Gallands & Pints

10 Months!

2012-01-29T10:36:00.000-08:00

Cole is 10 months- This first year is flying by. He is a joy to be with. His sweet smile is contagious. He doesn't meet a stranger and he loves everyone. Mommy is his favorite though and we have started to have some separation anxiety. He is standing for a few seconds on his own and I know it won't be long before he is walking. He doesn't miss a meal and loves his food. Fruit is his favorite though and he often shakes his head no at green veggies. Something we'll have to work on.

I love this sweet boy and can't imagine our lives without him!

1000 Gifts

2011-12-28T11:27:00.000-08:00

I started out this year with a goal to be more mindful and recognize the gifts that I have in my life. I read about a woman who wrote down 1000 gifts in a year and set out to do just that. As with many New Years resolutions I didn't quite complete the goal the way I set out to. However, I did write gifts down consistantly throughout the year and while many of them are duplicates and I only made it to 256. I think I still accomplished the idea behind the goal.

That idea was to recognize how many gifts are given to me daily. How to be thankful about the small and tender moments in my life. To be aware of how much I have to be thankful for. My list is below. I plan to continue this next year. Maybe I'll get to 1000, then maybe eventually 10,000. I hope that this year I can look a little deeper into things and maybe see things below the surface I hadn't recognized before. It's great journey this life I have, I can't wait to see the gifts that 2012 has in store for us.

1000 Gifts
1. Clever husband
2. Road trip
3. Snuggling in the morning
4. Holding hands
5. Comfy pants
6. Beaches
7. Feeling the baby move
8. New beginnings
9. Talk radio
10. Sunglasses
11. New Orleans architechture
12. Old bookstores
13. Stories that can be told over and over
14. Southern Hospitality
15. New and different foods
16. My kids playing together
17. Sleeping in
18. A job
19. Vacations
20. Friends who are friends no matter what
21. A job
22. How much Katherine enjoys looking at herself
23. Carolines Wit
24. How much Caroline loves to snuggle
25. Beautiful Cloud Formations
26. Getting to have lunch with my girls
27. Good schools for my kids
28. Great teachers
29. Sunshine
30. Diet coke with vanilla
31. A husband who does his best to fulfill my needs
32. Cold weather with sunshine
33. Eating food I prepared myself
34. Feeling productive
35. Reliving memories
36. Chance to have alone time before baby
37. Hot tea on a cold day
38. Warm bed and working heater
39. Marriage encounters
40. Books and libraries
41. School
42. Carolines snuggles in the morning
43. People watching
44. Mornings that everyone is ready on time
45. A husband who just wants to hear my beautiful voice
46. Fruit
47. Being pleasantly surprised
48. Good books and time to read
49. Quite moments
50. Pictures of my family
51. Coupons
52. Parents and siblings
53. Tat I can ask for forgiveness from my children and get it
54. Being able to feel like I look cute even pregnant
55. Friends who pass on old clothes
56. Music
57. Smell of fresh cut grass
58. Slow days at home with my girls
59. The friends my kids have picked
60. Caroline getting to have a playdate
61. Being able to wear my wedding ring at 7.5 months preg
62. Homemade choc chip cookies
63. Good movies
64. Texting to keep in touch
65. Blogs to uplift me
66. Great friends to give me a baby shower
67. Gifts for baby to help us get ready
68. Church friends
69. Healthy children
70. Journaling
71. Computers
72. Having plenty of food
73. Good deals to stock up on things
74. Notes from my husband
75. Sleep
76. Great schools for my kids
77. Mornings that run smoothly and everyone gets where they need to be
78. Stephanie
79. Springtime
80. Color
81. The pool
82. Linda
83. Chris grabruck and help with caroline
84. Pretty parks
85. Free things to do with the kids
86. My baby boys smile
87. Being able to nurse cole
88. Dinner from church women
89. Help with cole
90. Weight watchers
91. Swm team
92. Baby smiles
93. How carefully caroline makes her bed
94. How much Katherine wants to hold cole
95. The lake
96. Relaxation and natural beauty
97. Loretta and her thoughtful creativity
98. Memaw being open to new things
99. Help from friends
100. Being able to take cole to work
101. Resale shops
102. Sleeping babies
103. Nursing
104. Swim team
105. A husband that helps with the house
106. Writing skills
107. Soldiers who fight for my families freedoms
108. Expense checks
109. My mom
110. My dads love for my mom
111. Learning
112. Caroline’s giggle as she laughs at herself
113. Cole’s Milk mustache
114. Katherines helpful attitude towards her brother
115. The pool
116. Roses
117. Date night
118. Creativity
119. Trips alone
120. Freedom
121. Old friends
122. Being able to let go and forgive
123. Boy scouts program
124. Girl scouts
125. Good friends for my children
126. The atonement
127. Forgiveness
128. Time alone in the pool
129. Excersize
130. Sisters
131. Mountains
132. Libraries
133. College
134. Soft grass
135. Museums
136. Art
137. Gramps camp
138. Confidance in my kids
139. Fun cousins
140. Sisters- even when we fight
141. Loretta driving to get the girls
142. That steph is having a baby
143. Vacation
144. Snorkeling
145. Memories with the kids
146. Road trips
147. Laughing with my family
148. Spirituality
149. Awareness of self and family
150. Motherhood
151. Sarah and chad
152. Ross and pat to help with koda
153. Sand
154. Beach sunsets
155. Family pictures
156. Pto
157. John and his withitness
158. Bunco friends
159. Long drives to work to listed to books
160. Library
161. Working cars
162. Jackie’s help with the kids
163. Pretty flowers
164. Katherines help
165. Happy kids in the morning
166. A few minutes alone before the kids wake up
167. Duty
168. Neighbors
169. Goals
170. Steph asking me to be in the delivery room
171. Orange leaf dates with Mom
172. Bike rides with linda
173. Being stretched
174. Kids trying new things
175. Cooking
176. Bleach
177. Opportunity to speak in church
178. Being good at things
179. Freedom
180. Katherine’s empathy
181. Caroline’s black and white logic
182. Blogs
183. Learning
184. Sharing new things with K even if they are hard
185. Our home
186. Family
187. Moving outside my box
188. Michaels help
189. Sharing meals with the stricklands
190. Carolines improvement in reading
191. Talents
192. Chris Grabruck as a mentor
193. Kids talents at school
194. Kids teachers
195. Quiet mornings
196. Sarah and good girl time
197. Motherhood
198. Mike time alone with the girls at the deer lease
199. Helping sarah after surgery
200. Fall
201. Sisters
202. Mom
203. Coles singing in the morning
204. Workouts
205. Journaling
206. Friends with talents to learn from and help me
207. Weddings
208. Katherines confidence
209. Carolines sweet spirit
210. Party dress
211. Michael making me feel beautiful
212. Teachers to open their classrooms for me
213. Ms. Pauley’s fun attitude
214. Resale shops
215. Fall weather
216. Apologies from kids
217. Rachel Jenkins willingness to take over PTO
218. Holly – great principal
219. Great novels
220. Coles laugh
221. Caroline’s fashion sense
222. Katherines heart
223. Good co-workers
224. John Ridgway
225. Rachel Jenkins
226. Grade level leaders
227. Home
228. Fall scents
229. Chance to see chris
230. Laughter with siblings
231. Mom and dad driving and sharing
232. Ability to watch ty and Nolan for extra money
233. That caroline loves to snuggle in our bed
234. Extra hours at work for Christmas money
235. Beautiful weather on thanksgiving
236. Savings
237. Heater in the bathroom on cold mornings
238. Mimi coming into town
239. Grandpa dates with the kids
240. Visiting teachers
241. Texts that make me smile
242. Making new foods my family likes
243. Sleep
244. Books
245. Ability to buy food for our family
246. Christmas time
247. Bernard fun with the kids
248. Nap time
249. Cold weather
250. Cole learning new things
251. Online shopping
252. Pictures of my kids
253. Family journal
254. Seeing Ethan born
255. God’s design for families
256. Friends with the same values as us
257. Gallands
258. Thoughtful gifts
259. Making others smile
260. Christmas
261. Time with extended family
262. Games
263. Younger siblings
264.

10 Things about Katherine at 10

2011-10-19T18:42:00.001-07:00

My number one....Ahhh so much to say about this sweet child of mine that has made it to the double digit club. I'll just stick to 10 things in honor of this special birthday.

1) You are smart- so smart. 12th grade reading level in fourth grade. A woman after my own heart!

2) You are empathetic and care deeply about your friends. You want them to be happy and for everyone to get along. You work hard to make that happen.

3) You are a huge help to me. I could not do all that I do without your helping hands and smile.

4) You are creative- stories, poems, games. You can come up with something imaginative and interesting on a dime.

5) You are well rounded. School, sports, dancing, swimming. You love everything and are willing to try anything.

6) You are outgoing and fun yet mature enough to hold conversations with adults you don't know, look them in the eye and ask thoughtful questions.

7) You are spiritual. You want to know God and learn about him.

8) You are healthy and want to stay that way. You are no longer the picky eater that I had at 2 years old.

9) You are respectful to your parents and to other adults. This will serve you well.

10) You are mine! And I'm lucky lucky lucky to get to borrow you from God for just a little while. How blessed we are that Dad, Caroline, Cole and I get to share this wonderful life with you.

Happy Birthday TEN YEAR OLD!

6 Months!

2011-09-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

18.8lbs
26 1/2 inches
72% weight
42% height

My boy is 6 months old! I can't believe how quickly time flies by. At 6 months Cole can get just about anything he wants. He can roll around like a roly-poly, army crawl like a Sergent, and sit up for long periods of time. His first two bottom teeth have barely poked through the surface. He loves to give kisses which include grabbing your face in a death grip and latching on to your nose. He thinks it is HILARIOUS. Cole has the most delightful disposition. He smiles and babbles at everyone and flirts with every girl that comes his way.

He is absolutely a Mama's boy and I'm happy to have it that way. Daddy is very smitten and I can tell how much Cole is going to love rough housing with his Dad. Mike is already planning trips to the deer lease.

He looks a little sleepy in the bottom picture but I wanted to show everyone how well he can sit up.

I'm loving this new journey with Cole. It is a new and different experience everyday and I am blessed to share him with such a great husband and wonderful sisters who love him so much. Could a Mom get any luckier? Or for that matter- could a boy? He is loved by so many! We are just blessed!~

Love to all!
Erin

3...2...1

2011-07-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

I have 3 beautiful children. Katherine is tall, pretty, creative and bright. She works hard to do well is school and in life. She is social and has many friends. Caroline is funny, suprisingly witty and spacey all at the same time. She is thoughtful and sweet and makes people feel loved. Cole is a happy, thoughtful,snuggley little boy who looks just like his Daddy.

I am living in our second home. It isn't too big or too small and it has everything that we need.

Through 3 kids, 2 homes, loads of family and friends, jobs, and the general craziness of life. I've only needed one.

One guy that loves me unconditionally. One guy that's a great Dad, a wonderful son, and a friend anyone would be lucky to have. I know that when it comes to me, no matter what I ask of him he will try. No matter what. Quitting isn't in his vocabulary. Not in life and not when it comes to us. Knowing that is all I'll ever need.

This guy-

My one. Happy Anniversary My Love! Can't wait to see what the future holds for us.

Fabulous Adventure

2011-06-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

Utah is A.MAZE.ING really, it is awesome. Well, at least it is in June when the weather is perfect and you are lucky enough to have a super fantastic family that you get to hang out with for several days!

We got to see Temple Square, BYU, the place I was born and where my parents lived when they were first married. But the coolest thing I got to see was this:

Yep- 26.2. Serious business. She did it and she did it well. In better time than she even expected.

Rachel and Todd after being up all night long ran the last 5 miles with her. Dad and I caught up with them with 1 mile to go and jogged next to her till she got to the FINISH. It was incredible to be there with my family and get to watch her finish strong after working so hard.

Mimi was my first friend and after a few bumps in the road, my best friend. We have been there for each other through thick and thin. We've been there for marriage and babies, loss and love. I cheered her on to get her degree,and she inspired me to go back to get mine. She supported my half marathon run and then did one better and ran the full, forcing me to commit to the same. Not too many years ago I would not have believed she could do this. After all she has come through, and inspired me to do- I know she can do anything.

There was lots more to the trip. Beautiful mountians, perfect weather, yummy local food, lots of family I haven't seen in a long time (or ever)and my baby boy. I was happy to come home to Mike and the girls but now have to plan a trip to go back with them!

SIX!

2011-06-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

Six years ago today I was in the hospital having my green kangaroo. Today she is a swimmer, a reader, an artist, and a performer. From the moment she was born she was her own little person and that has not changed one bit. On any given day she is a cheetah, batman, a princess, a puppy.

