Livesay Life

Truth

2011-10-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Love this...

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/10/when-its-hard/

Team Dale visits the Livesay Life

2011-09-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

Nothing says love like my big city friend trekking over to Victoria, TX!

My best, favorite life long friend, Allison came to visit and we had a blast! If you don't know the story about the Livesays and the Dales... it's a good one. Allison and I became friends in 7th grade when Allison moved to Coppell. We really bonded in freshman study hall where we tried to get a pass to go to the library every single day. That way we could sit and talk the whole time. It usually worked out. Our study hall teacher was the baseball coach and I'm pretty sure he was happy to have two less talkative freshman in the room. From that point on, Allison and I were a team. We did both dance on the drill team (one of us more than the other). I've really got a million stories and we keep adding to them. The part of our story that is really a blessing is that Allison and Eric introduced Stephen and I. Eric and Stephen grew up together just like Allison and I. Eric and Stephen lived in the same neighborhood their whole life and were most importantly fishing buddies. Anyway, after a few attempts, Eric and Allison finally got Stephen and I to meet and go on a bind date. I'm so thankful they did. Between us there are 5 kids, a few dogs, and lots more fun ahead!

Hudson and George-Anna

Stephen and Eric

Hudson with Allison and me

Evelyn, Hudson, and George-Anna

Evelyn, Hudson, Major, and George-Anna

They have baby Fletcher now and he was napping.

the parents and life long friends

We had a kiddo take the picture but I had to document the moment. I'm so happy they came! It was so so so fun! We'll do it again soon!

Corn

2011-09-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

Pine Cove ~ Crier Creek ~ 2011

2011-09-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

A little snooze on I-10, driving to our summer fun extravaganza!

oh the anticipation... waiting in the car line

home sweet home

lofts rock

sweet emily and hudson

nothing says pine cove like a dance train at club

Tejano/Rodeo

Hudson may or may not be crying his eyes out in this picture. He was super upset that he didn't win the shoe scramble... next year we'll wear crocs ;)

watching the rodeo

tuesday morning

trail ride with my sweetie

Hudson moving on up to Wild Kids

family free time/jump off stuff time

huddy, mid-jump from 20 foot platform

ode to the swing...

"Oh beautiful swing. You make my heart sing. With you, I have wings."

always gotta document the skit situation... it's funny

You Better Believe It

ZIP-LINE

hudson and i getting situated

That's my super 4 year old doing it like a pro!

Beach Party

it rained which made for some messy fun

uncle reed and major

fabulous family fellowship

Wild Kids Awards

Hudson got the Encourager Award

He also got an award from all the counselors called the "Hey you're awesome!" award. They said Hudson would tell them they were awesome a lot. He's so fun!

David and Hudson

Last time in the lagoon

Disco party

Gabriel, Hudson, David, and Major

Gabriel and David are 8 years old. They were awesome with Hudson and he was in heaven playing with them. They ran around camp like crazies and it was fun to let Hudson have more freedom and be a big boy. It's so nice to be around families that really train their kids to be kind and include others. It's a breath of fresh air!

We absolutely loved camp again this year. I'm keeping this post simple because I've just not stayed on top of the blog but I want to include this. We loved having Stephen's Baylor friends, the Browns, with us week 6. It really made it even more enjoyable for us. Can't wait for next year!

Swim Smart 2011

2011-06-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

Hudson and Major began the summer with swim lessons. They went for 40 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 2 weeks. Here is their last day at swim.

major

hudson

step 1

step 2

step 3

play time

major

play time

hudson

Hudson is swimming which is nice and I'm so proud of him. He starts out a little hesitant when we go to the pool but after I catch him a couple of times he swims alone. Major did good getting comfy in the water. I bet he'll be swimming alone next summer. Who knows? Maybe this summer. We still have a lot of swimming ahead of us!

i love summer

2011-06-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

I love summer for all the obvious reasons like eating juicy watermelon outside and...

making smores on a whim

I love all the changing seasons but summer is the big dog if you ask me. It edges out the competition in most areas. We are living it up!

Father's Day 2011

2011-06-21T14:23:00.000-07:00

Stephen with his Happy Father's Day crew

We had a fun day with Stephen on Father's Day. It included tons of yummy food and just some laid back time with daddy-o. I love watching him with Hudson and Major. He is so grounded as a person and definitely as a father. The top things that he and the kiddos do together are... golf, wrestle, tackle, infinity and beyond, spins, baseball, visit work, and pick me flowers. I'm sure some things on the list will be there forever but some will be replaced with new things. As infinity and beyond turns into driving around the neighborhood, I close my eyes and try as best as humanly possible to savor ever piece of it. I just want to squeeze them all.

growing up

2011-06-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Major had to part with his beloved paci this week...

As we left all of Major's pacis with our baby friend Lila, I said, "growing up is hard," to Major. It struck me in that moment that growing up really is difficult sometimes, but just past the stepping stone is confidence and new beginnings. I felt horrible for these few minutes where he was heartbroken but I'm excited for him. He has done great. Between the pacis, and potty training heading in the right direction, we really are moving our whole little family toward a new stage. I'm hopeful in all our steps together. It hurts a little to leave behind some baby things, even for me, but I love the big boys that they are becoming!

Member/Guest 2011

2011-06-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Stephen played in the member/guest golf tournament with his buddy Zane Green. They had a blast and won their flight smashingly. Caroline and I got to join them for the fun dinners. This is Friday after their big win. The Scott Taylor band played and I really enjoyed them. It was a nice night out with friends. Way to go Zane and Stephen!

VBS 2011

2011-06-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

This year, both Hudson and Major could attend VBS at LifePoint. I volunteered to assist with crafts which made it a family affair. I figured Major would do better if I was there so I volunteered to make sure he wasn't giving his teachers too rough of a time.

VBS y'all!

worship

hudson and tia

some dancing with the ladies

hudson getting his worship on

l.o.v.e this

craft time

Hudson's wet hair is actually from the water cooler. All the boys in his group thought it was awesome to dump water on their heads. It was hot so they came up with the perfect 4 year old solution. Love this age and the energy that leads to hilarious situations.

Major is participating in craft time and it is a historic moment for all. I didn't want to get too close since he was happy with his teachers. Truth be told, he spent most time with me instead of his class. I'm still happy he got the experience and he was surrounded be all these believers learning about Jesus.

