theBkeeper

buccaneer birthday bash

2011-09-17T13:56:00.002-05:00

Since the boy's birthdays are exactly one week apart, and Berkley's birthday is only two weeks before Beckham's, we always combine the boy's party into one big celebration to simplify things. So far there have been no complaints about a shared party, and until there is this momma will kill two birds with one stone. And usually my boys are able to dream up some big birthday party ideas just like their sister, so it is fun for them to "plan" their party together. After all, two minds are better than one.

This year after wavering back and forth between a couple of ideas, the boys settled on a pirate themed party. After all, they have both become very interested in pirates after our Disney Cruise last April. Before that trip my boys were oblivious as to who Captain Jack Sparrow was, but it was definitely love at first sight when my little b's met him on the ship. Within a few hours they were begging to watch him on tv in our room, since they continuously played just about any Disney movie ever made by the simple push of a button. And in less than 24 hours, thanks to JT, Beckham had scored not only a Captain Jack Sparrow hat; but the complete outfit. Not to worry, Brenner wasn't left out either. He got duds to transform himself into Captain Hook. And of course, the boys had swords to fight with as well. After all, every pirate needs a sword. This began a new passion for playtime... sword fighting! So it wasn't surprising at all when the boys wanted to bring this pirate adventure to their party. So we had a Buccaneer Birthday Bash!

I found some fabulous printables to use from thecottageindustrialist.com. With Marmie's help adding to the template, we came up with a great invitation to set our theme. And the pirate flags, sails and ocean waves transformed the cupcakes into an amazing pirate ship!

Marmie and JT were VERY generous in volunteering to open their home for all of the little scallywags! Matt, myself and our little b's headed over early to get things ready for the party. We unloaded our gifts and filled the treasure chest.

It was time to get our pirate garb on and get into "character" for the party. Beckham had no problem with this.

Berkley anxiously awaited the chance to give her daddy a tattoo. After all, she needed practice before the crew of pirates arrived.

JT and Marmie got their pirate garb on too and looked wondARRful!

Marmie was very proud of her tattoo she received from Berkley. It definitely finished off her outfit.

Once we were all dressed, we knew we needed to get into character. My little b's were naturals at giving a big AARRRGGHH!

Matt and I worked on perfecting out pirate personalities as well. After seeing this picture, it looks like I might have needed some more practice!!

I should have taken lessons from JT. He had the perfect pirate snarl.

Beckham and Brenner were in full character in no time and were ready for their guests to arrive. Beware of these little b's!

The pirates were going to be headed on a treasure hunt during the party, leading them down into the creek behind my parent's house. JT tied these handy ropes along the trees to help make a walkway down the steep path to the creek. Brenner enjoyed testing them all out while he was waiting for his friends to arrive.

Beckham was checking out the creek as well. And continuing to work on his pirate moves.

He was having so much fun exploring. He couldn't wait for the adventure to begin!

He just needed his pirate crew to get down to the creek and take on this adventure with him.

I just wonder what was going through the head of this sweet little pirate.

Finally, it was time for the party to begin. Once our little buccaneers arrived, they headed into the summer house to get their pirate garb of their choice. Bandannas and eye patches were a must!

And of course there were swords! No pirate can search for treasure unarmed.

The swords were definitely the pirate garb of choice. This was the one item that no matey missed.

A big thanks to Aunt Amy for helping our little buccaneers get all of their pirate garb on.

And I was also grateful for the help of my sweet tattoo artists, Lily and Berkley!

They took their job very seriously and did a great job.

Even the pirate princesses enjoyed the tattoos!

Once the little pirates chose the garb of their choice, they headed down below to explore with their pirate crew. Captain Beckham led the way.

And Captain Brenner brought up the back of the crew!

After a little exploring, there was a little sword fighting.

Sweet cousin Dane couldn't have been happier... and couldn't have been any cuter.

Once all of the crew had made it down below, we tried our best to rally them all together for a BIG surprise! All of a sudden music from Pirates of the Caribbean began playing and a special guest appeared... Captain Jack Sparrow!!!

These mates were definitely taken by surprise.

Once the excitement calmed down and the questions faded, Captain Jack explained his mission. He was sent to find the hidden treasure and he needed help from this pirate crew. The crew listened intently, still in amazement and wonder, as Captain Jack instructed them all.

Captain Jack was sure they needed to head down the creek and he directed the crew and showed them which way to go.

With the help of these little mateys, Captain Jack searched for clues as to where the hidden treasure might be.

There wasn't a spot that they didn't investigate.

Along the way the pirates found evidence that Captain Jack had been here before.

Captain Jack definitely entertained these little scallywags and held their attention.

But after a LONG hike down the creek, there was no treasure to be found.

Captain Jack and his crew headed back up from the creek discouraged but NOT defeated.

Captain Jack assured his crew that they would indeed find the treasure.

When they arrived at the sacred statue of St. Frances, Captain Jack had an idea. He instructed his crew to lay their hands upon the statue to ask the wise one where the treasure indeed was. Luckily, they had made it right to the treasure. The treasure chest and loot bags were just right inside the summer house by which St. Frances stood.

