Good Times!!

What a great weekend we had with the Ownbys:) All the adults even managed to have some alone time without kids too.

On Friday we all just enjoyed each others company and caught up on things going on in each of our lives. The steaks Cary cooked were great and the girls were so excited to see each other. (That includes the big girls too.) Trenton even taught Campbell how to be alone in a room without crying quite so much. It was just fun to see each other in person.


Saturday our husbands got up early to go play some golf. Steph and I fed all the children and after a little while managed to go to the zoo. It was very overcast outside but we braved it anyway. Little did I know it was Military appreciation day at the zoo. They has free food and drinks for the military families which I though was great. However we did end up having to buy the girls popcorn and drinks because of all the temptations around. When we entered the zoo I bought some animal food for the girls to have and it was a big hit with them. I think they tried to feed almost every animal at the zoo.
The favorite was the giraffe I believe because it would put its head on the bridge and eat the crackers. Trinity and Kaylee then got to discuss whether the giraffe's tongue was purple or black. After a few minutes even the giraffe got tired of the discussion and wandered off. There was a long line of kids waiting to feed the giraffe so I know they are well fed. Next we moved on to the elephants, lions, birds, and ducks. The turtles in the pond were a big thing too.
Through all of this Campbell and Trenton just enjoyed the ride in their strollers. Considering they both missed a morning nap they were amazingly happy. It is hard to believe that just yesterday we were pushing Trinity and Kaylee around like this...where does the time go? After pushing Campbell around in her old stroller I realized just why I had bough a lightweight stroller for Kaylee so long ago. Glad I have a new one ordered since the old one broke a week ago. As we were nearing the exit our husbands called to say they were done with golf and on the way home. Yeah!! That means girl time is around the corner. We took a brief trip around ACU so Trinity could see where Steph went to college and then picked up lunch for the little girls and headed back home.

Once we were home we dropped off all the kids and went to have a "girly" lunch at Under One Roof in Becker's Loft. It was fun to have some time with Steph and go in shops I do not dare take a stroller because of all the things within reach of little hands. We even managed to find a few things to buy...I know that no one can believe that. (ha,ha) It was sorta like old times when we would go to lunch and shop after ladies class. I really miss those days. After a few hours we called our husbands to meet us with the kids for some yummy Chinese food. We were all full and tired once we returned home. After bathtime we were all off to bed early so we would be ready for early church in the morning.

Here are all our children after church on Sunday. They all looked so cute!! We had a delicious lunch at Joe Allen's BBQ. Then we returned home for the little ones to nap and the rest of us to relax a little. Kaylee and Trinity had fun playing in the playroom and outside.

After the babies woke up we tried to get a picture of them in their ACU attire but it was not as successful as we had hoped. I needed a much faster camera to catch these two smiling at the same time. Maybe we will try again in another month or so when we are together. I was sad to see our sweet friends go but I am already looking forward to our next time together. Thanks for coming Ownbys. Hopefully some of our other friends will follow your lead and make the journey too. For all our friends reading this "Yes," that is a big hint to you to come see us anytime!!

Fun with Friends!!

I am so glad that it is Friday!!! I have been waiting for today all week. My house is clean and we are getting company for the weekend:) It is hard to tell who is more excited Kaylee or me because we have both been on the countdown all week. The Ownbys are coming!! They will be our first friends from Dallas to come visit. Little does Campbell know that her boyfriend is coming too. There is just something so nice about being able to relax with good friends. The whole weekend is planned starting with steaks tonight and a late birthday celebration for Steph and an early celebration for Trenton. I have baked the cake and it smells so good! Of course, there will be plenty of pictures on my post Monday.

Well I am off to finish a few last minute things. Kaylee and I had lunch with the Baileys today and Lisa was sweet enough to take Kaylee home so I could get a few more things done. I should make good use of that time. Hope you all have a great weekend too!

Nightime Humor

Lately Kaylee has tried to think of every excuse in the book to get out of her bed at night. Here is the Top Ten List:

10. "The books are boring and I need some new ones to make me go to sleep faster."

9. "There are too many things going on in my head to sleep."

8. "Shark Boy, Lava Girl, and Max won't stop talking to me!" (they have lived with us since last Summer when she saw the movie...good imagination.)

7. "Shark Boy, Lava Girl, and Max are spreading jelly all over my walls."

6. "I think I need to go to the bathroom." (This comment happens on her second trip to the potty.)

5. "I am itchy on my back and need some lotion."

4. "When I close my eyes it is dark." (Can't argue with that.)

3. "My tummy keeps telling me it is thirsty." (When her first cup of juice is empty prompting comment #6.)

2. "My head tells me I am tired but my body just won't listen!" (This is after catching her standing on the headboard of her bed.)

1. "My pants on the floor are scaring me. I am afraid they are going to jump up and start dancing around the room."

Cary and Kaylee had a conversation on the way to school the other day about #8 that went something like this...
Kaylee, "Daddy I am sorry I kept you up last night." Cary, "That's okay Kaylee...I think it is time for Shark Boy, Lava Girl and Max to find another home if they cannot let you sleep at night." Kaylee, "I do not think so." Cary, "Maybe they need to sleep in the shed." Kaylee, "Then I will sleep in the shed too." Cary,"Okay." After a short silence Kaylee says, "I do not think I want to sleep in the shed." Cary, "Okay."

I would love to hear some of your favorite stalling tactics from your kiddos! Have a great day!!

Trophy Time!!

Well Tuesday night was the official end of Kaylee's first soccer season. The BIG night had finally arrived! It was trophy time!! On game days were Kaylee was not into it we just had to say the word "trophy" and she was back in the game. Coach James and Leslie were so sweet and booked a room at MR.Gatti's for the awards and fun. (They also were kind enough to pay for each child's pizza and tokens.) Who wouldn't love pizza, games and trophys? The minute we walked in the door we heard,"KAYLEEEEEE!" Kaitlyn was so happy to see her friend and what a great greeting. When award time came Coach James was so sweet to say kind words about each girl and the personality that they brought to the team. (It really is a nice group of girls.) Kaitlyn had fun passing out all the trophys too. After trophy and food time it was off to play games. Since I was taking care of Campbell and Cary was getting more pizza Kaylee asked one of the other Dad's to take her to play games. I had to laugh, you just never know with that girl. Of course, Cary returned in a minute and went to play the games with her. I think Kaylee's second favorite time of the night was getting to cash in her tickets from the games and get three prizes. We all had a great time and look forward to another season! (I asked Kaylee if she wanted to play in the fall and she said,"I just want to spend some time with my family." After I explained that fall was a long time away she said she would probably be ready by then. My funny girl:) I treasure that moment so much because I know that one day she will want time away from her parents. I am glad that day is not today.

"MOM, I don't have time for this right now."

Kaylee with her friend Kaitlyn.

Kaylee with her favorite Coach, Coach James.

Well this weekend was full of college friends and family fun! It all started on Friday night when we went to Perini Ranch with some sweet college friends and their children. The evening was perfect for eating out in the country. Our table was next to a screen door that lead outside so it was perfect for the kids to run and play before the food arrived. We actually got in some adult conversation since the kids were entertained outside. Afterwards we went to their house to visit some more and let the kids play.

Saturday we slept in since we were out late the night before. After my sweet husband fixed french toast for breakfast we went to run errands. We did not get as much accomplished as I would have liked but lunch called. Next we decided to go to the zoo. The zoo here is small but good. You cannot beat a year long family pass for $35 and it only being about 8 minutes from the house. There is a great park next to the zoo also. Kaylee loved the monkeys and the giraffes. The giraffes can reach up to the bridge so you can feed them food. Campbell finally crashed in the stroller about half way through the zoo. I forgot the camera but I am sure many trips are in our future. Also I got Kaylee signed up for zoo camp. How fun is that?