She is kind, generous, creative and loving. She makes me smile, and often laugh outloud. I love the glimpses I get of the woman she will be someday and I'm so glad that her sweet spirit is a part of my family. I'm so blessed that she calls me Mommy!

Happy Birthday Six Year Old!

End of the year

2011-06-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

Is it here already? Summer fun begins tomorrow and I'm looking forward to lots of fun with my kiddos.

It's been a fabulous school year for the girls. I feel fortunante that these women chose to give a little...no a lot of themselves to my girls. It was like they were hand picked for them. They challenged them, and helped them to grow.

With Mrs. Champmans help Katherine has become quite a writer. She is creative, thoughtful and pretty darn eloquent for a 9 year old. The poem she wrote for her teachers went like this:

I'm going to miss the third grade hallway, I sure will
I'll miss the cracked doorway, We all will.
We'll miss our teachers loving smiles.
I bet she'll miss each blossoming child.
We know we'll miss her for many years,
So we're trying hard to fight all the tears.

Mrs. Robinson was an incredible math and science teacher. Creative and fun, some of the experiments they did this year were really amazing.

Mrs. Marek was the perfect teacher for my sweet loving girl. She gave her lots of extra love during a few hard weeks. Caroline's reading has really taken off. THe improvement has really been remarkable.

I'm excited for a fun, hot, exciting, hot, adventurous and very hot summer.

I've been thinkin....

2011-05-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Is it because it's our thirties? Is it because of the 'stage' of life we're in?

I've been thinkin how so many of my friends have made such a similar statement to me lately....It's time. It's time to loose the weight, change the relationship, the job, the church. It's just time. We're all in this boat where we aren't waiting for life to begin anymore. This is it, we're in it and it's time to make life happen.

I'm so happy with my life, I feel so blessed. I know this and I am enjoying every minute of it. However; I am not sitting around basking in the wonder of my beautiful life. I'm working hard to love it, keep it, and to make it better. I've decided to post it out there for everyone what it is for me.

It's time to finish school.
It's time to be healthy and to treat my body well.
It's time to activly teach my children what I feel they need to know before they fly my nest.
It's time to have date nights.
It's time to engage with my siblings.
It's time to stand up for freedom.
It's time to explore the city, town and country around me.

It's just time. I'm glad that so many of my friends are in this same mode. I love that we're all in this stage together and hope we can ENJOY each other and the process to gether. It's time.

2 Months

2011-05-27T06:36:00.000-07:00

13.6lbs
23.5 inches

Cole is 2 months old and growing more everyday. I am noticing every little change. It feels like every morning I wake up to a bigger, brighter, even more beautiful boy. He is smiling and cooing and even starting to reach for things. He love, love, loves his Mommy. And I love, love, love him back. He is such a cuddler and likes to be held- I'm happy to oblige. Now I understand the term 'baby wearing'. He loves his wrap and is content to stay snuggled tight in it for hours. It allows me to actually cook dinner on occasion or work on the computer.

The girls have started swim and our first meet was interesting because Mike was working. Bright and early I was loading coolers, chairs and kids. Even though it made me a little anxious we did fine. The girls are big helpers and we are lucky to have wonderful neighbors to help. Mom came too and held Cole for a long time so I could cheer on the girls and help where I was needed.

I am having a hard time keeping up at times. It is difficult to manage 3 kiddos that need 3 very different things, school, church and work obligations. I'm learning to let go of having a perfect house, I'm trying to let go of other things too and not worry about making everybody else happy all of the time. I'm focusing on what matters. Everything else is just fluff.

I can't imagine our lives without this little guy. I know he was meant for our family and has and will be a blessing to us forever.

Already?

2011-04-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

The time does fly! Cole is already a month old. I am working hard to cherish every second of my children. Already Cole is starting to focus on us, and to smile. He loves his big sisters and they are in love with him. Katherine asks to hold him constantly and is still my biggest helper. Caroline loves to kiss all over his face.

As much as I want to just sit and hold my baby all day long it's not possible- life moves on much to quickly. Swim team has started and my two little fish are loving it. Katherine is taking the TAKS test and I have no doubt she will make commended student. I'm struggling to finish out my semester and plan on taking summer school. We've got a big fun summer planned and it's coming quicker than I can get ready for!

Cole Michael

2011-03-29T13:48:00.001-07:00

We waited so long. I felt like I was going to burst....literally. But the day finally arrived and our little man has joined our family. He's perfect. Ten fingers, ten toes, a sweet spirit and even a little hair which is more than I can say his sisters came with.

We had a tiny scare in the OR where Cole's heart rate dropped in half. They decided to do an 'emergency' section even though I was on the table ready to go, my doctor was delivering another patient. She had to run to the OR and they didn't let Michael in till they knew everything was okay. I was terrified. All I was hearing was words like, "STAT", "Low heart rate", "keep the husband out". Luckily Dr. Thom the anesthesiologist stayed by my head to reassure me, wipe my tears and update me on the situation. I feel extremely blessed that he was on duty that day.

All the worry was for nothing though, as soon as he saw daylight we heard his cries and Mike got to come in- he even got to cut his cord. We have a beautiful, perfect 8.7lb 20 inch boy.

It's hard to imagine what you feel when you see your baby for the first time. I don't think you can describe the awe and wonder, whether it is the 1st or as I'm sure my Mom would say the 7th.

I feel blessed beyond measure that I have such a wonderful father for my children. He is gentle and sweet, and he is a work horse. I'm also blessed to have such a great group of family and friends. Sarah was there at the hospital from admit time till Cole was coming to recovery. My life wouldn't be the same without her as my friend. My sister (who swore off traveling for the year) came down to spend the weekend, helped ferry kids and love on Cole and I. My Mom and Mother in Law helped with the kids and anything and everything else we could've needed. Last but not least we've had meals everyday so far and have them scheduled through the weekend. How lucky am I to have Lisa and Monica to work with the other ladies at church to provide this for us.

The one thing I missed was my Daddy. He's in Singapore and won't be home till next weekend. I miss him and wish he'd been here to give me a blessing, keep us company and hold the baby. But we'll just have to wait. Travel safe Grandpa- Cole can't wait to meet you.

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2011-02-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today I went to a funeral for Abigail Sanchez. I attended the funeral of her twin sister just a few weeks ago. My sweet friend Cathy had them very early and lost both of them. It was an honor to be there and to be able to support a friend, but it was very very hard.

I can't help but think about this little baby growing inside of me, and all of the things that I want for his life. I think about my hopes of what he will experience, learn, become. I know that Cathy had those same thoughts about her daughters. I know she had dreams for them, and hopes for who they would someday be. When they placed the tiny coffin in the ground I was overwhelmed with what could have been for those sweet babies. I pray that her parents are able to find peace in something that doesn't seem to make sense to anyone. That they are able to be comforted in what is now for their babies and that they will be able to see them again. As I hold my children just a little tighter tonight I also pray that none of us take one single day with our families for granted.

Anticipation

2010-12-12T14:10:00.000-08:00

Our baby boy has already touched our lives so much. We're all learning how to adjust, and hopefully that will make the real adjustment a little easier when our little guy gets here. I was told not to carry Caroline anymore, which makes me sad- but I think she understands. She leaned over to my belly at church and said, "Baby Cole, I just love you so much" How lucky are we to have another amazing blessing come into our home.
Katherine is already my biggest helper. She runs up and down the stairs for me so I don't have too. She helps with Caroline and is very self sufficient. Caroline is my snuggle buddy and helps us to all feel loved all the time. Mike takes care of all of us and can't wait to meet his newest hunting buddy.

I have the ultimate pleasure though of already knowing this little spirit inside me. I joke that he's mean because he moves so much- kicks constantly and likes to get up in my ribs so I can't breath. But today I decided he's not mean, he's just a spitfire and is going to totally rock my world.

We have three and a half months left. I want to cherish every minute of this anticipation. Want to feel every flip and hiccup. I want to remember everytime the girls faces light up in wonder when they feel him touch their hands, and everytime his daddy hugs all 4 of us at the same time.

Merry Christmas to everyone! I couldn't have asked for a better gift for my family than the one growing inside me!

Kindess From Strangers

2010-11-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

I was planning to keep this experience to myself, but it's the month of being grateful and recognizing the good in ourselves and others. I decided this morning that I needed to share.

Every Mom is overwhelmed and everyone is super busy, so I hesitate to whine about my current schedule or 'issues'. However; the past month or so has been very difficult for me. I work 2 days a week, go to school, volunteer at the school, am a homeroom Mom, am involved with Activity Days at Church, my kids are in activities, it's the beginning of hunting season so Mike has been gone some, we moved...oh and I'm 6 months pregnant.

Needless to say coming to the end of the semester finals and finishing up the move has been very hard. I'm tired, physically and emotionally and I'm just generally stressed. Yesterday morning the girls were running behind, I was tired, and my to do list was overwhelming me. After class I was in the restroom at school. While I was washing my hands an older woman was standing at the sink next to me. She looked at me and said, "The semester is almost over". I smiled a tiny smile and said, "Thanks". She looked over at me again and told me that she knows how hard it is to go to school and to be a wife and a mother, and that it was worth it. That put me over the edge. Through my tears I muttered a small "Thank You". Then this woman that I had never met before walked over to me and gave me a big hug. She encouraged me and told me "This too shall Pass".

In this season of Thanksgiving I am thankful for a woman who saw me, and noticed that maybe I needed a little encouragement. I am also thankful that she was willing to take a step in faith and act on her feeling.

If you see someone that looks down, tired or stressed today- offer them a smile or a word of encouragement. It may be just what they need.

Nine Years Old

2010-10-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

My Dearest Darling Girl,

Nine years old! It's been nearly a decade since you were given to me! It's hard for me to believe you are not the rolly-poly little baby I once held in my arms. Today you are strong and lean and very, very long. You've grown nearly 5 inches this year and are more like a young woman everyday. You are beautiful.

You are so very, very bright you amaze me everyday. You are a voracious reader, great with numbers, history and art. I have no doubt that you can do anything you want to do in life. You are incredibly social and have many friends. You are easy to get along with and want people to feel good.

Everyday I wonder; am I teaching you enough, giving you enough, showing you your divine inheritance? When I think about that throughout the day I think of snippets that I want you to remember. Some I've told you, some I haven't. Remember these- they are important.

1) The other side of fear usually includes something better than you could ever imagine. Go through the fear. It's worth it.

2) You are special and unique. There will never ever be another person like you. Let your unique attributes benefit you and those around you.

3) At the heart of everything people are good. People want to help each other, and people are basically kind. Sometimes they need a little help getting there. Be the person to help them be better.

4) Never take a picture you wouldn't want your father or mother to see.

5) When there is a choice to make between something easy and something hard, choose the hard thing. You won't be disappointed.

6) Don't be shy about your greatness. Take opportunities in front of you because you are worth them, and you deserve them.

7) Never date someone that you feel better than. Only date people who make you want to be better than you are.

8) Always write thank you notes.

9) Think of others often. Send cards, give compliments, buy flowers. Making someone else feel special will make your day.

10) Be frugal, save your money, invest wisely. You will never be rich if you feel the need to pretend you are.

11) Stand up for what you believe in. You'll never be sorry you did, but you will always be sorry if you don't.

12) Your Father in Heaven loves you and knows you. When you feel alone. Remember that.

13) Family is one of the most important things. When no one else is left- your family will be.

14) People are more important than things. Always.

15) You were lucky enough to be born in the best country in the world. Take it's opportunities and do your duty to keep it great.

16) Treat your body well. It's the only one you have and there are somethings you just can't take back.

17) Live with intention- you only get to do this thing we call life once. Choose wisely.

And last but not least, I love you to forever. I will be here for you always, no matter what. When you think I'm not cool, I will still love you. When you are angry that I won't buy you clothes that are inappropriate, I will still love you. When I won't let you go to the wrong kinds of parties, it's because I love you. When you make the same mistakes over and over I will still love you. There is nothing you will ever do to change that.

Happy Birthday 9 Year Old.

Love,

Mommy

Movin Up

2010-09-17T17:47:00.001-07:00

So more big news and changes for us. This year seems to be the year of transformation for our family. I am thankful for the opportunity to evolve as a family. I am thankful for the opportunity for Mike to be the leader of our family. I am thankful for all the hard work we've put in over the last few years, and resources, advise and help of wonderful friends we have around us to help us make this happen.

We are have found a new house, made an offer and will hopefully be moving the beginning of November.

For us this is huge. We don't make fast decisions and we certainly don't make life changing ones easily. This home 'fell into our laps' and is everything we need and want. The girls don't even have to change schools and their favorite thing about it is the pool. They are as excited as we are.

So far, everything has fallen into place as if it were meant to be. Please pray for us that things with our current house will fall into place as well. We need a quick sale and a good inspection process on both homes. I will post more information and pictures as I can.