Craft time and boys just seems to lead to crafty mischief around this crew. Hudson is using the sparkly rhinestones to decorate his face. It's funny. I mean, he doesn't encounter rhinestones often.

I can't say that I was a huge help volunteering at VBS but I'm glad I tried and helped Major through it all. I loved listening to the stories along with them and worship time was so fun! Their teachers Donna and Kristal were so loving. I enjoyed it and so did the boys!

cutie cousins

2011-06-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

~ ryan-kate ~ hudson ~ major ~

horrible, horrible, horrible

2011-06-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

I'm humbled and a little embarrassed to post this but it must be done. This is Majors left hand with a huge burn on it. I sat him on the kitchen counter which I do often. I turned to drain the noodles in the sink and heard a scream. It was literally about 2 seconds of me turning and he had grabbed the gas stove. Horror!!! He was so distraught and I was a basket case. Stephen walked in from work at the same moment. I was thankful for Stephen coming in at the perfect time to console us all. Yucky, yuck, yuck! Major is a trooper and really went on about his business the next day. He did baby his hand but that was it. He refused all bandages etc. so I just let him be. It's totally fine now. Poor baby. It looks horrible!

Stephen is 34

2011-06-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics from Stephen's 34th birthday.

These pics are all about the strawberry cake which is central and foundation to all things Stephen and birthday. It's a tradition to say the least. It's also delicious to the core. I love Stephen's birthday. I love Stephen! I've been around for several of his birthdays now and I can't wait to be around for so many more because I love getting older with him. Aging is exciting because I'm with the one person in the whole world that carries my heart with him. I look forward to what is in our future, trusting the Lord for wisdom. I'm so happy for another day of celebration for Stephen. He rocks!

Mother's Day

2011-06-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

Surprise

My parents were on their way to a cruise out of Galveston on Mother's Day. Our fam drove into Spring to visit Grammy and Gramps for Mother's Day. So... our paths crossed at Faithbridge that Sunday morning. RayRay and Champ showed up at church to give hugs and kisses. It was a sweet surprise!

Livesay Lunch

Conner and Emily were there for lunch and we ended it all with delicious strawberry pie for Stephen's birthday. Everyone got a squirt of whipped cream of course.

Grammy and Hudson

Grammy and Major

It was a sweet time to honor Ann as Stephen's mother and as my wonderful mother-in-love. What a blessing she is to all of us! I wish we lived closer to them. As we left for Victoria, we got to take Conner and Emily home. We had a fun road trip with them for about and hour. Fun day!

End of School Stuff

2011-06-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Cinco de Mayo 2011

waiting for pinata

major and payton

hudson's turn

last day of 3 year olds

(sorry major but it must be known)

I can count on one hand the number of times I dropped Major off and he did not cry. ONE HAND!!! He was dedicated that's for sure. He had the best teachers ever for such behavior. They never once complained or gave any indication that it was frustrating. They were such an answer to prayer and a sweet blessing to Major and me.

FIRST day of school 2010-2011

last day 2010-2011

I have grown to love PDS. The teachers have been perfect for my guys. This was Major's first year and he really did great (besides being dropped off). He will have Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Rains next year. They have been Hudson's teachers for 2 years so needless to say we can't get enough of them! So happy to have one more year with them. Hudson is headed to pre-k... be still my heart! Goodness, that's enough of that... We love summer so it's time to celebrate!

End of April Get-Away

2011-06-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

Visiting our Coppell peeps is one of our favorite pass times. We dropped in for a few days at the end of April. Stephen was busy, busy in Victoria. While there, I got to join in the surprise birthday party for Joe's 30th! It was fun to be sneaky and help with all the diversions. That's Uncle Joe holding all of Major's blankets.

Visting RayRay at work

super cool helicopter that uncle joe let the boys play with

So glad that we can just show up and join in the fun up there in Coppell. Love my family!

Easter

2011-05-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Easter Festivities

bonus: my parents came for the weekend

petting zoo

major doing a little preview of the egg situation

hunting with champ

guess who found a golden egg and got FIRST prize

don't mean to brag but... guess who found a golden egg and got SECOND prize

Easter morning at home

We were recovering from the bronchitis situation so we had to forgo some of the usual fanciness as to still enjoy the holiday.

church egg hunt

RayRay and Major

I love the age of the boys and getting to teach them the real reason for Easter. Hudson was super receptive and interested. We played with our resurrection eggs a lot and that seemed to be fun for him while I tried to teach this 4 1/2 year old about the reason for it all! Can't wait for next year and every moment in between that God allows me to be the messenger of the good news! What a huge responsibility and honor!

Love

2011-05-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

Bronchitis

2011-05-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

When I find this man on the floor asleep, it ain't good. Bronchitis it is. Poor guy.

Major the 3 year old

2011-05-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Precious One

birthday breakfast

practicing showing he is 3

Hudson is 4... he would like y'all to know

Major requested a "Bob" cake for his birthday. It was a process for him to get the message across as to what kind of cake he wanted. Once we figured it out, we made sure the little guy got his request. He was sooo excited about it and I think it is about the most fun cake ever! We love Bob.

Bounce Time

tater tot a.k.a. Kate

birthday boy and dad

me, hudson, and katie

can you stand it? i cannot!

Kate and Tai

bringing some class and sass to the event

hudson, victoria, and angelina

tire swim with our neighbors

awesome mommy friends

Playdate birthday was my secret plot to not have dads there who usually don't attend anyway. This adds the bonus of some girl time for yours truly. I enjoyed it :) It was exciting to do it all on Major's actual birthday, April 18th, and I liked having it during the day.

brothers

Stephen, the only man in attendance was a magnet for the kiddos. They all flocked to him to present their crazy bouncing skills. No one was injured but it sure looked like they were trying sometimes.
Major was so cute. He walked around the whole time with a huge smile on his face. He was so into it being his birthday. This is a picture of him peaking his head out at the top of the slide. He kept doing this and yelling, "yoohoo!" Sweet boy!

miss. tia

cake time

present time

checking out his dvd from Kate

girl time

see... my secret plan worked. I'm so glad they stayed and we got to hang out after the party.

he's in heaven

This post disappeared a few days ago. I posted it and even heard from a friend that she saw the post. Not sure what happened and redoing it was the only option. Hopefully this one won't go away. I might save it somewhere just in case. It was a little disappointing but I guess a fun post to redo if you have to...

