Easter 2012

This Easter weekend has been one of the busiest weekends we have had in the longest time. The blessing of Gregg being let off work early on Thursday and then receiving Good Friday off was the beginning of our weekend. We had so much to fit in this past week and weekend that the extra time with Gregg was truly a gift.

Gregg and another friend have been leading worship at Cross Community Church here in Katy for a few months now. Our preparations for the Easter Sunday was worship team practice on Thursday. We added two new members to our worship team and this was the first service they joined us in. The dynamics of the worship team changed dramatically with their joining by adding a keyboard and two additional voices, giving the team the opportunity for the lovely sound of four part harmonies.

The added responsibility of the worship team has been such a special thing in our lives. Gregg and I love music and that has been a unifying factor in our relationship. It is not a joke when I say our wedding could have easily been turned into a musical due to all the music we had in the service. So, to be actively plugged in to a church's music again has meant the world to us. After being without a church for such a long period of time I had forgotten what it meant to be an active part of a community of believers. To say that I am loving this season of our family's life would be a huge understatement!

We took advantage of Gregg's day off by driving to Georgetown, Texas to spend part of the weekend with his sister, Deanna, and her precious family. Deanna's in-laws joined in the festivities, adding even more love and laughter to the weekend. With my niece and Deanna's nieces we had a house filled with girls and they all got along in a fantastic manner. Instant playmates! The girls all wanted to sleep together on Friday night, fulfilling one of Violet's latest big requests - to have a sleepover. The girls, ranging in ages seven to four, were up until midnight giggling and whispering. That brought back so many memories to me of childhood sleepovers and gave me a glimpse into our near future where that will become a greater reality in our lives. There was a big egg hunt on Saturday and despite the late bedtime and early alarms in the morning, the girls woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to go!

My little family and I got home just before ten on Saturday night, adding to Violet's past-her-bedtime nights. I thought she would have collapsed by now but she was still going strong. Our Sunday morning alarms went off much sooner than I was prepared for and caffeine was a necessity for Gregg and I. After setting up for the service and a quick run-through of the music our services began. Cross Community had a record breaking attendance (we are a church plant and just recently went public) of seventy-nine people. What a joy it was to see new and familiar faces!

I've created an Easter time-line for everyone to see how much Violet has grown and how much Gregg and I have aged! But let's just focus on Violet, okay?

Easter 2012
It was pretty windy on Saturday and this photo was taken just as a gust of wind blew into our faces. I promise, I am not intentionally sporting the mile-high hairdos of the eighties!



Easter 2011


Easter 2010


Easter 2009


Easter 2008


Easter 2006


Violet's First Easter, 2005


Gracious, how this child has grown over the years! I have enjoyed every moment of her life but it breaks my heart to see how quickly she is growing up. It won't be long before the hair-bows will be cast aside and Violet will be picking out her own Easter dresses. I wish there was a way to slow time down because she is growing up faster than my heart can keep up with.

St. Patrick's Day Shenanigans

I love Saint Patrick's Day! It is the one holiday where you can be as silly as you want. And I enjoy being silly! I love doing fun little tricks and pranks that leaves Violet scratching her head in wonder. I love seeing her face when something is new or out of the ordinary. I love hearing her giggles and talking excitedly about something. And Saint Patrick's Day is a day where I can experience all of those things.

Thanks to Pinterest, and all the wonderful ideas I found on there, I started this year's holiday with several new tricks up my sleeve. The morning started off with discovering that we had a Leprechaun in our house while we were asleep. He (she) was quite rude by not flushing the toilet and leaving footprints on the seat. Violet's first words upon finding this were, "I promise, I had NOTHING to do with that!"...


For breakfast we had green eggs with toast and bacon...


It would have made Dr. Seuss proud!


Finally, we ended our day with the yearly Cookie Scavenger Hunt...


There were clues spread throughout the house...


I think Violet was pleased with herself for finding all the clues!


As usual, we had a lot of fun on Saint Patrick's day! I hope yours was just as fun!

Valentine's Day 2012

Today has been a very interesting Valentine's Day. My beloved husband, Gregg, was called out of town on business on Monday and will be out of town for the next few days. This is our first time with him on a business trip since we were first married and this is certainly Violet's first experience with her Daddy being out of town. So, life has been a little different around here for us.

Gregg thought ahead for his being gone during Valentine's Day and left me the sweetest card and some of my absolute favorite chocolates. But no matter how sweet the card was it was what Gregg actually wrote inside the card that took my breath away. Folks, let me tell you a little secret about my beloved, he can melt my heart with the things he says! And he doesn't just write down a sweet sentiment that he thinks will make me happy, he writes from the heart. I am such an incredibly lucky woman! And I miss my sweet husband.