Big Changes

2010-08-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

August has brought our family lots of changes. We're excited and nervous all at the same time. On Friday my baby sister got married. She was a beautiful bride. Obviously in love with her groom. We were blessed to have Chris and family stay with us. The kids played so well together they were a joy to have around. Mandi helped me get things together for the shower and being with her and getting to know her better was one of my favorite parts of the week. Chris and Mike got to take a bike ride and spend time together too.

As always I am amazed at my siblings. They are such inspiring people.

Jessi's beauty and grace light up any room she walks into.

Todd makes everyone laugh and feel loved.

Rachel is fun and smart and sweet. Her creativity shows in everything she does.

Chris is strong and wise for his old age of 28. He is a great conversationalist and never fails to amaze me with his endless knowledge of things.

Juli is interesting, creative and unique.

Mimi grounds me. She knows me inside and out and is interested in all things.

I love my family and am grateful for all of them and their unique gifts. We were all together for the first time in a long time and it felt like such a luxury!

We also announced our pregnancy. Mike and I are excited to welcome another baby into our family. We were a little nervous it might be twins because I'm REALLY big for 9 weeks but our ultrasound only showed one little bean. This will be an adjustment for our family, but one we are happy to make.

Last but certainly not least the girls started school today. Katherine is a big third grader. She has grown 3 1/2 inches since January. She is long and leggy and absolutely beautiful. (I'm not biased of course) She is bright and loves learning. We're looking forward to another wonderful school year for her.

Caroline wanted to go on the school bus. She didn't even flinch...never wanted me to take her to school. I'm so excited for her and I know that she is ready to go but, of course it is bittersweet for me. She has been my sidekick for the last 3 years while Katherine was at school. She's been with me everywhere and everyday since then. She is a joy to be around and I will miss her. I will miss her smile and her imagination. There was only the smallest hesitation before she got on the bus. I think the nerves finally got to her, but once she sat down she smiled, waved and blew a kiss to me out the window. I know that she won't have any trouble making friends or winning her teacher over. I just hope she is able to concentrate, focus and listen. Things we've been working on, but still are challenging for her. She is such a different child than Katherine. I have no doubt that her confidence and excitement will get her pretty much anywhere she needs to go. Good luck to my sweet sweet baby.

Several people have told me not to be too sad because I will get to do this again, but the truth is I will not get to do this again with her. She is her own person, and she is still my baby. I love her and am excited for this new chapter in her life. Even as I wipe away the tears that I cry for her baby self I am smiling at the big girl she is becoming.

Colorado Excitement

2010-07-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

We made it home safe, but we're already planning our next trip to Colorado. It's beautiful country with tons of stuff to do and see. The weather was wonderful, warm and dry in the day and cool at night. We had to snuggle to stay warm all week, while it was raining and hot in Houston. We aren't sad we missed it. There is just too much to tell but some of the best of this week were:

Five Branches was were we stayed the majority of the trip. Our campsite was on the Pine River and was crystal clear. There was 'sparkles' in the water and a few little rapids. After playing in the river with the kids David got out and looked a little like Edward. Falling asleep to the river under a blanket of stars was perfect.

Talent Show with all of the family. Todd and Rachel performed a Ninja Rap song. Katherine and Caroline did songs from VBS. Jessi and Ryan did some sweet swing dancing moves. The Rowntrees did a super cute skit. Mom and Dad did a HILARIOUS skit where Dad was the great KirkNak.

Mesa Verde National Park. We LOVE our National Parks. Someday we hope to visit all of them. The Junior Ranger Program is awesome. The kids enjoyed it and we all learned something.

Katherine caught her first fish out on Lake Vallecito. We were all so excited that it was the 'favorite' of the day for everyone.

I got to have a Mom's night out with all the girls to see Eclipse. Love my sisters, cousins, aunt and Mom. I've enjoyed getting to get to know them better over the last few years.

Grandpa told some campfire stories including The Golden Arm in which a ghost wanders around saying "Where's my Golden Arm". The kids faces were priceless.

Great Sand Dunes National Park had to be a favorite of this trip. The dunes are surrounded by mountains, grasslands and wetlands. It's incredible. Mike took the big kids up to the top of the dunes. 750 feet high. The wind was very very strong and it felt like you were being rubbed down with sandpaper. They were such troopers and we were proud of them. Mimi, Abby, Caroline and I barely made it halfway. There were deer and chipmunks in our campsite, and the Ranger programs were fun and informative.

We stopped and hiked up to Treasure falls and to Zapata Falls. Both waterfalls took a lot of work to get to, but both were worth the climbs. Zapata was a 1/2 mile hike and then through a cave...Katherine was such a trooper and climbed up into the waterfall so we could take pictures.

Everywhere we went there were Chipmunks. Guess they thought we were fun to hang out with.

On the way home we stopped and ate at Coyote Bluff in Amarillo. It was featured on Man Vs. Food and was WELL worth it. Probably the best burger and mozzerella sticks we've ever had.

We had a great time, and loved every minute of being with our CA and UT family. It was awesome to get caught up and reaquainted. Can't wait until the next one!

Colorado

2010-07-06T13:23:00.001-07:00

We're stopped at McD's...I am uploading some pics to facebook but, wanted to record a little of what we've done so far. We've been to Mesa Verda National Park, rafting, held a family talent show (and we are all very very talented:), and had a wonderful time. Katherine caught her first fish and Caroline and I fed chipmunks for a while. This is a beautiful place. It's hard to deny that there is a God after you've seen landscape like this. Only an amazing God could create beauty like this.

Our campsite was on a river and from our campfire we could see millions upon millions of stars.

I am overwhelmed with the love of my family, my husband and am so thankful that we live in this wonderful country. Watching fireworks over Lake Vallecito was an experience I won't soon forget.

We'll post more when we can!

It's Coming

2010-06-27T08:04:00.001-07:00

Vacation is almost here....really....the countdown on Katherine's whiteboard officially says 4 DAYS TILL COLORADO. My front room looks like Academy exploded in there, but I think we may really be ready. I can't wait to see our family from California, spend some time siblings, cousins, parents and the soon to be newest member of our family.

Colorado here we come!

5 things about my amazing 5 year old

2010-06-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

1) The only thing she wanted for her birthday was a cheetah costume. She has worn it all day. You would be amazed at her 5 yr old cheetah growl.

2) She can swim a full 25 yards freestyle. Not a small feat for someone her size.

3) She is the most clever child I know. Her sharp wit will have you in stitches. Don't make an offhand comment unless you are prepared to be schooled.

One day I said, "What would you do without a mother?"
Her instant reply was, "Anything I want".

4) She is thoughtful and generous and willing to share everything she has. It does not occur to her to be spiteful. Mischievous and sneaky, yes...spiteful...no.

5) She is not afraid. She can do a full front flip off the diving board. I'm confidant that she will meet all of the challenges in her life as she has the diving board. With a smile and a little bit of "Is that all you've got?".

Watch out world-

Summer is here-

2010-05-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

I'm done with school and finished with all A's! There are just a few days of school left for Katherine, but we're already in full summer mode. We started swimming early this year. Katherine did Fleet Head Start and has improved dramatically in all of her strokes. Caroline just started with summer league and is doing fantastic. At four she is the youngest on the team. She tries really hard and the big kids all try to help and encourage her. Here is a video of their first official meet of the summer (last week was rained out)You may want to fast forward a bit at some parts but you can see how great they are doing. Katherine place in 4 out of 5 events and has the most graceful stroke! You wouldn't believe she's only eight. Caroline made it all the way across in freestyle without touching the bottom or the rope which was a first for her. In backstroke she got her self turned around and went the wrong way for a while. It was cute.

We're very proud of both of them. I'm looking forward to lots of pool time, and relaxing with my girls this summer.

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911...What is your emergency?

2010-04-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

12:20am

DISPATCHER: Do you need fire, ambulance or police?

ME: There is a man in my backyard.

DISPATCHER: What is your address mam?

ME:................

DISPATCHER: What is your name- mam? Calm down- what is your name?

ME: Erin Galland

DISPATCHER: I am sending Precinct 4 over right away, can you give me a description?

ME: All I could see was white tennis shoes and shorts.

DISPATCHER: Could you tell the race of the individual?

ME: White- I could only see his legs- I think I hear him in our dog run.

DISPATCHER: You have dogs? Can they get in the backyard?

ME: No, they are in the garage- I don't think they would do anything anyway.

DISPATCHER: Do you have any weapons in the house?

ME: Well- I'm in my house- I'm sure I can find a weapon.

DISPATCHER: Are you alone?

ME: NO! There are 3 small children here and I am in the hallway between the rooms. How long till they get there. (looking out the front window)

HE'S IN THE FRONT NOW!

DISPATCHER: Mam- calm down, the officer is almost there...do you have any weapons?

ME: You already asked me that- do I need a weapon? I don't know where the gun is. Where is the officer?

DISPATCHER: Just sit down where you are and try to stay calm. He is on the scene now and going to walk the perimeter of your home. Stay on the phone with me till he comes to the door.

(doorbell and flashlight)

OFFICER: Mam..It's the police.

(I open the door- there is a man out by the street)

ME: Oh my F*&^^^ goodness....that's my husband....

DISPATCHER: I'm going to go ahead and hang up now.

OFFICER: That your husband mam? You two have an altercation today?

ME: No....really....I just didn't know he was on his way home- he didn't tell me when he was coming home.

MIKE: I didn't have a key, and didn't want to wake her up. I'm sorry.

OFFICER: No problem guys, that's what we're here for. Have a good night.

I'm sure this will be hilarious in five years.

Spring Break 2010

2010-03-19T20:34:00.001-07:00

Has it really been 3 months since I posted? Holy Cow~ We've had a lot going on and it's just getting crazier all the time. School is busy for all of us, Caroline is loving gymnastics. Katherine starts Head Start for Swim Team next week and it's finally warmer outside so Mike is hitting the bike pretty hard getting ready for MS150 next month. A few weekends ago we got to celebrate Linda's 60th birthday at the Lake. I've included some pictures in the montage but it was SUCH a great weekend. We had a tea party, massage and pedi's and lots of girl time. Then the boys cooked a yummy dinner for her and we got to spend some time sharing some great things about our family. I loved getting to honor such a special woman.

For Spring Break we haven't had a moments rest but its been a lot of fun. I'm almost sad to see it go...almost.

We started the week with Katherine's baptism. What a sweet experience. My beautiful girl. There are just no words. After the baptism we all went to the park for pizza and fun. The weather was perfect and it made the day that much sweeter.

Mimi and clan came down and then Mimi left the kids with us to go to a conference for school. We've had picnics, volunteered at the Houston Food Bank, visted the Blue Bell Creamery (where Caroline has decided she's going to work when she grows up) and finally got to visit the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Michelle (Mike's Cousin) is a Docent there and it was so neat to have our own personal tour guide. She is brilliant and very good with the kids...trust me I needed the help.

We'll spend this weekend winding down and getting ready to go back to school.

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My Husband Rocks Friday

2010-01-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

I have really been slacking on the blog lately! It's been a crazy few months and probably will continue to be crazy. School starts back for me next week, I am the cookie mom for Katherine's girl scout troop, both girls are in several activities...whew- I get tired just thinking about it.

BUT today is Friday and it's been a while since I honored my husband here. My husband rocks this week because with everything we have going on in our home he is always our rock solid center. Always constant, always strong; he is where we go to feel safe and secure. He never grumbles or complains about helping with the kids, ferrying them to their activities or participating in things. He steps in to help me when I need it and thinks of me throughout the day. He even knows me well enough to find things that I've lost just by thinking about what I might have done.

Thanks for being such a great husband, dad and true helpmate to me! Michael you rock!

My Montage 11/29/09 at OneTrueMedia.com

2009-11-29T10:28:00.001-08:00

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Thankful

2009-11-29T09:11:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for so many things. I have everything anyone could ask for and more. A few of the things I have been extra grateful for lately are:

1. Parents who raised me to be the person I am. As I have gotten older they have become much more than parents, now they are great friends that I love to be with.

2. A husband that loves me unconditionally, and is a wonderful father.

3. Two creative, loving, beautiful girls that I have been given the privilege of raising.

4. The opportunity to have married into a family that accepts me, loves me and is a whole lot of fun to be around.

5. A roof over our heads that sometimes feels a little small but has become our home.

6. The chance to go back to school, and the support system to help me do it.

7. Siblings that inspire and encourage me with their example.

8. Friends that are friends no matter how much time we spend apart. We can always pick up right where we left off.

9. Bikes and all the wonderful things that they have brought to our family. Health, adventure, freedom and community.

10.For freedom and all of the opportunities that come with being born in the United States.

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Updates and Happenings

2009-11-15T09:27:00.000-08:00

We're finally settling in to me being home again. It has been an adjustment and I already feel busier now than I was when I was working. I have had the opportunity to work a few days a month and I think it's all going to work out fine.