I'm so thankful for my Major. I look at him and the light in his eyes just beams. He lights up a room and I know that the light I see will grow. I can't wait to watch him grow and become a man. It's happening too fast but at the same time, I can't wait to see it all unfold. The mystery of it all is fun as I spend each moment by his side. There is so much wrapped up in his heart and mind and I pray that God will be my one and only guide as I navigate this world as his mother. Three years old and he has my heart. I can hardly stand it! He is just full of life and as our journey continues I pray that his passion will be for Christ.

One Thousand Gifts

2011-05-07T07:07:00.000-07:00

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Do yourself a favor and get this book. It is life changing and I'm not prone to exaggeration. I plan on blogging more about it but for now I just want to get it out there. It truly is a blessing to me every time I read it. If you have already read it I would love to hear what you think. I'm inthralled and I love it!

My perspective on things like this have changed, as I try to count my blessing in humility to my savior. When I came upon this scene, I decided to see the growing independence of my little guy as opposed to just seeing a mess to clean up. I'm trying and always a work in progress. I'm enjoying slowing down to notice my blessings in everything and praying for God to open my eyes to more... beyond what my selfishness allows.

Lizard Paradise

2011-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our backyard is a lizard paradise. At least, one can only assume that due to the crazy amount of them. It's been this way at the Livesay house since I can remember (we're talking two years of crazy lizards). They are on our windows at night and in our yard during the day. Here is one little fella that Hudson rounded up...

EYE ya ya

2011-04-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Poor Hudson

This pictures does the whole eye thing no justice! It was so bad. I mean borderline emergency room at one point. It began with what I assumed to be pink eye. I'm not sure if it was ever actually pink eye or just severe allergies. I told the nurse my diagnosis over the phone and she just called us in the drops for pink eye. His eyes seemed to get better over about two days and then, at the end of day 2 they flared up again. After a doctor visit, I continued the drops but added allegra, steroids, and everything seemed to go away... not the end of the story... about 2 weeks later, I got Hudson from school. We ate lunch outside and then came inside to rest. I went in the kitchen and then just looked in on the boys and I had to do a double take. Hudson was rubbing his right eye very hard. I went over to him and his eye had swollen, underneath, to the size of a golf ball or what you might call a goose egg. HUGE! As I tried to calm down and get a better look I thought, "this is serious!" I called the nurse at first because I just wasn't sure what to do... go straight to her office or what? She did have us come right in and when she saw his eye, it shocked her. Dr. Resendez took Hudson to the other pediatrician in her practice and then came back. I sat there thinking, what in the world is going on. When she returned she told me she had never seem that type of swelling. She said the white part of his eye was swollen. When I looked at it my perspective was off, but she was right of course. The swelling included the whites of his eyes which raised slightly above the color center which was still flat. It scared me. We had to do steroids again, which I hate, and continue allegra and a new antihistamine eye drop. Just a couple weeks later, which was last week, and the week of Major's birthday, Hudson got bronchitis. Phew! I hope we're done for awhile!

Slumber Party

2011-04-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

One of our bestest friends, Lila, came to spend the night. Her daddy left some cinnamon rolls for us to devour in the morning. That is exactly what we did as you can see some icing around Hudson's happy little mouth.

kisses and here comes a hug...

big hug

major making a call on lila's phone

It was a sweet time to take care of this precious thing. She was a treat and we can't wait for her to come play again!

HTL + RKH + GML + WGH = FUN

2011-04-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

Hudson presented Ryan-Kate with a few tokens of his affection when she came to visit... flower headband and bracelets. I think she likes them!

Sisters spent some quality time concocting a moscow mule and I loved it. I loved the time relaxing on the back porch with my sisters more.

ALERT: kiddo with a camera

Whitley Grace

(i cropped this a lot so it's fuzzy but i couldn't resist zooming in on that face!!!)

major loves him some baby whitley

victoria zoo

hudson loves him some baby girl cousin holdin' too

"really mom?"

I spilled coke on my camera... a hazard of trying to sneak my drink into the zoo. I'm thinking it has issues now. Maybe it's time to get a new camera?

So, my sisters... I love them! They drove from Coppell to Victoria, which is 5 hours. They did this with a 2 1/2 year old and an 8 week old. I thought it might take them 10 hours but they did it without stopping! That's how the Brawner girls roll. I'm so thankful for my sisters/built in best friends! It really seemed like a pivotal time for a visit. Julianne with her TWO kids and Jenny days away from starting her job that she has been working towards for over two years. I feel blessed to have had them in my home and get some time to talk and jabber like only sisters can. I hope they come back soon! That Whitley needs more kisses from the boys. I'm sure Ryan-kate is ready for some more wrestling with the Livesays. And of course, I'm ready for them to come and just bring that realness that makes life simple and peaceful.

Charity Ball 2011

2011-04-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

we clean up nice we just don't clean up very often

our table

This year Charity Ball was on March 5th and the theme was Venetian Masquerade. It was a little more laid back than last year when it was on New Years Eve. The bonus was that all the dresses were on sale! I got a deal on my dress so I went for fun shoes as my reward for such savvy shopping. Prior to the event I didn't think I would wear my mask but as we stepped off the elevator to the ball, there were some "theme enforcers." They stopped me immediately and helped me put my mask on. I still didn't think I would wear it long but turns out, I kinda liked the mystery. Who knew? The only problem was that I started walking like I was stepping over puddles in the rain. The mask took away most of my periphery vision so I kept thinking I was going to trip, and if you consider the 5 inch heels that I had on, I'm lucky I didn't break something. All in all a fun night out with my man. We enjoyed sitting with Caroline and Zane in the front of the pic and Claire and Daniel in the back. Anyone need a mask or 5 inch heels? Let me know...

It's just funny to me

2011-03-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

Victoria Livestock Show 2011

2011-03-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

Just a few moments from the Victoria Livestock Show

I asked Hudson which animal he would like to take a picture by and he chose the chicks. Funny choice and I love that about him.

I'm also excited to say that the boys have had haircuts since these pictures. I think they look so cute with nicely cute little boy hair. I'm going to steer clear of crazy long hair.

Belize 2011

2011-03-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Our Belize adventure really was breathtaking. It's such a nice quick flight and so different from anything else we have been to within such a distance. We had the most beautiful welcome as we flew from Belize International Airport to our destination on the island of Ambergris Caye. The water was so shallow which made the color just beam. It was a beautiful turquoise and so dreamy.

I love quirky little things like the way they wrap the top of drinks. They did this every time.