Violet was beyond thrilled about Valentine's Day this year. She woke me up with the most adorable cut out heart that she worked hard on yesterday. I think it is my favorite valentine she's made yet! And, I'm pretty sure I will say the same thing about next year's valentines. I made Violet's Valentine card this year and I think I did a pretty good job with it. Red card stock, pretty foam hearts that I made to look like candy hearts, and a pretty little swirly thing on it as well. She also received a little chocolate and a pair of sweet little pink socks with hearts on them. She has worn her socks with great pride today!

Violet and I spent the day with friends for the majority of the day. While I was doing things with my friends, Violet was playing with their children. So basically you could say we've had a giant play date today! That's one of the joys of homeschooling, you can work your schedule around things like this and then do a make up day on Saturday. Fortunately for us, we don't have to make it up on Saturday as our co-op isn't meeting this Friday so it will be a regular day of work. The change in schedule was totally worth the make up day because I enjoyed myself so much, and laughed so hard, that my ribs hurt! Any time spent like that is spent well.

Since Gregg is out of town Violet got to choose what we had for our dinner. Her choice was one of my favorites - Breakfast! So our fancy-schmancy Valentine's dinner consisted of eggs, grits, bacon, and biscuits. For those who had steak and chocolate dipped strawberries, I'm sorry for making you jealous! Heehee. Seriously though, it was pretty darned good!

While it's not a conventional way to spend Valentine's Day, today was a pretty great. The only thing that could have made it perfect is in Corrigan, Texas right now.

Happy Valentine's Day Gregg! Your girls miss you more than anything and we can't wait until you are back home with us, where you belong. Be safe, work hard, and return home to us safe and sound. The day you return home will be our true Valentine's Day!

Goodbye 2011 - Hello 2012

It is unreal to me that we have ushered in a new year. 2011 sped by at an alarming pace. So many things happened with us in 2011 - Violet turned seven, Gregg lost his job and started a new one within ten days after hearing the news his company had to shut down the survey department, Violet experienced the beach for the first time and she started her second year of Classical Conversations, we got to see the exhibit of King Tutankhamen, my Mother finally retired (something I wondered if I'd ever see), I fell (twice), and we've joined Cross Community Church of Katy. So many things happened and nothing I've tried to write thus far seems to properly sum up what 2011 was for us.

As the year was coming to an end, and the new year was being ushered in, I pulled out my camera and did a little interview with Violet. Please excuse the yellow tint in the video, the lighting in Violet's room is very unforgiving.



If you're feeling nostalgic, you can watch last year's interview and be blown away by how much my precious kid has changed in such a short period of time and how she is very much the same. And you can see how well loved her beloved Floppsy is.

One final thought, from our family to yours, may you have a blessed and happy and healthy new year!

Silent Night

In the stillness of the night, while enjoying a hot cup of tea, this is what my eyes behold as I think of thee.

Thirty Days of Thankfulness

It is entirely too easy to get swept up in the rush of the holidays. As we prepare to go into our first day of December, I thought it would be nice to think of the last thirty days of November and be mindful of what we're thankful for.

