Happy Birthday, GraceLou and Way To Go !

For Grace's 6th Birthday she asked for her ears to be pierced.  Her Daddy and I were not on board right away, even trying to dissuade her from having them pierced by simulating what the processes would feel like.  We pinched her ears. A lot.  It didn't work !  She was undeterred and so, on her birthday we took the quintessential trip to Claire's.

(BEFORE)

(It wasn't possible to get an AFTER pic at the mall, but later that day I got this sweet image of her beautiful turquoise flower)

 OH, and did I mention THIS new development ?!  On her 6th birthday, she impressed us all ...

Sweet Cousins

I LOVE that my kiddos have cousins not only so close in age but also in the same town !  

I love these kids so much ♥

How did THIS happen ?!

First Comes Meet The Teacher Night

(LOVE both of their teachers this year, by the way...)

Then Comes FIRST DAY of SCHOOL !! 

GFC is in Kinder this year and I am going to miss my little Monday buddy SO much.  

She is kind of out-of-this-world amazing :)

GMAC is a big 1st Grader.  He loves the fact that he is older than Grace and reminds her 

any chance he gets.  If I hear "That is sooo easy" from him regarding Grace's assignments one more time I will go crazy !  GMAC is also my kid that will blow me kisses and mime "I ♥ U"  to me for 10 minutes if you let him...and I let him :)

My Father-In-Law had a Birthday !

I have the best Father-in-law in the world.  Period.  He will do anything, for anyone, anytime.  Never a negative world about anyone (except maybe a politician or two every once in a while...hehe!)   We are so blessed to  have him in our lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, G.P. - We ♥ You !

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For my birthday every year I like to get out of town and go DO something.  I love exploring new places with my family and doing things that bond our family together.  This year we have been so busy with building the house and money is being watched like a hawk so we kept it simple this year.  Natural Bridge Caverns is a place that every kids goes on field trips during school at some point...I haven't been since I was a kid and I just knew the kids would get a kick out of the caves.  It was awesome.  Super awesome.  Excited for our next adventure already !

Oh...and here is my favorite from the day ♥

No Lifeguard...No Problem !

The one reason that GMAC loves GooGoo's pool so much...no lifeguard to tell you what you can not do.  Ride on your Daddy's shoulders...no problem !  Dive off the edge...No Problem !

So when our super fun cousin K came for a visit we just HAD to go to GooGoo's Pool :)

My Right-Hand Girl ...

This girl.  She is SUCH a trooper.  She colors at the counters of cabinet showrooms,  looks at Pokemon cards in the bathtubs of fixture showrooms, and swings patiently on the porch at Southwest Trading Post waiting for mommy and daddy to pick out a fireplace mantle.  And you wouldn't believe what she can create out of excess building material !  Now, GMAC has also put in his time shadowing us in showrooms, etc... but GFC wins the prize ♥

40 year Old Fun

Happy Birthday to YOU, Matt !  40 looks GREAT on you, Babe !  

He amazes me...

I believe in God and I believe in Science.  I wrestle between the two from time to time (especially when answering my kids' never-ending questions) but I think that is healthy and human.

So far this summer the kids have done a variety of camps including Vacation Bible School and a science camp focused on inventions.

Yesterday while driving GMAC asked me if one of his ideas for an invention would make him a famous scientist.  His idea for an invention was a machine that could help people on Earth talk to people in heaven.  I LOVE that he ponders things like this.  I LOVE that believes that this is possible. He LOVE that he has found a way to blend science and religion in his heart.  He amazes me.

(The photo was taken on the way home from work one day)

Daddy's Day Post for M♥tt

DADDY

A Son's First HERO

A Daughter's First LOVE

We got "Lucky" !

Furry, Crazy Puppy

Handsome, Poised Puppy

We would like everyone to meet Marshal Lucky Stars Comer, "Lucky" for short.  He is a 12 week old Havachon and the love of one little girls' life ♥ 

And sometimes ....

I have a twin brother and I am very proud of that because I am very proud of him.  Many ask me what it is like to have a twin and my automated response has become "It is a special thing to have a twin...I have someone in my life who remembers my childhood exactly the way I do." Cool, huh ?   

While G&G are not truly twins (unless Irish Twins count !) I believe that they too will share so many memories equally.  I am so glad that they have one another ♥♥

(While I know that I could post more images of them NOT getting along, it is sooo much sweeter to post the one's where they are !)

A Project Oriented Boy

We spend A LOT of time at the new house.  For a very long time it has been muddy out there because of all of the rain but now it is getting mighty warm !  The kids have been troopers and I love to see them entertain themselves on the land.  This day GMAC decided to rid our backyard of weeds...and then stack them one by one on the back porch to measure his productivity.  I LOVE him and I relate to him more than anyone in this whole wide world.  