THAT'S NOT ME

So, why did I take a picture of this half naked lady? She was getting a message on the beach and I thought it was interesting. I had the "masseuse" give me a message the next morning and lets just say she walked away with some extra cash, while I felt like I had been hustled, for sure. Lesson learned. Stick with what you know and always go to the hotel spa. What was I thinking? It's really funny when I think about it.

trying to show the celling in our room. it was so high and i thought it looked cool.

ramon's village as seen from the ocean

lots of docks and boats which we think are there to scuba the famous blue hole

our room was the top of this hut

where we spent most of our time

stephen got seriously sunburnt and kept covered the rest of the time

looking down the main street

checking out victoria house which is another resort we considered staying at

most people drive golf carts on the island, not cars... so we rented one and took it south. the island is very small so it was fun to drive out of the city center and into the less populated area. there were lots of new houses being built and the beach was untouched.

some of our sights on the golf cart

a check point that had us nervous for a minute

a small church we spotted over a fence by a resturant

after we returned the golf cart, we decided to just get a snack and beverage, and keep exploring. we didn't go back to our room until we went to bed that night, so as you can see, i continue to have on my rockin hat and work out gear. hey, i was comfortable and fit right in.

dinner on a stone

we cooked at our table and it wasn't as scary as i look

getting ready to head home. this is the balcony of our room.

We did snorkel one day and saw lots of amazing fish, sting rays, and a nurse SHARK! I thought it might not look exactly like a shark but it did. It was the real deal but apparently they are bottom feeders and don't have shark-like teeth. Who cares? They were scary! One of the guides wrestled one under water. It was a 2 1/2 hour excursion which was great since we only had 2 full days in Belize. I, of course, got a little sea sick on the 5 minute boat ride out to the snorkel location, but I recovered quickly. Another funny thing that happened was when 3 different locals tried to sell us pot within our first hour there. I tried to figure out what secret signal I was giving off. The sell me pot signal? It never happened again but had me a little nervous for a little while.

I'm so thankful for this trip! It was so much fun to be with my hubby and just relax. My parents and sisters helped with the boys. I can't wait for our next adventure together.

PDS Valentines Parties 2011

2011-03-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a few snipits of the boys Valentine's parties at PDS...

we love mrs. harrison

yes, hudson, i see you

major with some serious sticker heart business

checking out there valentine box lute

I have to say this is all bringing back the memory of how sick I was during this time. I got my first throat infection nastiness the middle of December. I repeated antibiotics three times and visited the ENT for a more thorough evaluation. Luckily, the third time was a charm and it didn't come back. However, I very quickly felt sick again right before and around Valentine's day. I had a fever off and on and was bracing for the worst. The day after Valentine's day, we went to Dallas to see RayRay and Champ while Stephen and I went on vacation for a few days. In a wonderful answer to prayer, I did feel better for our vacation. When we got back from our trip, Major got the flu immediately! It was so sad. I have never had a kid with the flu and hope it never happens again. Sad and pitiful are the best descriptions! It lasted about 5 days for poor Major, and then, I'm not kidding, the day he was better, I got sick again! It was the same way that I felt before the vacation. I thought I was coming down with the flu for sure this time. Especially, since little Maj had just had it. After several days of feeling pretty bad, I went to the doc again. She said I had a sinus infection. If I had thought that, I would have gone to the doc a lot sooner. I just kept feeling miserable thinking it was the flu and I just had to wait it out. After the antibiotics, I felt like a new women! I'm back to myself and really realizing how horrible I felt, looking back on it. I feel like writing this all out because I'm one of those that "never gets sick." It has been weird for us to be this yuck lately. I'm so thankful to be past it and onto warmer weather! I really felt horrible off and on for about 10 weeks! Come on summer time!

Moments with My Boys

2011-03-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some silly moments with my boys and I have no comment except that I think my boys are cute, funny, entertaining, sweet, loving, tough, playful, sincere, energetic, and cute... again.

Okay and (I can resist) my nick names for them in no particular order are ~ Huddy, Huddy Buddy, Maj, Majie Bear, Chicken Nugs, Bugs, Bubba, Booger, Bugga Boo and Bugga Boo Boo ~ Feel free to call them these also. They answer to them and everything.

Las Vegas

2011-03-18T07:19:00.000-07:00

Here's my one picture from Vegas. If I had something a little less self involved I would post it but this is it. So, I'll just let it be and try to remember this fun and quick trip that happened about 2 months ago :)

I got to go with Stephen to Vegas for about 24 hours, literally! We took off early one morning from Houston with our kids in the wonderful care of Grammy and Gramps. By the time we got to Vegas it was lunch time, so we quickly began a search for something delicious, and remember, living in Victoria makes the food choices oh so much more important! We ate lunch at Grand Lux Cafe. I think it's related to Cheese Cake Factory. We had been to one before in Houston so we knew it would be good and we were hungry. Stephen could no longer resist the call of the black jack table and I could no longer resist the call of the shops at the Venetian! We went about our separate business happy as can be. I wondered around to my hearts content and then made my way towards my spa appointments at the Venetian spa. I got a massage and facial. The facilities were amazing. Had I known the spa would be like a mini paradise, I would have camped out there more that day. The different pools, steam rooms, rain rooms, cold room (not tempted by that one), showers, were so inviting. I had lots of cucumber water of course and felt very healthy by just being surrounded by so much earthiness. I had to head back up to our room for some primping and dressing up for our NOBU dinner. Nobu is inside the Hard Rock. We took a cab and sat down for one of the best meals ever. I can't remember it all now. But we stuffed our faces with some of the best sushi ever! I mean it was such a tasty treat. We turned in early by Vegas standards and slept until Stephen had his meeting the next morning. Our trip ended with some walking around the strip and a nice lunch. We were back with our boys by dinner time and heading back to Victoria, TX. It was quick but I'm so glad we went for it.

Whitley Grace Hoerman

2011-01-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

Whitley Grace Hoerman

1.7.2011

7 pounds 10 ounces

19 1/4 inches

4:08 pm

Julianne let me be in the delivery and believe it or not, I have never done that before. It was beautiful! What a heart stopping moment! I will never forget it! Oh and I got there about 10 minutes before she was born. It was crazy.

The kiddos that have been around for awhile ran around like nuts most of the time.

Hudson got to visit and hold here. He was so sweet and really in awe of her.

a little door dec for the Hoermans

3... 2... 1...