Beckham was excited to find the loot bags, but even more excited to show off the few pieces of treasure that they had found along the creek.

Now that the treasure had been found, it was time to celebrate.

Happy bARRthday Beckham and Brenner!!!

Overall this was a great birthday party! We had a great group of pirates, all decked out in pirate garb and armed with swords. The hidden treasure was now found. And all of these pirates were led by CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW!!! It couldn't have been much better than this.

another birthday for the busy b

2011-09-13T17:56:00.075-05:00

Where does the time go? Seriously. Our busy "b" is now not only a Kindergartner, but a 6 year old one at that. I'm not sure what it is about a child's Kindergarten year, but it seems that they just grow up so much. Beckham is definitely growing up. He is growing into the little leader that God has made him to be. He has such an amazing and energetic spirit, and his passion for life is unbelievable. He has a smile that can light up a room and a heart that is bigger than his lean, little body. He blesses our family in so many ways. So today we celebrate our busy little "b" who is not so little anymore.

Beckham was down to business this morning. He wanted to start his birthday off right and head straight to the gift! The other "b's" were eager to celebrate with him and were excited to see what his birthday morning present was too. Berkley instructed him to open his card first.

Beckham LOVES cards that sing so he really enjoyed listening to his card over and over again!

But it wasn't long and he remembered he had a gift to open. He was just a little excited.

And very thankful too. So sweet.

Breakfast was up next, and it was the birthday boy's choice. He requested breakfast burritos from La Popular.

But of course, before we could eat, we had to sing Happy Birthday. And Beckham had some birthday wishes to make!

My sweet SIX year old boy!

After school Beckham had a surprise visitor. Sweet cousin Dane arrived with some birthday balloons for Beckham.

This birthday boy was feeling pretty special indeed.

That night the birthday boy got to pick a favorite spot to eat dinner. Beckham picked Rosa's. We were a little surprised until we realized it was a strategic pick indeed. Once we finished dinner, he pointed out how close we were to Coldstone. So, of course, we headed across the street to finish off our celebration. The boys had a table all to themselves.

Ice cream was definitely the perfect end to such a special day celebrating such an amazing little guy.

big day for brenner

2011-09-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

Every year there is a Grandparent's Day celebration of some kind at St. John's. Even when the kids were in Mother's Day Out at First Friends they had a special day for grandparents to come and visit the school. And each time Brenner has invited Marmie and JT to this special celebration, he has had to "share" them with Beckham. But not this year. Since Brenner is now the only "b" at St. Johns, he had Marmie & JT all to himself. It was pretty evident that he felt pretty special! (Even though the day is meant to make the grandparents feel that way.)

From the minute Brenner's special guests arrived, he got busy showing them around. He had A LOT to explain about how his classroom "runs" every day. He really enjoyed his captive audience.

There is no doubt that his JT makes him feel pretty special!

And Marmie makes him feel like a superstar too!

Brenner also enjoyed showing Marmie & JT pictures of all his classmates. I'm pretty sure he named them all at least three times.

Finally, Brenner got to take Marmie & JT to his favorite place... the playground!

There wasn't any showing off or anything like that going on. Not at all!

This pretty much sums up his morning with Marmie & JT. The sign says it all.

Thank you Marmie & JT for attending yet another Grandparent's Day and for making Brenner feel so special not just this day but everyday!!!

berkley's cine-splash birthday bash

2011-08-30T13:03:00.000-05:00

Months before Berkley's birthday, she begins brainstorming for her party. She has been doing this for several years now it seems. (I know, she is only 8!) She is a planner, and she doesn't like to miss any details. She comes by this naturally from her grandmother, Marmie. It is always fun to hear her ideas and see the direction that her little mind is heading. Sure, I help her along the way and sometimes "plant" new ideas so she is steered down a path of reality; but for the most part she comes up with a lot of the "party planning" on her own. Who knows, maybe this is a career path she will be headed down some day. Whatever the case, Berkley did inherit her Marmie's creativity, and I love that she is already using it in so many areas.

This year Berkley was unsure at first if she wanted a swim party since she did that last year. (And of course she wants original & creative, not familiar & easy!) Together we began our brainstorming of ideas on how to turn another swim party into something a little different. This summer my parents took the kids to a fun, family-friendly resort in Austin. Each night they showed a movie out on the lawn, which the kids loved. Matt & I were at a similar resort this summer in San Antonio where the movies were actually shown poolside. Lightbulb! After a little discussion with Berkley, we came up with our birthday brainstorm for this year. We had a Cine-Splash Birthday Bash!!!

Berkley was SO excited about her party and loved planning all of the details. She was so proud of how her invitations turned out. (A BIG thanks to Marmie!) She couldn't wait until her party. When the big day was finally here and her friends began to arrive, the party was off to a big splash!

The girls swam, splashed, and played lots of games. They had a great time with the noodles and even formed a parade in the pool. Berkley has the sweetest group of friends!!!

The girls stayed busy swimming until it began to get dark. We got one last pose from the group before we moved on to more festivities.