Halloween was lots of fun. We had a doggie and a pirate. Mom and Dad came out to trick or treat with the kids and it was all around a fun night.

I got to go on Katherine's second grade field trip with her to the Woodlands Childrens Festival this week and am enjoying volunteering in her classroom.

I also recently got to go back to my highschool with a few friends from the Tomball STAGE. We saw the schools performance of Footloose and hung out and got caught up. It was a ton of fun!

We have lots of projects going around the house this fall. The siding is just about done, windows in our bedroom, then we need to start painting inside. Whew...it's an endless list of honey do's and it seems like just when you finish one another pops up.

I'm excited for the holiday's to come and to get to be with family, have sister time, eat good food, and enjoy traditions as a family. I love this time of year.

One Fabulous Vacation

2009-10-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

We are exhausted...plum wore out ya'll.

We had such a packed and fun week that we now need a few days off to recover. Mike and I headed up to Austin on Wed. morning after we got kiddos off. We got checked into our hotel and just kind of drove around just to see the town and get our bearings. From there it gets a little long winded so I'll highlight for those of you who like it short and sweet.

Mt. Bonnell (way colder and higher than we expected. Deer all over the road.

Volunteering at the Convention Center stuffing packets. It really takes a lot of hands to put together something as amazing as the Livestrong Challenge.

Up and out to Lake Travis to see where John and Loretta lived during their hippy days.

YUMMY crawfish enchiladas at The Oasis for lunch

I went to meet my very gracious Mom who brought me the girls, Mike and Loli went back to hand out packets at the convention center.

Saturday we headed south to Bastrop for Naturefest.

Back up to the Cedar Door downtown Austin for a meet and greet with the Fat Cyclist Team. Mellow Johny's with the whole crew after (and most of the rest of Austin)

Back at the hotel we write all over Mike's newly shaved legs in prep for the ride.

The girls and I head to Hamilton Pool. Awesome!

We got to see Lance Armstrong finish!

We got to see Mike finish!

It really was a great trip! We met people from all over the country that were there to ride on Fatty's team. Everyone was so friendly and amazing. It's awesome how people can all come together from all walks of life to support a cause. Cancer has affected everyone somehow. It was really great to be able to feel like we have the ability to help DO SOMETHING.

So....who is coming along next year?

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She's EIGHT!

2009-10-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

Katherine's birthday was the 18th. We had her party Saturday afternoon at the park in our neighborhood. It was a lot of fun! Cousin Emily came and helped paint faces. They played a few games and we had cupcakes and gifts.

It was really neat to see Katherine with friends of her own...not just kids of Mike and I's friends. She is really blossoming into a sweet and beautiful girl that other kids want to be around. She is having a great time trying new things and learning who she is. I love seeing her get more and more comfortable in her skin.

Happy Birthday Sweet Number One~!

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My Husband Rocks Friday

2009-10-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

This week we had an AWESOME date to go see the U2 concert. My wonderful husband bought tickets as a surprise for me. I had ALSO bought tickets without knowing he was trying to surprise me. My good friend Aimee ended up selling the extra ticket so Mike and I got to go on a date.

John and Christen came over to watch the girls for us. It took 2 hours to get to the stadium and by the time we got there I was really wondering if it was going to be worth all the trouble. It was. The show was amazing. They played for 2 full hours and are wonderful entertainers. A band that has been together for 30 years plays like a well oiled machine.

I had a great night with Michael and appreciate that he thinks of me when things like that come up. He's not a big fan of U2 but got tickets knowing that I would want to go.

Thanks babe! You rock!

Big Changes

2009-09-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

This week our family stretched, reached, jumped, and learned a lot.

1) Katherine performed in a blackbox performance. She was very very nervous but had a good time and wants to try again.

2) I turned in my first paper as a new college student, and made and A on my first quiz.

3) Mike got a new boss at work. One that he likes a LOT better than the old one.

4) Caroline practiced signing all of the colors, and learned spanish words for most of them.

5) I did my first swim workout and LOVED it.

and last but not least................

I GAVE NOTICE AT MY JOB! I feel so good about this decision. I know it's the right thing for our family. I will be able to focus on school, kids and family. I have a couple of part time possibilities but will just take it as it comes.

I am so grateful to have voices of wisdom in my life to help me come to this decision, and friends to help push me to follow through. I'm excited about all of the new and different things our family is up too. Who knows what life will throw at us next? Whatever it is we are ready to face it head on and find out what is on the other side.

2nd Grade

2009-08-24T15:59:00.001-07:00

The first day of second grade- was AMAZING..the best first day of school EVER

Katherine's comments about 2nd grade o far are:
(please note that these were told to me as one really long...really fast sentence)

Ms. Castille is super pretty and really nice.
Her table is the Friday table.
When she was in Kindergarden Ms. Castille was a teacher but she took off last year because she had Caroline Rose and Mrs. Jones asked if she would like to come back to teach again.
There are a lot of her friends in her class.
She gets to earn Cougar Bucks this year.
So far they just do really easy stuff.

It's going to be a great year.

Summer Review

2009-08-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

We have had a wonderful summer! No big vacations this year but a whole lot of being with family, relaxing at the pool, the beach and the lake. What is better than water and the greatest friends and family we could ask for? It's been awesome having my parents here. We've done weekly family night with them and Mom has gotten to keep the girls more ...which is always nice.

The girls got to stay for an entire week with Memaw at the lake. It was a great break for Mom and Dad and a cool opportunity for them to be with MeMaw and Loretta and explore the lake.

School starts on Monday. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I love watching the girls grow but there is always a little heart tug when they are moving on to the next step. I want to treasure every moment, remember every funny thing they say and show them every single day how precious they are. Summer has been great and I"m sure the school year will too! I'll update everyone on the new beginning next week~!

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My Husband Rocks Friday

2009-07-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

I really wish I had pictures of this, but alas- we didn't think to take the camera :)

This week Mike worked nights. We hadn't been able to see much of each other or have much family time since I worked an extra day etc. Last night the girls and I took pizza up to work so we could have dinner as a family. He also bought dinner for the guys that work that shift.

The guys were pretty excited to have dinner provided and we enjoyed eating with them. Then we got to tour the shop. We had a talk about staying safe, donned saftey goggles and went to see how it all works. The girls were totally in awe of their Daddy- and he could tell. I know it made his night. It also made mine. I loved being able to see him in his work enviornment. He was confidant, knowledgable and obviously well respected by the people who report to him. Mike works hard for our family and does an excellent job.

Love you babe! You Rock!

What I didn't know...

2009-07-06T16:19:00.000-07:00

Nine years ago I really didn't know what this would be like.

I didn't know just how young we really were.

I didn't know how much fun we would have or what wonderful friends we would make.

I didn't know how much it would mean to me for us to make our house into our Home.

I didn't know when they were born that my heart would crack wide open from fullness, only to be mended back together a little larger by your hands.

I didn't know what a soft place to land you would be when I lost people close to me.

I didn't know that you could be so hard and stubborn. Enough to make me scream.

I didn't know how hard you could work to make sure we are always taken care of.

I didn't know that silence could be so comforting or so maddening.

I didn't know that during raging winds and rain your strong arms could make 3 Mommies feel safe. Not just this one.

I didn't know how hard it would be to choose love over self.

I just didn't know how much I could love you. Truely, madly, deeply- Always.

I'm so glad you keep surprising me.

Happy Anniversary My Love~

MHR- Birthday Bash

2009-06-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

Over at KatyLin's she's hosting a super fun Birthday Bash! Head over there now to check out the fun giveaways and prompt for this weeks MHR Friday!

Happy Friday!

When did this happen?

2009-06-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday I was rocking you while you slept, staring at your peaceful little smile. That was just yesterday, I could swear it.

Today you are four.
Strong, confidant, clever and beautiful.
You can spell your name.
You can get yourself dressed and clean your room.
You can swim.
You can make us laugh till we cry.
You humble me with your innocent questions-black and white understanding.
You already know who you are.
The light in you shines through the twinkle in your eyes.
Today and forever I see your light my sweet baby.

I can't wait to see you fly.

MHR Friday~

2009-06-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and yes- my husband rocks! Last night we were able to go on a fun date with some good friends of ours to watch Glenn Beck's Common Sense comedy tour. He rocks becuase we actually forgot that the tour was last night and he was still able to figure out a way to get us there!

Mike doesn't really listen to Glenn and is not really 'into' that kind of thing, but knew I had been really wanting to go. He stopped by the movie theater on the way home from work, picked up four tickets, arranged a babysitter and helped me figure out how Katherine could still get to swim practice. We ended up having a fabulous time with our good friends who luckily could get everything worked out on short notice too.

I love you Michael! You ROCK!

My Sweet Girl

2009-05-29T07:07:00.000-07:00

Katherine is just getting so big! This year we have been blessed to have the MOST wonderful first grade teacher. She is young and must have been a cheerleader at some point in her life. She just completed her masters and is super excited about teaching but also pretty serious about learning. She is wonderful...and of course Katherine loves her. Ms. Tranchilla has absolutely made the year for her and she is very sad that school is over. Yesterday in the car on the way to school Katherine, working very diligently, wrote this letter. Completely unprompted by me she just wanted to let Ms. Tranchilla know how she felt. I emailed Ms. Tranchilla to ask for a copy of the letter for Katherine's scrapbook and she told me that Katherine had ALL of the other students sign it! It made her teachers day and it absolutely made mine!

I love that she is thoughtful, loving and kind. I love that she wants to make people feel appreciated, acknowledged and special.

Inspired

2009-05-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend Caroline and I got to share the coolest experience with my wonderful, beautiful, amazing, brilliant, funny, nerdy and inspiring sister. Saturday afternoon she graduated from the University of North Texas. I was proud to be her sister, happy to be her friend and blessed to be able to share such an important experience.

Mimi is a Mother to four children, a wife, a homemaker, a sister, a friend. She is so many things and somehow she fit in time to go to school full time. She was able not only to graduate but to graduate Magna Cum Laude. Her hard work and dedication are an example to me. Her special spirit and love of learning are simply inspiring!

MHR Friday- On Saturday

2009-05-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

This week Mike rocks because he is always thinking of me.Quite often I sabatoge his good deeds accidentally. Yesterday my good friend Aimme at work purchased tickets for us to go see Muse and U2 in OCtober.I was so very excited that we'd decided to go- when I told Mike he reluctantly told me that he'd already purchased 2 tickets for me! Such a sweet surprise! I do wish I hadn't ruined it :)

Thanks Babe! You Rock!

Happenings and Updates

2009-05-08T06:55:00.000-07:00

Wow- Spring has brought much to our family! I love this time of year. We are busier than ever but it's everything we love to do.

Mike rode the 2nd day of MS150 this year. The first day was cancelled due to the flooding but they headed out to La Grange on Saturday night to get the ride in on Sunday. Of course he was a rock star and made great time. Aunt Loretta, Christina and both Paul and John rode with him this year. It was really special for the whole family.

Mike attended Katherine's field trip to the Houston Zoo. I have pics of that but they aren't accessible. They had a GREAT time.

She also had her Olympic Field day. The kids had a ton of fun playing games. She hardly noticed I was there to watch at all!

My new boss started and I really like her. We are trying to adjust my role/schedule to get it back to how it was before- part time and flexible. Hopefully that will work out. If not...well...we have some decisions to make as a family. I really want this summer to be fun and relaxing for all of us.

Last but certainly not least swim team started. Both girls started and Caroline LOVED it....until she had to take her swim test. One of the teenage girls really took to her and got in the water with her everyday. Unfortunately she did not pass her test and says she doesn't want to continue. The coaches are all more than willing to let her swim anyway so we will take it practice by practice and just see what she does. We feel like she's too young to really push it. Katherine of course is doing fabulous. She loves swimming, loves the water and really has a beautiful stroke. She did great at time trials. It's neat to see her really developing and growing.

Here are a few pics of the Field day and Time Trials. This weekend is Memaw's 80th birthday and Mothers Day. Whooo HOoo!!! Oh yeah-----AND it's Friday...and MY HUSBAND ROCKS :)

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My Daddy Rocks

2009-04-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

This week my Daddy rocks because he came to my field trip to the zoo with me and we saw American crocodile and its my favorite.We saw some wild dogs,monkeys,tigers,lions,bears,elephants,tarantulas. He was one of the only dads that came.

MY DADDY ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love,Katherine

MHR Firday

2009-04-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Mike has been working out, eating well(most of the time) and riding the bike. He really looks good....really.... So that's it- this week My Husband Rocks because he is just so handsome and I love that he is working hard to take care of his body so he can be around for a very, very long time. And... did I mention that he looks good too? ;)

From Katherine

2009-03-27T17:51:00.000-07:00

My Daddy rocks,

He wrestles and plays fun games.He protects me.He makes me happy when skies are gray.He helpes me.And most of all he loves me.I LOVE YOU DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Friday Ya'll and my Husbad Rocks

2009-03-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

As you can tell we are having some technical difficulties. I do now and always want to be just as cool as all you other creative and technical people in the family. However, I am not- so when I figure out how to make my blog look cool in a year or so...well you will need to leave me a comment to let me know I have finally caught on.