2011-01-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

Stephen brought home some (illegal) fireworks for the boys to play with on New Years EVE. Stephen grew up in Houston where this is legal but in Victoria it isn't. Oh well, we went for it and so far no issues. They loved it!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve

arrival at the Brawner house

Major with his "pirate's who don't do anything" boat

hudson with is toy story loot

I tried to teach the kids how to make a toast and say cheers. My advise after this experience is to wait a few more years. We had to clean up a little bit of punch after this... sorry, mom!

cookie tradition

looking for Santa's sleigh... precious

Hudson found my camera again

Christmas Morning!!!!

He's stoked, I promise

Santa left a note

Major decided to check it out

eating the left overs Santa left

sweet hubby picked out amazing earrings and bracelet

Stephen got a new golf bag

he's worn out

Julianne treated us to this cool foot massage place. They massaged our legs and feet for an hour. They also give you oxygen, and you get to choose your smell. It was the best!

See Julianne with a 39 week baby bump? Well, it's there and I got to go to her check up that week. We both tried really hard to look sad and pitiful so he would induce but I guess he wasn't convinced. No induction yet... but stay tuned!

Merry Christmas from Grammy and Gramps

2011-01-15T13:38:00.000-08:00

Grammy and Gramps came to visit a couple of days before Christmas. They brought us all some goodies. So, of course we started out with a little jumping on the trampoline. I can not believe I didn't get a picture of Gramps on the trampoline. He showed the boys a couple of tricks and had a little instruction session to pass along his skills. Then, Grammy jumped with the guys.

present time

buzz and woody boots!

i think he likes them

Hudson got ahold of the camera and took a shot of his new kicks.

I'm so glad they made the effort to come visit during this crazy time of year!

PDS Christmas 2010

2011-01-15T13:21:00.000-08:00

Hudson's Christmas Party

Hudson's table eating lunch

making gingerbread houses

I got those mini gingerbread houses for each kid to make but as we were setting it up, I realized it was too much work for me :) So, I just gave them each the front part of the gingerbread house to decorate. No 3D for me. Flat is good and didn't require an engineering degree to assemble.

book exchange set to music

Major's party

I walked in without him noticing and surprised him. This is his surprised face.

book exchange

major's class did a group christmas present so this is the big presentation...

ta-da!

I came up with the idea and had lots of help from our room mom. I think it turned out precious!

Houston Kids

2011-01-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

We made a quick trip to Houston to visit the Junods and lots of other fun friends. Here are some pictures of the kids playing. The boys and I had so much fun and always appreciate how easy it is for us to fit back into the group. These true friends just seems to naturally be a part of our lives. Whether we are in the same place or not, I always feel like the conversation and connection just seems to continue. Time and distance are overcome by the sincerity. I love that!

Loved my extra time with Tracy and as you can see, she is contagious... the kids noticed that about her too :)

Who finds a faithful friend, finds a treasure.

More Cuteness

2011-01-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

pillow fights and hugs

He's Cute

2011-01-15T12:40:00.000-08:00

Major cheesing it at the Santa Christmas brunch.

Small Group Christmas Party 2010

2010-12-11T12:48:00.000-08:00

We had our small group Christmas party last night and it was great! I'm so thankful for these girls and our awesome small group. We just started meeting this fall and it has really been a blessing to get to know all of these couples and kids and dogs. It's amazing what a difference a few believers can have on your life. It's a breath of fresh air to have support from other moms and women that come from a similar heart for Christ. Out of the five of us in the picture, 4 of us have just moved to Victoria in the past few years. We are all adjusting to Victoria or life, but either way, we are all enjoying the fellowship.

me, casey, caroline, katie, and amy

Getting in the Spirit

2010-12-07T18:30:00.001-08:00

Just thinking about how this is Hudson's 5th picture with Santa. Major has 3 under his belt! Wow, that seems like a lot. It's an adventure every time. I noticed this year that Hudson was intimidated by Santa. I guess he is starting to understand the weight the big man pulls when it come to presents and Christmas morning. He was shy about it all but in the end told Santa what was on his mind. Major thought Santa was pretty cool. He gave him 5 a couple of times. Neither one of them wanted to take this picture. I was determined and ended up with a couple of smiles in the wrong direction. I guess that's better than screams at the camera. We did have a couple of pictures like that too. I decided to go with the smiles and I'm glad I did. They are looking at me humiliating myself in the middle of the mall. It's the Victoria mall though so I'm not too concerned. Or maybe I should be because, chances are that 5 people I know walked by while I was doing my, "smile at the camera, or else" dance.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

Reed, Julie, Conner, and Emily came to Victoria for Thanksgiving this year. They got here Wednesday and we played outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It was so fun to all be in the same house and just do our own thing. We planned Thanksgiving lunch at Victoria Country Club and Julie and I made lots of snacks and munchies to get us by between meals. It really was relaxing. Julie and I got to sneak out to do some black Friday shopping. I'm so thankful for all of our family and the natural support system that God has built into our lives. It's more than I could ask for.

Conner, Hudson and Emily

ping pong in the garage

sitting down to enjoy our Thanksgiving feast

we were there for awhile so the iPhone came out to entertain

dessert for Hudson

We just decided to get one of every dessert and share... okay we got more than one of each. Yumm

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

We played around on the golf course after lunch and this is a picture of a race between the boys. Major decided to plow Hudson over and so he did. It's rough out there.

rolling down the hills

takin' it easy

Major kept carrying this pumpkin around and using it as a stepping stool to get snacks, movies, etc... hilarious

If there was a "strongest man" contest for 2 year olds, I would enter Major :)

Moments with My Boys

2010-11-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

Rodeo

2010-11-28T12:45:00.000-08:00

One of our small group friends invited us out to their family ranch for a rodeo. They have western lessons and rodeo events lessons for the kids. This was the rodeo for the kids to compete and show their parents their skills. It was fun to watch the kids running those horses like crazy. Very cool!

Anna and Hudson

playing in the dirt

Major climbing and checking out the scene

PDS Thanksgiving feast 2010

2010-11-27T16:04:00.000-08:00

Here are the Indians marching in with vest, feather headdress and tom-toms. It was so cute to arrive before Hudson spotted us so we got to see him in full Indian character. Hudson's Indian name was "Jumping Horse." Major did walk in with his class but did not have on the cute shirt his teachers made him. His Indian name was "Lion Heart." It was sweet and the feast was moved outdoors last minute to accommodate a funeral the church had at the same time. The teachers did a great job and I liked it being outside. It was a beautiful day made even more special by my mom being there. RayRay got to join in the fun and the boys loved it!

