Family Pictures

My friend Allison does photography as a side business. Here are a few of the shots she got of my insanely beautiful family! What do you think? Which ones to you like best? And if you're in Beaumont, I highly recommend Allison for all your photo needs! She is wonderful with kids, she knows good spots in town to do pictures, and she has excellent prices! 

Dance Recital

Gracie has been in Dance Class since September and they have practiced their routine for Dance Recital all year! They finally had their big day in May! They did awesome!  when you think these are 2.5 to 3 year old kids that did this, I think they did exceptional! They did their routine to the song  "Day-O" and had the cutest costumes! They cost a fortune, but they were cute! Here is a video of the tech rehearsal (we couldn't take video of the actual performance, and this was the best I got! I got a little distracted but you can still see it! Gracie is the 3rd from the left...the tallest one in the class) There is also,a picture of my little dancer all dressed up and a picture of her entire class!

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!
 
Gracie being playing outside being silly!
 
Kate after a long morning fell asleep before I could even give her lunch!

Inspired by One Very Special Little Girl

I've been a mother for just barely over 3 1/2 years now. I have come to understand over these past 3 1/2 years what an important responsibility I have as a mother, to teach my children. Not only to teach them how to care for themselves, how to count, the alphabet, etc, etc, but to implement the gospel in our home as an everyday part of life. I want my children to know why they are here, where they came from, and what the purpose of this life is for them.
I feel grateful to be able to stay home with them and work on this a little each day.

I guess I didn't fully understand how special, how strong, how sweet, how simply wonderful my little Gracie was until this past week. She has truly inspired me. I have focused so much on what I need to teach HER, that I guess I forgot how much SHE teaches ME. This past week has really opened my eyes.

Gracie did one of the hardest things in her very young life. She gave up her Binky. Now, before many of you go judging me, and her, let me simply say--you don't know the situation or WHY she still struggled with having a binky at 3 1/2 years old. I bet if you made your 2-3 year old move around and live in 6 different places in less than a year and a half your child would be dealing with some issues as well. Unfortunately, with all the change, the uncertainty, and the lack of control she felt she had in her life, her Binky became her security blanket. It wasn't so much a binky to her as it was her lovey thing. Her comfort, the thing that gave her a sense of peace and security. So please, keep the judgemental comments to yourself if you have them!

Anyway, we've been talking to her for a while about getting rid of her binky. We've tried a few times before, but it was never successful. But last week, she found this Beauty and the Beast baby doll and matching stroller she really really really wanted. I thought it was expensive for a childs toy. So right there in the store we talked about it for a good 20 min or so, and she agreed if I bought her the doll and stroller, she would give up her binky. She also said if she didn't I could take it back to the store.

We came home and Bryant was here. She told Bryant all about her new doll and giving up her binky. She decided it would be a good idea to send her binky to Santa Clause and he would take it to Parker's (our nephew, her cousin) new baby sister Brynn.
So, Bryant got an envelope and she wrote out (in 3 year old giberish of course) what he told her to. She addressed it to Santa Clause, put a return name on it, wrote a letter explaining what he was to do with it, drew on a stamp and put it in the mail. And it was gone.

Well, Gracie did really good. She went to sleep without it! First time EVER she's gone to sleep without the binky. But of course she woke up a while later crying for it. Well, she didn't acutally ask for it. She wanted to. She really really wanted to. She sat on my lap shaking (I think she was literally going through a detox from it) and just cried and cried. And I just held her and told her how proud I was of her. At one point she said through sobs "I want my B, B, B" she wanted to say binky so bad--I know she did, but instead she said "my B-Baby." Oh what a brave little girl!

It took a few nights of getting use to, but she did it! She got rid of her Binky! She is such a big girl. And I saw what a strong spirit she has going through this. She was determined. She was sad, but she knew she had made a promise to get rid of the binky. It's no wonder she, and all the other little children were saved for these days. If anyone can make it through the trials and adversity in todays world, it's these precious children.

Through the first few difficult days, she would often come find me, or crawl up in my lap and say "Momma, I love you. You're my best friend."

I feel so honored to be your Momma Gracie Girl! There is a lot I can learn from you. I love you so much!

Cruisin'

I know you've all been waiting patiently to hear about our Cruise! Let me just say it was FABULOUS, AWESOME, RELAXING, ROMANTIC, FUN and everything I hoped it would be and more! Bryant and I had planned to go on a trip after he graduated with his DPT, but there was no money, and no time to go either before he started his job. However, we took a very quick, whirlwind trip back to Idaho for Bry's sisters wedding. They went to Hawaii on their honeymoon. It got Bry and I talking about how much we really needed a little get a way. Just the two of us.

Gracie was born and two weeks later Bryant started his very demanding and stressful PT program. Then Kate came along, and we moved 5 times (literally). This past year and a half or so has been the craziest and hardest I have ever gone through in my life. In fact, I finally went to the Dr shortly after getting to Beaumont and was put on depression/anxiety medication. Elder Holland came to Beaumont for Stake Conference in August and talked about trials. He said "sometimes you have to just grit your teeth and get through it." I totally felt like I had been gritting my teeth and getting through everyday for the past year+. I know everyone has their trials, and others might think there's are so much worse than mine, but the past 18 months or so have been very difficult for me for many many reasons. I appreciated Elder Holland and his comments on the matter.

Needless to say, Bryant and I were due for some one on one R&R time with each other. The Cruise was the perfect vacation for us. For one thing, it was affordable! For another thing, they had lots of activities and shows, etc that we could go to, but we didn't feel obligated to do anything. We could decide 10 minutes before the event started to go, and just grab the stairs or the elevator to get to it really quick.

