The Howard Family: We are Alive and Well!

I know it's Been FOREVER since my last post. But I've had several requests for an update, which makes me feel that perhaps my blogging isn't in vain. Plus, since I'm the worst mother in the world and don't have baby books even started for my kids, this is good for me to write down things about them too right? I'll just give a brief update on some events in the past few months, and then I'll post about our Family Reunion/Vegas Trip, our House, Gracie's Dance Recital and our trip to Austin we took this past weekend! The end of March Bryant's sister and her family that live in Fort Worth came to visit us! Gracie absolutely LOVED having her cousins around. I hope they her cousins will continue to be important to her and become her best friends as she and Kate grow up. I have learned all too well, friends come and go, but you will always have your family in your life! Bryant's Mom and little sister Maren had actually gone to Ft. Worth to visit Pamela and family as well, so they were here for a few days as well. I'm afraid there isn't as many things to do here in Beaumont as there are in the DFW area, but we really enjoyed having them come for a visit. We did take a day and go to the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston though, which we all really enjoyed it!

Maren with Ava and Gracie at NASA

Grace and Kate at NASA

April was my Birthday Month of course! And let me tell you, it was FABULOUS! I was really nervous about turning 30 last year, and it didn't start out all that well. It was probably the crappiest birthday I had ever had in fact. Besides my parents who sent me flowers, nobody really gave a care that it was my birthday, which in years past would have been okay, but since I was so unhappy about being 30 a little birthday cheer would have been nice. However, all that is now a distant memory because this year as I turned 31, I had the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER! First of all, I got to host our first monthly BUNCO Night for the ladies at church which turned out super awesome! Bryant took the girls out that night for me, and they came home with a new Kindle Fire for me! Which I have LOVED! SOme of my wonderful friends here totally threw a surprise birthday party for me! And it was a surprise too! I have no idea how they pulled this off, but it was so fun. They had a "French theme" and everything! I felt spoiled the entire month with little things here and there, and i have to say, being in my "30's" has been FABULOUS! I would never to back! We've kept busy with dance class, vacations, baseball games, temple trips, working on projects in our house and yard, playing outside, etc this summer so far! Bryant's job is going well, we love our house, our girls are growing like weeds, and life in general has been good to us!