Hudson -- "Jumping Horse"

Jumping Horse with his class

His feather said, "I am thankful for my dog and cats."

note... we have not cats ??? never have, never will :)

Major -- "Lion Heart" and RayRay

My mom came in town Thursday night and we went to the feast Friday. Before the feast we went to breakfast at Ramsey's and witnessed a lady's 92nd birthday. It was so cute and our whole section of the restaurant sang her Happy Birthday. It was a classic Victoria moment that I'm glad my mom witnessed. It's just hard to describe the feel of this town unless you experience it. Such a small town mentality even though it isn't tiny. It's so secluded from a big city, it just has it's own character. I left my mom with the boys and met Stephen in Rockport for an overnight conference with his dealership people and came back the next morning to join up with my mom again. It was special to have my mom there and I'm so thankful for her making the effort. It's always nice to have my mom here and it's just so encouraging to have fun and play all together. Thank you mom!

Livesay -- Klam -- Halloween Party 2010

2010-11-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

I actually think this picture is on the way to their school Halloween parties. As you can see, Hudson is Woody and as you cannot see, Major is Buzz. Oh, that doesn't look like Buzz Lightyear in the background because Buzz wouldn't wear his costume. He never did. Not to school or anything else. Stay tooned for more pictures of Major not dressed as Buzz...

Livesay -- Klam Halloween Party pics 2010

entryway with crazy Halloween tree

mummy dogs

kids table with cups of snacks, drinks, and treats

our firsts guests at the playdough table

ben and stephen

stephen and ben battling it out

major not in his costume (do I seem bitter? maybe a little)

trick or treating in the hood with friends

gladiator costumes were to die for

woody was working hard for the candy

part of our crew trick or treating

Tai and I decided to have a Halloween party a couple of months ago and I'm glad we did. It was a lot of work for the two of us and we invited a lot of friends. I didn't take a lot of pictures of the party in action but it was fun and their were cute little kiddos playing everywhere. Next year Major will be dressed as Buzz due to the pristine condition of the costume, as it has only hung in his closet and never seen the light of day. I love you Major.

Dove Hunting with Dad

2010-11-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

Hudson went on his first dove hunt and this is him with his dove. Stephen and Hudson had so much fun and i just think the camo and redneck nature of it all is precious. Here's to having a house full of boys...

VCC Halloween

2010-11-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

For The Love

2010-11-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

I pulled up to our garage and opened the garage. Then, I jumped out to run in a grab Stephen's dry cleaning. I was just going to grab the clothes and run back out to the car, so I left the kids in their car seats. Well, this snake threw a little kink in my plans. As I ran toward the garage a S-N-A-K-E fell from the garage door. So all my nightmares have come true. Snake falling from the ceiling, really? He is no longer with us as Stephen and Josh seperated his head from his body. Bye, Bye nasty snake!

We Paint

2010-11-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Yorktown Western Days Ziegfest

2010-10-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

Getting more comfortable in the Victoria area involves jumping into the local festivals. Here we are at the Yorktown Western Days Ziegfest. My friend, Tamara and I took all our boys to check it out. Tamara grew up in the area so she was our veteran guide. She had never been with two, four year olds, a two year old and a one year old before. So, we were all in for some surprises.

Here we are just exiting the parking area. The boys immediately spotted this cool John Deere tractor.

Tamara's boys are to the left and center, Major is on top of the wheel and Hudson is on the right

carnival rides

major riding a wave runner

jacob and hudson

the boys with tamara's awesome dad

petting zoo

major the climber

dancing

We had a great time riding, petting, eating, and dancing. The boys cracked us up (and many other people) as they danced to the opening bands. The atmosphere was changing as people flocked in to see Roger Krueger and Cross Canadian Ragweed. We left as the fans started to fill up the area and the adult atmosphere took over. It looked like fun. Honestly, we were all so tired, I don't think I could have handled all that concert excitement. Glad we did it and had good friends with us!

Pumpkin Pickin' 2010

2010-10-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Hudson, Major and I went to the local pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect pumpkin. They had a few little activities so we jumped in the bounce house, and ate snow cones too.

Sister Time

2010-10-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

So happy that this trip came together! It took a lot of prep on everybody part. I drove to Dallas Thursday to get the boys settled at RayRay and Champ's house, then Julianne and I flew out Friday afternoon. We enjoyed child-free flying time but did have a terrified flier sitting beside us that was literally gripped with fear. I told the guy he needs some drugs to knock him out next time. I've never seen anyone react like that. Luckily he did enjoy all of our ridiculous magazines as a distraction.

Friday night, we ate at a fun restaurant on the bay in Annapolis, Maryland. There was a sailboat festival and we walked around the cute downtown area.

Saturday, we planned our day around the Taste of Georgetown event. Of course, once we got down there, we dove right into the shopping and put off the tasting. Eventually we decided on a cool local spot to eat some yummy food. it was hard to decide but I ordered a jumbo lump crab-cake sandwich. Not a mistake. It was perfect!

Picture of our Georgetown lunch, has a smudge, but it's my only picture with Joe in it. He was such a gentleman with lots of dropping us off and then parking the car. It was a huge treat to not have to hike after parking.

This might be the star of all our eating experiences. Here we are with our pumpkin cheesecake!!!!! Oh, yum! People were walking around with it and Joe stood in the crazy line and got a piece for each of us. It was outstanding and I miss it right now.

this stiletto is a motorcycle

Sunday, we started with a mani/pedi

Then, we ate at 2Amys, which has some pretty authentic Italian choices. It was delicious. Julianne and I ordered a pizza to split. My non-seafish eating sister and I were surprised when our pizza obviously had seafood on it. Turns out, cockels are clams... who knew? With all the Italian on the menu, I guessed we skimmed over this word. Needless to say Julianne, the pregnant mama, reordered and our waiter was on top of it. That's acually him in the background between Julianne and I.
Last stop on Sunday, Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. We loved the First Lady exhibit, Dorthy's shoes from the Wizard of Oz, and Julia Child's kitchen.
We spotted an old childhood memory, Dumbo, from Disneyland. We could not get enough of this ride when we visited Disneyland as kids.
Monday we drove out to Chrysalis Winery and encoutered some serious traffic on our way that actually had us considering turning around and going back home. Glad we stuck it out. it was beautiful and relaxing.

