My 5 Year Old!

Happy 5th Birthday Avery!

I can't believe my 8 lb, chunky monkey, no ankle little girl turned 5 years old yesterday! I love how she has definitely been my girl that has changed the most in personality and looks. She was my chunk a love with black hair and grew into this major meltdown 2 year old, then into this more reserved, sweet, tender hearted girl who has brought so much joy to my life.

I am so proud of her and thankful for this life that God has given me to help develop into HIS precious princess.

Avery had a great birthday this year. We started the celebration at Grammy's house and Aunt Melissa's. (2 of her favorite people) We treated all the girls and Chandler and Berkley to High School Musical 3 and then ended the celebration with Halloween cookie baking and presents.

At home, we celebrated with more friends and family and carved our pumpkins for Halloween.

It was a special day and I just love my little pumpkin girl.

Happy Birthday Avery,

We love you so Much!

Moms of Daughters

I have decided to read a book that peeked my interest early this summer but wasn't due to release until November. YIPEE...November is upon us and the book will soon be in my hands. The book titled...5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney. I landed on Vicki Courtney after Ryan introduced me to her website in which she gives up to date happenings in the teen world mostly on girls but does talk about boys too. Her experience and knowledge of the tween and teen years are incredible. The moment I read the first entry on her website, I was hooked. I follow her constantly and now with the release of her new book on daughters and conversations you must have, it captured my attention quickly. Its hard for me to believe that one of my own daughters is not that far away from being in the tween years as she turns 7 this December. With 2 other girls right behind her, I wanted to read this book and take time to open this book and find out just what I can do as my girls go from cradle to college. Vicki Courtney has also launched a blog community that you can interact with her and leave your thoughts, ideas, struggles, etc on topics that are seriously struggles for our girls in this culture. If you don't read the book, hop on over to Vicki's website and read all her virtue alerts. She's very insightful and has tons of experience on the youth culture today but in a godly way.

Have fun...www.virtuealert.com

So, please let me know if you decide to join in the journey and read this book and follow Vicki's blog community. It will be fun.

The Keepsake

On Sunday, I saw Addie busy as a bee at the table writing and drawing. I didn't bother to look over her, as she loves to sit and do arts and crafts, coloring, or simply write notes to friends. Later that day, I noticed she had posted her learning sheet from Creek Kids (kids program from church) on our refrigerator along with a note card. I read the note card and I couldn't believe what she had written on the note card. Its so special and dear to my heart, a true treasure. :) It was joyful and loving and most of all sweet, sweet words of Jesus- A Keepsake.

I'll keep it on the refrigerator for awhile but I will tuck it away in a safe place so she can read it when she is 10, 14, 18, and some day to her children. I took a picture and I'll translate for you her sentences. Enjoy...its so special.

I Love Jesus

I Love God

My Mom and dad

I Love My sisters

I Love My Cousins!

and my Friends.

What do you want For U?

I want Jesus and God

So I could listen to God

and Jesus God is

special to my heart

Jesus is special in my

heart My mommy is in

my heart My sisters in my heart

The BIG decision is made!!!

Yes, the big decision being what in the world the girls would like to be for Halloween. After 2 weeks of going back and forth, I finally told the girls last week that they had to make a decision and it be final. This mommy needed to get the costumes or at least accessories before supplies flew off the supermarket shelves. Well, Avery and Annalise finally decided on cats. Avery wanted the leopard looking cat and Annalise picked out the black and white cat. Addie on the other hand, you know my big thinker, very serious girl made sure she knew what she wanted because there was no turning back. So after a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader or Gabrielle from HSM, she landed on Sharpay from HSM. Addie's biggest concern now was how are we going to make her hair blonde. :) I knew that $9.99 Hannah Montana wig would come in handy again! Daddy worked out some knots and frizzes and I told her that I would try and pull it up or at least make a pony tail so it wouldn't look like Hanna's hair. If it doesn't work, I told her we could spray paint her hair blonde.

She was pleased and so was I for only spending $35 dollars for the Halloween costumes.

Stay tuned for pics as we will be hitting the pumpkin patch this weekend and trunk or treating.

I was Inspired

So I decided to go darker on my hair! My neighbor darkened her hair and it looked so good so it got me thinking...hmmm... my natural hair color is quite darker than the top layer. Hmmm...I won't have the skunk look in the middle of my head hmmm... I need to do it today!