Today we went to church and ate a great lunch at Johnny Carinos with some other college friends. Then I took a brief nap and Cary spent all afternoon into the evening cleaning up the garage and putting Christmas decorations in the attic. I think he was tired of Christmas by the time he was done. Thanks for all your hard work Dear:)

Well I am off to get stuff together for tomorrow. It is a MOPS day!

Little Things

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." Robert Brault

This is the quote at the beginning of an email my sweet friend Claire sent me. A company named Sugar Photography produced this video of a family in their daily life. (Kleenex warning!) The mother is fighting cancer and their friends wanted the children to have something special to treasure forever. Please say a prayer for this family. This reminded me that my problems are small and it is the little things in our daily life that matter. I know I am going to hug my family extra hard tonight and say an extra prayer.

Just wanted to share something that touched me. May each of you have a blessed day. (If anyone knows the title and/or artist singing the song in the video would you let me know?)

Super Suppers is Super!!

I finally got to do something I have been wanting to do for a long time...I went to Super Suppers and had a blast! If you have never been you have to get a group of friends together and go. They have private parties and if you are the one who books the parties you could get your 12 meals free! I only bought the 6 meal deal but brought home enough food for 12 meals. Each entree feeds 6-8 people. All the food looks great. Since we booked a private party they even had treats for us. (The scones were incredible:) I think it was totally worth the money since I have 12 meals and do not have to worry about what to cook for about two weeks. That alone makes me happy.

Each week is getting easier for me around here. I have not blogged about this much because I have been trying to pray more and complain/feel sorry for myself less. Moving can be and has been very lonely at times but things are looking up. I really enjoyed meeting a lot more ladies from the class tonight and had a wonderful time! Slowly my weeks are filling up and I hope to be back to full speed by Summer with a group of fun girls to hang out with. It has been a challenge to go from knowing everyone to knowing no one, but one I am willing to tackle. (My heart will always miss my BFF and PC class.) Sometimes the Lord takes us out of our comfort zone to make us refocus. (Not a bad thing.) We do have a lot more family time, more time for the Lord, and a much slower pace around here were the goals.

On a different note Kaylee was telling me what she wanted for breakfast this morning and picked Lucky Charms. This is not an unusual thing but she said the reason she picked it was because of the "healthy seal on the side of the box". The seal on the side actually says "choose breakfast". I thought that was very observant and cute of her. That's my girl thinking Lucky Charms are healthy.

Family, Easter, & More Easter!!

Our FUN weekend started on Friday when Papa, Nana, and Great Papaw arrived at our house. The Easter surprises started right off the bat with two new movies for Kaylee. (The surprise for me was that Nana had come bearing food which meant not a lot of cooking for me.) We managed to enjoy each other that night and to rest up for the next days activities. Mom and I did run a few errands and get some Starbucks though:)

Saturday started with a leisurely breakfast which was nice. Then we were off and running to Kaylee's last soccer game. I have to say she was not really into the game this week. Her mind was mostly on the Easter Egg Hunt after the game. She did manage to get the ball towards the goal once but no goal this week. The game was over at 12:40pm and we were off and running to our church for the Easter Egg Hunt which started at 1:00pm. After a little quick change in the car into an Easter shirt and shorts in was time to grab the basket and hunt. My daughter did not want to pick up any old egg...she only wanted the ones that she liked. That's my girl!!

While all of this was going on Campbell was laid back in her stroller and eating her lunch or being held by Daddy or Papa. I am so glad she is a go with the flow kinda girl because we drug her all over the place today. What a Big First Easter for her. I promised her it would be more fun next year!
As soon as the hunt was over Kaylee went for a ride in the train type cars with her friend Reid who goes to church and school with her. (He was her "boyfriend" till last week when Chloe decided she wanted him to be her boyfriend. Such drama from 4 year olds!) Next we were off to the gym where they had set up a jump house and big blow-up slide. After about 40 minutes of that we convinced her to leave because we were thirsty and had not eaten lunch yet. As Papa and Nana were leaving the parking lot Kaylee realized she had two prize eggs so she took them inside to get her prizes. You would have thought she had won a million dollars.

Today has consisted of pictures and surprises. Kaylee woke up to find the Easter Bunny (aka Papa & Nana) had left her a big girl bicycle. What a great Easter Bunny!! Campbell got a cute ride-on toy too courtesy of Nana & Papa Bunny. These are two very loved girls who are more blessed than they will ever know. I know that Cary and I have been given more blessings than ever imagined. Thank you, Lord! Of course, they both got other Easter treats too like candy, books, clothes, and stuffed bunnies. Next it was off to church to focus on the real meaning of this holiday. Kaylee told us about how Jesus died then rose to save us. I was pretty proud of her ability to grasp that much. Then we went back home for a delicious Easter lunch. Followed by an Easter Egg Hunt in the backyard and some good strawberry pie. Now Papa, Nana, and Great Papaw have left to return home for I am sure some much needed rest. We sure did enjoy their visit. Time seemed to pass so quickly. More pictures are posted on my flickr if you would like to see.

It has been a wonderful Easter!! I am so thankful that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Now we are able to witness miracles in our life each day and be forgiven when we do not notice them.


Happy Easter to all of our friends and family that are our blessings and miracles each day!! May we always realize the treasure we have in each of you. God bless you all!

A Fun Founder's Day

Well Saturday was a great day around our house. Kaylee had an early morning soccer game. It was actually quite chilly outside. She did a good job in the game with two assists on the goals. Of course she had Mom, Dad, and Grandma cheering her on this week. I think she is ready for soccer to be over for a little bit. She will miss Coach James and Kaitlyn though. Next week is the last game till Fall so hopefully the Butterflies will continue to excel.

After the game we came home to change and went to the Founder's Day celebration downtown. It was fun because most everything was for the kids.
There were some bounce houses, slides, and even a little combat type air mat. Kaylee made fast friends with a little boy who was also going on the slide so they raced each other up the stairs and down the huge slide a few times. Next it was on to lunch which consisted of sausage on a stick, foot long corndogs, and funnel cake. Delicious!! There was also a tent full of games for the kids. Kaylee mainly did the fishing game and I have to say got pretty good at casting her reel. Her favorite part was getting the frisbee as a prize.
Until she discovered the Barrel Train!! She just hopped right on board and loved riding all over the street. Cary and I realized how big she has gotten when she did not need our help getting onto the train car. She does still however need help getting off which made us feel a little more needed. I still sit and wonder where the past 4 years have gone.(I cannot think about it too long because it makes me so sad.)

Notice I have not mentioned Campbell because she had missed her morning nap and spent most of her time at Founder's day like this... Bless her little heart she was so tired. The screaming, band playing, and train going by failed to wake her. After a little nap she was ready to eat and look around. I am happy to say even though she still does not have much hair she will soon have two teeth. Yeah!! I was beginning to think my sweet girl would be toothless and hairless for her first birthday. So far Campbell is handeling the teething like a pro. I still cannot believe in two months she will be ONE!! ( Can't think about that either.)

All in all the Beards had a great weekend!! Kaylee is looking forward to hunting Easter eggs and I am looking forward to another fun weekend coming up:)

I can't believe it is Thursday already!!

Why is it that each week seems busier than the one before?

Monday I enjoyed getting to know some of the ladies in my class by attending BUNKO! It was so much fun to chat, play, and get to know each other. They even play for real money of which I won none of because the luck of the dice was not with me. Most of all I enjoyed reconnecting with a friend from my Siggie days at ACU. It was nice to catch up and see where our lives have gone.

Tuesday was a fun day for Kaylee because she got to see farm animals at school. The whole way home I heard about the 1 week old goat that ate from its Momma while they were watching. Also evidently she got to sit on a donkey which was fun.