Now to the important stuff. My husband rocks- he just does. This week he rocks because he remembers to leave me sweet notes about how much fun he has with the kids on my weekly 'night off' (normal, sheduled nights off for mom also mean he rocks but I've mentioned that one before)I love to come home and walk in my room where all of my family is snuggling. Books lay open on his chest while my girls smelling sweet from their bath are fast asleep in his protective arms. He is an amazing father. He doesn't just the do part that is required.He doesnt just feed them, bathe them and clothe them. He is as free with his love as he is with his consistant with his dicipline. He holds them, he plays with them, he reads to them and he tells me thank you for being their Mom.

Thanks for being such a great Dad and Husband Michael you rock!

Spring Break 2009

2009-03-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This Spring Break was pretty laid back. Mike took the girls to the Lake for a couple of days while I worked Monday and Tuesday. It was pretty weird to be home without my family. The girls got to spend the day with my Mom on Wed. and then we all hung out together on Thursday. Thursday night Mike and I went to see Pat Green at the rodeo with our friends Chad and Sarah and then left for Rusk on Friday.

We had so much fun camping. The Texas State Railroad is a pretty neat place. The train rolls through the campground a few times a day, but they weren't as enthralled by the train as we thought they would be. It was really all about bikes, cousins and more bikes and cousins. The kids played all day long while we cooked, cleaned, visited, and snuck in a bike ride or two. It was very relaxing!

Seriously.....

2009-03-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

I am soo angry! Aren't you? Are you angry at AIG? I think giving bonuses was a dumb idea- They should have known what to expect. However, my feelings are far more complex than that. If they hadn't honored contracts they would have faced lawsuits... If AIG had claimed bankruptcy and been able to restructure, most of these executive contracts would not be an issue. But they didn't, they took stimulus money that spelled out that contracts would be honored. If someone (Christopher Dodd) didn't pay attention to how much that would be, when they were wriiten,well sorry.... The two biggest things about this that make my skin crawl are:

1) If contracts mean nothing for AIG....if the government can write in that they qill be honored and then CHANGE THEIR MIND- what does that lead too? Just think of the consequences of this!

2) They are voting to TAX THE BONUSES at 90%!!! If they can tax one certian group of people just because they don't LIKE how they used money that was GIVEN to them- what does that lead too? If they can do it to AIG, they can do it to anyone else.

I don't know everything about politics, the economy, or legalities but my gut tells me this is wrong and taking all of the focus off of the idiots in Washington and yelling at AIG does nothing to solve the root of the problem.

AHHHHHHHH!!!! It's the JONAS BROTHERS!!!

2009-03-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Katherine and I had the VERY good fortune of sitting in Reliant Stadium with 72,400 other screaming tweens for the Jonas Brothers. And when I say screaming.....I think my ears are still ringing. A friend at work got me tickets to the sold out show. We took her friend Renae and Renae's Mom Connie. Before the concert we got to watch some bull riding, the calf scramble and the "Mutton Bustin" (4-6 yr olds riding sheep...only in Texas) Katherine was in awe of the rodeo part of the show. As soon as we sat down a bull rider got trampled by a bull and was hurt pretty badly- that shook her up but when the announcer said he was awake and knew he was in Houston, TX she clapped and yelled for him.

It was a great experience! One I hope she'll remember for a long time. I feel VERY lucky to live in a place where there are some really neat traditions like the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It's a fabulous event! One we've been blessed enough to be able to attend many times and hope to be able to attend many more.

Tea Party Fun

2009-03-02T15:34:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a LOT of fun- we were tired but we had so much fun and were able to enjoy our family from out of town, a birthday celebration, bike ride AND tea party! Man we are one efficient family~

Saturday Mike, Loretta and I did a bike ride. If anyone is thinking of riding when in 50 degree weather with a 20mph head wind...I strongly suggest you reconsider. It was HARD- really hard. Loretta and I did 25 miles and couldn't hack any more. Mike of course finished 50 but he did have to suffer the natural consequences for his decision.

Saturday night we celebrated Linda's birthday with the whole family, then Sunday we had our tea party. The tea party was a HUGE success. Mike helped get the house beautiful, make heart shaped sandwiches and pick up fresh flowers. When the guest's began arriving he hightailed it across the street for some manly time with Wendall.

Katherine was such a great hostess. She opened the door and said "Welcome to our home, may I escort you to your seat?" She served everyone and really enjoyed her time. Caroline got to have her cousin Elizabeth and her friend Kaylee come this year and they were SO cute as they pour their lemonade into their little tea cups. I bet they each had 5 cups!

This is such a fun tradition- this was the third year and I can't wait to see what the coming years bring as they both grow into the gracious and beautiful girls I know they will be! Born to be wonderful hostesses!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I love this!

2009-02-27T13:06:00.001-08:00

Socialism doesn't work because eventually you run out of other peoples money.

Friday- and yes My Husband Rocks!

2009-02-27T12:55:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update before we head into a busy weekend.

This week we started a Daniel Fast where you eat only fresh fruits and veggies- No Bread, No meat, nothing processed. It's really been great and we feel wonderful! Mike has really grown into the leader of our family, spirituall, emotionally and physically and I love him for that. He is SUCH a meat and potato guy and has been able to do this without complaining and being supportive to me. I'm proud of the man he is and the man he is becoming.

I love you Mike! You rock!!!

On another note we have a BIG weekend planned! A bike ride tomorrow morning with Loretta, Linda's birthday dinner saturday night and church AND a tea party on Sunday...Whew- I'm going to be pretty tired Sunday night! I will post tea party pics as soon as I can.

My Husband Rocks

2009-02-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

This week over at KatyLin's there were two prompts. One was to tell about your most memorable valentines day. The truth is we haven't ever really made a big deal about Valentines Day. I get the girls a little something- cut their sandwiches for lunch in a heart shape and get cards....beyond that....we're not great celebrators. SO I'm going with prompt #2-

2. In reference to the first article which "secrets" do you do well, which could you work on, which do you struggle with?

We do pretty well at a couple of the secrets. We do realize the value in "just showing up" and know that no matter what, even when things are hard that there is absolutely value in sticking through the hard things. Which leads me to that we are also pretty good at #10- "A Crisis doesn't mean the marriage is over" Mike and I are both VERY blessed to both come from parents who are still happily married. I don't think that there has ever been a day in our marriage where the thought of divorce has even occurred to either of us. It isn't an option. There are tough things that come up, there are hard times...sometimes REALLY hard times- but we show up, we are there, and we're in it together.

Out of these secrets one of the harder things for us is to remember that "The grass is greener where you water it" It is so easy to get caught up in day to day life. There are children, and jobs, and activities, and friends....and children- did I mention children? It is just so easy to let all of the other plants in the garden get the water, but the truth is if the marriage flower is healthy it will feed all of those other little plants so much better!

For a very long time we made sure to have a date night or maybe even two a month. We've allowed ourselves to get away from that and we can REALLY tell when that happens. We do try to take at least one weekend trip away twice a year or so to rest, recharge and be together.

I am taking the challenge of intentionally showing love to Mike this week! I'm going to make his lunch, plan family dinner and really work on planning a GREAT birthday for him.

Love you Michael! You Rock!

Pitiful....

2009-01-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

My poor babies! This little trooper stayed at school all day. Didn't even ask to go to the nurse. She got off the bus holding her tummy with bright red fevered cheeks.

Then this morning a little oven came and got in my bed. This is the second weekend
that they have been sick! They stayed home from school a couple of days and seemed to be much better. But now we're all back in bed. Yuck! I hope it goes away soon! I wanted to go visit Aunt Alice this weekend and maybe take Katherine to see InkHeart. Oh well...maybe one day this week.

Blogs

2009-01-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

I love blogs, I love to read about other mothers, wives, daughters and friends and how we are all so alike in so many ways. They are a great way to stay in touch, to learn about other cultures, to find great deals. I just love them.

This link was on Rocks in my Dryer the other day..... Jennifer wrote about abortion and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. It can apply in other areas of our lives too. We get so caught up in life are we really paying attention to what is going on around us? It's really been haunting me so I just had to share!

Sacrifical Love- MHR Friday

2009-01-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

KatyLin's prompt this week is tell us about a time your husband went out of his way to serve you or show you sacrificial love.

I know by now you are probably tired of hearing about the run- BUT if you have read my wonderful husbands post below he went ahead and told you himself about how he loves me sacrificially. He has served me throughout the entire process by helping with the house and the kids even more than normal so I could go and run. He woke up with me at 4:00am to herd very tired children and keep them busy while I ran. All with a happy heart! That really Rocks!

A Beautiful Day

2009-01-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

It started at 4 AM loading the truck, getting the girls dressed, hair brushed and fed, going over the list of stuff that Erin needed and making sure it all got in the truck. The weather report said that it was going to be in the 50’s and raining in the beginning of Erin’s run so we wanted to make sure she had everything she could possibly need to make it as pleasant as possible.

We arrived at the Convention center at 6 AM and the runners high set in. She was saying that she was nervous about all of the people and not knowing where to go but I can assure you she knew where to go. As soon as we arrived she started saying that she wanted to head to the starting line. NOT a place to go when you are nervous about a lot of people. I believe that she was mistaking the adrenaline pumping through her body for anxiety. She knelt over with Caroline in her arms to Katherine’s level, gave them a big hug and said a prayer. When the announcer announced that the runners should start heading to the appropriate gates she was headed for the door. As soon as we got outside she gave us a kiss and said she would see us at the finish line. She was ready and we all knew it.

2 or 3 years ago she decided that she was going to do the MS150. I can remember the exact conversation we had on the phone to this day. She called and said “Michelle is doing the MS150 with HAA. We have been talking about it for a while and I decided to sign up.” I sat on the phone in silence thinking that I married a crazy person, when is she going to have time to train enough to run that far (at the time I thought it was a marathon). After what felt like 5 minutes of silence she said “what?” and in my infinite wisdom on what to say, the words came out without control “you’re an idiot?!? When do you think that you are going to have time to train enough to run HOW FAR???” A few months later we both had bikes and were riding at least 50 miles a weekend and probably 5-10 miles a day during the week. She completed the ride without any major issues and I volunteered to help out the team she was riding with. She was so inspiring that my aunt Loretta, her friend Katherine and I all road it last year and 2 of my brothers volunteered. This year my Aunt Loretta, Katherine, my sister in law, two of my brothers and I are all riding it and we will have a few more friends and family that will be volunteering for the team. The riding is not limited to charity events either my parents ride the neighborhoods on the weekends, my grandmother rides the hills with Aunt Loretta in Zavalla, I ride the mountain bike trails with my brothers and our friends at least one time per week, her mom is riding and her dad is still in debate on buying a bike. I would think that it is probably safe to say that if she would have not decided to do the MS150 our family and some of our friends would not be involved in cycling like it is today.

Well unfortunately for us this contagious inspiration has now added the sport of running. I do not know exactly how many people have run with her in her training other than Christina, Stephanie, Jessica and Mimi. As of right now 2 have said that they are running it with her next year and, although I am not a gambler, I would be willing to bet at least one of the other 2 will be by her side. Not to mention any recruits and friends she makes along the way. I will not make any promises but if all goes as planned this year I would be honored to be by her side next.

When I walked past the starting line to find a spot to watch her start her journey we saw many things that brought a tear to my eye. These things were emotional for me because they were all symbolic of the things I love about my wife. The first was a US Marine walking to the starting line in full attire, pack and all. The only thing out of place on this marine was a bib safety pinned to his shirt. I guess this was emotional because this was his job and he enjoyed it so much he was going to do it for fun- with his pack. Erin feels this way about life. She feels that one of her responsibilities is to inspire people. She does a good job at it, enjoys it and does this for fun also. Do you think that rain was going to stop my wife? It wasn’t. The next was the guns firing as the first group started. I was emotional only because I could feel her emotions. I could just picture Erin stretching and jogging in place getting ready for the next gunfire that would be hers. The one she had been training for. The last was after she had passed walking with the kids to the park to play. I looked up in the sky and did not see one cloud. The temperature was just cool enough for a jacket but also just warm enough to not have one. This day was as beautiful as my wife. Any day it is beautiful outside I text her “Today is as beautiful as you are!” and today God opened his arms and truly gave her the most beautiful day. He was well aware of what she and all of the other people had done to prepare for this day and gave them a gift for the hard work.

Erin finished in 2 hours and 45 minutes with a pace of 12 ½ minutes. The exact numbers she trained for. But this was not about numbers for her. She will have to tell you the rest.