So it was darkened this morning! :)

I like it and it does seem to match my eyebrows better. he he

Here it is.....

Productivity & Creativity

Ahhhh...its Sunday night, the kids have been in bed since 8:00, the kitchen is cleaned and Ryan and I have already chatted and now its time to sit. I love Sunday afternoons especially after a very busy Saturday like I had yesterday afternoon. I specifically stayed in my pjs until 12:00 because I knew my afternoon was going to fly by super fast once my first commitment lined up. Lets see, I had a wedding shower to go to at 2:00, then a birthday party from 3-4:30, next off to drop food at Baycliff for Lighthouse Ministries, and last and final stop was at a friend's house for dinner as our new "prospective" youth pastor was in town and we had a dinner for people to meet him. Whew, that was Saturday and today I had nothing except church this morning.

Last night though, I felt this itch to be productive in my house. So, this afternoon, the playroom was my first tackle as I reorganized and moved things around. Next, I just cleaned because well it needed it! :) Then, I sat in our guest bathroom and finally figured out how and what I would like to do to it to make it look more modern. I have to admit that I was watching HGTV and they gave such great ideas to how you can update a bathroom without spending a fortune.

Hmmm, I put on my creative hat and decided some ways to start working on our house starting with the girls/guest bathroom. I love decorating and fixing our house. Its fun although as I get working on it and decorating my list keeps getting longer. Does that happen to anyone? You start a project and then you start seeing and wanting to do other things to your home and then the list keeps getting longer and longer and longer.

Ask me how to update your bathroom without spending a lot of money. I know just what to do and can't wait to get started on ours. Stay tuned. I'll try and post pics once the project begins. My goal....Before the Holidays! :) Will happen, probably not but I'll try. :)

The 10 Year Trip, Finally!

Well, when you have 3 girls and a very busy husband who is the ministry, time and life fly by so quickly! Ryan and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary in May, yes like 6 months ago and we are just now getting around to finalizing plans because so much has taken place over the months. Let me rewind a little.... we celebrated in May with a wonderful, romantic dinner at Perry's Steakhouse in Clear Lake. Can I say very, very nice with fantastic food, yum, yum. Then, summer was upon us and it was the end of school and Ryan quickly was off to youth camp with the kids. He came back and we took a group to SLU 101 to San Antonio then its July. All my side of the family came in for the 4th of July and then a week later, we left for Washington DC for SLU 201. Hang with me here, now its the end of July and Ryan's side of the family comes down and spends a week with us which now knocks us into August and Addie and Avery are taking swim lessons. So, now its August and really, really hot and we start to discuss places we may go and started searching the net. Now, hurricane peak season is upon us and our focus totally turns to what is brewing in the Gulf. August 25th and Addie is starting 1st grade, Avery is off to 3 day Pre-K and Ryan is in full swing with Fall series for church. And me? So glad you asked... I am the queen at trying to keep on top of schedules, lunches, and dinner, potty training, and just being mommy and wife, friend, and child of God. September is now upon us and yes the famous hurricane IKE is headed our way at least to Texas. A week later its being forecasted that it will hit Corpus Christi which is still South of us but close none the less but wait the forecast has changed again, and again, and yet once more putting Clear Lake and League City getting a direct hit. Yikes, we were outta here and evacuated to my parents in the Dallas area. September- here and gone due to IKE.

Well, Ryan is being trained to become a speaker for Planet Wisdom so he can go around to different areas and speak to parents about the current culture of youth. The conference is in Nashville and Ryan made a quick mention that I should go with him. Perfect! Nashville was on our list anyway so we are booking it today. We will be gone a Wednesday-Thursday in November. He will be in a conference Th. and Friday morning so I am just going to hit the downtown area and shop, maybe get a massage, maybe sleep because I have no kids or just hang out at a park and enjoy an area that really does have a Fall and Winter. Ha :)

He finishes Friday by lunch time so we will hit the town together and have the rest of Friday and all day Saturday. We might get in some country dancing because I heard the night life is incredible. Yea, we are excited.

There ya have it, our journey to how and why we planned Nashville. Stay tuned for pictures later. Its sure to be a great trip together.