THE JOHNSONS

Look Back at 2011

2012-01-16T19:53:00.000-08:00

So if you are new around here, I always take a look back into the previous year to document what God has done in our lives. You can see what happened in 2008, 2009, and 2010 if you want to catch up!

2011 was a year with many ups and downs. 2011 started off in a valley of discouragement, but God carried us through and held us along the way. And I can say now that the discouraging times were probably because of our own impatience and lack of trust.

At the beginning of the year, there were two main things on our mind- Direction for Travis' career and where we should send Tyler for elementary school. At the beginning of the year I began reading through the Old Testament. God kept showing me that His chosen people had to WAIT. That our timing is not always (more like never) His timing. I read about how after the wandering in the desert, it took the Israelites 7 years to conquer the promise land. And how it took 7 years between the time that He told David would be King and when he was actually crowned King. You see, in 2008 we felt God calling us to move to Harlingen to farm. We moved in 2009 when Travis got a job as an Office Manager for a Family Practice Residency Program in town because the farm wasn't able to bring us on. At the beginning of the year we started praying and fasting and praying some more for God to give us direction in what Travis was supposed to be doing. But God wasn't giving us any direction and we were growing impatient! God kept reminding me through His word to not get discouraged. He repeatedly brought up Joshua 1:9 that says, "Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you will go."

Sometime this fall when Travis and I were just going through some times of confusion, the Lord impressed upon me to go and pull out a devotion that I haven't read in years. I went to that days devotion (Sept. 12) in My Utmost for His Highest. Here is an excerpt: "There are times in your spiritual life when there is confusion. It is not a matter of right or wrong, but of God taking you through a way that you temporarily do not understand. And it is only by going through the spiritual confusion that you will come to the understanding of what God wants for you. When God appears to be completely shrouded, will you hang on with confidence in Him? He will ultimately give you clear understanding and will fully justify Himself in everything that He has allowed into your life. Stand firm in faith, believing that what Jesus said is true, although in the meantime you do not understand what God is doing. He has bigger issues at stake than the particular things you are asking of Him right now." We may be waiting awhile before God reveals His plans for us regarding Travis' career. We may be waiting for 7 years- who knows! But we have learned to be content with where we are and what we have. But God was also gracious and encouraged us over and over during the year letting us know He hasn't forgotten about us, He is just not ready to reveal His plans for us.

The second thing on our mind at the beginning of the year was schools for Tyler. We had MANY long discussions about different schooling options in the area. We decided the best fit for us would be a charter school in the area, IDEA public schools. We know one of the founders and we believed it offered us the best schooling at the best price (FREE!). We had our heart set on it, but the only way you can attend it is if you are one of the 100 students selected at the annual lottery in April or if you are a sibling of a student that is already registered. We prayed and prayed and prayed about it. Tyler had a soccer game the day of the lottery so I took Claire to the lottery to see if Tyler had been selected while Travis took the boys to the game. During the selecting of my names, I knew in my heart that Tyler was not going to get a spot that day. And he did not. All of the hundreds of remaining children are randomly put on a waiting list. We came home very disappointed and frustrated. But I was determined not to give up hope. People don't always accept their spots or lose their spots if they don't come to required meetings, etc. so I continued to pray about it. One day I was so frustrated and I remember coming in my room and crying out to God about it. All of a sudden I had a huge rush of peace come over me and God impressed upon me that He had taken care of it. I knew right then, Tyler was going to have a spot. But this also left me in a predicament, because Tyler was not registered at ANY school for the fall. And if you know me, you know I would have him registered and purchased all the school supplies months ahead of time. I'm a PLANNER! It is engrained in me! It is apart of my DNA! Plus our second choice for him was a public school that we were not zoned to attend, which meant we needed to apply for an open enrollment transfer which is first come, first serve. I really had to stop and think about what it meant to have faith in the promise that God had made me. Because if I truly believed that God was going to open up a spot for Tyler, that meant that I didn't need to register him at any other school. I will have to admit, that during this time of wrestling over what it meant to have faith that moves mountains, I went and turned in his information for the open enrollment transfer. But after I did, I decided that I would not pursue it any further because I knew in my heart that it was unbelief. They never called and I never called them.

But on June 2 I got a call from IDEA that Tyler had received a spot off of the waiting list! I was so thrilled. "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbers 23:19 And I know what some of you are thinking, but you know one of the guys who started the school. Yes, we do, but he confirmed that he did nothing to get Tyler into the school. God received all the glory! Tyler is excelling at school and he absolutely loves it! He amazes us with his math abilities and it is so fun hearing him read. Most importantly, I'm so proud of the character he has displayed at school. I pray that he is a light shining amidst the darkness. And best of all, because Tyler is already a student, Cooper and Claire will automatically be enrolled when they reach kindergarten.

By the end of the year, we really had reached a period of contentment and resilience in our waiting. And we are still waiting, but I know the Lord will be faithful in giving us direction when the time is right. I've been thinking lately about our life and when the Lord has moved. It has been easy. Not the journey itself, but when the Lord is ready for something to happen He makes a way. That is the good news, we don't have to exhaust ourselves with making a way. We can wait on Him and let Him have the burden of figuring everything out and making it happen. He has the hard work, we just have to be willing to wait on Him. And he is definitely worth waiting for!

Look Ma, No Training Wheels!

2012-01-16T16:56:00.000-08:00

Here Comes Santa Claus!

2011-12-16T16:40:00.000-08:00

This afternoon we attended the Family Practice Christmas Party and look who showed up...

You might recognize Santa if you look closely enough, but Claire sure didn't!

Starting to warm up to him once the beard came off!

Kisses make everything better!!!

Preschool Christmas Program

2011-12-14T13:02:00.000-08:00

Cooper and Claire's Christmas program was yesterday and was super cute. I was surprised Claire even made it through the program without crying for me or Travis. I for sure thought she would spot us and start crying. But I think the lights were too bright for her to tell who was out in the audience. She was shy at first, but she came out of here shell on their second song when they got to ring their bells.

Claire always puts her head down and slightly looks up with her eyes when she is being shy as you can see below.

Excited about the bells!

Cooper was one of the three wise men. He was so excited to see Travis and me in the crowd!

Why You May Not Be Getting a Christmas Card..

2011-12-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

We had it all planned out. We were going to take our family picture on Saturday for our Christmas card. Of course it rained all weekend down here and we haven't had rain probably since this time last year. So I decided on Monday afternoon after school I would get the kids and just take pictures inside. Travis wasn't home yet so it was just me and the kids. Well, as you can see it didn't quite work out like I had planned! And therefore, you may not be getting a Christmas card from the Johnson family this year! And I'm not going to stress about it!!!

Started off good...

But soon after the crying began...

Then the craziness snuck in...

And the boredom...

And the jumping on the bed...

And the cheesy smiles...

And the pouty faces by Miss Priss.

Finally some smiles, but someone just couldn't keep still.

I'm SO over this!

Let the tickles begin!

What? You want me to look this way?

Somebody loves being the center of attention!!!

We have a winner!

2011-12-12T05:13:00.000-08:00

uk7ss@yahoo.com is our winner of the $20 gift certificate to SJdesignco!!! Congratulations! I will be e-mailing you with the details. As a thank you to all of those who entered the drawing, I'm offering 15% off my shop when you enter FIFTEEN at checkout! Coupon code is good through Friday, December 16!

Giveaway!

2011-12-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

Starting today you can enter to win a $20 gift certificate to be used in my Etsy shop - SJdesignco! I've added several new things to the shop this week. There are several ways to enter so make sure you take advantage of all the entries. Giveaway winner will be announced next Monday the 12th so make sure you check back!

To Enter to Win one item of your choice from SJdesignco:

Just leave a comment below with your email address!

Extra Entries and chances to win (Leave another comment for each additional item for extra chances to win!):

1. Follow this Blog

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3. Blog about the giveaway on your own blog.

Thanks so much for joining us today! The winner will be picked by random using random.org and will be announced on Monday. Have fun!

2011-11-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

The boys had so much fun on Halloween. To begin the day, Tyler dressed up like Captain Hook for school. They had to pick a character from a book if they wanted to dress up.