Wednesday was laundry day as usual...nothing too exciting.

Today Kaylee enjoyed school while Campbell and I ran some errands. After school Kaylee got to accompany me to Campbell's late 9 month appointment. All of you Mom's know how much fun it is to entertain two children at the doctor's office. There was a nice lady there that is part of the grandparent program who reads books to children in the waiting room. Kaylee kept her busy reading. The sweet lady told Kaylee she was smart and Kaylee responded with, "My whole family is smart"! I wanted to fall in a hole. You just never know with that girl. I cannot wait till I have two telling all about our lives.
Campbell is 22lbs. 10oz. and 29 inches long. She had gained a pound in three weeks. I suppose that means she is healthy. Campbell screamed the whole time the doctor was looking at her which I am sure was enjoyable for him. She did not get a shot though because they have never requested her shot record so they were not sure what she needed. They have had us as a patient since December and the thought of a shot record never crossed their minds. I still miss Dr. Blair especially at times like these:(
After returning home I got an email that my sweet friend Alyssa had Camryn today and all went well. What a great way to end the day.

Well I suppose that is all for now. Hopefully I will get some fun pictures this weekend at the Founder's Day Celebration! Enjoy your weekend.

Bathroom, Grandparents, & a Date

Well we had a busy weekend...

Friday: We finally got the girls bathroom finished! All we have to do now is add a rug and a few decorative accents. It is so nice for them to actually be able to use their own bathroom for baths and stuff. I will post pictures when it is completely finished.

Saturday: My parents came into town to visit and watch Kaylee play soccer. Mom, Kaylee, and I went to do a little shopping at Tuesday Morning. Of course, Kaylee talked Mom into almost everything in the store. That's what grandparents are for, right? I just love Tuesday Morning! I found the cutest baby gift for a lady at church for under $10.00. Next we picked up lunch and enjoyed talking until time to leave for the game.

Speaking of the game, Kaylee was so excited to have Papa and Nana there to watch her. In the first minute or two of the game Kaylee scored a GOAL!! She was so excited she had to come get high-fives from all of us. You would have thought she had gottent he best gift ever. Then she kept telling the fill-in-coach "that's my family!!!" and pointing to us. The rest of the game was spent with her watching us more than paying attention. I suppose she thought after one goal her job was done. She did have a few conversations with Shark Boy, Lava Girl, and Max on the field. I cannot wait to ask the fill-in-coach at practice just what Kaylee was telling him on the field because he kept laughing. There is not telling with my girl:)

After a snowcone and Kaylee riding her tricycle for a little while my parents kept the girls so we could have a date. A real date!! I think the last one we went on was in February. We decided to go eat at Cypress Street. I just love old restaurants in downtown districts. Since I had not eaten there since college I thought it would be fun. Also it is somewhere we would not take the girls. The meal was fabulous and the best part was we had the restaurant all to ourselves. When we got there another group was leaving and no one else came in the whole time we were there. Needless to say the waitstaff was very attentive. I was sure to tell Cary thanks for reserving the restaurant just for us.(ha,ha) After eating we enjoyed a stroll downtown and got to look through one of the storefront windows at a wedding reception. The bride looked beautiful and the cake was very cute. What is it about weddings that always makes your eyes teary and your stomach want cake? Next we were off to shop and little and get a Starbuck's before returnign home. It was nice to just be with each other a little. I still have the best date around!!

Sunday: We awoke to the smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls. It was so nice to have Mom and Dad here:) I could wake up to that every morning. After scrambling around we were off to church. Both of the girls were great!! Campbell went to her teacher without a second thought of me. They said she participated (as much as a nine months old can I suppose) and then played after class without a sound. I am so glad she is adjusting to being left. Kaylee too had fun in class and told us all about it at lunch. Today was my parents anniversary. They are such a wonderful example to Cary and I. It was good to be with them on this special day. We enjoyed a nice lunch at Red Robin, Kaylee rode her tricycle some more, and then Papa & Nana left. The rest of the afternoon was spent with the girls napping (me included)and Cary doing a few tax returns.

We had a wonderful weekend and hopefully we will have a great week. I am already looking forward to the weekend because the town is celebrating Founder's Day and there is a lot going on downtown. Plus we have another soccer game to look forward to.

Surprise!!

My sweet husband (and daughters) decided to surprise me today with one of my favorite things...FLOWERS! I almost hugged the delivery man I was so excited. The card was even better...

Just because...you make every day beautiful.

We love you,
Cary, Kaylee,& Campbell

Thanks for making my day sweetheart. After a week of feeling horrible it was the best surprise. I love you too!! I am blessed beyond measure with my wonderful family. Thank you Lord:)

Never as Planned

Well our week was not quite what I had planned. Of course, I should have known on Sunday night when I started sneezing that I was in for a trip to the doctor. Why is it the over the counter remedies that seem to work for other never help me?

Last Monday started with a trip to the doctor for Campbell where he looked at me and said the words every mother hates who has just sat in a waiting room for an extended period of time which is ..."Well she could be sick or it could just be teething...call me at the end of the week if she is not better and I will call in some medicine." Are you kidding me? I have been alive long enough to know that green stuff pouring out of my daughter's nose every time she sneezes is not normal. Whatever...I just sat and looked at him till he gave me a few samples to try. Long story short there were more meds called in for Campbell on Friday and she is finally feeling better.

Of course I chose to wait my sickness out a little longer hoping my stubborn nature would "will" it away and we had some friends coming in town on Friday to visit and I was not going to miss that. We did manage to enjoy catching up with some friends and having a great dinner together...there is something so nice about reconnecting with old friends.

However, the next morning I was at the Doc in a Box to get some meds for me. This doctor was much more eager to help me and attentive to my need to get well fast. After a shot in one of my least favorite places and a nice Z-pack I am finally on the road to recovery. Maybe by tomorrow I will be able to actually smell and taste my food again.

I did throw myself out of bed this morning to attend my first MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) meeting and met some nice women. We listened to a veteran kindergarten teacher and an elementary principal talk about how to get our children ready for school. I enjoyed listening and was glad I still have another year. The tear jerker was the reading of The Kissing Hand almost all of the Moms in the room were teary. Of course I left Campbell in class crying but the sweet ladies watching her said she quit very quickly. It is still so hard to leave one of my children crying...will that ever be easier? Kaylee just ran right into class and made herself at home then did not want to leave when it was time to go. The only way I got her out of the room was to say we were going to get Daddy for lunch. Lunch with Daddy was definitely our treat for the day. It is so much fun to be able to enjoy midday Daddy time for all of us. We will see what the rest of the week holds.

I can tell Spring Break is over...

Well we had a great trip to Waco last week for Kaylee's spring break. Nana and Papa spoiled us as usual. They girls even got in a little time with their Great-PaPaw. It is so much fun to see how much my girls adore their grandparents. Of course Kaylee managed to talk Nana into three new movies. Her reasoning was that the two she really wanted only had one left in the slot so by the time they came back to get the other one it would be gone. I love the way her mind works already. I am in for a challenge,I know.
We also enjoyed stopping by Mom's work where all the ladies are so sweet to the girls. Kaylee loves all of the attention but Campbell was a little shy. Maybe the next time they will both enjoy the attention.

I think my parents each have their girl to love. Kaylee will go anywhere with Nana and if she leaves the room for even a moment Kaylee wants to know where she is. Nana can do no wrong in Kaylee's eyes...it is so cute. Of course when Nana offered to watch Campbell so Kaylee and I could go to a movie Kaylee said she would rather go with Nana. I am glad they have such a sweet relationship. Not that Kaylee does not love her Papa (especially when she wants to watch a DVD or jump on the mini trampoline) but Nana usually rules the roost.