I love you babe! You make us all proud.

My Mini- Me

2009-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

My little Mini-Me ran a 3K this morning for Texas Children's Hospital!

She was a TROOPER! She ran most of the way, only stopping to rest a couple of times. She even wanted to go by herself but Momma was a little nervous about that b/c there were 3400 other runners. I didn't think I could keep the panic under control and wait for her at the finish line. But she did great. I was very proud of her as she ran her "marathon". Her face lit up when she crossed the finish line.

One thing that I really hope to give my children is a sense of self-confidence and I want them to feel like being healthy is fun! Today I really felt like we hit the mark. It was a great experience and hopefully will be the first of many events for my girls. Great job Katherine! We love you!!

It's Friday Ya'll...and My Husband Rocks

2009-01-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

~~~~~

We are back to real life this week and amazingly it has been without stress! We were well relaxed from time off of work and school and are all approaching the new year with happy hearts!!

This week Katy Lin posted a Questionairre, so I'm going to play too!!

1) Where did you meet?
In High School
2) How long did you date before you were married?
18 months or so
3)What does he do that surprises you?
His romantic side.
4)What is your favorite quality?
His loyalty.
5)WHat is your favorite feature of his?
His hands- they are strong and soft at the same time. They make me feel safe.
6) Does he have a nickname for you?
"Babe" Not very original huh?
7) What is his favorit food?
He is a big fan of food in general.
8) What is his favorite sport?
Participating....Cycling- Watching....Football
9)When and where was your first kiss?
Don't really remember when- but it was in the Kroger parking lot in Cypress Station.
10) What do you like to do together?
Camp, ride bikes, travel
11)Do you have children?
12)Does he have a hidden talent?
If he does he's hiding it from me!
13) Who said "I love you" first?
I did, but he used to tell me all the time "You're so awesome". Later he told me that what he really meant was "I love you" but he was afraid it was too soon to say and that it would scare me off.
14) What is his favorite type of music?
Willie Nelson of course!
15) What is your favorite thing about him?
That he always wants to do better, be better and make our family better.
16) Do you think he will read this?
Probably not.

Holiday Business

2009-01-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since I posted but our camera pooped out right before Christmas and we have been busy! Christmas at home was wonderful! You can view Pauls pictures here . I do have some pictures of Christmas morning at our house and a couple of videos that I need to retrieve from Linda's camera. I will do that as soon as possible and get them posted.

Christmas night I flew to Arizona to be there when my brother got married. Todd and Kristi are the CUTEST couple. Pictures available here courtesy of my Aunt Shirley. I LOVED getting to be with her and my Uncle Brad and their kids. We had a fantastic time and will never forget..Pigeons on a roof. Thank you Lindy for a FABULOUS story that we will retell over and over! Katherine even thought it was hilarious and couldn't wait to question Grandpa when she saw him yesterday.

I came home on Monday and Mike and I spent all week at home with the girls. No big plans, just movies, Wii playing, swimming at the YMCA, cleaning and just being together. We really had a good time. Today it was back to work for me while Mike enjoyed one last day, but the Real World is calling and he must return tomorrow. We do have a renewed sense of our family though and the strength we have. I love my husband, my kids and our whole extended family. It's large and overwhelming at times but we are so grateful to get to be a part of it all.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I thought....

2008-12-15T14:36:00.001-08:00

I would be a real runner when-

I could run for 15 minutes without stopping,
I could run 5 miles without stopping,
I could run a 10K,
I could run a 10 minute mile,
I got thin and graceful like my beautiful sister in law,
I had all the gear,
Knew all the ling0.....

But during my long run this week I had to work through pain in my feet and my shins. It took a little longer than normal to get into the 'zone', but as I was passing people in the park and watching the ducks in the lake as I ran by....when I caught myself grinning ear to ear at mile 8- I realized that I AM a Runner.

Being a runner is about choosing to do something hard, and learning that you are stronger than you thought. Not about milage, or splits, gear or weight or anyone else. It about stretching, trying and just moving.

I am a Runner-

Gingerbread Houses, Beans and Toads

2008-12-10T20:30:00.000-08:00

Sunday brought our annual Gingerbread decorating and Beans and Toads...they don't always happen together, but this year they did. Mike's cousin Emily, Michelle and all of the Gallands came over to Linda's and the kids worked sooo hard to make beautiful houses.

Dominic mostly just ate the gumdrops-

Katherine, Elizabeth, Ava and Bianca all were very focused to create very lovely little cottages.

While they were decorating Michelle fried the "toads". They are little pieces of fried bread, a little like a donut that you pour beans over. It was a meal that they made during the Depression and it is delicious! Both girls ate two helpings- Yummmm

My Husband Rocks Friday

2008-12-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

I am posting tonight because I'm out on site for the day again tomorrow and don't want to miss this week because I am so thankful for the way he uplifts me and encourages me. I want to make sure he gets credit where credit is due!

Specifically though last week when I didn't post MHR- we were camping for Thanksgiving. It has been a while since we got to spend time with my family. He did most of the hard work during the weekend including putting EVERYTHING in the truck without my help. He cooked us a yummy breakfast and generally helped everything run smoothly so we could all have a great time. I haven't posted any pictures yet but I promise I will. He is so willing to help and to work hard so that our family can run like clockwork. He truely is my helpmate-

I liked Katy Lin's post and the article too- It's a quick read I promise!

Does your spouse see Jesus in You?

Renn Fest

2008-11-23T18:16:00.000-08:00

We had SO much fun at the Renaissance Festival this weekend. We were a little worried that some of it might be PG-13....or even rated R- but it wasn't (and what MIGHT have been went right over little heads) The costumes were awesome, the food great- and the shows wonderful. We will be making that a yearly trip for sure! Maybe we'll even dress up next year. Katherine spent most of the day trying to choose her favorite costume! Her favorite right now is the pirates, but we'll see when next year comes and it is time to choose. She helped put together the montage, choose the music and everything. Isn't it funny how different kids are? We barely knew what computers were, and now my seven yr old is helping create videos? Crazy

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

MHR Friday

2008-11-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

It's that time again! This week my husband rocks because I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that I am his heart. His desire to be the best husband he can be and grow (sometimes painfully) into the man/ husband he was born to be amazes me always. He is patient while I decide what I want to be when I grow up- he is encouraging, non-judgmental and loving. He tries his best to show me in someway everyday that I am important. Last night he did the dishes, homework, stories and even laundry while I had my me time with a girlfriend..and THEN left me a sweet note to tell me he hoped I had fun and wished he could have done more.

Brilliant I tell you!

Lucky me! Lucky, lucky me!

A note on the dog.....

2008-11-13T11:43:00.001-08:00

It is not me...in case anyone was wondering- JULI!

Trick or Treat!

2008-11-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

The Kitty Girl
Cleopatra with her dog and Cat
Trick or Treat!

The girls looked so cute! We ate dinner at Mike and Linda's complete with chili, fried worms and dragon eye balls in the punch. It was fun-

Katherine went Trick or Treating with a friend in the neighborhood and Caroline and Cousins went with Christina, Mike and I. They both had sooo much fun and were very much worn out by the end of the night.

The only downside is the usual....WHY do we have to have so much candy here? That is just what I need!

2008-10-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

October has been EXTREEMLY busy for us! It seems as though we are playing catch up trying to catch up on the two weeks we lost during the hurricane. Well life certianly goes on!!

WHEW it's been fun but boy am I tired!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sisters Make the Best Friends

2008-10-22T07:23:00.001-07:00

Today is my big sisters birthday. I got to talk to her this morning and as always she makes me smile. She lives out loud- she is joyful and thoughtful in everything. She has the BEST attitude all of the time and I just love her!

I'm so grateful that she is in my life- that she was born. She was my very first friend. I can count on her for anything. She is an example to me and I love her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER! I LOVE YOU!

Ahhh- 3 yr old team sports

2008-10-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Soccer is a lot of fun....at practice. Caroline does really good- she can even dribble a little. She loves it. The game starts out pretty well, it seems pretty fun. THEN she starts to realize that we don't have to take turns at the game.

"Mommy, I'm just tooo tired and my friends aren't SHARING"

Ahhhh- 3 yr old sports.

My Husband Rocks

2008-10-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

So I'm a slacker- I know...isn't this the area that takes a back burner? Isn't this the area that shouldn't?

Well today my husband rocks because he loves bikes- that may sound silly to some but he rocks because he has found something he really really loves. Something healthy and infectious. Everyone in the family has been bitten by the bike bug because of him. He knows a lot about bikes, riding, racing, equipment. You name it- and he knows it. I love that he loves bikes and I'm excited to share the ride.

My Guest Post~

2008-10-06T13:45:00.001-07:00

My sister asked me to write a guest post on her blog. I am pretty excited! I've never been asked to post on someone elses blog! Read about it here.

We're Back!

2008-09-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't heard- we are back in the land of living. It actually came back on Friday afternoon a couple of days earlier that what they told us. Thank GOODNESS! It was a pretty difficult week getting back to work and school with no power, no food in the house- everything was still crazy. So we spent the weekend getting back to normal as much as we could and even took the kids to Old McDonald's farm.
That's ONE giant slide!
Caroline wasn't so sure about the pony- Of Course Katherine loved the animals!!

This just in-

2008-09-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

We have just been told that it will be Sunday Sept. 28th before we have power restored. Katherine has started back to school so we have limited options on what we can do and where we can go. And of course Mike and I have to work...Please pray for us that our sanity remains and that we are able to make it through this. The goodwill time is over- our patience is thinning and we are having a hard time making the best of it. We are at 11 days without power now and even thinking of going for 4 more makes my stomach hurt.

We're Fine

2008-09-16T10:41:00.001-07:00

So I am at the office today- we have power and internet! As you can imagine we are all very busy but I wanted to post something b/c the phones are still not working great and I know everyone has been wondering.

Our home is fine- not a single shingle was lost. We had several large limbs down
but none that hit the house. We were very very lucky. We do have water but no power. Thank goodness we've been blessed with a cool front and it hasn't been too bad at all. Juli and Aaron have a tree in their backyard and their fence is down but they already have power. Lucky!

All in all we were very very blessed and have actually enjoyed the time with our family and neighbors. Mike and the men in the neighborhood organized a small army to cut trees and remove limbs from all of the houses on the street. The women have been cooking and feeding everyone on a rotation.

I will post a more detailed post with pictures when I can but I do want everyone to know what a wonderful husband I have. Technically I guess this is a "MY HUSBAND ROCKS FRIDAY" since Ike came Friday night:-) Mike secured our home on Friday and made a plan for us, he was able to calm my fears before the wind even started to pick up. During the storm he paced the house constantly and kept Caroline with him b/c she seemed to have the more anxiety than any of the other children. His strength and protection covered not just me and our girls but Juli and Christina and their children as well and I am thankful that he was able to help them to feel safe. He has been in control from the moment that we learned we were in the direct path of the storm. I know that I could not be without him. He is our families rock and our shield.

Thanks for all the prayers! I will get pictures up as soon as possible.

September 11th

2008-09-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Today is September 11th-I want to share with my children what today means and why it is an imporant day. I want to honor those who died and those who serve our country everyday. I'm not quite sure how to do that while we are in the middle of preparing for Hurricane Ike to slam into the Gulf Coast. Hoepfully we can talk about it some this evening before the rain and wind start tomorrow.

I've spoken with both of my parents and Juli- we are not in a mandatory evacuation area and feel that we are pretty prepared. Juli and her family will join us at our house tonight and probably ride out the storm there. I am very thankful to have parents that have such wisdom and experience to help us be prepared for things like this. Please pray for all of the TX Gulf Coast that we all make it safely through to the other side of this nasty storm.

2008-09-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This weekend we had a GREAT time at the lake with Mike's MeMaw. We relaxed a lot- Mike helped MeMaw with some stuff around the house, and we took a trip "to town" to get some supplies.

I ran the Human Race (the Nike 10K) on Sunday and Mike was my support bike that rode behind me with gells and water. That afternoon the girls and their Aunt Loretta fixed a fancy tea party for us. We all wore hats or crowns and sipped from China cups. Even Caroline used a real china cup!

Loretta one of the most fun and creative people I know. She can make a party anywhere! After the tea party we split up into teams and had a scavenger hunt. It was a lot of fun. It was pretty hot so we broke out the slip and slide and the little wading pool. The girls had a great time cooling off and Loretta jumped right in with them.

We hated to leave it was fun and relaxing and we enjoyed having MeMaw Loretta and John all to ourselves.

First Grade!

2008-09-02T18:36:00.001-07:00

I have just been so proud of my little first grader! She has grown so much already. She loves her class and her teacher. Her teacher is very young and probably was a cheerleader in high school. She has a ton of energy and is very sweet.