Then when he got home he swapped costumes into a Fireman. Cooper wanted to be a pirate so it worked out perfectly. We headed to a Trunk or Treat at the preschool and then went to a few special houses for Trick or Treating. Poor Claire didn't get a costume, her parents were to cheap! Maybe next year!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

2011-11-02T08:04:00.001-07:00

Cooper and Claire's school has a Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser every year. The parents are required to work two shifts to help raise money for the school. I was working the Pumpkin Patch on Saturday so Travis brought the kids up to pick out a pumpkin. The kids had lots of fun and Tyler even stayed to help work after Daddy left. He liked handing out stickers to all the kids who came through the patch.

All my crazy boys!

The craziest one of all!

The fam- It doesn't even look like we like each other because we are so far apart from one another! I promise we love each other!!!

The crazy duck!

I look around my house sometimes and wonder if these kids were raised in a barn. Looks like they might have been!

No School!

2011-11-02T07:51:00.001-07:00

Tyler didn't have school last Friday, so I told the kids we would go to the zoo. It was actually really nice weather because of a cool front (it has still been in the 90's around here) so it was the perfect day for it! The kids had a blast, especially at the playground.

The kids, especially Claire, loved putting their heads in these cut outs. Claire would not leave at one point and just wanted to stay and get her picture taken.

Best Buds

2011-11-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

18 Months!

2011-11-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

My precious baby girl turned 18 months in October! And because she hit that milestone she got to start preschool! Can I get an AMEN? She goes twice a week the same days that Cooper goes, which means I am a free woman from 8-1! I told Travis yesterday that I'm like Super Woman on those days. I can get so much accomplished in those 5 hours because I'm not dragging 2-3 children along with me. It is awesome and it is well worth the extra money!

Claire definitely wasn't as happy as mama with the transition, but she is already making progress. She didn't cry yesterday as I left and the teacher said she is becoming more interactive with the other kids. She has some really sweet, cute kiddos in her class and her teacher is amazing with that age. I think she is going to really grow to love it! And big brother Cooper is just right around the corner if she ever needs him!

Claire had her first "incident" on Sunday night. Travis was at their preschool working at the fundraiser and I had just given all the kids a bath. Claire was already in her pajamas and the boys were told to go in their room and put their pajamas on. Claire followed them to their room while I went to go pull some laundry out of the dryer. I heard unusual screaming from Claire and went go check on her. She looked up at me and had blood all over her forehead. Evidently one of the boys lifter her up on Tyler's bed (she can't climb up on his bed by herself). She fell trying to get down and hit her head on one of the open dresser drawers. It was pretty bloody at first so it was hard to tell how deep it was, but I definitely thought it needed medical attention. I called Travis and he came home because I was not heading to the ER with three kids on a Sunday night! He called his boss, Dr. Leibert, on the way home asking him where he thought we should take her. He said he would just come over and take a look at it. He was able to glue her head back together with no problem and saved us hours and hundreds of dollars at the ER! The cut is right at her hair line, so if it scars it won't be a big deal. Now each of the kids has a matching scar somewhere on their head!

Claire is growing fast and is starting to really talk a lot. Travis and I got a good laugh out of her the other day. I had given Claire some goldfish in a bowl and she immediately spilled them and I said, "Seriously, Claire?" and she responded, "Serioussy!" She said it just like me and we all got a good laugh!

We love you, princess!

Wine Tags

2011-10-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

I promise this blog isn't going to turn into only posts about my etsy shop, but I added some new things to the shop today that I think are so fun! They are wine tags that you can slip over a bottle of wine or champagne as a hostess gift, holiday gift, or housewarming gift. You can choose from different ones available or come up with your own! And I sold my first two flatware hooks today! Thanks, Anne!

Etsy

2011-09-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

We have been extremely busy lately and one of the things keeping us busy has been our new Etsy shop! Several people had commented on how they liked some of the things we had been making and so we decided to put it to use and maybe make some extra money at the same time! So you can see our shop SJdesignco here. We will be adding some more stuff in the next few weeks. We have some cool things in mind- some great holiday and housewarming gifts!

Laundry Room

2011-08-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

The laundry room is finished! Looking back through all the before pictures it is amazing how much has changed through the house. Here are the before pictures of the laundry room:

And after pics... Much Better!

My Thumb Hurts...

2011-08-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

from pushing over 200 upholstery tacks into this bulletin board! I saw this project a few months ago and knew I wanted to recreate it. We have a stainless steel refrigerator that magnets don't stick to so I don't have a good place for birthday invites, school notes, or lunch menus. I put this on a ledge in our laundry room which is close to our garage so I can glance at some of these things if I need to on the way out the door with the kids. I think it turned out cute!

First Day of Pre-K!

2011-08-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Today was Cooper's first day of Pre-K! He had a great day and was looking forward to being in the 4 year old class. He has the same teacher that Tyler had last year so it was nice for him to have a familiar face. He will continue to go twice a week this year and he is looking forward to having Claire join him at his school in October after she is old enough to attend. But, I'm pretty sure I'm looking forward to her starting school more!!!

Update on Tyler- He is loving kindergarten. He had a huge smile on his face yesterday when i picked him up and he jumped in the car and exclaimed, "Mom, I had a great day!" Made me feel so good about where he is and excited for him in this adventure.

Little Project

2011-08-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

Several months ago I saw this cute little hook online at Anthropologie. In true Anthropologie fashion it was overpriced at $20. I didn't want to "fork" over that kind of money and I decided I could make one myself and I actually think mine is cuter! I found some old silverware at Canton this summer for $1 a piece. I had my super handy husband drill a small hole in the middle of each piece, super glue them together, bend the fork up for the hook, and put a nail through the hole into the wall. Threw my apron on it and there you have it!

First Day of Kindergarten!

2011-08-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

We dropped off Tyler this morning for his first day of kindergarten! He was very excited about his new adventure and I'm excited for him too! As Travis woke him up this morning for school at 6:45, he said, "I didn't get enough rest." Cooper said, "Why did you wake me up while it was still night?" Funny coming from two boys who routinely used to wake me up every morning by 6am!

Here's to a great year of kindergarten, Tyler! We love you!!!

San Diego- Day 1

2011-08-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

We recently got back from a wonderful trip to San Diego thanks to my incredibly generous parents! We all had a fun filled week and got to enjoy some wonderful 70 degree weather! We stayed in an incredible house that had everything you could have ever wanted. The backyard was AMAZING and included a mini golf area, trampoline, swimming pool/hot tub, playground, outdoor kitchen and an outdoor living area. I think we spent 90% of our time outside soaking up the beautiful weather. The boys would run from one thing to the next and Claire was right behind them. We had a little issue of adjusting to California time. The first morning I think the kids were up at 5:45 and by mid morning we were all ready for nap time! Here are some pictures from the first day.

The first day we hung around the house and played with Papa...

Played some video games...

Got dressed up for dinner...

and celebrated Gram's birthday and upcoming retirement!

San Diego- Day 2

2011-08-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

On day two, we headed to the famous San Diego Zoo. It was huge and we definitely got our exercise pushing strollers up and down the terrain. Towards the end of the day we took a bus tour of the zoo and four of the six kids were asleep by the end of the twenty minute tour! They were wiped out! Here are some pictures of our time at the zoo:

Claire and Luke checking out some animals

Papa pushing some of the big kids around

Will and Tyler checking out the helicopter

The biggest lion I have ever seen!

Daddy and Cooper on the bus tour

Claire sleeping with Papa on the bus tour.

Tyler didn't fall asleep on the bus tour, but he did fall asleep on the way home wearing his giraffe mask! :)

San Diego- Day 3

2011-08-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

On day three we headed to the beach! The water was FREEZING and just sitting on the beach was chilly. The kids didn't seem to mind though and had a great time splashing and playing in the sand.

San Diego- Day 4 & 5

2011-08-09T14:27:00.000-07:00

Day 4 we just hung out at the house and played. On day 5 we headed to Legoland! The boys rode on their very first roller coaster and loved looking at all of the legos.