Then there is Campbell who so far prefers her Papa. She grins all over herself when she sees Papa. (as you can see from this picture) They can even aggravate each other already. When Papa is not paying her enough attention she squeals very loudly while looking at Papa to which he turns around and says "Stop that". She waits till he turns back around and does it again. This could go on for sometime because Campbell thinks it is so funny. He is also her favorite person to butt heads with. (Her version of love.) She loves her Nana too but if Papa is in the house he is her preference.

Of course she loves Great PaPaw too because he will get on the floor and entertain her. They are so cute to watch and I feel very blessed to have a Grandfather around for both my girls to enjoy.

The only glitch in the trip was having to pay $1800.00 to get some electronic part of the ABS brakes fixed on the Tahoe. Why is it everytime you think you are going to have extra money something falls apart? Oh well at least we know that is fixed.

I can truly tell Spring Break is over because it is cool outside, Kaylee keeps asking if we are going somewhere, Campbell is sick, and our hot water heater is not working and no one can service it till tomorrow. Welcome back to the real world I suppose. Hopefully the rest of the week will be better.

9 Months Old!!!

My precious little girl turned 9 months old yesterday! It is so hard for me to believe that Campbell has been out in the world that long. As others have posted before me, I just feel like she is still so small. I remember thinking Kaylee was so big at this age. Maybe it was because I had nothing to compare her to. Anyway I just wanted to document more for me the many things she is up to right now.

* She loves to do anything her sister is doing or at least try to.

* When she wants to give someone love she will lean her head forward to meet you half way and bump heads very gently with you and open her mouth like she is going to give you a big kiss.

* When she gets excited she shakes all over and kicks her feet.

* Says "Momma" on occassion. (I love this one.)

* Is trying to pull up on furniture and anything else so that she can walk or at least stand and look around.

* Loves to be the center of attention. If she is not getting enough attention she will either blow her lips or screech very loudly then smile when you look at her.

* Does not like to be left alone especially by me. She will cry huge tears and not calm down till I or someone else comes to her rescue.

* Loves to sleep...just lay her down and she is gone to dream land.

* Prefers to eat baby food or table food over a bottle.

* Will crawl all around in the room she is in but will not follow me to another room. Prefers to cry till I come back.

* Adores her silkie (lovie) it can always calm her down.

* Adores her sister!

Just a few things Campbell is doing these days. Hope you all are enjoying your little ones.

A Great End to a Long Week!

Today was another beautiful day for soccer! The game was at 10:15am so we had a little time to lay around and eat breakfast together before rushing out the door. After a brief warm up on the field the "Butterflies" were ready to play. Especially our little Butterfly who could not wait for the game to begin. Within two minutes of the game starting our precious daughter had her first unassisted GOAL!! She was so excited you would have thought it was her birthday. She first ran to the sidelines with a huge smile on her face to give Cary and I high-fives. We told her "good job" and that we were proud of her then we had to tell her to get back on the field and play because the game was still going on. Of course it thrilled us both that she came running to us. (a true moment to treasure) After running as fast as she could back onto the field she got high-fives from her teammates and coach which made her day. The rest of the game went pretty quickly with only one other goal being scored. They did manage to keep the other team from scoring at all though. Kaylee never once said she was tired this week during the game and is already talking about the next game. Cary may have a little athlete afterall.(because we all know that "gift" would not be from me) Who would have thought I would grow up to be a soccer Mom?

Well tomorrow starts Kaylee's Spring Break so we are off to Waco to see Papa, Nana, and Great PaPaw. It is our turn to get a little spoiling:) Kaylee will definitely be on Cloud 9 since she gets her every heart's desire at my parent's house. I know that is how it should be. I suppose I have mentioned to Kaylee that I will enjoy spoiling my grandkids one day because we had a little conversation about it the other night before bed which went something like this.

Kaylee: "I am going to get married one day, right?"

Me: "Someday, yes."

Kaylee: "Then you will get to have grandkids because my kids will be your grandkids. That will be fun, huh Mom."

Me: "Yes, that will be fun because I will get to spoil them then send them home to you."

Kaylee: "That's okay because I am going to live next door with my husband."

Me: "That would be perfect...I pray that comes true."

Kaylee: "Me too Mom because I do not ever want to be too far away from you, Daddy, or Campbell. You're my forever family."

If only she would always want to stay close. I know one day when she has bigger wings she will fly away only returning home when she can...in my heart of hearts it is what I want for her. However, right now I am going to treasure evey moment of every day.

Both of my sweet girls are at a very fun age right now. Kaylee is learning more and more each day about how things work in the world. Campbell is learning to find her own voice and that if she wants something she has to crawl to it. No more bringing it to her. It's a hard lesson for my baby. I am truly blessed and I try not to take it for granted. Thank you Lord.

The BIG Game...and the rest of the weekend!

This weekend was a jam packed one for us. First Kaylee had a birthday party to attend for a friend in her class at school. It was a fun party in the children's area at The Grace downtown. I think Kaylee's favorite part was driving the car. ( and eating the cake too of course) Kaylee also had two soccer games to play due to one being cancelled last weekend. She was so excited to have her "Butterflies" uniform on for the first time. It is about three sizes too big like all the other girls but that just makes it all the more adorable. The first game was played on Saturday. Coach James is so good with the girls. You can see the team warming up in this picture. The famous "Butterfly" stretch. The best part of playing at this age is that there is no pressure. No score is kept. All the girls get an equal amount of playing time. Also at the end of the season all the girls get the same trophy.
You can see in this picture they are getting a little pep talk.) They actually split each team into two teams -- so that two games are going on at the same time and all the girls get to play. Once, Kaylee got the ball and got to dribbling so well that she just kept going past the goal, onto the adjacent field where the other half of the team was playing, made a right turn and kept going through the middle of that game. It was some great dribbling, though.

Our favorite part of the game was toward the end. The drama was high because the score was tied (at least we think it was, no one was actually keeping score). Kaylee's feet got tangled with an opponent and Kaylee went down (only the second fall!!). The other girl reached out a hand and helped her up. Then a second girl on the other team joined Kaylee and the first girl in the all important job of dusting the grass off of Kaylee's uniform. All three girls were bent at the waist and dusting Kaylee's socks while the ball was on the other end of the field. It was a priceless moment that Cary was actually able to catch on film. After the uniform was sufficiently clean, Kaylee and the second girl noticed that they were both number 11. So you see each of them taking turns spinning around showing each other the number on their back and talking about who knows what. It was a proud moment for me because she showed that she is definitely my daughter by being more interested in the "social" aspect than the game.

Sunday's game was even better. Kaylee began to get the hang of things and actually assisted one of her teammates in scoring a goal. She even was able to stop the ball and turn it around to the direction of her team's goal. Yeah!! We even made it through the whole game without her saying she was tired or thirsty. Now she cannot wait for the next game. We cannot wait either!! We are so proud of our little athlete.

Now on to Campbell. She is crawling everywhere she wants to go. That does not mean that she will not just sit there and pitch a fit if she is tired of moving though. She made it in the nursery on Sunday for the whole class time without me being paged! When I went to pick her up they said that she only cried once when she hit her head and they put her in the swing. Evidently she really liked the swing because when they tried to move her to a table for class time she would have nothing to do with it. So they put her back in the swing and she went to sleep. I said whatever works but I think it is funny we do not even have a swing at home. Here is a picture from the game. Campbell enjoyed supporting Kaylee with her friend Kaitlyn. They were so cute watching from the sidelines. Occassionally Kaitlyn tried to sneak on the field which was so funny. I am sure by next year I will be chasing Campbell off the field and Leslie can laugh at me:)Campbell is such a happy baby most of the time. She loves to watch Kaylee all of the time though. I love my girls!!

Sorry for the long post...hope you all had a great weekend too:)

The Girls are Back!

