Astros Game

Ryan and Tyler enjoyed some boy time together this evening at a Houston Astros game. Tyler was so excited about their special outing. I am so so thankful for all the special opportunities this move has allowed us, and special times between Tyler and Ryan.

Summer Days

It is hard to believe we are wrapping up June and about to welcome July. The past few days have been filled with yard work and bike rides. 

Yard work just got a lot faster with a new... well, new to us riding lawn mower. One of the new Administrators to our district was looking to sale their riding lawn mower. We are so thankful for this addition. It means we will have more time with Ryan on the weekends. Georgia Kate wanted to test out, but once it started she wanted of.

We have also made several trips around our block the past dew days. It is so much fun to be in a neighborhood again. We are still loving our Summer days.

Evening Stroll

I think Georgia Kate is finally getting the bike riding bug. Tonight she was all about doing it herself, well she occasionally asked for a push to get started. Please excuse the outfit, as she also likes to pick out her own clothes some days. 

I see many fun evening strolls around the block in our future. GK wants to be able  to keep up with her Big Brother and Daddy whom also have bikes. I guess I am the only one left with out a bike.... it is a good thing I like walking. 

 

Girls Weekend

The end of school also marked a fun girls weekend was right around the corner. I hosted three of my childhood friends.... I am still shocked that they wanted to come to Brookshire for a girls weekend. But, I was the perfect meeting spot as one was coming from New Orleans and two from Temple. We truly had a fun low key weekend. It was just what my heart was needing. We spent a lot of time soaking up the sun and when not in the sun you would find us watching movies in our pj's. A lot of talk and laughter filled our hours together.
So thankful for these beautiful friends. Their visit was just what my heat was in need of. I love each of these beautiful women and I have so may precious memories with each of them that I will always hold close to my heart. These are the ones that do hard with me, and good with me. I love you: Rebekah, Lindsay, and Heather.
Some days my heart longs for home and the gift of "old" friendships. I am slowly forming new friendships here, which has been an absolute blessing. However, I will admit that lonely feeling still surrounds me at times. I have learned that friendships play such a huge a role in your life, they help form you in a beautiful and encouraging way. In my life right now 'new' friends are something that my heart cries for, but I will be forever thankful for "old" friends who have walked all sorts of roads with me and will forever be by my side.

Special Delivery

On the last day of school Tyler and Georgia Kate each got some special mail from my Cousin, Claire. They each opened their box and they were filled with ring pops... they could have stopped with that, but there was also a note for them to read. Tyler and Georgia Kate both said yes to this special request. 

In November Tyler and Georgia Kate will be in their first wedding. This is extra special as we were a apart of the engagement between Claire and Marshall. This special delivery came as a surprise to me, as well. Super excited for Claire and what a joy it is to experience  and be a part of this special time in her life. 

What a beautiful wedding it will be, and what a honor it will be to be a part of it.

 I think Georgia Kate got a little spoiled by all the ring pops, because every time she goes and gets the mail with me she always asks if there is suckers in there. Such sweet memories ahead as we prepare our Ring Bearer and Flowergirl for a big day.

Pool Hopping

When you get tired of swimming in your own pool. You must find another pool spot. This week we found just that at the Katy YMCA. It is a perfect fit for both Tyler and Georgia Kate. We went twice this week. I am so thankful that there are other options semi close to us. We have enjoyed all of our fun days in the sun.

Fundraiser

Last night we went and supported the Royal Junior High Cheerleaders. The Cheerleaders were raising money for summer cheer camp, so we had a fun night of going out to eat and tattoos.
 Both Tyler and Georgia Kate were memorized by the cheerleaders. Tyler just wanted to hang out where they were, and Georgia Kate had 3 tattoos before the end of the night. Such a fun evening supporting our favorite district!

Houston Zoo

Yesterday we ventured in to Houston for a fun day at the Zoo. I have been wanting to take the kids there for a while, and yesterday worked out perfect as we met two other friends there. Georgia Kate loved being reunited with her sweet friend, Charlotte. It was so cute watching them be reunited. 

Despite the heat we had a lot of fun exploring the zoo and all the animals. At the end of our zoo visit I took the kids on a train ride around the zoo, and we got stuck in a down pour.... at least it cooled us of! 

Houston is so close and has so much to offer, that I really need to try and explore all the fun opportunities they have for kids and families.