Here are my Thirty Days of Thankfulness...
1. My God who created the earth and all that is in it. He knows not only my name but He knows my innermost thoughts and the number of hairs on my head. He knows my heart, my joy and my pain. He cherishes me and loves me and counts me as His own.
2. My husband. Greggory's patience with me has been endless. I am thankful that God created him. He is a wonderful husband and father.
3. My beautiful daughter. It was a struggle to bring Violet into this world. God's hand was on her before she was even conceived, bringing her into our life when we were told she may not make it. She's beaten the odds of a complicated pregnancy, a pre-term birth, and severe reflux as a baby - she's healthy and she's happy. What more could a parent ask for?
4. My incredible parents, George & Dena. They gave me a home, a name, and a family. Life could have been so different for me had they not chosen to adopt a child. I may not have been born to them but I am very much their child! They love me unconditionally and they've provided incredible things for me. I don't tell them often enough but I love them beyond words.
5. I'm thankful for adoption! I don't know who my biological parents are. Honestly, I don't really care to know them. Not because I don't care about them but because I love my family. I am so thankful for their difficult decision to give me up for adoption. They didn't have to give me life but they cherished it above the freedom of not bringing a child into this world. My biological mother sacrificed nine months of her life so that I may have mine. Whoever you are, thank you!
6. My in-laws, Garry & Paula. You raised an incredible son who turned into an amazing husband and father. He learned these things from you! You have accepted me into your family as one of your own and I love you.
7. I am thankful for Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for my sins. His love has redeemed me of my sins and failures.
8. Laughter. The world would be a better place if we laughed more.
9. Books. I am such a book worm and would be lost without them.
10. I am thankful for each of my friends. They all bring out the best in me and have helped shape me into who I am today. I am a better person from knowing you and being allowed to be a part of your lives. I love you!
11. I'm thankful for the roof over our heads.
12. I'm thankful for the food on our table. We are incredibly blessed by the bounty we are provided.
13. I am thankful for my church, Cross Community Church. We are so blessed by the people God placed in our lives. I look forward to seeing what He has in store for our church and the impact it'll make on our community.
14. I am thankful for the freedom of speech. I may not be the most eloquent person but I'm allowed to share my voice.
15. Photography - the memories it helps me to hold dear, the beauty it can bring into my life... I simply love it.
16. Our military. They put their lives on the line to protect my rights and my freedoms. Without them we wouldn't be the great country that we are.
17. Cuddling with my child. To have Violet nestled next to me is such a pleasure and a joy. It also is a little bittersweet too because I remember how easily she used to fit in my arms.
18. I am thankful for the freedom to educate Violet at home and for the wonderful group we're a part of. Classical Conversations of Katy has made a tremendous difference in our lives. We are a part of an incredible group and the families are all amazing.
19. I am thankful for music. Music is an outlet for every emotion that you have.
20. Traditions. I love passing things down to Violet that I did as a child. Something as simple as snapping green beans together while watching the Macy's parade is a special time.
21. I am thankful for Gregg's new job. So many people are seeking employment right now.
22. I am thankful for good health for my family and myself.
23. Our history - it reminds us of where we've been and hopefully it shows us how far we've come.
24. I'm thankful for quiet time with Gregg. We don't get a whole lot of that and when we do, I cherish it.
25. Date nights! There is no questioning that we love our daughter but without time alone we aren't as good of parents as we hope to be.
26. I'm thankful for good babysitters. They make mine and Gregg's time together that much more enjoyable. It's not easy trusting you child's care to others which makes finding ones you trust so important.
27. My big bathtub. It is where I retreat to when I'm exhausted or stressed and I can be rejuvenated.
28. This may sound silly, but I'm thankful for facebook. It can be a huge waste of time for me if I'm not careful but it has helped me reconnect with old friends.
29. Another silly thing I'm thankful for, Pinterest. Yes, this can be another waste of time but my family is better fed because of it. I've found so many wonderful new recipes and home school ideas on Pinterest, so it's not a total waste of time.
30. I am thankful for time. Time with my husband, my daughter, my parents, my extended family, my friends. Time to rest and time to do things. Time to enjoy the life that I've been blessed with and all that comes with it - joy, sadness, pleasure, pain. Time, it can go so slowly but usually it seems like it rushes by too quickly.

What are you thankful for?

Halloween 2011

Earlier this year we had the opportunity to go to an Astro's baseball game. This was Violet's first baseball game and she had a wonderful time. Before the game we bought Violet a baseball cap to commemorate her first game. That was supposed to be it for souvenirs. But as we all know, things don't always work out the way you think they will.

Once we got to our seats, we quickly discovered we were directly under some massive air vents. And it was frigid! It was 90 something degrees outside and we had dressed accordingly for the heat. We were totally unprepared to sit in a giant sized ice cooler! Okay, maybe ice cooler is a bit of a stretch but it was really, really cold. Gregg and I were able to tolerate the cold temperature but Violet was turning blue and so we bought her a long sleeved shirt.

I'm not entirely sure how our discussion turned towards Halloween but Violet mentioned that she wanted to be an Astro's bat-girl for Halloween. We had basically just bought two key items for that costume! Isn't is amazing how things work out like that?

Violet made an excellent Astro's bat girl...


The kid made out like a bandit when she hit the streets. She knocked on the doors of some major Astro's fans and they made sure her bucket was filled to the rim with candy.

The baseball bat belongs to Gregg, Violet's Daddy. It was his bat when he was in Little League. The bat is solid wood and weighs about ten pounds. He ended up carrying it around the block for Violet because it got to be too heavy for her, especially with the weight of the candy-filled bucket.

My little slugger...


I hope you all had an amazing Halloween. Violet and her Daddy had a wonderful time. Me, not so much. I had to stay home because I was incredibly sick. It broke my heart to see her leave with her Daddy because I have never missed a Halloween with my precious baby girl. She was so kind to share some of her loot with me. Yes, my seven year old only child shares easily with everyone. She has a heart of gold and I'm so proud to call her my daughter!