They have an amazing miniland area that has several "cities" built out of legos. They had New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and many others. They also have a Star Wars area. It was amazing!

San Francisco

One of my favorites was this little wedding chapel in Vegas. They had a couple walking out of the chapel (it moved) and the bridal march was playing.

Cooper wanted to take a picture of the Combine for Grandpa!

This volvo car was amazing!

Daddy thought it would be fun to get in the shark's mouth too! Then he got stuck!

Daddy, Papa, Tyler, and Cooper raced against Kyle and his boys in the fireman races. They had to pump the truck to the other end, put out a fire and then return back to the other side. It was hilarious watching them. Travis and Papa were determined to win. Unfortunately, Kyle didn't have much man power.

San Diego- Day 6 & 7

2011-08-09T13:50:00.001-07:00

On Day 6 we headed to Sea World. I left my camera at home that day, so I don't have any pictures, but we had a lot of fun. By Day 7 we were exhausted to say the least! I found Papa and Claire snoozing on the patio by 9am! She was out! I'll have to say, Claire was such a trooper on this trip! Many days she took her nap in her stroller because we were out and about. There wasn't much for her to do at many of the places we went so much of the time she was bound to the stroller. But by the end of the trip, she was exhausted! She had tons of fun exploring the backyard and definitely got spoiled with lots of attention from everyone!

Papa and Claire snoozing on the patio!

Here are some pictures of the amazing backyard!

Looking from the pool area into the Outdoor Living area and kitchen.

Mini golf area

Mini golf area looking into the Outdoor Living and Kitchen area

Some of the boys enjoying the hot tub!

Some of the beautiful flowers looking into the playground area.

Thanks Gram and Papa for such a wonderful trip! We had so much fun. Oh, and when are going back? It's way too hot around these parts!!!

Finished Projects

2011-07-22T10:18:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my picture frames and kitchen table and thought I would share the finished products. Last night we framed the pictures and hung the picture frames in the Living Room. I think they turned out great and I love the pictures!

Here are some pictures of the kitchen table. I still want Travis to stain the top darker. I'll just add that to his mile long "honey-do" list!

This week has been pretty crummy. Claire got hand, foot, and mouth this week starting on Tuesday and she is still covered in a rash and blisters. I'm going stir crazy and the boys are too, but I can't get out with her and don't see an end in sight. We did get to go to the doctor this morning for Cooper's 4 year shots. That's always fun!!! We were supposed to go to Corpus on Monday to visit a good friend, but had to cancel because my friend, Christina is pregnant and can't be exposed to hand, foot, and mouth or anyone who has had it or been exposed because of the potential harm to the baby. I'm really bummed because we've been trying to get together all summer. The good news is that next Saturday we leave for our big family vacation with my family! We are all so excited to get away and have some fun and leave our worries behind! The boys keep asking me if it's time to pack yet. They already have their backpacks full of stuff for the airplane. Silly boys!

It's a Pirate Party!

2011-07-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we celebrated Cooper's 4th birthday a little bit early with a Pirate party! We had so much fun and I think all the kids had a great time. This was Cooper's first real birthday party and he was so excited! Here's a picture of the dessert table full of sweet treats.

The cupcakes:

The pirate hat cake. I found this in a Family Fun magazine a few months ago and thought it was so cute. It was really easy to put together as well. I think it turned out pretty good!

The invites I found at Target!

The birthday boy

Uncle Lynn found a spot on the float and I don't think he ever got off!

Claire got in on the swimming action!

Spiderman showed up too!

Uncle Mark loving on Kelsey's littlest girl, Macie.

Our littlest pirate!

I had a treasure hunt for all the kids. The all got a pirate bandana, eye patch, and a sword to help them on their hunt! Her is Shelby showing off her gear.

All of our pirates ready for their treasure hunt! Aaarrrr!!!

Listening intently for their next clue.

They finally got to where the treasure was buried and got to dig for the treasure chest.

Spotting the treasure chest.

Time for some birthday cake!

Love this little boy!

Chip showing off his best pirate face!

Grandma and two of her little pirates!

Loving his cake!

Aaarrrr! CAKE!

Opening presents with his buddy, Jackson!

Tomas

Cooper loving all the attention and presents!

Of course there has to be a tractor somewhere in there!

So glad Ross and Shelby were in town and could come to the party!

Latest Projects

2011-07-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

I follow several design blogs, most of them do-it-yourself type blogs. I love getting ideas for our house from them. I've been hearing a ton about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and how much everyone loves it for different projects. I had several painting projects that I have been meaning to tackle for sometime, so I decided to give it a whirl! The past couple of weeks I've been working on three different projects with the paint and I love how they have turned out. Here are some before and after pictures of my little projects:

I've been painting our kitchen table. I don't have a great before picture, but you can see the bench that Claire is holding onto in the picture.

I used Annie's Old White. This picture is from the middle of the process after I painted and was working onwaxing the benches.

After pictures show the distressing and dark wax I put on the bench. I want Travis to stain the tops of the benches a little darker. I'm still working on the table and I will put a picture of the finished product on the blog after I finish. I'm going to try and finish it up tonight or tomorrow.

My next project was a curvy white mirror I found at Goodwill before we moved from Houston. It had found a spot in the Master Bedroom, but it needed to be repainted. I absolutely love how the mirror turned out. It looks very aged and worn- just my style! I don't have any before pictures, but it was just a plain white mirror. Here are the afters:

The next project I've been working on is a pair of old picture frames. My mom and dad thought I was crazy when I bought these at my most recent Canton trip. My dad, in typical Larry Fleming fashion, told me that someone was missing their long lost ancestors. Whatever, dad!

Before:
During the painting process. You can see the entire mirror frame on the outside of the picture frame.

After distressing and applying the dark wax. I love how they turned out. I've ordered some family pics to put in them for our living room. I'll post pics once I get the pictures framed.

Little Fashionista

2011-07-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

I know you have all been on pins and needles waiting for my next blog. It's just been a crazy, busy summer and this little miss has been keeping me extra busy. She is very into shoes right now and yesterday she found a pair of Tyler's boots and had to put them on. With her boots and skirt, she looked like a little fashionista keeping up with the latest style!

PreK Graduation

2011-05-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

The boys' preschool had their end of the year program last week. It also included the PreK graduation. I can't believe I will have a child in elementary school next year! The program this year was rock and roll and it was so adorable! The kids did a great job and the teachers too!

Cooper was ready to rock!

Tyler's class rocking out on their guitars!

Tyler was Mr. Cool

Tyler receiving his diploma from his teacher, Ms. Yesenia

Tyler receiving his medal from Ms. Iris

Here is a video of Tyler's class performing some of their songs and Cooper's class reciting a poem. My favorite part is Tyler's class dancing with their partners. They were so sweet!

Cubbies Awards

2011-05-26T17:44:00.000-07:00

We have been really busy with end of the year activities. A couple of weeks ago the boys had their Cubbies end of the year awards. Both boys completed their books this year and got the book awards. We are so proud of them both! We ALL worked hard helping them memorize their verses! Grandpa took us all out for ice cream after the ceremony to celebrate!

Wonder who was in charge?

2011-05-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

Ready for Summer!

2011-05-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Enjoying some sweet treats...

and walking into summer!

Kid's Bathroom!

2011-05-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

We FINALLY finished the Kid's Bathroom last night! It has been in the works for about a year now. Sometimes I get so frustrated with how much we have left to do on the house, but when I pulled up our "before" pictures I realize just how much we have done! We left nothing untouched in this bathroom. We painted cabinets, replaced hardware, countertops, lighting, faucets, and tile. I think it turned out really nice. Here are the before pics:

Look at that awful wallpaper! At least it came down easy!!!

I had Travis make a frame for the mirror and he did a fantastic job. I got the idea from here and it made a big difference in the room feeling complete.

I have some hand towels that my sister-in-law is currently monogramming with a "J" for the towel ring.