Here we are doing a tasting and learning a few wine tidbits...

Julianne found a comfy chair and enjoyed the scenery

we spotted some forgotten grapes

The whole winery was beautiful so Jenny and I took off to explore a few things. This is us walking up and down the rows of vines.
There was a house close to us and these three way off in the distance. It made me very curious because they look like amazing old houses. I think we could have walked out there but it was pretty far away.

Free range chickens on the land and they sell the eggs also.

Sisters can relate to this picture. It's a moment caught by Julianne (you can see her foot in the bottom right corner) that says more than I can write here. Time with my little sisters, I feel refreshed!

Lobster Dinner

2010-10-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

A little night out with some of my Victoria friends. We all wore our bibs with pride. It was fun and delicious.

Houston Hello

2010-10-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Our little family packed up and went to Houston for a quick visit. We played with Grammy and Gramps and then headed for a night out with the Snellers. Loved hanging with them. We ate at Lupe's and then went to the 10th Ave. North concert. It was a fun treat and I'm glad we all made it happen. Here are a couple of pictures from The Woodlands Mall Carousel with Grammy...

"Staycation"

2010-09-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

Baylor vs TCU

We all got together without the kids, and Wess dubbed this event our "staycation." It was the perfect description. This is our Friday night dinner out and we went to Joe T Garcia's. I love the outdoor seating there and the food is delicious.

Kyle, I'm so glad you took this picture from cheesy couple moment, to a college life throw-back. It had to be done.

kyle, wess, and stephen

jaime humoring me with a pose

game day

matt joining the crew

Oh, the heart ache of being a Baylor fan at that game. OUCH! I have sympathy (which I'm sure they don't want) and I really do hope that we see a day where the green and gold make a serious go for a winning season. It would be fun for everyone at my house. However, the OU girl in me secretly giggles a little bit, just a little. The Coppell High School girl in me, gets it, totally. I really think ole CHS helps me understand the plight of a loosing football team. I know that Baylor is good at lots of other sports so that helps but the football thing is painful.

Ft. Worth is beautiful with hills, and tress all over the place. I'm a fan! Just a quick trip from Dallas and a whole different atmosphere. Some other memories from the "staycation" are, breakfast tacos, golf, tim the driver, singing the Baylor song at Buffalo Brothers (not me of course), potty breaks as needed, ipod playlists, dorm style showering situations, TCU students wearing green?, steam room for the boys... good times.....

Last Day of Pool Season 2010

2010-09-22T12:33:00.000-07:00

This was out first summer to join the pool and really enjoy the swimming fun of summer. I took a few pictures the last day we went so I could remember how much fun it was and how much time we spent up there.

When we decided to join I wasn't sure how it would go. Hudson was 3 1/2 and Major was 2. Neither one of them had been to swim lessons and I knew I would take them to the pool alone, the majority of the time. It's funny now, but the first day we went, I had them both in lifejackets and made them stay in the baby pool. We still wear lifejackets off and on, but the fact that I made them stay in the 1 1/2 foot deep, baby pool is a little much. I just wasn't sure what to expect. After the boys took lessons for two weeks the pool situation was so perfect. They were comfortable and not too difficult to watch in the regular pool. I'm so thankful that we have this nice pool here and that we got to make it our go to adventure during the summer.

baby pool

lots of fun with the ole water fountain

big pool on the left, covered dinning area and a place to order food to the right

I think someone is about to smack someone else on the head.

32

2010-09-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

My 32nd birthday dinner

I suppose Stephen and I were just not up for asking someone to take our picture together, so here I am... just me, the 32 year old. Oh, and my fried macaroni and cheese, shrimp diablo, crabmeat grits, salmon, veggies, and turtle chocolate pie, and something yummy to sip in between.

The day before was the official birthday which I started with a little Zumba and breakfast with two sweet friends. I decided to do a little shopping and found the dress I wore to dinner, which I love. Then, I hiked over to The Woodhouse Day Spa and made myself at home for several hours. Happy, I was! Yay for birthdays and sweet husband, babies, family and friends to share it with. Hi, my name is Jenise, and I'm 32.

Small Town Charm

2010-09-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

This is the marque at the entrance to Hudson and Major's school. Hudson was big time that week as all those that drove down Navarro witnessed his 4 year old greatness.

"When are my friends coming to my birthday?" - Hudson

2010-09-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

After the Crier Creek party, Hudson asked me when his friends would come to his party. It was cute. I didn't realize he had caught on to the whole concept of inviting your friends. Hudson loves his friends and loves playing with them as much as possible. I guess I'm not surprised. I just didn't realize what was brewing in his head. I'll ask next time. So, I called a couple of his best friends and we played, had lunch and ate some cupcakes. My sweet mommy friends made the time for it and Hudson loved having them over on his real birthday.

Hudson with Tia, Jake, and Caleb

They brought presents which was so thoughtful and, of course, Hudson was totally stoked!

Hudson's Waffle, Birthday Style

2010-09-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, dear Hudson. Happy Birthday to you ~~~

Hudson's Birthday

August 31, 2010

Major was really trying to figure out how to get in on the action :)

Do Not Try This At Home

2010-09-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

So after returning from Crier Creek birthday party, I got to work on Hudson's birthday cookies for Monday. First of all, I wasn't exactly sure how many kids were in his class since they just started. I realized that I could possibly be a little short on dough and just went with it. Mistake. I made them too thin, in my opinion, and it came back to haunt me.

They look okay before being cooked, right? I mean it is a 4! Stephen commented that it's the wrong 4 and that it should be the one with two sticks at the top, not a point. Okay, well, I don't have that cookie cutter and I'm tired so it's this or cupcakes from HEB.

Maybe cupcakes from HEB would have been a better choice.
I stopped taking pictures when I realized this was all going to end very badly. The hole of the 4 closed together while they baked and it was not in any way resembling a 4. It actually looked like a circle with two little numbs on the side. I showed Stephen and he just laughed. I'm mean, I would laugh to if I hadn't just wasted precious time doing this.

In the end I decided to ice over the whole thing, write "4" on top with icing, and then sprinkle them. They looked cute (trust me) but I could have just made a circle from the beginning.
No final picture due to my bruised ego and exhaustion... it doesn't take much. Hudson's teachers said they were yummy, and there are 12 kids in his class. I made 19 cookies... at least I did that right. I figure, the cookies had icing and sprinkles, my audience is mostly 3 and 4 year olds so really, how could they be wrong?