It was time to sing "Happy Birthday" and have a little treat. We celebrated this year with a cookie cake...yummy!

Berkley seemed to enjoy her friends singing to her.

And seemed to make a big wish as she blew out ALL those candles!

Next it was time to open the gifts. What party girl doesn't love that?!?

She enjoyed opening each gift and even took time to read her cards.

She got several pairs of new earrings which she LOVED! Her Mimi just recently took her to get her ears pierced for her birthday, and she can't wait to model her new jewelry.

Once the candles were blown out, the wishes had been made, and the presents were all opened; it was time for the show to begin. The screening for the bash was Gnomeo & Juliet.

The drinks were set up...

and the popcorn bags were filled.

The girls grabbed a spot as the movie began. Some grabbed a float or stayed dipped in the pool.

Others claimed a spot in a chair to be up close and personal.

The movie seemed to be a hit!

And of course, now that everyone was settled, our host got busy.

Berkley took her friends' orders and enjoyed fixing their treats at the "popcorn bar."

As the movie ended and the credits rolled, parents began showing up marking the end of Berkley's Birthday Bash. And all of a sudden the pool was empty.

Overall it was a great party! I think everyone had a good time. I know the birthday girl did, and in the end I guess that is really all that matters.

happy birthday to our queen b

2011-08-26T14:13:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe that our queen B turns 8 today! It seems like just yesterday that we were anxiously awaiting her arrival, and now our baby girl is no baby at all. She is such an amazing young lady full of wonderful talents and gifts. She is the best big sister around. She is becoming a fabulous babysitter for her beloved cousin, Dane, along with a few other special friends. She is a loyal and true friend to several lucky ladies. She is a sweet and precious granddaughter and great-granddaughter as well. And most of all she is an unbelievable daughter who is a true blessing from God. We are so grateful for you Berkley and love watching you grow and mature each day. You have such an obedient heart, you are filled with such a nurturing spirit, and there is a pure joy that radiates from your smile. We love you so much.

And with all of this love for our sweet Berkley, we needed to start celebrating her first thing this morning. So, we woke up extra early today so we could head to Chick-fil-a for breakfast. (The birthday girl's request.) Of course mommy had to bring along a candle to stick in her breakfast. After all, your birthday should always begin with a chance to make a wish!!

And of course, you can never make too many birthday wishes...

Beckham and Brenner did a great job singing happy birthday to their sister. They know who takes care of them!

After the birthday breakfast, there was time to have a little fun before we had to head to school.

I'm not sure who ended up having the most fun either.

But I'm pretty sure our queen B had a good beginning to her birthday.

Of course the party didn't end there. Our next celebration was lunch at Austin Elementary. Berkley loves to get a special lunch brought to her at school, so this was definitely a birthday treat that she requested. And to make it even more special, mommy and daddy both got to come, along with Brenner. (Not to worry, Beckham didn't get left out either. Now that he is at Austin this year, we brought him lunch too.) Berkley greeted us as soon as we got there, proudly showing off her birthday ribbon.

Lunch with our queen B was a special treat, and I am so glad that it is still a treat for her too. I will cherish that as long as I can.

Daddy enjoyed lunch with his sweet girl too, but baby B had about had enough of his cafeteria time. After all, he had already sat through an entire lunch with Beckham and was on his second round with the birthday girl. His lack of enthusiasm was understandable.

As an added surprise, one of Berkley's best buddies, Kaitlyn, got to join us for lunch too. Her mom brought lunch up to school for her also, so they joined us at the visitor table. I think their faces show how excited they were to celebrate together. I'm not sure what special treat is in store for us after school today, but I'm sure queen B has something in mind. And of course the real celebration won't begin until the birthday party tonight...

but that will be another story in itself.

back to school for baby b

2011-08-23T21:01:00.000-05:00

Today was Brenner's turn to go back to school and he was ready. We were a little unsure how he would feel about going back to school this year, because most of his friends from his class last year were moving up to preK so they can head on to Kindergarten next year. Since Brenner's birthday is not until September this was not an option for Brenner. He will be repeating his early preK class (which he got in last year only because they made an exception) and will head to preK next year. Although he has the same teacher, who is absolutely amazing, we have been a little concerned that once he got in his classroom and realized his friends really weren't there that he might lose some of his excitement. We have been talking about it with him all summer to prepare him. His sweet teacher even called us a few weeks ago when she was getting the classroom ready to give Brenner a chance to pick out his "symbol" on his own since he is the only student returning to her class. Brenner picked the whale, and we have been talking it up big time. We keep telling him that the whale is the biggest animal in the ocean just like he is the biggest and oldest kid in his class. I guess all of that hype has worked, because he was all smiles this morning! (And yes...as he was brushing his smiley teeth he got some toothpaste all over his nice, clean shirt. So that explains the water spots!)

Our little "whale" was definitely feeling really big when we got to his school.

He was happy to pose with Daddy.

And Mommy was able to sneak in a picture with the little man before we headed inside.

Brenner quickly found the whale with his name on it, and he was so proud. He loved that he had the first hook. Since he was familiar with this classroom and the morning routine, he knew exactly what to do. And as soon as he finished putting his things away in the hall he marched into his classroom without turning back.