Your Great Name

2011-04-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

My absolutely favorite song right now is Your Great Name by Natalie Grant. I just had to share it with you in case you haven't heard it. You can listen to it here.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

2011-04-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

My sweet baby girl turned 1 today! This year has completely flown by and I can't believe we have already celebrated Claire's first birthday. Claire's personality has really been coming out over the past few weeks and it is so fun to see a new side of her. She has definitely already developed a little sass and attitude and loves to throw her head down to the floor while throwing a fit and look up to see who is watching. I usually just ignore it and she eventually stops. It's pathetic! She LOVES her daddy and will literally scream when he gets home until he comes over to pick her up and love on her. Yesterday she took her very first steps and we have been trying to practice with her ever since.

Today was a low key day, because we already had celebrated last weekend while my parents were in town. We love this precious baby girl so much and can't wait to see her grow up. We thank God for this gift he has entrusted in our care. Here are some pics of Claire throughout the year:

Newborn pics:

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

1 YEAR!

Soccer Season

2011-04-13T14:03:00.001-07:00

Tyler's first (and probably last!) soccer season ended on Saturday. Gram and Papa got to witness his mad soccer skills. He actually got a little more aggressive in the first half of the game and he really has improved over the season, but he definitely looks forward to the snack they hand out after the game more than playing! He had fun while it lasted and really enjoyed the practices much more than the games. Coach Brandon really made practice fun for the boys and he always managed to get some candy from him after every practice!

Action shot

Coach Brandon giving Tyler his medal.

Coach Brandon and Tyler

The Dragons!

Celebration Continued...

2011-04-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

Last night we had Travis' extended family over to celebrate Tyler, Claire, and Aunt Ann's birthday. We cooked fajitas and all the fixings and topped it off with some birthday cake. It was great to see everybody and Tyler and Claire enjoyed opening more birthday presents.

We are so glad Uncle Keith moved back. The kids love having him around and he is always up for a good time.

Tyler trying hard to open his present from Grandma and Grandpa.

More presents!

Claire ripping into a present.

One of the birthday girls!

One of the many Monster Trucks Tyler got for his birthday!

Claire ready for her birthday cake. Is all this for me?

Please stop the singing- you guys are way off tune!

Starting off slow...

Picking up some speed...

and finally digging in!

Yummy!

Grandpa and Claire after a bath to clean up all the icing.

Uncle Keith providing the entertainment for the party by mixing up some tunes on the DJ Mixer Piano Claire got for her birthday.

Monster Jam Party

2011-04-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Tyler had his Monster Jam birthday party today at the park. We used Tyler's Power Wheels Truck and borrowed two other jeeps from friends and let the kids drive around the park. Travis built ramps for the kids to drive over and everyone had a great time despite the 40 plus mph winds! I had the table cover taped down with duct tape and it still wouldn't stay down. Here are some pics from the party.

Tyler and Ethan taking the jeep for a spin.

Tomas and Cooper in the Ford.

We borrowed a pink Barbie Jeep for the girls to ride in and I think the boys drove it more than anything. It actually went the fastest which the boys liked!

The Monster Truck Cake that I made for Tyler. The truck is supposed to be raised on pillars, but because of the wind we had to just put it on the dirt cake below.

Tyler and his sweet friend, Lily. We might have a similar picture 15 years from now!

Josiah and Laney

Sweet Lily

Cooper jumping one of the ramps

Towards the end the trucks were losing battery power. Somebody got stuck and everyone joined in to push the jeep back up the hill.

Getting ready for cake!

Opening presents

Jackson showing off his party favor! I found some fun monster truck tire cups online and bought them for the kids.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!

2011-04-09T16:21:00.000-07:00

Tyler turned 5 yesterday! We have had a great couple of days celebrating with him. We have celebrated by taking cupcakes to his class on Thursday with some surprise visitors- Gram and Papa...

Opening presents...

and playing games at Peter Piper Pizza!

Three Little Monkeys

2011-03-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning Claire began waking up from her morning nap. Cooper asked if he could go talk to her and I said yes. Since he was busy entertaining her I figured I would start making lunch and have it ready before I got her out of bed. I heard lots of giggling from her room and when I finally went to get her out of the crib I found two monkeys in her crib- Cooper and Claire! Cooper had crawled in her crib to play with her. It gave me a good laugh. So this afternoon after her nap both of the boys thought it would be funny to get in her crib and play with her. They threw some toys over and climbed in and played a while in there. Claire thought it was great and enjoyed every minute of it!

My three little monkeys jumping on the bed!

After getting them out of the crib I got a cute picture of all three of them in the rocking chair.

The littlest monkey

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, mom! Get me outta here!

I want my life to praise You!

2011-03-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

This afternoon Cooper was one of the back rooms of the house and I hear him singing one of the songs we sang in church this morning. It put a smile on my face so I decided to record it to share and have a memory of it. Cooper LOVES music and singing and he really gets into worship at church. He is always clapping his hands, singing, and raising his hands.

Here are the words to the chorus so you might be able to translate what he is saying:

You are God, You are Lord

You are all I'm living for

You are King of Everything

I want my life to praise You

I can only imagine the joy it brings God to hear a precious 3 year old sing to Him and tell Him he wants his life to praise Him.

My White Trash Children

2011-03-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

The boys asked to play in the water hose yesterday afternoon and so I said yes, but their swimsuits were dirty so I told them to just play in their underwear. Staying with the white trash theme they each have tattoos on their arm that WILL NOT come off. Both Travis and I have scrubbed them down many times in the bath and we can't get it off. I think they have had them since Valentine's Day. They also insisted on wearing their new goggles from the dollar store. Because of course you need goggles to play in the mud!

Family Pictures

2011-02-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year, Christine and I conspired and surprised my parents with a photo session for their gift. My dad was thrilled with the prospect of having all 12 of us line up for pictures, but he got over it and put a smile on his face for us! We hired Lindsey Brittain of LindseyShea Photogrpahy. Christine and I both knew her from A&M- she was a year behind me and was in Kyle and Christine's college ministry at Central. She did an amazing job, especially with the crazy kids she had to work with. It was also FREEZING cold this day and the kids (at least mine who are used to year round 70 degree plus weather) were not to happy towards the end! Here are some of my favorites of my family:

Fun on the Trampoline

2011-02-23T19:44:00.001-08:00

The boys got a trampoline for Christmas and it has been the best present! The kids love it, even Claire! The boys are out there at least once a day jumping on it. It also doubles as a wrestling ring for them. Today we were out there and I captured some pictures of the fun!

Hmmmm.... Not so sure about these crazy boys!

Soccer Star

2011-02-21T18:06:00.000-08:00

Last week Tyler started playing soccer and Saturday he had his first game. To sum the game up in one word... HILARIOUS! We were thoroughly entertained watching the game. This is Tyler's first time to play any sport. Some of the other boys had played before and some of them were actually pretty good. They play on a small field and play 3 on 3. Some of the boys would kick the ball at one end of the field and score a goal on the other end of the field. Tyler's team lost pretty badly, but I'm pretty sure Tyler never even realized or cared that they lost. He was happy to just get a snack and get a juice box at the end of the game.

A little apprehensive before the game.

Warming up before the game.

Getting ready for kickoff!

Tyler's number one fan!!!

Taking a break.

10 Months!

2011-02-16T17:36:00.000-08:00

Sweet baby Claire is 10 months old today! I love this little girl more and more everyday. She is such a cutie and has stolen all of our hearts. This month has brought big changes- she has transitioned to all table food and has learned how to drink from a sippy cup. She has been by far the easiest child to transition to each of these things. She is the best eater out of all of the kids and is seriously a beggar! Anytime I have something to eat and she doesn't, she is crawling over begging at my feet until she gets some. She puts anything in her mouth, including sticks, leaves, mulch, toy parts, and food! I can't count the number of times I have had to swipe her mouth with my finger to get foreign objects out of her mouth.

She is waving hi and bye and clapping her hands. She loves playing with the boys and other babies in the nursery. She is generally happy except for when she is in a shopping cart at any store. She is a horrible shopper!

We love Claire so much and look forward to watching her grow even more. I'm loving the stage she is in- growing toward toddlerhood instead of the newborn craziness. I can't believe we will be celebrating her 1st birthday in just a couple of months! We had a photo shoot today to capture her sweet smile and personality. Here are some of the pics I got.

Happy Girl!