Party Number 4

2010-09-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hudson's 4th Birthday Party

Crier Creek

RayRay, Aunt Julianne, and Ryan-Kate were walking around when we arrived. Hudson jumped out of the car and ran to give hugs to his party people!

Grammy and Gramps

me and Julianne and her little girly bun in the oven

mexican fiesta

present time

The Round-Up Gang is complete with Jessie!

Guns :)

A little help from Aunt Julie and Emily.

Emily and Conner lighting the candles.

He didn't even eat one bite of cake. Not a bite! He was playing his little heart out!

birthday kisses

This was Hudson's piece that he didn't eat. I saved it for him but he was not interested.

cowboy Hudson

On the other hand, Major was a little sneaky cake eater. Here he is sneaking a bite.

Polaris rides

Sunday morning breakfast of champions.

Visiting the horseys

Trekking off t0 the pool.

only picture I took at the pool

It was worthy of more pictures and we had a blast swimming. We even jumped the fence to get in and out. The gate was locked. So refreshing out there.

mechanical swing, fun for everyone

Crazy that Major is swinging on this now. When we were at camp the first week of July, he didn't do this, but 2 months later, he's ready to rock and roll.

Lots of exploring

We are so thankful for our wonderful families that came out to celebrate Hudson's 4th birthday. It was the perfect celebration. I think about the blessing that Hudson has in his life with such a strong family and extended family. It is truly a lifetime of solid support that God has built in for him.

Hudson is so in tune with other people. He is always looking at a persons face and really reading their emotions. I just see the beauty and the innocence involved in his observations. He is still quick to say hello to others, to introduce himself, and to ask their name. He seems to have no second thoughts about asking someone else to play or to ask if he can join in a group. It just makes me think of what a good friend he is and I pray that he will always have that spirit. He plays great with Major and that is the absolute best thing to watch! I'm still a little unsure of the "rough house" thing and what is acceptable and not. Right now, it's still pretty harmless and cute to watch.

When I think back to Hudson's 3rd birthday and this past year, I see the emerging of this big kid! Yikes! He is so much more independent and really a leader. What a corner to turn over a year. He is still a social butterfly and the only thing holding him back sometimes is me. I have to let him go talk to the random family at the grocery store that he wants to say hi to. I would never be so bold but it always puts a smile on their face.

Things I love to do with Hudson... rub his little head and back, sing and dance, eat snacks of any kind, jump on beds, play outside, ride bikes, pick him up from school, talk to him about his day, laugh, pretend to be asleep, sneak in and listen while he pretends with his toys, hide and seek, swim and go visit Daddy at work.

I'm really cherishing these little moments and tucking them away. I'm so glad he still wants me to hold him sometimes and that he sits in my lap to read stories. Sweet Boy!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 2010

2010-08-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

Hudson, all smiles and ready to be a big leader in his class.

Major opted out of the picture and seeing as this was his first time to go to school ever, I did everyone a favor, and allowed him to skip the picture.

Walking into the building and I'm just noticing my enormous shadow. That's me with backpacks and shopping sacks filled with large amounts of school supplies.

I decided to drop Hudson off first so we're heading upstairs to his class. He did perfect and just skipped on in there like a pro. Proud of him! What a change from last year! They grow up fast for sure. I think Major is all smiles in this picture because, so far, this just seems to be like our old routine. After we dropped Hudson off, we walked down stairs to Major's class. The only problem was that Major turned to walk out the door like we usually do instead of going to his class. Oops! He was way caught off guard when we turned around and went to his class. Poor little guy thought it was time to head out with mama. His teachers said that he did great after I left.

The end of a successful day! They both did awesome and it was so refreshing for me too. I could tell Hudson loves his class and he's more mature this year. He really seems to be turning into a big helper. I feel so good about where he is.

The last thing that was awesome that day was when I went home while they were at school. I hadn't been alone in my house, like that, in 4 years!!! Seriously. That's no joke. I have babysitters when I go do something or on dates with Stephen, but to just be in my empty house was refreshing. I had a quiet time in actual quiet. Wow! 'Cause my quiet times should have been renamed "crazy interrupted times." I treasure my little treasures but it was just a nice change. They go to school Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 8:30 - 12:00 so I still get plenty of time with my guys!

One Last Trip

2010-08-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

The boys and I drove up to Coppell to visit one last time before school starts. We stayed with RayRay and Champ. The Hoermans are staying with my parents while they build their house, so it was one big party in the Brawner house.

Bahama Buck's

Do yourself a favor and go!

Yummy

Behind us you can see some of the syrup and menu of flavor choices. I got strawberry cheesecake to share and the boys got blueberry.

Hudson and blueberry are in love!

Tether-ball outside of the store.

Fake palm tree that lights up and they really wanted to climb it.

Champ couldn't resist giving Hudson a new Woody with pull string.

joy

Fun yogurt place

You grab an empty cup. Pick from about 8 yogurt choices. Then, add your toppings, and there were soooo many to choose from. Last, they WEIGH it and you pay. I was sick I ate so much, but it was worth it, of course.

Major has oatmeal cookie yogurt, topped with gummy bears and rainbow sprinkles.

Can't remember what Hudson got most likely because I turned my head as he added more toppings than there was yogurt in his cup. Oh to be young!

Of course we went to Chuck E. Cheese.

Hudson was being silly and saying he didn't want to go home.

This is Major dragging a ladder to the TV. He really wanted to watch a movie apparently.

RayRay with the grands

FRIENDS

2010-08-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here they come...

Our visitors from Spring, Texas

Jenny, Megan and Drew

Meredith, Andrew and Kate

icing cookies and decorating with sprinkles

It was silent while they decorated.

major

andrew

kate in the back

megan in the front

They are trying out the Buzz Lightyear rocket that I was pretty sure would be a rip-off. Wonderful surprise when it was actually tons of fun and a big hit.

megan and drew

megan and drew with mama jenny

hot dog dinner

This is just funny. We had Andrew take some pictures and then Megan. Not bad, if you ask me.

Seriously, this meant the world to me! Not to get too mushy, but these are great friends that I moved away from about a year and a half ago. If I've learned anything along this Victoria journey, it's how precious friendship is. I was so blessed to have amazing friends that I could relate to and really do life with. It's a rare thing, I think, and I miss them terribly! I really can't believe they came to play with us for the day. I threatened to slash tires and hold them hostage. Till next time...