Of course Mommy called him back for a hug and kiss, but he made it quick. After all, he was the big man in class and I think he felt his duty calling. He was prepared to have a whale of a day!!! (And I'm proud to report that I think he did.)

back to school and back to blogging

2011-08-22T22:07:00.000-05:00

Today was a big day for two of my little Bs. Berkley started second grade and Beckham headed to Kindergarten. It is hard to believe it is already time to go "Back to School!" It is really a bittersweet time for me. I always hate saying goodbye to Summer, but I have always loved heading back to school too. I'm not sure if it is the teacher in me or just the fact that I thrive on schedules and routine, but there is something kind of magical about the first day of school; and although it is not considered the new year it still feels like a new year is beginning. It is a great time to start fresh, get organized and refocus. So, on that note I am "back to blogging." I have not documented the stories of my Bs for such a long time and I miss it. I hate the thought of not having something to look back on and remind me of such wonderful memories that we are making right now. So I am going to do something about it and I figure there is no better time to start than the beginning of their school year. There is so much adventure awaiting!

Berkley was simply ecstatic about heading back to school. She got the teacher she had been hoping for, she has a couple of great friends in her class, and she just loves school all together. Beckham was happy to be heading to Austin and excited that he too got the teacher he was wanting, but he also had some hesitations about it all. He is used to going to preschool only three days a week. As the harsh reality set in that being in Kindergarten meant you went to school five days a week the excitement seemed to fade a little. Fortunately, he has a great class, full of a great group of kids, and a teacher that is absolutely amazing. All of these things added together made this transition not seem so bad.

First day of school always means LOTS of pictures. We first started with pictures at our house. Berkley and Beckham were great sports. (and looked adorable I might add)

Our next stop was our old house. Since it is right by Austin AND our great friends now live in our house AND they just happen to also have a little boy heading to Kindergarten who is ALSO Beckham's BFF, we parked there for more pictures. Berkley was ready to pose for more too.

Beckham was hanging in there as well even though the smile was beginning to look a little forced.

Then, of course, Beckham's BFF Sawyer had to join us in the pictures. After all we were posing in his front yard.

The mommas sure didn't want to be left out of all the photo fun!

Or the daddies for that matter.

Our crew was finally ready to head over to Austin. Beckham and Sawyer didn't end up in the same class so they gave each other a little encouragement before they headed their own ways.

Berkley insisted we drop her off first. She is definitely a rule follower and did not want to be a minute late. She quickly found one of her best buddies, Kaitlyn, and they prepared to head in together.

Faces of pure joy and excitement...and absolute confidence too. These second graders don't seem to need any help from their mommies!

Finally we headed to the Kindergarten building to take Beckham. He patiently awaited his turn at the lockers.

His locker was on top, but he assured us that he could reach it by himself!

Beckham's sweet teacher greeted him and made him feel right at home. We are so blessed that Beckham is in Mrs. Ratcliff's class. We absolutely adore her at our house. (She was Berkley's teacher too and she is amazing!)

One of Beckham's buddies quickly found him and greeted him as well.

And even more buddies gathered...not sure if this is a good thing or not. This group might be TROUBLE!!! (But they sure are cute!)

Beckham gave one last hug to Brenner as the bell rang, which cued all the lingering parents (yes that would be me) that it was time for the day to begin.

And just like that Brenner and I were headed home...just us. My baby B will turn four next month and this is the first time he will have a couple of days at home with just me. This too is bittersweet, because although I am so excited for some one-on-one time with Brenner that he definitely deserves being the third; it also means another one of my Bs has grown up that much more. And soon enough all of my Bs will be in school. It is such a reminder for me to enjoy each day I have with my amazing kids. Time flies by, and I think some days I am even wishing it to; yet today I am reminded that I want it to slow down... maybe even freeze for a while. So I will try to truly live each day God blesses me with and cherish each moment... not forgetting to blog about it along the way.

a little bit of country and a whole lot of heaven

2010-02-17T10:03:00.004-06:00

To Beckham, a visit to Mimi and Papa's house is like experiencing a small taste of heaven. He loves all of the exciting things he gets to do while he is there... playing with their FIVE dogs, riding on the tractor with Papa and helping Mimi with anything and everything in the barn. Of course, his "taste of heaven" are the horses... the little pony named Corduroy to be specific! If he had his way, he would ride Corduroy the entire day. He just loves it!

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, we spent a long weekend at Mimi and Papa's house, and Beckham had big plans. The first morning we were there, he was ready to get to the barn and saddle up the pony!

Berkley likes Corduroy too, but I'm not sure she shares the same love as Beckham. She does enjoy riding him, and she likes to help brush him and get him looking "handsome." Brenner usually loves Corduroy too, it just takes him a little longer to "warm-up" in the barn. He needs time to investigate everything and check things out.

Beckham is usually always the first rider. He pays very close attention to everything Mimi does, hoping to be able to do it all by himself someday soon!

Corduroy is such a great pony... he even lets "city folk" lead him!