Enjoy the Show!

We found the perfect spot to take in a local fireworks show last year. And, I DO mean perfect!!! The show this year was a little shorter than last year's show but that didn't diminish the quality of the show. It was absolutely amazing. As my daughter put it, "It's quite an amazing show!" I couldn't have said it better myself! Here is clip of that show. Enjoy friends!

Independence Day, 2011

Nothing speaks childhood fun to me as much as fireworks on the 4th of July! I love hearing the oohs and ahhs and giggles of delight brought on by fireworks. They are incredibly dangerous but so beautiful to watch.




I hope you enjoyed your 4th of July with the colors of red, white, and blue.

Where Valor Led

"We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies."
~ Moina Michael

Freedom does not come easy. It is earned by the blood, sweat, and tears of those who fought for it. And in countless cases, by the lives sacrificed for it. To everyone who has answered the call to serve our country, thank you. To everyone who paid the ultimate price, you are remembered today and always. Your service to your country will never be forgotten!

St. Patrick's Day Fun

St. Patrick's Day is a great day to have a little fun. Violet had high hopes that we'd have a repeat of last year's activity and have another scavenger hunt. Who am I to disappoint her?

The clues are carefully laid out...






Just waiting for our little girl to come home from the park...





She's here and found the first clue! Look at the joy on that precious face!


Yumm!!!

Recovered

Monday is a blur to me. Valentine's Day officially kicked my tail.

Seriously.

The day started abruptly at 5 a.m. when Violet decided to wake up. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed. And I rolled out of bed as blurry-eyed as a drunk on Sunset Bulevard.

Once I loaded up on coffee, like two or three cups of the stuff, I was ready to tackle the day. Somewhat. I ended up drinking even more coffee while at school that day. (Mondays are when our home school group meets.) Mondays always start off early, just not that early, and are always busy. So, it's no surprise that I didn't get to sit down the whole day except for a few minutes at lunch. Otherwise, I was on my feet the whole day.

A busy bee has got nothing on me! Of course, I was on a caffiene high for most of the day. So I had that in my favor. A bee only gets a rush on honey and pollen.
Our Classical Conversations group celebrated Valentine's Day like most everyone else does. We had a little party with tons, and I DO mean TONS, of sugar!!! Woo hoo!!! SUGAR!!!!!!

I had the privilege of working with some amazing women who helped me set up for the party. And, we had twelve moms bring cookies, some made from scratch and some store baked. Either way, it doesn't matter. A cookie is a cookie, right? There were 74 kids on campus that day and we had enough cookies for each kid to have two and for all the parents to have one or two themselves.


One of our very talented moms made the banner that we hung behind the table of treats. Another mom brought the lovely flower arrangements on the table. And another mom brought decorations and balloons. It's impossible to single out every mom who helped out because it truly was a group effort. A group that I am incredibly blessed to be a part of.


After the day program was over, we still had another three hours to get through. Oh. My. Word. I am beyond exhausted at this point and my caffiene high had worn off. But you know, I would do it all over again and again and again! The joy on the kids faces was worth every bit of effort that went in to this party. But my day didn't end there.

Violet has been working so hard on her school work lately. As a reward for good behavior and hard work, Violet earned a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's. So, where do we go for our Valentine's Day dinner? You guessed it! Chuck E. Cheese's!!! Ahh, the things we do for love. Yet again, I'd do it all over again because I got to spend time with my family and we made a very special girl beyond happy.


So, even though it took me three days to recover from Valentine's day, I just want to tell you that I love you guys! I've made some amazing friends through this little blog of mine (you know who you are!) and it wouldn't be right to not pass some love your way. I hope you had a wonderful day!

Ten More Days!

Wow, is Christmas really only ten days away? Where is time flying off too? Are you ready? I'm not but I'm trying to get there. I knocked one major thing off my holiday To-Do List today, Violet and I went to see Santa. The parking lot was crazier than usual but I was pleasantly surprised once we got in the mall. Actually, I was stunned when we walked in the mall. There was no one standing in line to see Santa!!! Violet and I were in and out of the mall within twenty minutes. I think we set a world record! That was Santa's gift to me this year and I couldn't be happier!

December? Really?

How on earth did we get here? And by "here" I mean in the month of December? This year has gone by incredibly too fast. Heck, I'm still digesting things from November. No, I don't mean the turkey and ham. Although that was pretty awesome. I mean, there's just so much that I've been trying to wrap my brain around so that I can share it with you. Nothing big or earth shattering, just recent events and what-not.