Well we had a great trip to Dallas. The girls did much better than I expected in the car. I do think once Campbell is facing forward we may have to break down and get a TV for the car. Time will tell on that one. It was so nice to get to see our friends and have some girl time. As you can see from the picture all of the children had a blast at the Cowboy/girl Party for three of Kaylee's sweet friends. They roped a horse, pinned the badge on the sheriff, put the pigs in the pig pen, and had sack races. All of the Moms involved went to a lot of trouble but the children loved every minute of the chaos. My friend Amy did a great job making the cake too. I just enjoyed watching all of the fun. Kaylee has already asked when their next party will be...not for a while I am afraid all the Birthday Moms need a break.

Campbell had a lot of fun with her boyfriend too. They were so cute smiling at each other and looking for each other when they woke up each day. I think she looked for Trenton this morning and was a little confused by his absence. I cannot wait to see what fun things they will be doing the next time we visit. They are both growing up too quickly.

Kaylee and Trinity played so well together the past few days with minimal arguing. Our big girls are growing up too. Kaylee had so much fun at Sunshine School on Monday. The directors and her teacher let her come visit for the day. On the way to school she wanted to know what letter they were on in class. When Honey told her they were on "R or S" Kaylee sighed and said " I sure have missed a lot of letters!" Mrs. Leslie said she wanted to know exactly how many letters she had missed so they counted them together. She asked Kaylee if they wrote their letters at her new school in Abilene and Kaylee said,"Well we just sing the alphabet which I learned 3 years ago...I do not think the teachers there know how to write their letters." Too funny! Kaylee was so excited all day long. Her teacher said she just sat and watched everyone and smiled. When I picked her up at the end of the day she said,"Well Mom everybody still loves me!" So cute! That afternoon she and Trinity both got a treat because Uncle Mark took them to see Curious George and they LOVED it! They were so excited with faces beaming as they left for the theatre. When they returned there were two wiped out girls in our house. After all the children were in bed Honey and I went for a late dinner with Traci and Amy. It was great to laugh and catch up on everyone's life. It is so wonderful to have such close friends to talk to and lean on.

The next day I got to visit some friends at Ladies Class and Kaylee got to go to her class too. It was good to see so many women that I admire and love. I was a little worried about Campbell in the nursery since we have a little seperation issue but she loved Mrs. Kathryn so I actually got a little break from both kiddos. I enjoyed lunch and some shopping with Honey, Nicole, and Chelsea. We laughed and just enjoyed our time together. Then later that day I attended a baby shower and got to catch up with even more friends!

On Wednesday we packed up for home but not before enjoying a fun lunch with friends. Kaylee got to play with Lauren, Kamdyn, Garrison, and Trinity on Trinity's fun swing set while the adults talked. They loved having a McDonald's picnic outside too. We had some hot children after about an hour because it was 90 degrees outside! It was a perfect end to a wonderful week. Thank you again Mark and Honey for letting us crash at your home for a few days.

Now we are back to the routine around here. Kaylee is at school and later we will have soccer practice. This weekend she has two games and a birthday party! It should be fun. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Random Happenings for the Week...

This has been a fairly normal week with the exception of Valentine's Day which we got to spend eating a delicious free dinner with our sweet friends from college and beyond David Todd and Lisa. The University Church here in town has a Valentine's dinner every year that is put together by Carl and Smitty Brecheen.(Dr. Brecheen is one of the best bible and marriage teachers in the world.) The decorations were very cute and the waitstaff was top notch...I mean how often do you have a chance to be waited on by Dr.Gary and Sylvia McCaleb. I do not think I met Dr.McCaleb the whole time I attended ACU, well maybe once so I was a little awe struck. There was a wonderful speaker and free childcare too. At the end of the evening I was even in the chair that got to take home the centerpiece which was a beautiful potted plant. I am going to try to keep it alive. What a great evening!

Kaylee has a great week at school of course who wouldn't when there is a party involved? I do not know who enjoyed her Valentine's box we decorated more her or me. I remember being so excited to open my box and check out all the goodies and what my friends had written to me. It was fun to watch her excitement. When I picked her up from school I had a Valentine's balloon for her which had Hershey's kisses in a sack at the bottom of the string. I told her it was from Daddy and I. She quickly inserted, "and Campbell". I said "oh yes and Campbell" Campbell pionted at the one she wanted me to get. (reached and pulled would be more accurate) Then Kaylee said,"Campbell you are so smart to pick the one with candy. You sure are a smart baby!" Does somebody love her sister or what? Next we were off to visit Cary at the office and take him some balloons and candy. All of the women there are so sweet and make the girls feel so special when we stop by. Kaylee enjoyed showing them her loot. She is at such a fun age right now and I am enjoying our talks so much and watching the world through her eyes.

Campbell is now up on hands and knees rocking back and forth. Cary said she crawled a little last night but I was in the other room. I was surprised to open the door to her room the other day and find her talking and sitting up in her bed looking around. It is a little startling when you are use to them just laying there. She is getting a little more hair but alas still no teeth. I am happy to report most of the time that she is still a "Momma's Girl" which is fine with me except when I am trying to attend Ladies Class and they come get me in the first 5 minutes. Oh, well. That's my girl:)

A few thing that never happened in Dallas:

1. We got ready for church Sunday night only to arrive and find out that they were delivering cookies to the nursing homes that night.(Obviously not the church we had gone to that morning or we would have known that.) So we went to Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel instead.

2. I stopped to get gas at the HEB on Tuesday and as I pulled into the pump the attendant came over and tied bags around the 87 and 89 octane gas because they were out. I was about to leave instead of paying $2.29 a gallon for super unleaded when he knocked on my window and told me in a minute the price would change to the 87 octane price. I got a full tank of Super Unleaded gas for $2.09 a gallon. That was by far my deal for the week.

3. I went to Sam's for a few things and after checking out the cashier told me that "I looked young for my age". Am I that old? I think 32 is still pretty young. I am going to take it as a compliment since she looked to be about 21 years old. I suppose I would be old to her. I wanted to say, "Your day is coming sister." Maybe I will wear the outfit I have on today everyday. Good thing it is comfortable.

4. I had about 10 people 50 and over stop me in Sam's to tell me how cute Campbell looked in her "bib" overalls. Yes, I am in the country now. It was pretty cute though.

5. I had a 1/4 pound hamburger with all the toppings and a large drink for $1.88. It was delicious and homemade.

6. Last of all I left the house at 12:10pm and went to mail packages at the post office. I was at Sam's shopping by 12:40pm. Checked out and went home to unload the groceries at 1:45pm. Stopped for lunch at 2:05pm. Sat in the school parking lot and ate my lunch and still picked Kaylee up early at 2:20pm. I think I am finally getting use to having more time. What a blessing!

That is all for us this week. Hope you all have a wonderful and blessed weekend. Anyone coming in for Sing Song better either stop by or call to atleast say "Hi". Love to you all!

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart!!

I just wanted to take today to tell the one I love Happy Valentine's Day! Sweetheart this one's for you.... where do I even begin with my wonderful husband?? I thought I would start with the Top 14 Reasons I Love You:
1. Your wonderful Christian leadership in our home.
2. The way you always know what I am going to say before I say it.
3. The LOVE you have for me unconditionally.
4. When you smile my heart still beats faster just like it did the first time we met in 1996.
5. Somehow you make each year of our marriage better than the one before.
6. Just watching you with our daughters and the way you absolutely adore them and they you.
7. The way you always encourage me to take time for myself while you watch the girls.
8. Little things that you do for me each day that do not go unnoticed even though you may think so at times.
9. The servant heart and love you have for the Lord.
10. Comfort you give me when I am feeling down just by holding me and not saying a word because you know when I want to talk and when I just want to be silent.
11. The way you are always striving to do what is best for our family.
12. You helped give me the two best gifts I have ever received. Our beautiful girls!!
13. How you always make me feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world when you look at me like I am the most beautiful girl in the room where ever we go.
14. I always knew that you would be a wonderful father but I never knew just how great you would be until the time came. You are amazing!! Our girls will be blessed to find someone like you one day.(in the distant future)
As Kaylee always says and Campbell will too one day,"Daddy you are the best...out of all the Daddy's in the world I am glad you are mine....I love you to the moon and back." Thank you for being my Forever Valentine!! Thank you for being my rock and my soft place to land at the end of the day. Out of all the men in the world I am glad the Lord blessed me with you as my husband. I love you!!!

