Fall Festival

Each year our church hosts a Fall Festival. Keith and I took the girls last night (Madeline was a cat; Grace was a punk rocker girl). Honestly, Keith and I enjoyed nothing about the night....there are a million people and we literally stood in the donkey riding line for 1 hour :( I think we are going to pass on the whole thing next year!

The girls had fun though and that's what matters!

Misc....

Keith went dove hunting two weeks ago (I know....it's taken me two weeks to find the time to sit down and post). Anyways, while he was gone, the girls and I got our hair done, had lunch, and saw a movie at the Harbor. Too much fun!!! Madeline decided to cut all of her hair off. It amazes me at how much older she looks in her new "do." Grace only cut about 3 inches off. She wanted to keep those long locks. Oh me....she has the most beautiful hair! I'm also attaching a picture of Madeline in her "community helper" day at school. She was, of course, a police officer. Keith got to talk to her class that day and pass out all sorts of police goodies!!!

Grace got her first phone call from a boy tonight. The phone rang and a voice said "may I speak to Grace please?" I asked "may I ask who is calling?" He answered "this is Castleton." I about died. I calmly walked to Grace's room and gave her a quick spill about being friends with boys and keeping the conversation on a friend level. Then I handed her the phone. It was in that moment, when I watched the huge smile on her face and listened to her talk, that I got a little sad. I realized that she is growing up. I realized that this is the first time she is not boy crazy over someone but someone is smitten with her....

Castleton first met us at the WPA ice cream social back in August. He was so polite and Keith and I both thought he was very sweet. To our surprise, on the first day of school, we got out of the car and heard (from across the parking lot) "GRACE....HI!" When we looked it was Castleton, waving his hands and smiling at Grace; he had remembered her. Several weeks later, Grace told us that Castleton told her he thought she had pretty hair one day in class. She smiled as she told us this. Then, in Kid's Town at church, he told her that she had a voice like an angel. Need I say more? He is totally smitten. I know this is just a little crush and is short lived, but it is bitter sweet to see my baby really like a boy for the very first time....

While I am bragging....Grace is LOVING WPA! We are so thankful for the academic, social, and spiritual growth we see in Grace. We had our first teacher conference last week and everything was very positive. Grace is thriving! God truly knew what He was doing when he opened this door for us. I'm so glad that we finally listened and said "okay God." She even auditioned for her first school musical and SHE GOT THE PART!!! We are so proud of her:)

First Days...

I'm about 2 weeks behind but "better late than never, right?"

Grace started her first year at Wylie Prep; she LOVES it! The program is Christ centered and focuses on higher level thinking and hands on learning; Keith and I are so impressed with what she is learning and with her teachers (all 6 of them. That's right, she has 6 different teachers). Kuddos to Mrs. Baughier (language arts/reading), Mrs. Jerina (social studies), Mrs. Spenrath (science), Mrs. Leas (math), Mrs. Bounds (music/drama), and the art teacher (who's name is leaving my mind right now). Grace is pictured here with Mrs. Leas, her math teacher! She wears a uniform and we ALL love that! It's very easy getting ready for school :) My principal was so nice to let me be late to our professional development on Grace's 1st day (she started before RISD did) so we all got to take her on her 1st day.

Madeline started Kindergarten this year. It was cool that we all got to take Madeline to her first day since WPA starts later than public school. Madeline goes with me, to Springer, and has my dear friend Mrs. Wood. She is thriving in Kindergarten! They are already doing great things in math and she's learned 3 sight words:) She's a big girl and enjoys walking to class all by herself when the bell rings in the morning. She will kiss me goodbye (in my classroom) and say "bye mama."

I am also posting a few pictures of Grace's ice cream social at WPA. We had the social at the Skyview campus, which will eventually be the site for all of WPA...currently the high school meets there!

I am so proud of my girls! They are my whole life:)

Beach Fun!

Keith and I have promised the girls for a year that we would take them to the beach this summer for our FIRST EVER FAMILY VACATION. Well, the oil spill ruined our Florida plans so we opted for Rockport-Fulton.