The minute Beckham gets on the pony his face lights up. He just seems so proud of himself!

Berkley and Brenner watched Beckham as he took the first ride.
Berkley was interested for a while, but soon she needed some other entertainment.

After Matt led Beckham around the practice arena a few times, Beckham convinced his daddy that he could do it "all by himself!" He was absolutely right.

He listened carefully as Mimi instructed him how to pull the reigns to make Corduroy turn or stop. He was obviously paying close attention, because he did just as she showed him. He kept great control of Corduroy, and we were all very proud of him.

Beckham could have ridden forever, but there was another b who was waiting patiently for his turn. Brenner had warmed up, and he was ready to ride.

He sat very still while Mimi and Daddy got him situated and ready to ride.

He had no problems striking a pose on his pony! Someone was feeling pretty big.

And a little playful too.Matt led Corduroy and Brenner held on tight.

He seemed to be enjoying his ride and trying to keep his concentration too.It wasn't long before our busy little b needed something to do... so he got to help lead Corduroy with his Daddy. Too sweet!

After all the excitement, Corduroy was ready for a much needed break. The kids helped Mimi and Daddy get him back into the barn and into his stall. While Beckham was back in the barn he decided he might need to ride the "big" horse. There is only one "big" horse, and his name is Requente. Matt has only ridden him a couple of times and has even fallen off of him before. But, Beckham must be a salesman like his Daddy, because he convinced him that he could handle it.

And...he did!Without any fear or hesitation...

and with quite a bit of confidence! He was one proud cowpoke!

And of course, since Brenner had seen his brother on the "big" horse, he had to do it too. Beckham wasn't thrilled to share this opportunity with his baby brother...

But he did it anyway and everyone got to feel pretty "big."

grandparent's day round 2

2010-02-17T08:30:00.004-06:00

St. John's always has their Grandparent's Day right before the Thanksgiving holiday, which I think is a perfect time. It is a great way for the kids to show their grandparents how thankful they are for each of them! Beckham is indeed VERY thankful for ALL of his grandparents, and he is extremely BLESSED to have Marmie and JT living in the same town as him. He was SO excited to show them all of the things he has been doing in his classroom so far this year.

He was very proud of the turkey he had made and wanted to show it off first thing. He then quickly took JT over to the game table to show him an activity that kept him quite busy.

Beckham was also very excited to show Marmie and JT some of the letters he had been learning at school. (This is definitely still a work in progress!)

Marmie got to listen to Beckham read one of the books he made at school.

And JT got to sit with his two biggest fans in the special rocking chair! Beckham was so happy to share this special treat with him.

I think Brenner felt pretty big too. He loved being a part of this special day.

We ALL had a great morning visiting Beckham's classroom. He has learned SO much this year and has such an amazing teacher. We are extremely proud of our busy little b.

grandparent's day with baby b

2010-02-15T13:44:00.002-06:00

Grandparent's Day was really special for Brenner this year. He got to have Marmie and JT all to himself. Last year, Beckham was still at First Friends too, so Marmie and JT had to split their time. Brenner really enjoyed getting to have all of the attention. (Especially since this rarely happens for him being our #3 little b.)

When Marmie and JT first arrived at Brenner's Mother's Day Out, he was acting a little shy.Once he got Marmie and JT into his classroom, he began to warm up quite a bit. I think he started realizing that they were there to see just him! He seemed to really enjoy being in the spotlight.He got to enjoy a yummy snack with them...
work a puzzle with them...

and share many, many important stories with them!!!

He quickly realized life is good when it is all about you! Not a bad day at school after all.

partying, parading and tailgating

2010-02-11T13:10:00.010-06:00

Celebrating the boy's birthdays is so much fun since we get to do it at the same time. I'm sure there will be a time in the future when they might prefer not to share the spotlight, but for now they don't seem to mind. Since their birthdays are only 2 weeks apart, it just seems to make sense that we have one big party, instead of 2 parties back-to-back that would create a lot of unnecessary chaos!!

This year we actually did a "repeat" birthday party. We had this exact birthday party for Beckham when he turned 2 just days before Brenner joined us. It was such a great party and Beckham had so much fun we decided to do it again. (Who needs original when you can have familiar and easy, right?!)

This year I had a little more time and energy to plan this parade party since I wasn't huge and pregnant like the first go around. With A LOT of help from Marmie, and some from Berkley too, we were able to make stick horses to use as part of our invitation. Beckham and Brenner had a great time delivering the horses to all of their buddies.

The invitation that hung on the stick horse read:

Saddle up your horses and come on down
to the biggest and best parade that ever came to town!

That's right cowpokes - it's parade time again.
We're ready to celebrate our birthdays with friends.

Beckham is turning 4 and Brenner will be 2.
We've got lots of partying, parading and tailgating to do.

(All the specific details followed.)

We also attached a label sticker to the invitation that read:

This pony needs a name. What will it be?
We're giving a prize for the best entry!

All of the guests were instructed to name their new friend before the parade, to stick their label onto him/her, and "ride" their horse to the tailgate area the day of the party.