That's What Big Girls Do

On top of moving and wrapping up a school year, Gk thought she wanted to start potty training. I will say that compared to Tyler, Georgia Kate has been a walk in the park. I think the key is start when they are ready.
Georgia Kate was with out a diaper one morning and she told me she needed another diaper on so she could go potty.... that was my cue to pull out the Dora potty! I made a sticker reward chart that worked wonders for our little sticker lover. When the chart was full GK got a prize. She asked for a real pony, but thankfully she settled for My Little Pony. Our big girl is so proud of herself and I love how excited she gets when she has to go.
 The first time she went poo poo on the potty she looked at me and said "That's what big girls do"!!
I will admit the past few weeks have been a little bitter sweet for me. This new house has turned our baby in to a little/big girl. No more crib and no more diapers!

Summer Fun

We are all loving our long summer days and nights by the pool. We are all truly loving this special addition to our new home. 

Tyler and Georgia Kate are little fishes and are in the pool at least twice a day. I think my favorite time of the day is our evening family swim. I might have just told Ty and GK yesterday that swimming was their bath... they asked again this evening,  but I promise they got a real bath. 

So thankful for summertime and some much needed family time. Ryan's work schedule is still fairly hectic this summer, but since it's summer our evenings are usually free so we can still soak up a lot of family time together. So thankful for our new house that is most certainly becoming one our favorite homes.

My Father

This special man will always have my heart. No matter how old I am, I will always be a Daddy's girl. My Dad loves me unconditionally and he will always be my biggest fan. Every time we are together he always tells me how beautiful I am, and how much he loves me. I am so blessed. 

My Dad is also a Father to a son in Heaven, and the love and pride he has for my brother, Justin is admiral and humbling. I know for a fact that we are both lucky to have this man as our Dad.

I also know for a fact that he loves his grandchildren well. My Dad takes his title as Poppy with absolute pride, and I have seen the absolute love and joy his three Grandchildren have brought to his heart. I love you, Dad! Thank you for being the best and funniest Poppy ever. We all love and miss you. 

Happy Father's Day

I am so thankful and blessed to have this special man in my life. This man is the Father to our 3.

We love you, Ryan! You work so hard, but know matter what is going on your family is first. Tyler and Georgia Kate always light up when you around, and think the world of you. 

Your pride and love for Landry is humbling. It takes a very a special Dad to have a son in Heaven. You simply are the best. Thank you for loving all of us. 

End Of Year Celebration

The last day of school was a big celebration day for the the 2013-2014 Royal Kindergarten class. It was filled with a special graduation and awards ceremony. It was such a special day and Tyler really shined. We loved having Ghee there to help us celebrate our biggest.

I was very anxious about Tyler starting Kindergarten at a new school in a  new city this year, but he truly soared this year. Tyler's teacher was truly one of kind, and I am trying to convince her teach first grade next school year.
I am so thankful for Royal ISD and all the amazing Administrators and Teachers that made our first year in the district one that I will always cherish.

Last Day

Thursday, June 5th marked Tyler's last as a Kindergartner. I am still having a hard time grasping that I have a First Grader. Thank goodness I have a couple of months to let that fully sink in. This year flew by so fast, but I am hopping our summer days go a little slower so I can cherish the days with our biggest.
Sending Tyler to Kindergarten was a very emotional time for me and I just remember the tears filling my eyes when leaving his class on his first day of school. However, I honestly think that the last day of school was even harder than the first. I found myself choking up and holding back the tears more than ever.
I think I am realizing and grasping just how fast these younger years fly by, and how important it is to cherish every moment. I never knew how true that saying "I blinked" is until this year. I blinked and that precious boy that made me a Mom for first time started and graduated from Kindergarten. I am just in complete awe of Tyler and the awesome year he had! Falcon Pride.

Field And Splash Day

The last weeks of school we all about fun and celebrating. I will always be grateful to be able to apart of all these special and fun times with Tyler. Georgia Kate thought it was so fun to spend all day with Tyler and his class mates.
Tyler got to participate in all the fun field activities that I remember from my childhood. After lunch it was time for popcorn and snow cones. Which happens to be a favorite of both Tyler and GK. What a great day to be a little sister of a Kindergartner.
After all that fun it was time to load the bus and head to a local splash pad for a little splashing in the sun. What a day. I think it is safe to say we all went to bed early that night. But these times are what saying good-bye to a school year and welcoming summer is all about.