My birthday was last month and the days surrounding it are still a blur to me. Friday the 19th was my birthday and we spent the most part of it in a car, driving to Austin. My precious and beautiful little niece, Miss. Doodlebug, celebrated her third birthday the following day. There was no way we were going to miss a chance to love on her and celebrate her birthday. Which, we had a fantastic time at her party!


Once Miss. Doodlebug's party was over we loaded up in the car and drove another two hours towards home in order to make a big Thanksgiving party for our homeschool group. Everything was outside and the weather was absolutely perfect for such an event. There were grilled hot dogs, chili, and every other manner of food you can imagine. All of it delicious too. But the amazing thing, the party was held on someones property that's out in the country. You could actually see the stars. And the moon was stunning!!! Also, we had our own private symphony of crickets and frogs that serenaded us while we were there. Since I moved away from country life and have been in the city for the last twenty years or so, I didn't realize how much I missed those things until that weekend. What I wouldn't give to have that back in my life right now.


The following week was Thanksgiving week. After school on Monday Violet and I were in a mad scramble to get everything we needed for the rest of the week. Loads of laundry were done and our bags were packed for the next day. Tuesday we loaded up the car and drove to Little Rock, Arkansas to spend the holiday with family. Gregg's great-uncle Ed joined us too. We enjoyed our time with family, which is most important, and we managed to get in some much needed rest.


We also went to the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I grew up visiting that museum a lot during my childhood. My Mom worked for the state of Arkansas and so we spent many vacations exploring that beautiful state. Mid-America Science Museum was always one of my favorite places to go. There is so much to do there and not a whole lot has changed since my childhood days spent there. After knowing so much of the place from my own childhood, it was a real treat to see my daughter experience it for the first time. I got to relive some childhood experiences through her eyes and it was incredible.




It's hard to say who had the most fun at Mid-America Science Museum. Violet? Me? Gregg? Mimi or Grandpa? Or, Uncle Ed? There really is something there for everyone who visits, young and old alike.

So, with the holidays taking off in full speed mode, I thought I'd share this one last photo with you...


Remember to slow down and enjoy this time with your family and loved ones. Be in the moment and don't let the "moments" overwhelm you. Have a blessed and happy holiday season!

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this little clip of video of me and Violet with the static-electricity ball. Violet had a "hair-raising" experience!

No Tricks...

or treating on Halloween here. No, we're not making a statement. Unless if that statement were It SUX to be sick on Halloween! Violet has been looking forward to Halloween since last year's Halloween! So, we've heard plenty of "It's not fair!", "I want to go!", "But, I'm not that sick!" And each time it was hard to tell her, "No, we can't go out."


My sweet husband, and father-extrodinaire to our precious little girl, went out and bought a bag of sweet treats to fill her bucket. Granted, that isn't nearly as much fun as actually walking the neighborhood and earning those treats. Still, I think he's pretty awesome for doing that. Hopefully, someday, Violet will realize what a gift that was for her ~ trying to make the best out of a stinky situation.

Memorial Day ~ May We Always Remember

"We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free" ~ Ronald Reagan

To those who are serving our great nation now, and to those who have served in the past ~ Thank You! May God bless and keep you safely in His hands.

To those who have given the ultimate sacrifice ~ You Will Always Be Remembered!

To the families who have (or had) someone in the service ~ Thank you for your sacrifice too. I can't imagine the worries, fears, and sleepless nights you've encountered while your loved ones are serving our great nation.

To my amazing Dad (who served in the Vietnam War) and my husband's incredible Grandfather (who served in World War II) ~ Thank you for the great examples of courage you have given to me and to our nation. You are amazing men. I'm honored to be a part of your family and love you! You are my heroes!

Easter Timeline

Look at how much my baby has grown over the past five years. We're missing a photo from the year 2007 and I'm on the hunt for it. I'll add that year's photo once I find it but wanted to go ahead and share these with you. My baby isn't a baby any more. Did you hear that cracking sound? That's my heart breaking over how much my baby has grown in such a short amount of time.


First Easter, 2005

2006

2008

2009


2010

BSM: Easter 2010

Scavenger Hunt

I can't take credit for this idea as I stole it from a fellow blogger friend, Kimberly over at Altering Life. In celebration of Saint Patrick's Day I set up a scavenger hunt for Violet. A little leprechaun (who really isn't so little but it was fun pretending to be!) left several little clues all over the house...

Found one! Wonder what she'll find?

COOKIES!!!

Mmmm, yummy!!!