Here is Beckham showing off his new friend, "Thunder."
Decorating for this party was pretty simple. It involved parking a couple of trucks in the designated spot the night before to hold our place and tying some balloons onto those trucks. Brenner pretty much took care of that part! After all, he does LOVE balloons.It wasn't long before we had guests arriving for the party. Everyone was dressed in their best cowboy attire, but there was one rodeo princess who made a grand entrance. Beckham's friend, Avery, was looking precious as always!As soon as each guest arrived, Berkley was right there to greet them and record their pony's name. She was appointed as the judge of the "pony naming contest" along with a couple of her friends. She took her position VERY seriously!!!
We decided to sing "Happy Birthday" to the boys and cut our cookie cake before the parade began.
The boys waited patiently while we tried to get the candles lit. However, one of them did look a little suspicious! (I think he was possibly considering swiping a good lick of the frosting.)But luckily he went for his better judgement. He flashed another grin and waited patiently to get on with the good stuff. His friends were all waiting with him too!After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, I came to the sad conclusion that the candles were not going to stay lit. The breeze blowing around us was just strong enough to take the flame each time it began to glow. There are some things you just don't have any control over, and I was beginning to have to come to terms with that!!!
We sang a quick "Happy Birthday" to the boys with promises that they would have a chance to blow candles out later that day. They seemed okay with that, and they were even better when they got to grab their candles that didn't stay lit. Brenner seemed to think that was his treat I think. How is that waxy number 2?Not so sure...The parade finally began after MUCH anticipation and it was LOUD...

but it didn't seem to bother our spectators any. In fact, they seemed to think it was kind of funny.

As the parade went on, it seemed to get more and more exciting. Soon some of our friends were able to brave the loud noise and even begin sharing some waves.Before long, the excitement and amazement overtook the need to cover their ears.

Their own cheering began...and the parade took all of their attention.Brenner loved every minute of it too.The parade seemed to bring pure joy to his sweet face...and he couldn't stop smiling!!!Berkley didn't seem to be as impressed with the parade as the boys were...

but she finally flashed a smile too!Of course, I think she was more worried about her "job" as a judge. As soon as the parade ended, our "judges" met for some serious business. They had a big decision to make on announcing the horse with the best name.

After much consideration, the girl's chose the pony named "Sissy." She was "ridden" by Avery, our lil' rodeo princess. I wish I had a picture, because her pony truly fit her name. Sissy was even wearing a pretty pink bow. (Which might have won these "girlie" judges over!!!) As an added side note; Avery's precious little sister, Ainsley, named her pony "Bud." Too funny!!!

The boy's parade party was so much fun! Easy set-up, fantastic entertainment, and very little clean-up. I'm beginning to think this party could be a birthday tradition for the boys!?! After all, the West Texas Fair and Rodeo Parade is held in downtown Abilene every year on a date very close to these b's birthdays. Something to definitely ponder...

back to bloggin'

2010-02-11T12:00:00.002-06:00

Well...it has been a LONG time since I have posted anything. As the time passed, the thought of trying to play "catch-up" kept me away from my blog altogether. The new year came and I thought I would make a resolution to get my blog updated, but as Valentine's Day approaches it obviously didn't happen! It has taken a lazy snow day to get me motivated. The kids are all at school, I am stuck at home waiting on some workers to come fix our playroom carpet, snow is steadily coming down outside blanketing our yard, and somehow sitting at the computer with a warm cup of coffee sounds quite enjoyable. So...here I go again. I will begin to "update" my blog. I'm going to try my best in the future to get all of our activities "in order" by date, but for now I'm just going to work on getting them posted. The organizing can come later, right?

cuttin' the curls

2009-10-07T15:00:00.001-05:00

Brenner has been 2 for a few weeks now, and I knew the time had come to "cut the curls!" The only haircut Brenner has had up to this point in his life is a few trims to his bangs when they really started to get in his face. Matt had agreed to let me wait until his 2nd birthday to give him a true haircut, but as his hair grew Matt began to wish he hadn't made that agreement with me. We finally got to the point that rarely a day went by without Brenner being called a girl. (Obviously people don't pay attention to the clothes he was wearing!!! Give me a break! When was the last time you saw a girl prancing around in camo pants with a bright orange shirt or a blue polo with khakis or even khaki shorts with critters printed on them?!?) So, it was time for me to face one of my biggest fears... to cut the curls with full realization that they might be gone forever!!! Of course, I also realized that his hair was beginning to look a little "Fabio-ish" so I truly knew it was time. I mean I realize that your little boy's hair is probably not supposed to swing in the air behind him like a super-model turning on the catwalk... And the curls were definitely beginning to trickle down his back! (And when his hair gets wet... well we have a full blown mullet!)

You can only imagine how long his hair really is when you straighten out these curls!

So...the appointment was made. For all 3 boys in fact! Beckham decided to go first so he could show his brother how it was done.

Brenner watched with Daddy and seemed to be excited about his turn at this point.

