We recently had a day off from school and decided to go to Cedar Hill State Park for a picnic.  I was so excited to see all the bluebonnets.  When B-Ri was a baby, we started taking him to get his picture in these Texas flowers.  Then it became a tradition that we did every year...until we moved to Muenster.  There I never saw a single bluebonnet patch.  So I was thrilled to get to take the kids' picture in the flowers.  They were very patient and cooperative.  I was proud of my little Texas cuties.  There was even a very big hill covered with bluebonnets that they wanted to climb up and down.  And yes, we even let them pick some of the flowers!  We are trying to press them to make an end of the year gift for their teachers.  We'll have to see how that goes, but A was very excited because they have been learning about all the Texas state symbols.  She even helped me make a centerpiece of "blubes" and those other (Oakie) flowers!  I'm glad to be able to have my bluebonnet tradition again!

The boys had fun going up and down "bluebonnet hill"!

I was so excited to get a good one...until I got home to see a tall weed covering E's face!

The best one was taken with a phone!  Go figure!

11 Years Ago Today...

April 17, 1999

It's amazing how much has happened in this past 11 years!  We are so very blessed to have each other...to love each other...and to have our four constant reminders of our love!  Happy Anniversary Chad! I love you!

A Little Thomas Lovin'

My little guy has become quite a Thomas the Tank Engine lover!  We have a couple of friends and nephews that have passed down some of their old Thomas books, toys, and shirts!  J plays with them all day long.  We play trains, read the books, talk on the Thomas phone, or play on the Thomas laptop all day long!  Sometimes we watch a Thomas video.  And every day that he can (when Mommy is not washing them), he wears his Thomas shirts!  He recently started talking about their happy faces, or sad faces, or mad faces.  He shows me his expressions too...it's so funny!  He has also started singing the theme song!  Our little guy is so active and busy...by the end of the day when he is so tired, he still reads his Thomas books and plays trains lying down...half asleep.  He even falls asleep hugging his books!  Choo!  Choo!

Thomas phone and steering wheel books and sweatshirt!

A friend gave us some of her boys' old Thomas books.

Plays trains first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and many times in between!

Showing me how one of the engines had a sad face.

He even sleeps with his Thomas books and in a Thomas shirt!

Camping Fun

We went camping during Spring Break at Eisenhower State Park.  This was the first time we had taken the youngest two kids...and it had been a while for the rest of us!  The kids and grown-ups had a blast...even in a tent...even in the cold!  I think we will be doing a lot of this in the future!

I love this! My kids loving each other!

Setting up camp...everyone helps

Even the youngest!

Trying to play a new card game with Granny

Campfire cooking

Sliding!  Whee!

Climbing on the cliffs

They spent a lot of time doing this...supervised, of course!

But it still made Mommy NERVOUS!

They loved skipping rocks and throwing them in the lake!

It was also a Flat Stanley adventure!

Hiking on the rocks and through the trees

Nothing like camping at "home"...love most of the state parks, but this is always our favorite!

A Few Pictures from E's B-day (a month ago!!)

Our beautiful 5 year old had a great party surrounded by her family, friends, and godparents.  She had a great time playing, eating cake, and of course opening her many gifts.  She received books, bath tub paints, money, hair stuff, Littlest Petshop toys, a stuffed kitten that walks and meows, clothes, and her "puppy luv" toys.  That is all any of us heard about for a month before her big day.  I'm not even sure what the real name of the toys are: just a Barbie type doll that comes with a puppy.  She was so excited when she got 2 of them.  Luckily, she is a sweetie and shares with her sister...because it is more fun than playing alone!

She even wanted Littlest Petshop on her cake.

Wow!  Thank you everyone!

HAPPY EASTER!

Well, I have fallen behind in my posts again!  And I forgot to take my camera to Denison this past weekend!  So I took no pictures of our Easter fun.  It's a shame too because we had a lot of fun, and everyone looked grreat dressed up for Easter.  Maybe I can take pix next Sunday and pretend they were from Easter.  It will still be the Easter season. ;)

We actually made it to the Easter vigil for the first time in 8 years.  It was beautiful, and the kids did ok.  Well...we did a little entertaining as Chad wanted to sit close so the kids could see what was going on.  We ended up on the FRONT ROW!  But at least the kids looked handsome and lovely...even if they were a little active while celebrating the risen Christ!

We spent the weekend in Denison with our families.  We had a great time visiting with everyone and hunting eggs!  The pictures below my brother took.  Now I've got to try to do a month's worth of catching up!

                                                         The girls finding lots of goodies.

                                          Some of the crew: some friends, E, J, a cousin, and B

He held his own finding those eggs!

We need to start making this a little harder for the big kids!