A Wonderful Retreat

Well I had an awesome weekend with my dearest girlfriends. The weekend started a little early for me because I went to stay with my friend Stephanie a little early. So on Thursday night I got to have dinner with Stephanie, Amy, and Amy's sweet family. It was nice to catch up on all of the events we have missed in the past month and a half. Next we went to meet Steph and Traci for a little talking and fun at Chili's. I also got some great birthday gifts! We laughed so hard that I almost cried at some points which was a reoccurring theme for the weekend. By the time we went to bed for the night I was so tired but looking forward to the Canton trip the next morning.

Friday we went to pick up Whitney and met Nicole then we were off to Canton to shop by 10:30am. I really enjoyed the ride because Nicole and I got to catch up since she was not able to go on the retreat later that day, somehow I managed to talk her into at least shopping with us. It did not take much convincing! Shopping in Canton at First Monday Trade Days is the best! I do not think I could go every month ( mainly because my pocketbook could not take it) but a few times a year is great. We all found some great deals for about 1/2 the price you could find them other places. I now have some cute outfits for the girls for this summer, an iron piece to hang above the bed, fancy pants for Campbell, and a full tummy from the yummy food. After shopping for about 5 hours we decided to go eat dinner then drive on to the retreat facilities. We had to say goodbye to Nicole but were about to say "hello" to many other friends I have been missing.

Now for the awesome part of the trip which was to take place at Sky Ranch in Van, TX. Our first speaker on Friday night was Kimberli Brackett from Faithbuilders who was extremely encouraging and inspiring. If you are ever planning a Ladies Retreat or have the opportunity to attend one where any of these women are speaking please attend because it will be worth it. The Friday night topic was on being a Child of God and learning to accept ourselves and others as such. It was enlightning and powerful. We had a chance to look at her Faithbooks after the talk where she has scrapbooked prayers and scriptures for her children to have along with photos of memories and special times. I am definitely going to get started on a few of these soon.

After a little sleep on Friday night it was Saturday and time for a good talk by Pat Scott which is always a blessing. Then we had free time which meant off to Canton for more shopping in new buildings and a return to some booths from the day before that we regretted not buying something in. Amber, Amy, Whitney, Stephanie, and I were all making our lists in our heads on the way there. I accomplished the purchase I set out for today which was getting Campbell some curtains for her room since the old curtain will not work in the new house. Everyone else managed to get the items they had set out for too. Four hours later we were back in the car complaining like old women about all of our aches and pains from two days of walking around. I have not laughed so much or so hard in a long time. We were able to get all of our purchases in the car so we did not do too much damage.

Saturday night we got to hear Kimberli speak again only this time it was on "Teaching Us How to Journal with God". The main point I took away from the talk is that I need to listen for God more and try to just do things on my own less. We were all given journals to help with our daily walk with the Lord by writing down prayers, hopes, things we are thankful for, and even times when we may be a little frustrated. I was also encouraged by the fact that this does not have to be done everyday so I do not have to feel like a failure if I skip a day or two.

Later that night I got to catch up a little with my friends Traci and Steph who had been very busy making sure the snacks were out for all of us to munch on! They always manage to make me laught. It was unfortunate we did not get to spend more time together:( but the time we did have was great!

Sunday was the last day and after a morning service we were off to Dallas of course we had to make one more quick trip to Canton on the way:) By the time I got to Dallas I was so tired but felt that I would only be more tired if I sat down for a minute so I got in the car and headed home. By the time I arrived home I was exhausted physically but filled spiritually. I found the house in order and the girls both happy upon my return. They had a great weekend with Daddy going to the ACU baseball game and he even managed to get them to early service at church. Thank you sweetheart for being such a wonderful husband and father to our girls. Most of all thank you for being able to handle things so I can have a weekend away every now and then. Everyone needs a weekend with God, friends, and renewal of the spirit. Now comes the hard part of applying all that I have learned daily. I am looking forward to the challenge. May each of you have a blessed week!

Until Next Year...

Well my birthday came and went with a few nice surprises. My morning started with my husband bringing me breakfast in bed.(surprise #1) Then I had Campbell sitting in the bed with me eating some bread (just small pieces) and she said her first word which was "Momma"! (surprise #2) Cary was my witness to this event so I know that I did not imagine it. She even repeated the word. I am so proud of her! Then my sweet friends Honey, Amy, and Heather called to wish me a "Happy Birthday". Next I spent the day doing laundry so that everything would be clean for my wonderful trip this weekend. Kaylee and I did enjoy a little one-on-one time while Campbell was asleep. Then while the girls were napping I got ready to go out on a dinner date with my sweet husband. (Thank you again to the Mayos for babysitting for us so we could have a free evening together.) On the way to dinner Cary gave me my present which was a new watch to wear on days when I am a little more dresses up. We had a great time at dinner and actually got to have a little adult conversation. The night ended with a sweet call from my friend Kathy in Tennessee. All in all it was a good birthday.

However, I think my best present is coming today when Cary is coming home from work a little early so I can go to Dallas for the Ladies Retreat. Kaylee is very excited about a weekend alone with Daddy...the jury is still out on Campbell because she is quite a Momma's girl. I do not think anyone is more excited than me though:) I have not seen my girlfriends since we moved which was over a month ago. What could not be fun about a Ladies Retreat, a child free weekend, shopping in Canton, and catching up with friends??? Well I am off to pack!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend...I know I will.

One Birthday Weekend gone and a SUPER Week ahead!!

Well the weekend went super! The girls and I both got a little spoiling from, Great Papaw, Papa, and Nana. Cary got taken care of too because my Dad helped him get some Honey-Dos checked off the list I have for him. Mom, Kaylee, and I went to eat at Becker's Loft and shopping all over town. She found the cutest outfits for the girls and a shirt for me. Of course the fun did not stop there for Kaylee because she managed to talk Nana into a few more things which was not very hard. We celebrated my birthday Saturday night with a nice dinner at home and a few presents. (Let's just say I am looking forward to shopping in Canton this weekend now.) There was also a very large cake that could feed about 30 people courtesy of my Mom. We will be eating on it for a while I am afraid. Sunday we went to church and to lunch at Red Lobster (my choice) and it was delicious. (Unfortunately my Papaw was not feeling very well and is having surgery tomorrow on his pacemaker so if you could please say a little prayer for that to go well I would appreciate it so much. It is very hard on him and us for him to not be feeling up to par.) Thanks again to my parents and grandfather for everything!

The best news of all came Sunday night because we got an offer on our house and if everything goes well we will only be the owners of one home come February 13th! Thank you for those of you who have prayed for this and keep the prayers coming that everything goes off without a hitch.

Kaylee had another good day at school today. She was most excited that she and Campbell matched when I went to pick her up. On the way out the door the Director stopped me to tell me that they had a parent come observe today to see if they want their child to start school there or not. She went on to say that the lady came back talking about the cutest little girl in a poncho in the threes class singing "Tomorrow" from the movie Annie. Can you tell what Kaylee has been watching lately? She even wanted to know if we could rename our 7 year old dog Sandy. I told her she could call him that but I doubted he would answer to it. If you know Kaylee then you know she sings frequently and makes up her own songs very often. (Maybe she can go with her friend Kylie to American Idol one day.) After school we went to Bahama Buck's to get a sno cone. This was our first time to try them and it will definitely not be our last. Kaylee and I both give it a thumbs up! (Thanks for the tip Leslie!)