The excitement was short-lived however. Once it was Brenner's turn he wanted nothing to do with sitting in the seat, so Daddy had to sit with him. Even then he wouldn't face the mirrors. He wanted to lay his head up against Matt, putting him in a pretty tough position for a haircut!Halsa tried to maneuver around Brenner as best she could to find a starting point.
Going in for the first cut...

Bye-bye girl curls!! This was the first pile Halsa collected for me.
Brenner wasn't a fan at first of losing his curls either...we needed something to distract him! Berkley came up with a great solution...

The more Brenner sucked on his sucker, the more distracted he got. He slowly moved his head up off of Matt's chest, which made it much easier for Halsa to give him an even haircut.

By the end of his haircut his sucker had been worked over pretty well!

And his hair had been worked over a little too, but to my surprise he was able to hang on to some curls...But they are "manly curls" for sure. He definitely looks more grown up. (Okay so it might help if the pacifier wasn't stuck in his mouth but whatever!)

Overall the process went fairly smooth for everyone. Brenner made it through with a sucker and Mommy made it through too realizing those curls might just stick around a little longer!

just a thought...

2009-10-05T09:43:00.003-05:00

With Halloween upon us, I have been trying to brainstorm costume ideas for my little b's. I'm sure Berkley will come up with an idea on her own and be very persistent about it, but Beckham tends to change his mind over and over again. He has gone back and forth between a pirate, perhaps a cowboy, or maybe a star wars guy. But then this morning as he was playing I got a visual in my head and had a brainstorm...

Any of you having the same thoughts?!?

That's right... he could be The Naked Cowboy!!! If anybody could pull it off, it would be Beckham. Okay, so I'm not really going to let my busy b head out to the fall fest carnivals dressed only in his "whitie tighties," (sp?) armed with a guitar, and beg for candy... but it would be funny!

"baby" b not so much of a baby anymore

2009-08-27T14:22:00.000-05:00

All of my b's are growing up way too fast. Queen b is now a kindergartner, busy b has started preschool, and my baby b is no longer a baby!!! He will be starting Mother's Day Out again next week and will be in the 2 year old class since he will be turning 2 next month. In the 2 year old class the kids begin taking a nap on their nap mats!!! (No more baby beds at school.) For Berkley and Beckham this was not a big adjustment, because at age 2 they were both already sleeping in "big" beds. (Simply because they had a sibling on the way and we needed their baby bed!!!) Brenner, on the other hand, is our "baby!" He definitely fills the role of the baby of our family too. Since he will be expected to "grow up" somewhat when he starts his new class next week, I decided we might need to practice. So...we got his new nap mat out yesterday and tested it out at nap time. Absolutely no problems!!! He went right to sleep. I only went in his room once to help him get back on top of his mat. Could it be?!? Is my baby b really no longer a baby? Is he indeed ready for a "big boy" bed? I don't think I can take any more major milestones this week!!!

happy birthday queen b

2009-08-26T20:00:00.004-05:00

Berkley got a "big girl room" for her birthday this year. With her starting kindergarten, we decided it would be a good time to update. She had a great iron bed that I had found at an antique store, but it was small. It wasn't even a true twin. We decided it was time for her to get a bigger bed, which in turn meant new bedding and a new "room" in a sense. She was really excited. Marmie and JT delivered her new bed a few days before her birthday along with a desk and chair, which she loved. After all, she was going to need a place to do her homework, right? Now that she had a big bed, she needed something to put on it. We let Berkley help us pick out what kind of bedspread she wanted. We had narrowed it down to a couple of choices, but she held firm on her first decision. She wanted the "owl" bedding. She was so proud to get it on her new bed, and she really likes her new room. She has informed us that she is ready for sleepovers now!!!She loves her new owl pillow!

Since Berkley's birthday fell on a school day today, we decided to have a family celebration at the pool after school. After all, we wanted to enjoy the pool before it was closed until next summer. Marmie and JT met us there along with Chris, Amy and Dane.

Dane is learning to love the water almost as much as our little b's. No telling what he will be doing next summer!

Beckham had a great time in the pool trying to "surf" with Uncle Chris.

And of course, since Beckham was doing it, Brenner had to try it too. JT gave him some help.

It wasn't long before Berkley requested to go to the diving pool. She was definitely ready to show off a little at her birthday celebration. First she jumped off backwards...

Then she talked Uncle Chris into jumping off with her at the same time!

And finally, she showed off her front flip she had been working on. (Yes, I realize it looks more like a dive!) But impressive nonetheless.

Of course, Berkley wasn't the only one jumping. Beckham joined in on the fun too.

And you better believe Brenner wasn't going to be left out. He did some fine jumping as well. (And Daddy was in the water to catch him!)

We all had a great time at the pool and had it almost all to ourselves. (I guess since it was a school night!) After we swam, we all ate dinner together and celebrated with chocolate milkshakes. It is always fun to celebrate birthdays with family.