The biggest news is that she had some issues with an older girl that she has been friends with for a very long time. The girl had said a few very hurtful things to her. She is generally very shy and afraid of confrontation (imagine that!) But today she walked across the street and spoke with her about the issues. It may seem like a little thing to some but it took a lot of courage and I am very very proud of her.

She teaches me something new everyday.

My Husband Rocks Friday~

2008-08-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

I know I know- no first day of school pictures yet but I promise you they are there! I just have misplaced my little doo-hicky that helps me get the pics from the memory card to the computer (our computer just isn't cool enough) so you will have to just be patient on that and instead hear why Mike rocks. I promise to post about the first week of school as soon as I can get the pics.

Okay- soMichael Rocks because~ he always is supportive of my explorations and all my new adventures. When I decided to ride the MS 150 for the first time not only was he supportive but he was excited and jumped right on the Bikewagon with me. When I decided I wanted to run he has run right there with me.

No matter what my idea- suggestion or random thought is he will try to help me to be successful. And That's why my hubby rocks!

Join in the fun here!

My Husband Rocks Friday

2008-08-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

Ok- so my sweet friend April has been posting for My Husband Rocks Fridays and it's really a cool way to honor your hubby so.. I am joining in the fun.

This week my husband rocks because when I went to have dinner with my captivating friend Stephanie he not only spent some quality time with the kids and fed them a healthy dinner- he also cleaned the kitchen, did 3 loads of laundry, cleaned our bathroom and had the girls clean their rooms. When he gave me a kiss Thursday morning before he left for work he said "I worked hard last night so you could have a fun day with the girls"

Now that really ROCKS! He is always thinking about me and ways in which he can reduce my stress level and help our home to be a peaceful and fun place to be.

How does your husband Rock?

Fun with Dad

2008-08-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Honeywell had a night at the Astros. I had to go to a dinner at my bosses house so the girls got to have a date with Dad. They had a great time. Mike said it was pretty hot and they were super high up and couldn't really see the field. But they had some snacks, bought a foam finger and got to see the Choo Choo train go around Reliant Statium. All were tired by the time they got home and Mike missed the last 5 minutes where the Stro's broke the tie and won the game but the girls didn't know that. They just knew they got to have a great night with their Daddy.

Love it

2008-08-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Leonard Cohen wrote a song that says

"there is a crack in everything -- that's how the light gets in, that's how the light gets in."

I HIT FIVE!!!

2008-08-09T11:09:00.000-07:00

After a tough and very stressful week at work I set out this morning with a very specific goal in mind- Five miles....And Five I did~

I am so very excited, you just have no idea. I never thought I could do this. 13.1 suddenly seems possible.

It's Hot

2008-07-31T06:22:00.000-07:00

Africa Hot-

I mean it is really, really, really hot....and it's humid.

And I have to run.

And I like it.

I love to sound my shoes make on the pavement. The sound of one foot in front of the other that will eventually get me somewhere else. I like the feeling that everytime I run I get just a little bit stronger, I can go just a little bit farther.

I think my favorite thing about this is that you can see big improvements fast. When I started I couldn't run for 15 minutes straight without stopping. I'm up to 3.5 miles in a just a couple of months. It is really a confidance booster! Hopefully, I'm going to get to 13 miles by January.

As of right now I'm still on the wait list for the 1/2 Marathon but I'm pretending like I am on the list and working hard to get there. I highly suggest this to ANYONE- it is fun!

Before we head home-

2008-07-16T21:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry I didn't post the last couple of days. I couldn't get the connection to work while we were in Williams- but we are at Chris and Mandi's today and ready to start heading home tommorrow. We have had an amazing time and loved every minute of it. We've had almost no fighting or complaining from the girls until today. I think everyone is tired. But what an adventure. One we will remember forever. We are already planning our next trip to a National Park (after we hike down Grand Canyon with the fam to Havasu We have a much better appreciation for the Parks service and what great Parks we have! Our family wants to take advantage of all of them. We've loved getting to be with Chris, Mandi and Peyton. Peyton is so sweet and funny. We loved their town and got to enjoy a short hike up the mountain near their home. Our only wish being that we could have stayed with them just a little longer. Christmas won't come soon enough!

Everyone has their favorite moments but the best thing about the entire week was just being together. Working together- laughing together- being together. I am the luckiest Mama, wife and sister in the world. Here is a small sample of the pictures we took. It's long I know but it's tough to get all of what we did and where we've been in this short time in.

My Montage 7/16/08

Still No Pictures

2008-07-12T22:08:00.000-07:00

You'll just have to wait for those, but we are having a fantastic time! This morning we were up with the sun...literally- headed out to Sitting Bull Falls and while we were driving down this road that was already 30 miles from nowhere I mumbled that maybe we should turn around. Mike was having none of it, and we continued on. And I am SOOO glad we did. There is an oasis in the middle of the desert. A beautiful waterfall with lush vegitation all around. All of us climbed as high as we could. Put our bare feet in the water and enjoyed a picnic lunch.

Then we headed out to Carlsbad Caverns. It was awesome. It truely is something everyone should see. We walked about 2 miles through the caves (after the good mile or so hike at the falls) and not once did a child complain......that alone must tell you something. After our cave tour we sat out and looked at the canyon while we had a snack and a rest before we hiked around the park a little more. No snakes today!

Finally we finished out our day watching the 300,000 Mexican Free-tail bats exit the caverns for their nightly feeding. It was pretty amazing I must say. Like nothing you can imagine. They swirl up like a tornado and the out above you. Awesome.

During the bat flight a storm was a brewin, and we realized the rain fly was not on our tent. We RAN back to camp and found that only Katherine's stuff had gotten wet so all was not lost.

Whew! Mommy and Daddy are tired. We've seen water in the desert, what it looks like 750 feet underground, storm clouds during a sunset, and a pretty cool lightning storm. What a great day!

Tomorrow we are off to Roswell and then on to Arizona.

Houston We have Lift Off

2008-07-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

So we are here in New Mexico- last night we drove into Kerville and stayed at a VERY cheap hotel and it wasn't very nice at all- but we got there at 11pm and were out by 7:30 so it was no big deal. Driving through West Texas was pretty boring except for the Windfarm (pictures to come shortly as soon as we get the right card reader). We got to Carlsbad and set up camp and went to the Living Desert Zoo and Museum. It was a really neat walking tour that showed the vegitation and wildlife of the desert. We saw bison, mule deer, porcupine, cougars and SNAKES- we even saw one snake that was not confined. Yes that is correct......it was a real live snake in the "wild" we were walking a long right on our merry way when a HUGE snake (pictures to follow) snaked it's snakey self right accross our path in between Me and Mike and the Girls. I screamed, but only to alert my family to the danger they were facing. I proceeded to get short of breath, and tear up wondering how on earth I was going to reach my children across this path that now held a 3 foot snake.

I choose to go the other way and jump a fence.. and all was ok. We got back to camp and went swimming, cooked dinner and showered for bed. Anyway we may end up having to wait till we get to Chris and Mandi's to post pictures, but we're having a FANTASTIC time!

Here We Go!

2008-07-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

So we're getting packed and heading out a day early for vacation. We decided that if we left tonight and drove to Kerrville (6hrs) then tomorrow while the girls were awake it wouldn't be so bad and we'd get to New Mexico early enough to set up camp- have lunch swim and enjoy the day. So there it is. Mike is picking up the rental car now and I'm finishing up some work.

I have a meeting at 2pm so the timing is perfect. Mike will load the car etc and we'll head out when we get home. Both of our campgrounds have wifi so I'll try to get some pictures up of our progress and of course we'll have it at Chris and Mandi's.

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!

30 Great Things!

2008-07-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

So here it is- I'm here, I've arrived. It is official.....I am a grown up!

I've been thinking lots about my life- what it means to be 30, am I really an adult? Does this mean that this is real life? We are no longer waiting for it to begin. It is here. So to celebrate my 30 years I wanted to share 30 great things/and or favorite things in my life!

1) My Husband- who loves me more than anything in the world. I have never doubted that I am his number one priority. And he's still my best friend-

2) My Katherine- turning more and more into the beautiful person I know she was born to be.

3) My sweet Caroline- HILARIOUS she lights me up and makes me smile. Everyday no matter how bad the day is.

4) Completing MS two years in a row. It really is amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it.

5) My amazing friends. How lucky can a girl get?

6) My new floors in my house!! Very fun to slide around in your socks :)

7) Parents- I have the best parents anyone could ask for. People who love you unconditionally, and help you to be better than you are.

8) Siblings are wonderful, and they get better as you get older- you can apprciate all of the quirky things about them a little more.

9) Early morning when the kids and husband are asleep.

10) Early morning when the kids come to snuggle in our bed. Sleepy smiles that turn into tickles and laughter are priceless.

11) Learning new things.

12) S0nic Diet Cokes with Vanilla- During Happy Hour.

13) Playing at the park-

14) Dancing like nobody is watching.

15) Reading blogs for hours at a time.

16) Having Coffee with girl friends.

16) Reading books for hours at a time.

17) The Comal River- ANYTIME

18) Memories of Family Vacations when I was young.

19) Creating those memories with my kiddos now.

20) Fresh local summer Produce- tomatoes cut up with just salt and pepper- YUM!

21) The water; lake, pool, ocean -any kind of water that you can swim, float, or boat in.

22) Finding something that is funny and just randomly laughing about it. It's pretty fun to see someone else wonder what you are so happy about.

23) CVSing- I'm a simple girl and don't need much to make me smile. Going with my sister is an added bonus. Wish she lived closer so we could be big couponing dorks together.

24) A clean house. One of my most favorite things is working hard on my house and then sitting for a minute in the quiet just to enjoy it.

25) I love Texas, I know it's silly but I love living in a state that has pride. Sometimes it may be misguided and a little bit redneck but it's home and I love it. Any state that has it's own beer has to be pretty special right?

26) Camping.

27) Sleeping in a hotel.

28) Watching movies on the couch with my husband.

29) Girl Scout cookies. Especially Thin mints frozen.

30) Dreaming about what we're going to do for the next 30 years.

Bring it on-

Favor!!!

2008-06-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

I have favor, lots and lots of favor! I wonder honestly how and why I deserve the husband, the children, the blessings that I have. I'm still in shock and don't even quite sure where to start.

All of you know I turn 30 next weekend. THIRTY- I didn't think that I would have an issue with this. I am happily married to the love of my life. I have two beautiful children and all I could ever need. But I must confess that it has snuck up on me and I am feeling some.....well something! Anyway, lucky for me I have wonderful friends and a great husband who think of things like this weekend.

My friends kidnapped me and took me to the Bay. I had NO idea. They took me to a nice birthday dinner a little early "because that's when everyone could meet". I kissed my kids and my husband goodbye and after dinner I was whisked away to Port Alto, TX. It was a long drive but a fun road trip. Lots of corn and lots of dark country. We got to Carrie's families house and in the morning we walked out the front door to the water of the bay and even got to see a family of dolphins.

We floated in the bay, relaxed and took naps. It was the most relaxing time I have had in a very very long time.

Saturday night we went to Palacios, TX (the Shrimp Capital of TX) for food and live music. It stormed while we were at dinner, under a patio covered with a tin roof and we got to watch a beautiful lightning storm. The food was great, the music was fun and the conversation couldn't have been better.

Sunday morning Stephanie and I got up and ran, we sunned, read, talked and finally cleaned up and headed home. We even stopped the car to venture through the rows of very dead corn on the way home!

I truly would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for the 3 women in this picture. We have known each other for a very long time. We've seen each other through marriage, children, births, deaths, new jobs, new businesses. We have cried together, laughed (a lot) together, and grown to become family. I know that they were placed in my life for a purpose. Each one of them brings something unique and special to our group. The feast at our table of friendship is so full and satisfying that it is sometimes overwhelming. We are now in different stages of life, we do not see or talk to each other every day but at a moments notice we drop whatever we need to to be there for one another. This was my turn. My sweet, lovely, captivating friends dropped everything in their busy lives to serve me....and I love them for that and for every blessing, every truth, every little piece of themselves that I have had the privilege of knowing.

AND IT GETS BETTER!!!

Little did I know, back at home my husband who loves me so very much was hard at work. He planned, coordinated, and carried out a VERY complicated plan to surprise me with this.....

Now really, who wouldn't be just a little overwhelmed? My husband and what seems like every family member and friend that we know had a part in this- How lucky can a girl be? What did I do to deserve this? My brother in laws moved furniture, Matt helped to get materials and labor- April helped by lending her husband. The girls took me away and my father and mother in law came over today to do laundry and help put the house back in order. Words cannot express what it means me to me that so many people love me enough to set aside their busy schedules to spend and entire weekend for me! I'm still in awe. I love everyone who participated and can't BELIEVE everyone was able to keep it from me.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Summer Plans- Goals

2008-06-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