Our New Home

This would be main reason why my blogging has suffered. But, to me it is a perfect reason. At times I can't believe it is really our home.
When we made the decision about moving from Temple, I was so excited about the adventure we were about to embark on. I mean who doesn't love a good adventure. However, when it came time to close the door on the U-haul and the tears were flowing... I wanted to jump out and pull up the sign from our home and stay put. The adventure could wait. And, when we were moving in to our rent house I might have stated several times that I was in fact going to move back to Temple. Obviously, I don't do well with change.
The adjustment was a so hard for me, and some days I feel like I'm still working on the adjusting part. However, on May 15 we closed on a brand new home and I was utterly thankful and excited to be planting some new roots where God has us for now. It feels so wonderful to be in our own home, again. Such sweet memories are already being etched in every crevice of our home.
The packing and unpacking seemed to be unending, especially mixed with wrapping up a school year. I am just now seeing light at the end of this moving tunnel and feeling settled... just don't look in our garage.
The best part about this whole move is this is our home and we all love it! Well, the pool might be the favorite for the kids. I have already lost count of how many times the kids have been swimming, but that is what it is all about. I am just hoping I have a good enough green thumb to keep all of the beauty and blooms outside alive. I love seeing the absolute beauty of God's creation all around us. The view is breathtaking, and might also explain why unpacking was almost impossible.
 We can't wait to spend the summer soaking up the sun and planting memories that will last with us for a lifetime.

Hope Groups

May also marked the end of the Hope Group I had the privilege of leading for 8 weeks. Our last week fell  at the same time as Mother's Day, so I held a balloon release for the six strong and courageous women that have touched my heart in a beautiful and inspiring way, and their precious babies in Heaven. Releasing balloons is always something that makes my heart soar with peace and comfort. I will never grow weary of sending brightly colored balloons up to Heaven.
Those 8 weeks as a Hope Group leader refreshed my soul in such an amazing way. There is so much glory unfolding through Hope Mommies. Stories are unfolding in a heartbreaking but beautiful and inspiring way.
Sharing our precious Landry and his life with others brings me complete joy. Landry has shaped and molded my heart in such a gentle way, and it is my desire to bring hope and comfort to those who have empty arms and broken hearts.
God overwhelmed my heart and soul with such beauty and grace in the course of 8 weeks. When you surrender it all and press firmly in to God, He will renew your soul in such a peaceful and refreshing way.

T-Ball

I am slightly embarrassed at how far behind I am on all that has been going on in our family. But, this week is a new start at getting all caught up. However, I am sure you gathered that with the two previous posts. I know for a fact that my Dad is probably so  happy to see something besides packing boxes. :) 

May also held the last time Tyler will play T-Ball. Next year we will be moving up to Machine Pitch. Time flies and on days like that this one I truly wish that time would slow down just for a minute. Our biggest is growing up and we could not be more proud of his determination to be the best he can be at every sport he plays, and he has played a lot this year. What a joy it has been to watch Tyler grow in this sport, and I hope that we have many more years of growth as we watch our slugger on the playing field.  

Walk-A-Thon

May was also filled with fun days outside. Tyler's School with the help of the PTO hosted a Walk-A-Thon. This was a first for the School, so we decided to start out small. We had such a fun afternoon walking with Tyler and his friends. When you start something new at a School you never know how well it will go over, but I was so excited when we got the total amount raised. $1,646.00! Tyler came in 2nd place as the top fundraiser. Thank you to all of our amazing family who sent checks to help support Tyler and  the PTO. Tyler was so excited about receiving a gift card to McDonald's. Oh, it's the little things in life that make you the most excited. 

The Walk-A-Thon also fell on the same week as Teacher Appreciation, so I was up at the School all week planting little surprises for all the amazing Teachers. It was a fun week to be a Royal Falcon. 

                                                           

Reading Is Fundamental

Our Family had a full, fast, and busy month. I am sure most of you were ready to give up on me and my blog, but I am going to work hard to share all the wonderful memories May held for all of us.  

The month of May was full of lots of fun activities at Tyler's School. We spent a lot of time up there, but that  is what it is all about when you want to be involved and be able to give back. Probably one of my favorite opportunities was reading to Tyler's class and a few other classes. Georgia Kate loved it, too. Such a special time to be a Mom and Volunteer.