2011-02-12T10:07:00.001-08:00

Weekend Project

2011-01-31T07:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend Travis took the boys to Oakville to go hunting with a friend of his. It was just Claire and me for the entire weekend and it was QUIET! I decided I would tackle a project I've been wanting to do for a while now. I saw it here a long time ago and knew I wanted to make one for our family. I was able to complete it by the time the boys got home on Sunday. Here is the final product:

I'm going to hang it in the playroom that we have been working on the past month. Here are the rules if you can't read them from the picture:

Always tell the truth... No matter what
Clean up after yourself
Encourage your siblings; share in their joy
Use your manners: Yes please, No thank you
Pray about Everything
Say you're sorry... Forgiveness is Mandatory
Keep your promises
Choose to do right, even when others don't
Love the Lord Your God
Obey right away, all the way, in a cheerful way
Give Generously
Sing silly, Dance crazy, Snuggle often, Say I love you
Thank God for this day, for this family, for this home
Dream BIG
Do everything without complaining

I showed the boys when they got home and Tyler was very interested in hearing all of the rules. He asked if these were all the rules and I said these were the most important rules. He said, "But what about wearing my bicycle helmet?" I told him that was still a rule, just not the most important rules!

New Tricks

2011-01-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

Monster Jam

2011-01-16T14:46:00.000-08:00

The boys got tickets to Monster Jam for Christmas, so yesterday Daddy and Grandpa loaded up the boys and headed out to see the Monster trucks! Tyler wasn't so sure about everything when they started revving up the trucks, but Cooper loved all of it. The brought out motorcycles towards the end and Tyler really liked that the best. All in all, I think they had a great day! This morning before church they had a bunch of cars lined up and had their toy monster trucks crashing over them.

Grandpa and the boys!

Some of the Monster Trucks

The boys taking it all in.

Crazy- it looks like the truck on the right is about to flip backwards.

One of the motorcycle stunts.

One of the trucks crashed and the boys came home saying that was one of their favorite parts!

9 Months!

2011-01-16T14:39:00.001-08:00

Claire is 9 months today! Unfortunately her pathetic mother hasn't updated anything since she was 6 months. Oops! I guess that's what happens with the third baby. The other day we were playing together in her room while the boys were at school and I caught some cute pics of her.

At 9 months she is:

scooting around the house- I've seen her crawl on all fours, but she chooses to scoot rather than crawl.
eating anything and everything! She is a really good eater. I'm about ready to start transitioning her to more table foods because I'm so sick of buying baby food!
she is pulling up on everything.
saying mama and dada, and some other babbling. She is the only one out of the three that said mama first!
waving bye-bye
charming everyone with her beautiful smile!

Hot & Cold

2011-01-16T14:29:00.001-08:00

They boys are typical brothers- sometimes they want Claire around and other times they don't! She is starting to mess with their toys and games more and so I'm definitely hearing more about how she is messing up their stuff. The other day I caught them being so sweet to her. She was crawling around the floor and Cooper went and crawled with her. The next thing I know Tyler is on the other side of her and they are all three crawling around the sunroom together!

Not long after the sweetness on one day, I hear them caging themselves in under the dining room table and keeping the "bad baby" away from their toys. Silly boys!

Looking Back in 2010

2011-01-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year to reflect on what God has done in our lives during this past year. 2010 was thankfully a much calmer year than 2009. The biggest change and the greatest blessing was with the birth of our beautiful baby girl, Claire. Children our most definitely a gift from God and we cherish the time that He has given us with them. Last year as I recapped 2009, we were still undecided on a church home and we were just recovering from Cooper being in the hospital for 10 days. In January we decided on a church home, Christian Fellowship Church. This is actually Travis' home church he grew up in. When we first moved down here we had some hesitations about going to church there, but we separately prayed about it and both felt like that was where God was leading us. This past year I have been able to get more involved with volunteering in the nursery and with other projects going on within the church. Honestly, I still miss our old church like crazy, but I'm thankful God showed us where we needed to be at this point in our lives.

In early 2010 we began to get all the crazy hospital bills from Cooper's stay in Tyler and in Dallas. We weren't concerned about the actual hospital stay, but if the insurance was going to cover the $17,000 bill from the 45 minute helicopter ride from Tyler to Dallas. In our insurance literature it states that helicopter transportation is covered as long as it was pre-approved. Well, he was taken on Thanksgiving day and we didn't pre-approve anything! We had contacted the insurance at some point to let them know what was going on, but I'm pretty sure it was once we were in Dallas. When we got home from that whole fiasco, we immediately started praying over that bill that we knew would be coming since we weren't sure if it would be covered. I knew I didn't have that kind of money and God was the only one who was going to be able to take care of it. I was keeping track of all the claims online and one day I noticed that the helicopter claim had a big DENIED next to it. I immediately got on the phone with the insurance company to see what was going on and they said that they were requesting more information from the hospital regarding the flight. So it was still a possibility that the bill would be paid. We continued to pray about it and lo and behold one day in February it was APPROVED!!! We were so relieved and thankful God had generously provided. I think in the end we paid a $25 co-pay for the helicopter flight!

In April, just two weeks before Claire was born, we received a bill from the hospital in Tyler with a balance of over $13,000. I thought it was a huge mistake since we had already paid our required co-pay for both of the hospitals. I got on the phone immediately to find out what the deal was. They were stating that our insurance plan was not in contract with their hospital and that they were legally allowed to bill us for the remaining balance on our account. Since I was a hormonal mess at 9 months pregnant I lost it! I'm sure I called Travis crying and asking him how in the world we were going to take care of this. We later talked to the insurance company and they confirmed that the hospital was allowed to do this. I began talking to them about our options, because again I don't have tens of thousands of dollars to plop down for medical bills. They said we could file an appeal, and so of course we began that process. Once again we knew the only person who could help us out was God. We began pleading for a miracle (and getting more money out of an insurance company is a miracle! HA!) and praying for God to move on our behalf. During the time we were waiting on the appeal with the insurance company to be reviewed, we began filling out paperwork with the hospital for assistance or a settlement amount that would be less than the actual bill. Once again God provided and our appeal was approved and a check for the entire amount of the bill was sent to the hospital in June. The insurance company said a mistake had been made when they originally filed the claim and because it was an emergency situation everything should be covered. We were so grateful once again!

This year we have kept busy as we have joined several different groups in the community. We joined the Algodon Board, I joined the Junior League, and Travis was involved with Harlingen Family Entertainment's first production. This has allowed us to meet many different people and be active in the community. Our community is very unique in many different ways. We live in one of the poorest counties in the entire United States. There are definitely huge needs in our area for basic items many people, including me, take for granted. Travis and I have had conversations regarding the needs of these people and we want to make a difference in these people's lives. I'm not sure what God has planned for us in regards to this, but I feel like there is a bigger reason why we were put here.

In regards to Travis' career path we are still in a waiting period. Travis is doing a fabulous job at work and we really love the people he works with. I can't say enough about his boss and the amazing person he is. He has been a huge blessing to our entire family. This past year has been a little bit confusing for us in regards to Travis' future. We are praying about different things regarding his future and waiting on God to show us His way. We want to do things His way, because we know His plans are far greater than anything we could plan out for ourselves. Hopefully God will begin to shed light on our situation in 2011!

Another thing I praying for in 2011 is for my health to improve. It is absolutely nothing serious, but affects my day to day living. I have hypothyroidism and I have had it since I was pregnant with Cooper. There are many symptoms, but my biggest symptom is fatigue. My thyroid starting acting up again after I had Claire probably due to all of the crazy hormones that come along with pregnancy and child-birth. My doctor has been adjusting my medication, but it takes some time to get it just right. With three kids, I don't have time to be tired. Especially since the boys have pretty much given up naps.

We have so much to be thankful for and I hope you will take the time to remember what God has done for you this year. "Receiving a gift from God is just the first step in a two step process. The second step is asking, 'How can I turn this personal blessing into a way to bless someone else'. " - Gary Thomas

Christmas 2010

2011-01-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas in Tyler this year and we had a great time with Gram and Papa and the Hoovers. On the way up we drove straight to Dallas to enjoy some yummy Mexican food and go to the Gaylord Texan to see all the lights and decorations. The boys really enjoyed it even if it did make for an extra long trip as we drove to Tyler that evening. The boys love playing with their cousins and Claire always gets some extra attention from Will. He loves her so much!