(This will be GFC's view out of her bedroom window!)

He LOVES me ♥

Oh, the Places You'll Go...

In the blink of an eye...

FIRST DAY OF KINDER                 LAST DAY OF KINDER

He went in like a champ and he came out like a champ !   I am so, so proud of this brilliant, hilarious little man !

                            FIRST DAY OF Pre-K                         LAST DAY OF Pre-K

This little beauty is everyone's friend, smart as a whip, and has a better sense of self than most adults!                                                              Watch out Kindergarten !

Grandmother's Mother's Day Tea with GFC

Breaking in our new Back Porch

PARKS !

All this time in Austin and believe it or not there was still a park we had not explored !  The day we came to this one (which will be our closest one to our not house) the storm clouds were already approaching but we made the best of our time.  

Bio-luminescent FUN !

    Dusk comes coincidentally JUST as the kids and I are preparing for bed at night yet some nights Matt will still snatch the kids from their nighttime routine and take them outside to catch Lightning Bugs. They love it and I cannot complain. I do wonder though...why are lightning Bugs so slow  ?

Happy Mother's Day to ME !

I am beyond blessed to have been chosen to be their Mama ♥♥

Book Lovers

The library brings back so many memories for me and continues to be a special place.  We are so blessed to have MANY libraries in Austin and they are all special to me.  The library was a "safe place" to go when my babies were little.  They could explore in the kids areas, we could read together, attend storytimes and plays, and choose piles and piles of books to borrow.  Those borrowed books then continued the memories made by allowing G&G and I time together at bedtime to read and read and read.  We discovered our favorite books together (GFC loves The Berenstain Bears, GMAC loves Lego books and Non-Fiction books about EVERYTHING).  We learned together. When we read, we were close together.  It is my favorite time of every day.

Camp Ben McCullough

There is this little place called Camp Ben just West of Austin.  It is the home of the Old Settler's Music Festival, an annual Confederate Reunion, and an always perfect little part of Onion Creek for us to swim throughout the summer.   Camp Ben McCullough is right across from the infamous Salt Lick Bar-B-Que but still this little place is a relative secret ... shhhh ;)

Only two weeks into Spring and we are already swimming !

I promise I wasn't ignoring GMAC on this day, he spent more of his time underwater dive-stick diving.  And yes, the water was cold !  We were only there for 30 minutes :)

Happy Birthday, Mama !

I ♥ You, Mama !  Happy Birthday to YOU !

Jill Bean

Our Jilly Bean basking in a beautiful pocket of light.  She is a wild beast trapped in a house cat's body.

She loves him...

                  After GMAC and I leave in the morning, it is a habit of Matt and GFC's to play in bed a while before it was time for school.  They play ponies, they tell stories, Matt tickles her.  They are more alike than they know.  She may look like me, but the beauty in her soul comes from him.

It's a WRAP !

Wowsers !  This house is going up FAST !  This week the house was wrapped with Tyvek, siding placed, and roof is ready to be put on tomorrow....

Just because she's wonderful (and the House in front of her will be too !)

                          This girl of mine...what can I say ?  Look hard - her shoes are on the wrong feet, her clothes don't match, and she decided that the gravel road was a good place for a snack.  Well, hey, she has a nice view ;)

Our Night Owl is UP !

GFC has always had trouble falling asleep at night.  She needs perfect conditions - white noise (fan), no pillow, a song to be sung.....and Mommy.  Daddy is nice to play and laugh with, but when it comes to nighty-night time he just can't compare.  This was a night that Daddy wanted to put the kids to sleep and GFC wasn't going for it.   She told me that she would just stay up and read until I was finished with my chores.  It wasn't long until I gave in and put her to bed myself.  These days are fleeting and I don't want to miss these moments !  

Kindergarten Rodeo !

Kinder Rodeo is sort-of a big deal in Austin schools ;)  Each year in Austin Spring Break marks the beginning of Rodeo Time in Austin.  There is a Cowboy Breakfast every year served at a beautiful downtown park followed by lots of other events...  So, the area schools join in the spirit and have a full day of boot stompin' fun !   That being said, I have NEVER been to the Austin Rodeo.  But today, I HAVE been to a Kindergarten Rodeo  and I was accompanied by the most handsome cowboy this side of the Mason-Dixon ! 

 The green vest GMAC is wearing was handmade by my Mom for my brother Tracy when he was a little one !   GMAC was SO, SO proud to wear it today ♥♥