Well laundry calls so until tomorrow maybe.

A great Thursday and Weekend ahead!

Well Kaylee had a super day yesterday according to her. She got to do all of her favorite things! First of all it was Cowboy/Cowgirl day at school and they got to ride the white horses that are associated with Hardin Simmons University. Kaylee could not wait...we have heard about it for a week now. She said that she did the best riding the horse because she had practiced at her friend Chloe's party in Sachse last year.(For my friends in Dallas you all live in Sachse according to Kaylee.) Then they got to eat hot dogs and have trail mix which are two other favorites. They made stick horses and huge cowboy hats. When she got in the car she had both things with her. In a few minutes I heard her say,"It's okay Campbell it is still sister I am just dressed different than usual. Can't you hear my voice...it has not changed it is still sister." I asked what Campbell was doing and she said that Campbell was just looking at her and not smiling like she usually does so she wanted to make sure Campbell knew it was her. (How cute!)
After a good nap she and Daddy were off to soccer practice with her new blue soccer ball. (I stayed home with Campbell since it was cold out and we were both just starting to get well.) We saw the shirt in the picture at Wal-Mart last week and she had to have it. She thanked me before practice for buying her the "Best shirt ever". Cary said that the practice went well and Kaylee is continuing to make progress. Not the play by play I would have given but oh well.
Today she is waiting for her Great Papaw, Papa, and Nana to come visit tomorrow. She is so excited that they are coming to see the new house, her room, and to have a sleep over! I am excited too.

Now on to "little Miss Thang". Campbell is feeling much better this week as you can see in the picture. She does know how to smile for those of you that have doubts. I think she got well just in time to start teething because she is constantly drooling and putting anything she can reach in her mouth. We have had some interesting sleeping patterns too. I had forgotten how much fun teething is, of course Kaylee already had teeth and was crawling at this age. I suppose Campbell just wants to take her time which is fine with me. I am just soaking up each day because they grow up so quickly. Speaking of growing my baby will not get to wear this outfit again because it is a 9 month size and she is wearing a 12 month size now, especially if it is a one piece outfit. My sweet long girl! I am really sad to have to give up a few of them because they are just so sweet. I am even more sad that it is January and already all the Spring clothes are out so it is hard to find anything for her here in Abilene. Now if I was still in Dallas I could do some real damage with the wallet and the sale racks:) Oh well! Maybe by next week Campbell will be crawling since she had been scooting backwards for two weeks. I have to admit I am a little glad the next stage has not started yet.

Well as I mentioned above my parents and grandfather are coming this weekend to celebrate my birthday a little early. I just love birthdays and especially mine. It is nice to be fussed over a little bit even in your thirties! I am off now to clean before they arrive tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great weekend! Please pray for Seth(9 months old) who is in the hospital fighting a severe cold and having to have oxygen and breathing treatments. Say a prayer for his sweet parents Kevin and Kristen too.

Another weekend has come and gone...

Well our weekend was spent mainly doing home improvements around the house since there are a lot of them to complete. Major decorating disasters were done by the previous home owners but at least I have part of my kitchen back and it looks much better than before. I will have to post pictures another day. I did manage to get out for a little "girl time" with my sweet friend Leslie. She took me to all of the shopping "hot" spots in Abilene and to an amazing place for lunch. Until my house is in order and I know more of what I need I just could not bring myself to buy anything but it was so much fun just to shop. Next time I think we are going to try a little shopping in Albany. "Girl time" is the best especially when most of your conversations during the week are with a four year old and a 7 month old.
Speaking of the girls here is a picture I took before we went to meet Cary for lunch on Friday! They are both growing so much. They both love each other so much. Everytime Campbell wakes up from a nap Kaylee screams,"Campbell you are awake...you are the best little sister ever and I love you so much!" Then of course Campbell grins from ear to ear and Kaylee says, "I know Campbell you love me and think I am the best big sister too." No one can make Campbell smile like Kaylee can. I feel so blessed that the Lord has chosen me to be their Mother.

Our Soccer Star

Well Kaylee has been talking about playing soccer for a year now. I did not know if it was because of Dora or if she was really interested so we decided to let her give it a try. (James Mayo being her coach was a big plus too.) She went to practice tonight for the first time and loved it! The first picture shows the team doing their stretches...the famous "butterfly" stretch because they are the Butterflies. She had a big smile on her face the whole time except when she was cold and asked for her jacket. The first highlight of the practice for me was when Kaylee flashed me the "I love you" sign in sign language from the field. That was priceless to me. I know one day she will be too cool for that but I hope it is a long time away. She concentrated so hard on the ball as you can see in this picture. During the hour practice she tried so hard. She so wanted to please her Coach. I have to say James is wonderful with the girls. It was easy to see why the girls love him so in the first few minutes because he is so patient and gives so much praise to them.(Thank you James!)
I cannot wait to see how Kaylee progresses during the season. She already wanted to come home and practice with her soccer goal Great-PaPaw gave her at Christmas. I am sure at some point this weekend we will be off to find a new soccer ball too. As she was walking off the field she said she was not going to quit and that she liked soccer and could not wait to get a trophy! (with a huge smile on her face)
The second highlight for me was seeing Cary walk onto the field at 6:00pm and getting to watch her practice for 30 minutes. Kaylee was so excited to see Daddy too! This never would have been possible in Dallas because Cary never got home from work till seven o'clock or after. At moments like these it is very clear that moving was the right choice...these are the moments to treasure!

Back to Normal....I hope.

Thank you to everyone who called to check on us over the weekend. I did break down and finally go to the doctor on Saturday morning where he confirmed that I was indeed sick and not going to "get over it" on my own. So two antibiotics later I was on my way home in a fairly timely fashion. I have to say I do love the Abilene traffic.(ha, ha) My sweet husband sent me to bed for the day to get well after returning home. That is a very hard thing for a Mom to do. Campbell continued to be sick and running a fever until yesterday. So far today she seems to be back to her normal self and schedule. I am doing better but still continue to have coughing attacks at random...usually when I am trying to talk. Hopefully we are on the mend and Kaylee & Cary will continue to avoid the sickness I pray.

Sunday we stayed home to recover some more and hopefully avoid getting anyone else sick. Cary painted the first coat of paint in the girls bathroom and I began the process of stripping the wallpaper in the kitchen. I had forgotten what a pain that is to do. Especially if there is another layer of wallpaper under the existing one. What a nice surprise for me...not! I have to say the blank wall looks better than the wallpaper that was up there. I still have half the kitchen to do but hopefully it will go a little smoother now that I kinda know what I am doing. Maybe after next weekend I will have the kitchen finished!

Hope everyone has a great week!

A Long Week....

This has been a long week for many reasons and it is only Thursday. Sunday started with me and Campbell continuing to be sick. Campbell got antibiotics on Monday for her ears and runny eyes. I chose to wait out my sickness and "will" it away as most Moms tend to do since we do not take time off to take care of ourselves. I am finally starting to feel a little better and have a moment to slow down when in comes a curve ball. I woke Campbell from her morning nap to get her dressed and fed so we could go pick Kaylee up from school and she felt like she was on "FIRE". I proceeded to try to remain calm and take her temperature with the temporal scanning thermometer which showed a temp of 102.5*F. I proceeded to try the old fashioned method which is said to be more accurate thinking the forehead calculation had to be wrong... well the new temp was 103.5*F which is freak out mode for me when my baby is only 7 months old. I would have been calmer had we not been in a new town with a new doctor and had she not been on an antiobotic and still running that high of a fever, I think. I, of course, called Cary crying a bit partially because I was scared and partially because I am emotional when sick. After getting in touch with the doctor's office they said the nurse would call back but I decided not to wait and just went to the office. They were very nice and worked me in probably thinking I was a "spaz" but who cares at this point. By the time we saw the doctor which was not too long the temperature had gone down from the Tylenol I gave her an hour before. They tested for the flu and it was negative so they are thinking it is just a virus. Please pray that Campbell feels better and I do not have to call the doctor in the morning to tell him she still has a high fever. Also pray we are not starting a trend with two doctor's visits in 4 days.