The kids ready to see the lights at the Gaylord Texan

At the Gingerbread House

We spent a few days at my parents house playing, making Christmas cookies, shopping for last minute items, and eating yummy food before the craziness set in on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve the kids laid out their stockings and much to our surprise slept past 7:30 (that is sleeping in at our house!). It always cracks me up because the kids would totally be content with just what they get in their stockings, but everyone always goes overboard.

Claire ready to see what Santa left her.

Some of the boys waiting at the top of the stairs to find out what they got from Santa. I'm pretty sure we have a picture of Christine and I and the rest of our cousins sitting on these steps on Christmas morning!

Cooper checking out his goods.

All the great-grandkids got special plush toys from my Grandad in their stocking. The boys were over the moon with their special toys!

Cooper waiting patiently to open his presents.

Tyler and his stash

Cooper finally got a sprayer rig- his favorite kind of tractor!

Quick Christmas Pic

Claire finally got to open up her presents after her morning nap.

Claire and her special "Claire-Bear". Each of the great-grandkids gets a special teddy bear on their first Christmas in memory of my grandmother.

Close up

Tyler opening his John Deere Boots!

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Silly Kids

2010-12-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

Tyler had us laughing in the car several times over the past few days. Here are the silly things he said:

Tyler: Cooper, who is your favorite Star Wars character?
Cooper: I don't know
Tyler: Mine is Yoga!

We were discussing everyones middle names on our drive.
Tyler: What is Claire's middle name?
Mom: Elise
Tyler: Oh! Like Elise Navidad?

Christmas Program

2010-12-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the boys participated in their Christmas Program at school. Tyler played the part of Joseph and Cooper was one of the shepherds. Lily, Tyler's best friend, played the part of Mary. I LOVE going to watch the boys programs because the kids totally crack me up. All of the kids did a really great job and sang their little hearts out. During the program Mary and Joseph went and sat in little chairs by the manger. I was sitting on the front row and noticed that Tyler started to rock and lean back in his chair. I knew that could mean trouble and I tried to get his attention to tell him to keep it on the floor, but to no avail. Minutes later Tyler looses his balance and flips the chair and lands flat on his back. The entire audience gasped! I saw it coming and couldn't believe it actually happened! He proceeds to get up, pick the chair up, and plop back in the chair. Once seated, the tears started flowing. He didn't really seem embarrassed, I think it knocked the breath out of him. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I should go get him off the stage to calm him down or leave him up there to suffer the consequences. I left him on stage- tears and all. Mrs. Iris, the Preschool Director, went to him and said a few words. He calmed down after that and continued to sing the last song with the group. This will definitely be a story we tell years from now... Remember the time you played Joseph and flipped the chair over! I don't have a video of it yet, but the Preschool is making copies for all of the parents. I did get some pictures before the "incident"!

Mary and Joseph enter the stage

The angel leading Mary and Joseph

Mary and Joseph sitting by baby Jesus in the manger

Shepherd Cooper looking a little frightened by the crowd. He finally warmed up and sang with all his might! He loves to sing!

Shepherd Cooper a little lost on stage!

The kids singing "He's got the Whole World in His Hands"

Broadway Star

2010-12-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

As I said in a previous post, Travis recently starred in the musical "Oliver". If you are at all familiar with Oliver, Travis played the part of Mr. Bumble. Last weekend I took the boys to watch him perform and they loved it! Cooper was especially mesmerized by the whole production. Travis did an amazing job as well as the entire cast. Travis' boss, Dr. Leibert, started a non-profit organization to bring wholesome entertainment to Harlingen. Dr. Leibert approached Travis about being a part of the production and Travis agreed, thinking it was going to be a small part. Dr. Leibert had Travis in mind for the part of Mr. Bumble from the beginning, which is a major part. He had at least three songs and many lines. I was nervous for him! Everyone commented on how out of character this was for Travis to do something like this, but I'm so proud of him for stepping out of his comfort zone and being involved in bringing something like this to the community. Travis really enjoyed it, but we are glad it is over. I felt like a single mom for several months due to all the rehearsals. The last month they had rehearsals at least 4 nights a week and Saturday mornings. But the hard work paid off. Here are some pictures I took from the night I took the boys. Unfortunately, I couldn't take a video of any of the performance due to the contract they signed with the company who owns the right to the musical.

The Star of Bethlehem

2010-12-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

During my last few years at Texas A&M, Rick Larson started giving a presentation on campus about the Star of Bethlehem. I heard many great things about it, but never had the opportunity to attend. He is a lawyer by trade, but was also a management professor at A&M. I had the privilege of having him as one of my professors while studying business at A&M. The other night Travis and I started talking about the birth of Jesus and we started talking about the presentation. I decided to look it up and I found the website here and saw that it was going to be aired on TBN later that evening. We set the DVR to record it and watched it the next evening. It was AMAZING!!! He uses Astronomy software and scripture from the Bible to prove that the Star of Bethlehem was real. He goes into great detail and also covers some interesting events regarding the death of Jesus as well. It will leave you speechless and with a greater respect and reverence for God. It will be airing again on December 16th on TBN. Check your local listings and set your DVR! You will not be disappointed!!!

Just a Swingin'

2010-12-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

Claire Bear

2010-12-06T18:38:00.000-08:00

Today we actually had some colder weather and so I dressed Claire up in her cute little hat that I bought for the winter. She looked so stinkin' cute that I decided to snap some pictures of her when we got home. While we were at Target today, everyone was ooohing and aaahing over Claire. Living primarily around the hispanic culture is very different with a young blond, blue eyed baby. People are constantly coming up to her and touching her. I don't really know the whole story behind it all, but it is something about touching the child to ward off evil. Anyway, here are the pictures of our sweet girl:

Silly Kids

2010-11-16T09:17:00.000-08:00

The kids are constantly saying things that crack us up. On Sunday I was sitting on the couch with Cooper looking over the Sunday ads out of the newspaper when he said, "Kmart Smart!" I looked at him and asked him what he said. He pointed at the lightbulb on the Kmart ad and again said, "Kmart Smart!" We just died laughing. I didn't even know that was their slogan and couldn't remember the last time I saw a Kmart commercial, but their advertising sucked in my 3 year old!

The other day Tyler came home from school and asked if I knew how to get to Beau's wrench? I was totally confused, but I knew Beau's family often goes to their family ranch, so I asked him if that is what he meant. Yes, his ranch. I guess they had been discussing it at school.

I love when they mispronounce words. Tyler calls granola bars chewnola bars and it cracks me up every time he says it.

I don't think I've mentioned this on the blog yet, but Travis is going to be a part of a production of Oliver Twist. His boss is one of the directors and convinced Travis to do it. He plays Mr. Bumble and he has quite a bit of speaking lines and 3 songs! Well, one night Travis took the boys to play practice and they came home singing, "Halibo, Halibo!" instead of "Oliver, Oliver!"

Lately, we have been talking with the boys about eating healthy foods and we often tell them certain foods will make you grow big and tall like Daddy. Well, yesterday, an A/C repairman came by the house to take a look at some stuff. We were talking with him and his teenage son and something came up about how Tyler was going to be tall and Tyler shouted, "Yes, because I eat a lot of lettuce!" We all had a good laugh!

Sweet Boy

2010-11-15T16:58:00.001-08:00

I love this picture I captured the other day. Cooper must have been napping because he would have definitely wanted in on the fun.

Tyler has a special friend in his class named Lily. She lives in our neighborhood and goes to our church. She is the cutest little thing. He colored a picture for her the other day and we left it in her cubby. She then gave him a silly band in the shape of a "T" for Tyler. So today he said he wanted to make her some more pictures and he wanted to put it in our mailbox and let the postman deliver it. I tried to talk him into just putting it in her cubby at school, but he refused. So I helped him write a note to her so she wouldn't get a random picture in the mail from him. He wrote most of the letters himself and he was so proud!