So my sweet sister over http://butterflybites.blogspot.com/at tagged me- I've never been tagged before so this is a new and different thing for me! I feel very, very cool-

One of my plans is to turn 30 with a little bit of grace and dignity! I'm cutting my hair tonight (stay tuned) and will probably need to dance ALOT at Nia and maybe eat some mangos on a front porch swing somewhere.

My biggest goal this summer is to literally run my butt off- my short term goal is that I'm running in the Human Race on 8/31/08- it's a 10K and at this moment I am up to a whopping 2.25 miles.

Our other really big thing is our vacation. We are driving from Houston through New Mexico stopping at Carlsbad Caverns, the Grand Canyon in Arizona and then heading out to California to see my brother and his wife Mandi. I'm so excited I can't stand it. We did a similar trip with our parents when I was little and it is one of my favorite memories.

Other than that I'm just trying to hire an assistant at work so I keep my head above water and spend sometime with my kids. They already have tan lines and chlorine smelling skin which is totally one of my favorite things about summer.

I love summer! Tag Mandi, April and Sarah (if she'll do it)

Sweet Caroline

2008-06-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

My Baby is THREE! My sweet, sweet baby is THREE....

It's hard for me to believe, even harder to wrap my head and heart around that.

She is beginning to loose the baby fat, and turning slowly into a child. She's grown 4 inches just since January- It is quite a beautiful transformation. From a chubby little Caterpillar into an amazing butterfly. She is a well rounded little girl; tom-boy and rough when she needs to be and the sweetest most loving, nurturing little girl you've ever met. She loves her older sister and has a genuine devotion to making people smile. She has a sense of humor that can make anyone smile, no matter how bad the day.

She loves to try new things, mostly things that scare her mother- but her Dad gets quite the kick out of watching her and holding me back from making her stop! I know she will go on to be a light in this world. She will work hard to serve others, as she does at everything she tries. She will have a good attitude in the darkest of circumstances and she will uplift those around her. She will do good- she will change the world. I know she will because she has changed mine. I'm so grateful for the privilege of being her mother.

Happy Birthday my Captivating Child!

Here is a not so great video of her birthday party- I will post some pictures as soon as I can.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Finding the thread of joy-

2008-06-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

Katherine and I went to Nia on Friday night. Joy was the teacher and she really is great. At the beginning of the class she talked about how we all need to find the "thread of joy" that is weaved into our lives. It's there- at times it is brighter than others, at times it is thicker than others but it's always there weaving in and out and sometimes we just have to find it.

The class was excellent. It was a great work out this week and we left smiling, laughing and generally in a great mood.

Since then I've really been working hard to find the thread of joy.

Work has been especially difficult lately. What was a part time job I enjoyed at one time has turned into more than full time and I can barely keep up with no help or end in sight. Most days I come home tired and feeling failure at not being able to accomplish much and not being able to "win"- Mom asked me if I was 'weary' and I must say that describes it perfectly....BUT I am finding the thread. Here are a few bits of joy weaved into my life this week:

1)Katherine danced like a mad woman at Nia and didn't even care what she looked like! Oh JOY of finding that she doesn't have to be AFRAID!!

2)Katherine shaved another 10 seconds off of her backstroke this weekend and placed fourth- she also got 2nd in the relay. Oh JOY in gaining confidance in herself!

3)Caroline told me three days in a row that I am her best friend. JOY in the beauty of my baby loving me.

4) Caroline thinks she can swim and loves the water. JOY in watching her face lit up at her new found skills.

5)My husband told me that he is "addicted" to me. JOY in still now and forever being in love with the man I married.

6)I met a new friend for some much needed Mommy Time. JOY in the new friend and the Mommy Time.

7) I got to be with an old friend for a nice bike ride and talk. JOY in the friends you know will be there forever.

8) I got to see my absolutely amazing sister graduate high school. JOY in the beauty of Jessi!

9) My Dad knows me more than I thought and can recognize and help me through my fears. JOY in wonderful parents!

10) I decided I am going to run a 1/2 marathon in January. JOY in being healthy and trying new things.

My house is not clean and I the laundry is in a Sarahish pile in my living room but I do not care. I know for this moment at least that I am NOT my job- In fact my job does not define me in the least. I am a mother, a friend, a wife and I have JOY. I'm so thankful to Joy for helping me get out of myself for a second and see that I have so much to be; not just content with but joyful. I hope everyone finds the thread of joy today.

After Much Weeping and Nashing of Teeth......

2008-05-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Katherine is the one with the bright orange swim cap swimming the backstroke like she's an old pro. (sorry I didn't get the finish but the camera died)
But she has really good form!

So the story goes....the first week of practice there was MUCH wailing, crying, whining and getting out of the pool to come and sit on the bench. If the Coach asked her to do ANYTHING she did not know how to do she thought she should just quit. In time trials- she froze in fear and sat crying silently on the bench- but we made her do it anyway (I know we are mean mean parents) At the second meet she was put in the relay which she didn't understand and it led to more fear.

AND NOW....she will not get out of the water- she swam 56 laps for her Swim-a-thon she's improved her time in freestyle from over a minute at the time trials to 38 seconds this week placing 4th overall. In backstroke she's also improved over 20 seconds since the beginning. And we are only in the 3rd week.

I'm very proud of her for pushing through her fear! On the other side of that fear happened to be something she now LOVES and is actually pretty good at.

I've really enjoyed it as well. I was dreading the long meets and practices every night but we've made friends with Ty's family (a little boy in her class) and we really get a long and have fun! I'm looking forward to seeing how the kids grow through the rest of the season!

Yummy Yummy

2008-05-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

I know, I know- it's been just too long, but I've been crazy busy at work and Katherine is now on swimteam (more on that later) which is practice EVERY night and meets on Saturdays. So I haven't had time to blog.

BUT today we are having crawfish at Uncle Pat and my smallish child who is just a tiny bit like her Daddy loves them. These are not all that spicy but they do have a kick to them. By the time I caught this on video she'd already eaten quite a few!

And Please excuse the date/Katherine school party thing. I'm not very good at videos yet!

My Montage 12/21/07

Little Trooper

2008-04-29T06:06:00.000-07:00

Katherine is just a trooper! In case I haven't mentioned lately...I love her and I'm proud of her! This weekend we did our first organized ride as a family. It benifited Brookwood community. Brookwood is a community for adults with functional disabilities. They have a cafe and a store where they work, greenhouses where they raise plants to sell to nurseries etc. We felt like that was a good one to start with b/c it would give Katherine a chance to see different types of people, learn a little about others...a little about herself.

Change the world one thought at a time right?

So we planned only to do 20 miles thinking that would be tough for her little chicken legs but Michael decided at the turn off that we might as well go for FORTY. Yes that's correct- FORTY miles. Remember that I am pulling the younger (35 lb) child in the trailer behind my bike, up hills.

I think Katherine complained less than I did. She got upset once but then one of the volunteers came and talked to her and she was great from that point forward. Everyone riding by us would tell her what a great job she was doing and to keep going. She did crash litterally moments after sitting down to eat her lunch but she was proud of herself and excited she accomplished something so big. She had to call Grandpa and Grandma to tell them that she did it, and that one of the rest stops had "Cinnamon rolls and a lot of rolly pollies on they ground"

It was a really neat experience for us and we can't wait to do it again.

WE DID IT!!!!!!

2008-04-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not even sure where to start but this will be quite a long post so I can get to everything and share all of the pictures. Get prepared for a lot of reading and quite a few pictures!

This weekend was nothing short of amazing. It was tough and all of us (except Mike) cried at one point or another but we did it! We rode this weekend with the Direct Energy Team who partners with the Houston Apartment Association. DE was fantastic. They provided us with food, transportation, massages and a sort of nice place to sleep. (I'll explain that later) All of the DE volunteers were great!!!! Huge salute to them. Paul and John did an awesome job volunteering and we appreciate them all very much! Anyone looking to ride with us next year can join the DE team too!

Within the team we made up our own little team of Mike and I, his aunt Loretta and my friend Katherine. We did a lot of the training rides together and that was one of the best things about doing this was getting to finish with our little team. We really helped get each other through the weekend.

Saturday the wind was in our faces ALL day. It was really hard. In places going on a DOWNHILL we were only moving 9 mph, PEDALLING when we should have been coasting at 20 or so. If you've ever seen the infomercial for the Endless Pool that's a little what it felt like. You know...the one where you swim against the current for excersize but don't go anywhere? That's a little what it felt like. It made the hills that much harder b/c you didn't have any releif on the downhill. We did see a lot of cool things- like this guy
Loretta sagged the last few miles into LaGrange and Katherine had a flat about 5 miles out of LaGrange but we all got back to camp at about 5:00 or so, to a cold shower but then a massage which was great! That night none of us slept very well b/c we were all crammed into the Rec Center of the camp ground, where the lights wouldn't go off and the restroom for the whole campground was located...nice... there were several snorers and one guy whose alarm started going off at 3:30 and didn't stop until 5:45!

So Sunday started off cold and groggy. A breezy 40 degrees...that'll wake you up pretty quick. At the top of our first hill of the day we were greeted with this-
We saw lots of other neat things on the side of the road too. There was a fiddler, several guys in vans blasting music from huge speakers and cheering us on through bullhorns, families with cow bells and people holding signs everywhere. My favorites were the town of Fayetteville where they decorate all through downtown and everyone is out with signs and music yelling and cheering you on- and the same man in the same wheelchair on the same corner as last year sitting there and saying thank you to every person who rode by. My other favorite was a gentleman sitting on the hood of his car in the middle of nowhere with a sign that simply said, "HERO" What can be better than that? Those things just make all of it worth it! Every second! Here are some other cool pics- just look at the sheer volume of people! Bikes as far as you can see!

Loretta and I sagged Sunday morning- a little sore knee and just generally really tired from the day before and no sleep. Mike braved the big hill and got to 50mph on the downhill. He loved it! While we're on that subject- can I just tell you that I am married to a rockstar? If you didn't know it let me tell you now- while he waited at every rest stop for us so we could continue on, he was so fast! He could have probably beat us by 2 hrs, even with the wind- on a mountain bike! He even said he was getting addicted to saying "Passing on your left" and hearing people behind him say "He just passed us on a mountian bike!"

We met up again after lunch and really hit it hard. Pushed our way through lots more hills and more head wind and FINALLY came to 3 miles before the finish line in Austin.....and I had a flat tire! Lucky for me I had my knight in shining armour right there to change it. (Good thing since he was carrying my extra tube and I don't know how!) Loretta and Katherine insisted on waiting, they weren't going to let us get that far together and then finish separately.

After the tire got changed we made our way through one or two more stop lights and could hear the roar of the crowd. It is an amazing feeling to right though the UT campus knowing that you are coming up on the feeling of a lifetime- We came around the corner where we could see the words FINISH and hear the crowd and just got overwhelmed-
AND THEN.....as if it couldn't get any better- I see my beautiful daughter sitting high on her uncles shoulders, yelling for her Mom and Dad! I couldn't hold it in. I was so proud of myself, of Mike and Loretta and Katherine. Proud of Paul and John for helping, and being with us and supporting us- how cool for Mike to give his brother a high five as he came in- Proud to be a mom, proud to be a part of something so huge that helps so many people. Proud to be married to my Rockstar, and yes proud to be an American where we have the freedom and the right to do something like this.....Amazing.

I did want to share my battle scars with everyone! My skin did ok- I used an entire bottle of spf 50 but still got this-and just how sexy is this-and finally- bike chains are dirty, you probably shouldn't rub your legs against them,

All in all we couldn't have asked for a better weekend. Thank you to all who texted us with encouragement, we knew everyone was praying for us and wishing us well and it made it that much sweeter to know everyone at home was rooting for us too!

Here it Comes!

2008-04-10T18:53:00.001-07:00

In less than 48 hours we will be setting out for Austin on two wheels. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! We are got our jerseys tonight YEAH! Packed our bags with probably more gear than is necessary and are ready to go! Mike's Aunt Loretta is coming in tomorrow to ride with us, and we are prepared as much as we can be.

I'm nervous about lots of things....Will my skin be okay with all that sun? (Last weekend I bathed in sunscreen and reapplied every hour and STILL got burned, darn medicine!) Will we be able to stay together? With 13,000 riders will we be safe? Will the wind be in our faces or at our backs? Will all of us have the endurance that it takes? Will we make it before the 90 year old rider rolls into Austin?

I don't know the answers to all of those questions, but I do know that whatever the circumstances Mike and I will be doing this together. His Aunt, cousin and our good friends riding with us. His brothers Paul and John volunteering to support us on the way and we will have an amazing experience no matter what happens.

We appreciate all of the support that everyone has given us. It means so much to know our family and friends back us 100%- We know we have a team at home that will be praying for us the whole time, and pushing us with their thoughts to go just a few more miles.