAY, Talk that WAY"

Here is a clip of Hailey walking it up and Mattie talking it up! :) Everyday I fall more and more in love with each stage we enter. Can you say PERSONALITY!!! We have them and they are more loveable than I could have ever imagined! In the coming weeks things are going to get pretty busy. Here are few things we are looking forward to:
*Yaga's Cookoff

*Mother's Day

*Aunt La La's and Libster's visit

*Last day of school

*Grammy and Rachel's visit and trip to family reunion

*Our Memphis trip (just the girls and I- Ken will be working)

*Libby's Dedication

*SITC 2 date with LaLa and Mary Jetton (Pre-K friend) who has a baby days younger than M and H

*My birthday (I think I will always love birthdays even after I leave the 20's!)

Hugs!!

xoxo,

Lions and Tigers and Sea Lions- OH MY!!!

This is too funny not to share- yesterday, a few Mommy friends and I headed to the zoo after school. It was perfect "planning" on my part- so I thought. I packed snacks, sippy cups, my stroller, extra water, diapers, sunscreen, a few toys to hold- I was ready! (Kate one up'd me on the ready by bringing the zoo cups so you just start off getting refills for cheaper- I like it and will do that next time!) Anyway, once we get there the first animal we see are the Sea Lions- all the kid-os loved them. We got there just in time to see a "show". Surrounded by people and children alike- sippy cups in hand- all the sudden... Hailey asked the question "Do Sea Lions drink from sippy cups?"- well she asked it by throwing her cup in with the sea lions. Agh- everyone saw... Agh- what do I do? Prepared Mommy only had 1 sippy cup left? Agh- did I lose my bumpy label to the sea lions? Agh- do I claim it?

As all of this is running through my head and my friends and I are having a good laugh- the sea lion swims over- grabs the sippy cup and takes it to her trainer... middle of the show... that's my girl. Needless to say, I did try to claim it- not that I was totally sold on reusing it, but I did want them to see it was an accident and we would never do that on purpose- also to see if it had a bumpy label. Unfortunately, they don't give things back that fall in the tanks with the animals. Lesson learned: always take 3 sippy cups!!
Oh well- I'll always remember our first trip to the Houston zoo.

Mattie and Hailey loved seeing all the animals! The giraffes were really close by and my girls kept calling them "Belle". They must think that if you walk on four legs that is your name because our German Shepherd and giraffes look VERY different. :)

We also took our first carousel ride- Mattie loved it, but Hailey screamed the entire time...

Cute picture of our friends Ava and Jackson checking out some animal I had never heard of. DO you remember when zoo's had lions, monkeys, bears, and zebras? I do too- today I saw a dog in the cage with leopards- a dog... ???? When did that become a zoo animal????

Our strolller buddies! What a fun day! Thanks Mommies and kid-os for meeting us there! Let's do it again soon!

xoxo,