Lamp Makeover

2010-10-31T10:56:00.000-07:00

I've been looking for lamps for our bedroom for probably over 6 months, but every time I would find something it would be way more money than I was willing to pay or it would be the style I liked and the wrong color. Well, a few months ago I came across this design blog that I liked and she did a tutorial on how to paint lamps. After I saw this I was on the hunt for some inexpensive lamps to paint! I searched Marshalls and TJ Maxx high and low, but didn't fall in love with any that I saw. I was hunting for something like these Potter Barn lamps, but I definitely didn't want to pay the $100 they were asking for each lamp base.

One day I was in Target and spotted a great lamp. It wasn't in the regular lamp aisle, it was in one of the special decorating aisles. And all of you regular Target shoppers know that those aisle ALWAYS go on clearance at some point. So I waited and waited and waited. Every time I was in Target I would go down that aisle to see if my lamps were on clearance. Finally the other day I saw the big red clearance sign hovering above my lamps! I grabbed two and put them in the basket excited for my next project. They were $25 each! Great deal for a lamp. I went and bought the needed spray paint supplies and got to work right away. Here is the before:

And Afters:

I love how they turned out and especially for the price I paid! I think I need to add one more coat of the gloss sealer to make them a little bit more glossy. I love having lamps in our bedroom and the way it warms up the room with a soft glow. Now I just need to finish the rest of my projects for the Master Bedroom!

6 Months!

2010-10-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

Claire turned 6 months on the 16th and I'm just now getting around to posting! I guess that is what happens when you have three kiddos running around. We took her to the doctor last week and she weighed in at a little over 17 pounds (75%) and she was in the 90% for height. Here is a list of things I want to remember about Claire at this age:

She is a great eater! I have started feeding her veggies (squash, sweet potatoes, green beans, and peas) and she loves all of them so far.
She is sleeping great at night. She sleeps from around 6:30-7:00 or even 7:30. Her naps aren't as consistent, but I think it is because we are always on the go with the boys and she doesn't always get to nap in her bed.
She is a very happy baby, but just this past week she has become more aware of when the boys or I leave the room and she has been letting us know that she doesn't like it!
She sleeps with a little lovie blanket and she is already very attached to it. She rubs it in her face when I give it to her and it is never far from her when she is asleep.
She rubs her eyes when she is tired, just like her daddy!
She loves blowing rasberries at the moment and she thinks it is fun when you blow them back at her.
She is starting to sit up on her own, but definitely still topples over. Those cheeks are just to heavy to hold up!

Blowing rasberries at Mama.

Showing off her new skills of sitting up by herself.

Cooper is never far from his baby sister. He loves her so much!

Blog Makeover

2010-10-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

I was recently the recipient of a blog makeover from Penny Lane Designs. I love the new look for the blog! She had lots of cute pre-made designs to choose from and it was hard to settle on just one design. If you are looking to makeover your blog, check out pennylanedesigns.net!

Beautiful Day

2010-10-09T11:24:00.001-07:00

This past week we finally had some beautiful weather come our way, although I think by tomorrow it is supposed to be back in the 90's. UGH! But we have been trying to enjoy the nice weather as much as we can while it is here. This past week the boys decided that they would like to have a picnic in the treehouse. I thought it was a fun idea and so we all climbed up in the treehouse to enjoy dinner. I figured we might just be able to get through dinner without any whining or complaining about what was being served because they would be having too much fun, but I was WRONG!!! Oh well, at least we could enjoy the lovely weather!

Cubbies

2010-10-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

We are Awana Cubbies, we're happy all day long.

We know that Jesus loves us! That's why we sing this song.

We hop because we're happy and we jump and shout for joy.

For Jesus is a friend to us. He loves each girl and boy.

It's that time of year again! Both of the boys are in Cubbies this year and they love it. Cooper was so very excited when I told him that he would get a vest this year and would be able to earn patches. I was a little worried that he wouldn't be brave enough to tell his teachers his verses, but he has done great and is working really hard at memorizing them. Tyler must have grown tremendously over this past year, because his vest is tiny on him! I can't imagine what it will look like by the end of the year!

ZOO

2010-10-01T15:23:00.001-07:00

The boys have been begging me to take them to the zoo lately. I promised them that once the weather got a little bit cooler that we could go. This week we got a small cool front and it made it bearable enough to be outside, so we took off to the zoo with some friends and Aunt Kelsey. The kids had a great time and especially enjoyed the new playground that recently opened. It was an amazing playground that resembled a huge tree house. We had a great morning and topped it off with some Chick-fil-a before heading home for naps.

Tyler, Beau, Cooper, and Brooklynn

Tyler and Cooper checking out the animals.

All the kiddos looking at the tigers.

Claire enjoyed her leisurely stroll through the zoo.

Several giraffes came right up to where we were standing.

Close up

Nap time

Callie enjoying the slide.

Some more monkeys we saw at the zoo!

5 Months!

2010-09-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

I'm late posting this, but Claire turned 5 months last week! I caught some cute pictures of her this past week and so I thought I would share. Claire is such a joy to our family. I was looking up the meaning of her name this week. Tyler means a Tile maker and Cooper means a Barrel Maker, so I'm obviously not a name your kid based on the meaning of their names kind of gal. But when I pulled Claire's name up it said "Bright" and I think it fits her so well. She is a bright light in our little family and she brings so much happiness and joy to all of us. She is a super easy going little baby and I hope she will continue to be like this. She flashes that beautiful smile at anyone who will look her way. We love her to pieces and are so thankful for God's precious gift to us!

Gianna Jessen

2010-09-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I had never heard of Gianna Jessen until last night. Travis and I attended a fundraiser and we had the privilege to hear an amazing woman by the name of Gianna Jessen give her testimony. When Gianna's biological mother was 17 years old and seven and half months pregnant, she went to Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion in which they inject a high concentration of saline into the mother's womb, which the fetus is then bathed in and swallows, which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside out. Within 24 hours the results are normally an induced, still-born abortion. Gianna is an aborted late-term fetus who was born alive. The high concentration of saline in the womb for 24 hours resulted in a lack of oxygen to her brain and as a result Gianna was born with Cerebral Palsy. The doctors though she would never survive, but the doctors were wrong! VERY WRONG! She has an amazing story and we were so blessed to have been able to hear it last night. Check out this video and hear part of her incredible story!

Guest Bathroom

2010-09-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

We finally finished the guest bathroom this past week. This is one of the areas that I had Layla from the Lettered Cottage help me with. I think it turned out pretty good and it was probably our cheapest room to remodel. Here are the before pics:

And After:

In this bathroom we painted the cabinetry, installed new hardware, installed new lighting, put in a new butcher block countertop, installed a tile backsplash, built and installed shelves, and painted the walls.

The tile backsplash was not in the original plans, but once we ripped out the old blue tile countertops some of the cabinetry on the right side was messed up and so we needed something to cover it up. I think it turned out good. We reused the faucet and the sink was a sink Travis had from one of his old houses that never got used.

Travis built and stained the shelves.

A better look of the overall room. The shower curtain was the same one we had in the old house. The stool was a find at Canton.

This bathroom is also used as a pool bathroom. That door leads to the backyard and pool area.

I'm so glad one more room is done. Our Master Bedroom and Bathroom are the next major projects on the horizon. We have started the bedroom, but the bathroom has yet to be touched. In fact, it is a total disaster area!

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we headed up to Katy to help Shelby celebrate her 3rd birthday. The boys had a lot of fun playing with their cousins and enjoying all of the birthday festivities.

Cooper's first question of the day, "When are we going to eat cake?"

Shelby was just a little excited about her presents and the bounce house.

The birthday girl

Bailey and Shelby showing off their party hats

Grandma getting some loving from Claire

Bailey and Tyler playing on the bounce house

Daddy and Claire Bear

Grandma and Grandpa with all the grandkids

The big kids being silly. The boys have so much fun playing with their cousins!

Summer Days

2010-09-10T19:20:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing lately that everyone is enjoying nicer, cooler weather. Well, down here it is still HOT! One evening last week we let the boys go swimming and I got the camera out and captured some fun pictures.