We had FABULOUS food on the ship too. We were adventurous and tried everything from duck and escargo to alligator fritters and frog legs. It was really fun!

We went from Galveston to Progresso, Mexico in the Yucatan. We did take an excursion that day to
Chichen Itza and toured the Mayan ruins there. It was so incredible. Probably one of our favorite parts of the trip. We could have spent some major hours there looking around, but we had limited time since we had to get back to the boat! We also left with a beautiful stone dining set that we talked them into letting us have for like $25!

The next day we went to Cozemel. Cozemel is in the Caribbean Sea so the water there is beautiful! We didn't do an excursion that day, we just grabbed a taxi to a beach. We weren't that impressed with the beach we went to unfortunately. It was a "resort" so we had to pay to get in, and then there was so many rocks under the water you couldn't even walk into the water without loosing your balance. It was still a fun time though. To just sit on the beach and look at the beautiful water for a while.

It was so expensive to use our cell phones, that we were phone and internet free the entire time we were gone. It was so nice to just spend time with each other with no distractions. And I must say, after 5 days, we didn't get tired of each other once. It was a much needed break from the demands and responsibilities of everyday life, and a great way to just focus on each other.

Of course my incredibly awesome Mother came to watch the girls for us. I didn't worry at all while we were gone knowing they were in such good hands. I'm so glad they have a "Bubby" that loves them so much. And they know it. And in return, my girls love her so much. Gracie asks me about 3 times a week if I bought plane tickets to go to Bubby's house yet. Poor girl is having major Bubby withdrawls!

I can't wait until our next Cruise! It will be sooner than another 7 years form now that's for sure! Maybe we'll bring the girls along next time!

Anyway, here are some pictures of our trip! Enjoy!

The Pyramid at Chichen Iza--It was incredible!

The city of 1000 Columns...

The Ship itself. It was HUGE

Me posing on the deck on one of our sail days.

Bryant and I at dinner one night. Best second Honeymoon EVER!

Christmas 2011

I know this post is really really late....but better late than never right? I've mostly been waiting so I could post pictures!
Christmas was really great this year. We tried really hard to keep the presents to a reasonable amount and really tried to focus on having a Christ centered Christmas. Gracie is at the age where she is really understanding things these days. Of course presents are fun, but we want her to understand that Christmas is a time to think about the Savior, and his birth and how we can be more like him. Not how many presents we can fit under the tree.

It was so nice this year to just spend a simple Christmas as our own little family. We let the girls open their new PJ's on Christmas Eve, which they both loved! Christmas morning we woke up and went to church. It was just Sacrament Meeting of course. I made quiche and rolls for breakfast and then we let the girls open presents. It was a nice, relaxing day spent with my favorite people!

Gracie opening a present...in her new PJ's! She actually got 3 new PJ's but for Christmas Eve I found matching tinkerbell ones for the girls!

Kate playing with her new Turtle that holds balls. She likes the balls better than the Turtle!

After a while, Kate got tired, so she crawled up on Bryant and fell asleep!

Gracie showing off some of her loot!

Teaching a 3 year old about Christmas

This year, Gracie has been really excited about Christmas. It's the first year she really understands what's going on. She loved putting up the Christmas tree, buying new ornaments for it, opening the new ornaments she got from My Mom and Dad (a tradition we have in my family. Every year everyone gets a new ornament.) She has loved to help make treats, see Santa (from afar only--once we got close to him she freaked out--silly girl!), singing Christmas songs, etc.

This is the time of year to think of others more than ourselves. Bryant and I have really talked about how we can help Gracie understand the true meaning of Christmas. We want her to experience the joy of giving to someone less fortunate, sharing what we have with others and understanding that we can love someone we don't really even know simply because they are children of God. We chose a card off the "giving tree" this year. We specifically chose a little 3 year old girl so Gracie could help pick out a gift for her. We explained that Santa needed a little help so this "friend" could have a nice Christmas like she is going to have this year. We talked about how happy this would make Jesus on his birthday, and we talked about all the toys and fun things Gracie has and gets to do all the time, and that this friend probably doesn't have what she has, so that it's so important to share what we have. Gracie seems to understand really well. We were out somewhere last week, and she found something that SHE really wanted. So, I told Gracie that we can't always get what we want, but maybe we should buy that for her "friend" so she would have a Christmas present this year. Thankfully, she was all for that. We brought it home, and she helped my Mom wrap it up. It's been sitting under our Christmas tree and she tells everyone that comes over that this present is for her friend.
I'm really proud of her. My brother and (mostly) my sister in law sent Gracie a little mini-pillow pet a few weeks back. And let me tell you, Gracie LOVES it. I had no idea she would love a pillow pet so much or I would have gotten one for her months ago for her birthday or something. She takes the thing everywhere, she sleeps on it (as a pillow) every night, she shows everyone how it works, it is quite possibly one of her favorite things ever!
Since this little gift that Gracie chose wasn't anything spectacular, nor was it very much money, Gracie also decided her friend needed a pillow pet. I thought it was a fabulous idea!
Well, Bryant and I went out last night. We went to a few random stores, and I found a pillow pet. Exactly the same one Gracie has, but the bigger version of it. So, I bought it thinking, "okay...this is going to be hard for Gracie because she will want the bigger one, but she is going to have to be okay giving the bigger one to her friend that doesn't have all the nice things she does."
Well, this morning I showed her the pillow pet for her friend. And I have to say, I have a GREAT LITTLE GIRL. She was so excited that her friend would have a pillow pet that matched her own. She wasn't upset that it was bigger than hers. She's excited to help me wrap it up for her this afternoon.
I think what this has proved to me more than anything else, is that no matter how little, our kids are not young to be taught and to understand. I feel so blessed to have such an example of Christlike love in our home.
I love you Gracie Girl!