Our journey began with me attending a 3 day math conference in San Antonio. Keith and the girls spent those 3 days with his parents in Temple. The girls met a sweet friend named Clara. They visited the spray park, fed ducks, went to a museum, and enjoyed some over-due Nanny and Papa time. They even got the pleasure of making Papa birthday cake and helped him celebrate his 64th~

We all met up on Saturday afternoon at my sister and brother in law's house in San Antonio. We visited a cool pool that had great water slides. The girls wore us out riding those. Then we headed back to their house for some cool beverages and hot dogs.

We left early Sunday morning and drove almost three hours to Rockport. We unpacked and headed straight for the beach. Rockport-Fulton has a beach area that is GREAT for kids. The waves are small and you can walk so far out into the ocean. Madeline enjoyed building a sand castle with daddy and Grace and I soaked up some rays while listening to her ipod! (she's growing up too fast)! That night we ate at a yummy place called Moon Dog. It was located right in the middle of a fishing/shrimp boat cove. The breeze was nice and cool from the water!

On Monday, we ventured (via Ferry) to Mustang Island. I wanted the girls to see REAL waves. Boy, were they real! The pictures don't really show how big and mighty these waves were. The sound was so relaxing and beautiful. We spent our time playing in the waves (we held tightly to the girls though because the under-tow was so strong), burying each other in the sand, making another sand castle (complete with a garden....Madeline created a garden for her castle with sea shells). It was so much fun; we were sooo tired that day!

We ventured to a local restaraunt called Paradise Key. The food was amazing!!!! Grace tried shrimp for the very first time and really liked it! Madeline wasn't so adventurous....she stuck with good ole corn dogs!

Tuesday was our last day to spend at the beach but it didn't quite go as planned.... we ventured back to the kid friendly beach at Rockport-Fulton. We paid our $4.00 entrance fee and only stayed for 5 minutes!!! The jellyfish were out in full bloom and after seeing those, the girls wanted no part of the beach! We loaded our stuff back up and headed to our hotel where we spent the entire afternoon (4-5 hours) playing in the pool and enjoying our picnic lunch! It ended up being tons of fun and we took some crazy photos! Keith's face in the "crazy picture" absolutely cracks me up. After 12 years of marriage, I had never seen him make this face before...

Leslie and Gregg were kind enough to let us stay Wednesday night with them to break up our LONG trip home. It was fun (as it always is). We made a quick stop in Temple on Thursday to say goodbye to his parents and we were home at 4:30. Whew.....vacation was so much fun but so much work! Keith and I need a vacation from the vacation now :)) Maybe soon....

Grace's swim meet (#2)

Maddie playing in baby pool at swim meet.


Grace racing in the freestyle.

On the starting blocks!

Grace and Riley (he's our long time friend and the only boy on the team)!

After the backstroke race; she was soooo tired!

Grace joined The Shores swim team this summer! We practice everyday from 9:30 until 11:00 and they have meets on Mondays at various country clubs in the metroplex. She is the newest member of the team and has no experience so needless to say she's not the fastest swimmer yet. However, I am so proud of her effort and hard work. She has come so far and is learning so much! I am so proud of be her momma! (you will also see a pic of Maddie from the swim meet...when she's lucky, there's a "baby pool" which keeps her busy while sissy swims. She also gets to swim everyday while Grace practices so it's been nice to keep her busy. She's swimming like a fish too)!

Happy Father's Day

So, the girls and I woke up and headed to the lake to treat my daddy to lunch and an afternoon together. (Keith had to sleep since he had worked all night). We got there about 9:30 and played horeshoes, catch (with the velcro hand mitts and baseball), and just sat on the deck and enjoyed watching the squirrels and feeling the breeze from the lake. It is always nice to go to the lakehouse because it slows us down and we are able to turn off technology devices and just enjoy being together. It always amazes me to see how down and dirty the girls get when we are there; they play so hard when we go!

We left there about 2:30 and headed back home where I made Keith chicken spaghetti, a fresh salad, and cake. Then we woke him up to celebrate his Father's Day. I am truly blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. He doesn't have outside habits....WE are his habit. He is loving and attentive and wonderful!

Attaching a few pictures from our time at the lake with Grampy...didn't get any pics of Keith (kind of weird....oh well, I'll try to get some today when he gets up).