On a happier note Kaylee's second day of school went GREAT! Cary said she did not want his help when he dropped her off this morning and that she put her things away like she had been there all year. She was excited because they had her name on her cube and hook for her backpack today! The little things that please a child...isn't it wonderful! We get to decorate a placemat for her to use at lunch over the weekend. She also made a friend named Keaton, I think it is her teacher's daughter. So Kaylee is off and running!! Thank you Lord for her good week and sweet heart!

Sickness and Kaylee's first day

Well this past weekend consisted of Campbell and I taking turns being sick. I have to say she coped much better than I did. She has had a cold and a crusty eye for several days. I made an appointment for her on Thursday for Monday. Yes, that was the soonest they could get to me being a new patient and all. The doctor was quick and nice but it really made me miss Dr. Blair and his staff. I did not miss the drive though since my appointment was at 1:40pm and I was home by 2:10pm. (Did I mention the Doctor's office is two minutes from the house and that is if I hit the light red?) Turns out Campbell has an ear infection and a cold in her eyes so we are now on medicine. I started feeling bad on Saturday night and have just gotten worse. My throat hurts, I cough everytime I try to talk, and my neck is stiff. Enough complaining...maybe I will go to the doctor on Thursday if I am not better.

Moving on to the best news of the week!!! I got Kaylee into a pre-school at Highland Church of Christ for two days a week. Kaylee and Cary read out of her daily devotional book last night about not being bashful as she can be at times when she does not know someone and it must have worked. She walked into the classroom like she owned the place. The teachers said she was very sweet and acted like she had been there the whole year. The director even thanked me for bringing Kaylee. I have to say my heart smiled when she said that. As a parent you always want your children to behave and for people to enjoy them as you do. Thank you Lord for Kaylee's good day! She cannot wait to go back on Thursday. I am so glad she is making some friends and adjusting to our new life. I think she is adjusting better than me. i thought I would have to be strong for her but she is the strong one. She is constantly pointing out the positives about Abilene where as I sometimes only see the negative. I have a lot to learn from my sweet girl!

AMAZING!!! Hook'em Horns!!

What a game!! Amazing is the best word I could think of to describe the performance. I do not watch very much football (however I am a big UT fan) but this was probably the best game I have ever watched and it was not just because Matthew McConaughey was on the sidelines. Althought that did get my attention a little more:) (I am sure my fellow friends understand the obsession.) It was amazing to watch Mac Brown and Vince Young stay so calm and level-headed throughout the game. The best part was watching my husband try to not scream because Campbell was asleep. I thought he was going to burst with some of the facial expressions he made. It was a well deserved and earned victory! It has been nice to see the media finally giving TEXAS some respect today. Go Longhorns!!!

One of the other highlights was having the Mayos over to watch the game. It was great to be able to talk with someone who is familiar with the same friends and can relate. It was like having a piece of "home". I am looking forward to getting to know them even better now that we are living so close. Kaitlyn is a doll and Kaylee had a great time with her. I see more playdates in their future and maybe even a few double dates with James and Leslie. Of course they may stay away from us for a while since we kept them up so late:)

What a night...TEXAS Longhorns winning a Nation Championship and Matthew McConaughey:) YEAH!!! It just doesn't get any better than that!

Beard Christmas

We also went to Cary's Mom's house a few days after Christmas to celebrate with his family. Kaylee is always so excited to see Catch and Colt. As you can see from the picture it is hard for them to actually look at the camera because they are so distracted and would not be still unless opening a gift. They have so much fun running around together. Campbell just enjoyed sitting on everyone's lap and checking thingss out. I think the kids had the best time opening presents of course. Kaylee's favorite was the remote controlled blue truck from Grandma. Yes, you heard me right a blue truck. No baby dolls for this girl. After the presents we had a good time visiting and eating. Tiffany, Chiara, Landrea, and I all went shopping for a little bit too. I love after Christmas sales:) This is KAylee with her Aunt Rae-Rae, actually it is Landrea but when Kaylee was little all she could say was Rae-Rae. Then Catch and Colt call her La-La. I think both the names are so cute and something we will be able to laugh about when we are older.

After all the festivities were over it was time to return to the new house which still had some unpacking to do but at least the girls rooms are together. Hope you all had a great holiday:)

Christmas Past

Well we are finally "Home" and I use that term very loosely. Until we have found a church home I do not think we will feel truly at home here. I also cannot feel at home till the house is in some kind of order which if calculations are correct we are down to around ten boxes in the house and I do not even want to know what is in the garage. Advice for anyone wanting to move for the fun of it...Don't move. (At least do not move during the Christmas season.)

I am so glad December is gone and am looking forward to some type of normal routine developing around here. We spent Christmas at my parent's house and Kaylee had a great time. She loved everything about Christmas as I usually do when I am not too exhausted to enjoy it. The lights on the houses were a real treat for her. You would have thought they had put them out just for her. Papa did of course...even though my parents just moved a month ago my Dad managed to get the lights and snowman out for Kaylee and my Mom decorated every corner of the house just for Kaylee. One night all the women went to look at Christmas lights (my Mom, me, Kaylee, Grandmother Jane,and Aunt Trudy) which is another tradition. My Mom was talking and Kaylee was trying to interrupt so Aunt Trudy said, "Kaylee say excuse me to get Nana's attention." My sweet girl replied with "But Aunt Trudy I did not do anything. I did not toot or anything!" We all laughed so hard the rest of the trip. Kaylee also enjoyed getting us to sing in the car while she was the "conductor" she said. She loved every gift and really enjoyed being the center of attention for my cousin, Aunt, Uncle, Papaw, and GG. Kaylee noticed that she got everything on her list so she said that she must have been very good this year. I am sure we are going to pay for that in the future. Her favorite gifts were her Madagascar game for her Leapster L-Max, Baby Anabelle, and the Barbie laptop computer.

The best part for Kaylee was getting to spend a few extra days with Nana and Papa while we went home to try to get the house or at least Kaylee's room together before the next event.
I also have to show Nana and Kaylee's handywork for the second year in a row. I thought they did a great job on the gingerbread house!
Notice I did not mention Campbell. She was miserable. Shortly after we moved she developed a cold and seemed to feel the worst during Christmas Eve and Day. Somehow we managed one picture of her with Cary opening a gift. She is back to normal now but I was beginning to wonder. Her favorite toy was the Fisher Price Puppy that sings and lights up. She will enjoy next year so much!

After a few nights at my parents, a lot of spoiling, and shopping the after Christmas sales with my Mom which is one of my favorite traditions we were off to see Cary's family for Christmas. Kaylee had a great time playing with her cousins and opening her presents there too. Her favorite toy was a remote controlled blue truck. She loves to drive it around the house. Campbell thinks it is hilarious too! I had a good time doing a little shopping with my sister-in-laws.(and Tim too) We stayed there for two nights and were exhausted by the time we returned home. Unfortunately no elves visited our house to finish arranging and unpacking the house for me. Oh well!

My favorite part of the holidays was watching the girls together. Kaylee adores Campbell and she adores Kaylee. They are both growing so much and changing. I cannot wait to see what the next year brings for them and us too. Hope you all had a great holiday and are home safely. We miss you all!