In the past couple of months, Cooper has gotten much braver with his swimming. He no longer just hangs out on the steps. He will venture out and actually swim!

Tyler LOVES his goggles!

CANNON BALL!!!

Big Splash!

What's in a Name?

2010-09-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

I don't think anyone in our family ever calls this baby girl by her real name. Claire Bear, Clarabelle, Clarabelle Pizza, and Cheeks are just some of the names she goes by. I'm sure she will only develop more nicknames as she gets older.

Fishing with Dad and Grandpa

2010-09-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about living down in the Rio Grande Valley(for an outdoorsman) is the close access to the great fishing down here. The boys are already learning about fishing at a very young age. Tyler has a spiderman pole and Coop has a batman one. I guess we'll have to get Claire a Little Mermaid or something soon. This past Saturday my dad and I took the boys and had a good time on the water with the boys. We caught some big redfish early and even had some big schools that came right by the boat from which we pulled some fish. It slowed down pretty quick and we didn't catch much after about 8 am, but it was a good outing with the boys. The boys' favorite part was eating the donuts for breakfast, oreos and fruit snacks for brunch, and chips and sausage for lunch. We eat good when we go fishing!!

An oversize red caught on a Bugg lure(Shameless plug for my friend who invented and produced this lure-www.buggs-fishing-lures.com)

Sunrise on the Laguna Madre with my boys-Puro Vida!!!

Grandpa with the boys

The boys practicing casting

Tyler driving us out in the morning. Watch out!!

Florida Fun

2010-08-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my parents generously took our family along with the Hoovers to Florida for some family fun! We had a blast and we made great memories with everybody. We played on the beach, swam in the pool, relaxed in the hot tub, took naps, collected seashells, built sand castles, had a scavenger hunt, flew kites, jumped the waves, played cards, and of course ate our fair share of food. Here are some pictures from the week in no particular order:

All of the boys love Claire! They gave her lots of attention throughout the week.

Family Picture- the best we could get with 3 kiddos! Of course we waited until the last day to take pictures and it rained so we weren't able to take pictures on the beach like we had planned.

The house we stayed in was awesome. It was three stories and had an elevator. Here are all the boys taking a ride down on our way to the beach.

Love this picture of Claire and me. I never seem to make it in any of the pictures so I'm glad we got one together.

Family pic on the balcony overlooking the beach.

Gram and Claire

Papa and his girl

Gram and Papa with all the grandkids. We took so many of them and this was about the best we could get!

The awesome house we stayed in right across from the beach.

Gram and Papa with the kiddos overlooking the beach.

Will LOVES baby Claire and wanted to hold her on several occasions and paid special attention to her all week. He is so sweet to his baby cousin.

The boys got a taste of what it's like to grease up a hairy, sweaty man with sunscreen. The girls were out shopping and my dad caught the boys lathering each other up. Classic!

The boys playing at the beach.

Having a blast on the beach

All the guys relaxing in the hot tub. Ha!

Luke is too cool for school in his shades.

Will and Reese. Love this picture Christine captured with their goggles.

Claire soaking up the attention from the boys!

I love this picture of Papa after being buried in the sand.

Will being buried on the beach. You can almost hear the giggles.

Burying Papa on the beach

Thanks Gram and Papa for a wonderful vacation!

What a Stinker!!!

2010-08-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Claire was in the Jumperoo and started to fuss, so I went over to pick her up. I immediately smelled something funky and turned her around to find this...

OH. MY. WORD!!! I rushed her to the changing table- the clothes went to the washer and Claire went straight to the bath. This was the aftermath...

Claire will probably kill me one day when she sees this! Sometimes I just have to laugh or else I would be crying all the time!!!

Pre-K

2010-08-23T08:25:00.001-07:00

Tyler started Pre-K this morning at a new school. He and Cooper will be attending the same school this year. Tyler walked in and never looked back. He wasn't nervous or hesitant at all. I know he is going to love it and learn so much this year. He will go four days a week and I'm already enjoying only having two kiddos this morning. Cooper will start tomorrow and attend two days a week.

Tyler and Daddy before school.

Tyler and Mama

Everything packed and ready for school!

4 Months!

2010-08-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

Claire is 4 months! Time is flying by with this precious baby girl. Claire had a rough week a couple of weeks ago. She had been extremely fussy for a couple of days and then started running fever one night so I knew something was up. We took her to the doctor and sure enough she had an ear infection. They thought she might have a UTI, but luckily all of the cultures came back negative. She is feeling much better now and hopefully we won't have too many of those pesky ear infections with her. Yesterday she had her 4 month appointment and she is growing so much! She weighed in at 14 lbs. 9 oz (75%) and was 25 1/4 inches (75%). The doctor also gave us the go ahead on rice cereal because she hasn't been sleeping well and has been showing signs that my milk just wasn't enough. Last night she slept awesome after having her cereal so I feel confident it was just what she needed! She fills those cheeks up to tide her over through the night!

Claire is such a great baby and is as laid back as they come. She just goes with the flow and loves any attention that comes her way. She has the most beautiful smile and we love her so much! We think she is just the most beautiful baby girl, but we might be a little bias! :)

The boys love to watch her eat her cereal.

Sweet baby girl!

Not wanting to cooperate.

Showing off her beautiful smile!

My Boys

2010-08-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

Still Remodeling

2010-07-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

We are still working hard around the house and I feel like in the past month we have been able to cross a bunch of stuff off of our list! We are almost done with the Kids Bath, Laundry Room, and Guest Bath. I'm so ready to be done! I'm tired of all the dust, dragging stuff in and out of rooms, and chaos that goes along with remodeling. And I know Travis is tired of me adding things to the list as soon as he is done with something else.

Cooper helping Daddy install the sink in the guest bathroom.

Today I finished a project I've been wanting to do for the Guest Room. The best part of the project is that it was free! I started by arranging picture frames that I already had. I found an arrangement I liked and then I painted all of them with three different colors of paint that we already had from sampling paint around the house. Once they were dry I distressed them with sandpaper and hung them on the wall. Here are the before and after pictures:

Before- Playing around with the arrangement

Ta-da!

Happy Birthday, Cooper!

2010-07-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Cooper's 3rd birthday! Cooper has been telling us that he wanted to spend his birthday at the beach, so that is what we did! We packed up and headed out early yesterday morning and met Grandma, Kelsey, Callie, and Aunt Ann. We had a good time, but we didn't last too terribly long. We had a tent, but it still got really hot and we thought it was best to not have Claire in the heat too long. The boys had a blast and Claire got to show off her new swimsuit!

Claire chillin' in the stroller and showing off her new suit!

Posing for a picture

Cooper found the perfect seat.

Callie loves the sand- so much that she was eating it by the handful!

We headed home after lunch and took naps. Grandma, Kelsey, and Callie came over to the house to eat dinner, have cake, and open presents.

Cooper was so excited about his new front loader tractor!

Showing off his crop dusters!

Cooper eating his birthday meal in his new Batman goggles! And yes, Cooper doesn't have a shirt on- he spilled something water all over it and I just stripped him down and we didn't bother to get him dressed after that!

Finding Nemo Cake

Do you think he enjoyed his cake?

3 Months!

2010-07-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Baby Claire is 3 months old today! Time is flying by with this precious baby girl and I'm trying to soak it all in before she gets any bigger. At three months she is:

Starting to sit in her bumbo and loves it! She wants to be apart of the action.
Is smiling and cooing at anyone who will give her attention
Is a great in the car and pretty much anywhere else
Still waking up once to eat in the night, but otherwise a great sleeper
Loves to be swaddled when sleeping
Putting herself to sleep by herself. I just swaddle her up and give her a paci and she drifts off to la la land
Has started grabbing for things
Is a very fast eater! Most of the time she gobbles her milk down in 5-10 minutes. I'm always wondering if she has had enough, but I'm pretty sure her cheeks answer that question!

We are all in love with this baby girl and can't wait to see her little personality develop even more. Today we dressed her up and had a little photo shoot!

The boys decided that they needed to be in on the pictures!

Swaddled up for a nap!