Happy Birthday Berkley. I can't believe how much you've grown up. You have such a nurturing spirit, a creative mind and a fine sense of fashion. We are so blessed to have you in our family.

busy b headed to "big" school

2009-08-25T14:09:00.002-05:00

Today was Beckham's first day of school. He is headed to St. John's where Berkley has been the past couple of years. They have a wonderful preschool program, and he is very excited about it. He will have the same teachers that Berkley had for her first year of preschool. (And believe me, she has been preparing Beckham for his "big" school, since she is now a veteran!) St. John's is actually a private school so the students have to wear a uniform. Berkley absolutely hated wearing a uniform, because she didn't get to pick out her clothes really. Beckham, on the other hand, thinks it is pretty cool. (I think he just feels like a big kid!)

Of course, we had to take a few pictures before Beckham's first day of school. He and Berkley posed quickly before she had to head off to school. They were both so happy about going to school! (How long will that last?!?)

Beckham was really excited about his day ahead and his face couldn't hide it!

I'm sure many exciting adventures await him this year!!!

queen b is a kindergartner

2009-08-24T13:36:00.004-05:00

It is official. My little queen b is indeed a kindergartner, and she is so excited about it! She was ready to head out the door by 7:30 this morning... even though her classroom doors don't open until 7:50 and her school is simply a quick walk across the street! Since she was ready to go so bright and early, we had plenty of time for some photos. Luckily, Berkley didn't mind at all and was ready to pose. Ready to head off to school...

Wearing a brand new, very fancy, backpack! (I think she could fit Brenner in it if she wanted too!)

And of course, completing her back-to-school outfit with some very stylish shoes. (She insisted I take a picture of them!)

We then had to take some family pics of course, starting with Beckham. He was really excited for Berkley.

Next was mommy's turn...and look, no tears!

Daddy stepped in for a turn with his favorite kindergartner too!

Finally it was time to head to school!!! Berkley took off, with Beckham right beside her.

That was short-lived, however, because my little queen b insisted that she be the first one. She wanted us to follow her!

Berkley quickly found one of her great friends, Lily. They are not in the same class, but their rooms are next door to each other.

As soon as the bell rang signaling that the students could go into their classrooms, Berkley took off. (And of course, we followed!) She had already gotten to visit her classroom on Meet the Teacher Night, so she knew exactly where to go and exactly what to do.

Once she got all of her things situated, we helped her put on her name tag. This was it...she was officially a kindergartner...and she definitely looked the part!

Amazingly enough, there were no tears shed by anyone. Berkley was so excited and completely ready to be starting Kindergarten. And, because she was so excited and content, I believed that I needed to feel the same way! I am so proud of her and know that she will have a terrific year.

ooh la la spa

2009-08-23T13:25:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we had Berkley's 6th birthday party. We decided it would be better to have her party the Saturday before school started instead of the Saturday after school began. (After all, the first week of school would be very busy and exciting on its own!)

Just like past years, Berkley knew exactly what kind of party she wanted. I'm telling you, this girl could have a party planning service. Several weeks ago when we began brainstorming ideas, she quickly presented her idea of having a "spa" party. I had no idea where she even came up with the idea, but when I asked she reminded me that her cousins had told her about a similar party they had been to and how much fun they had at it. There was really no discussion... Berkley wanted a spa party. So, the planning began with Berkley's help of course. I really had no idea that it would actually turn out to be such a fun party that all of Berkley's friends truly enjoyed. (Along with myself, Amy and Marmie!)

Instead of mailing out invitations, we hand delivered them. Marmie found some great cosmetic bags that we attached an invitation to full of all of the information. Berkley had a great time delivering the bags to her friends.

The invitation read:
It's time to get pampered for a really special day.
Please join us in celebrating Berkley's 6th Birthday!
We'll get fancy pedicures with sparkles galore
...make-up and hair-dos that we'll all adore!
So put on some slippers, a robe or P.J.'s
and get ready for one spa-tacular day!We had definitely planned a spa-tacular day...with the help of a few special people. Marmie is always willing to help with a party!

And Amy would never miss a party...especially when she gets to dress up!!!

And of course, I was ready as well.

We had finished all of the preparations and were waiting for the guests. The cake was ready and topped with a sparkly 6 just as the party girl requested.

The water bottles were sitting out at the Ooh La La Spa ready to refresh the guests.

The pedicure spots were open awaiting their customers. (Along with the make-up and hair stations.)

After much waiting, our guests had arrived. (Chauffeured by Mr. Matt) That's right, this was no small time spa. Ooh La La Spa offered a shuttle service. Berkley and Matt made a special stop at each girl's house. They were greeted with a bag of warm donut holes and juice for their ride to the spa. Matt was definitely a great sport for participating!!!

These gals were definitely ready for a morning at the spa. They were so excited and we were so excited to see them!

We started the celebration right away with singing Happy Birthday to Berkley. I love the pajamas she chose to wear that day... DREAM BIG!!! I'm sure she was making some BIG WISHES right at this moment!

While the girls were eating their cake (which wasn't much since they were all full from their donut holes) Amy quickly began welcoming the girls and explaining their spa schedule for the morning. Berkley could not ask for a better Aunt. Amy is so much fun and definitely added a special touch to the party!

The girls all listened intently to their instructions!

And all of them seemed really excited to begin their morning at the spa... but our birthday girl was beaming with excitement!

As the girls were finding their first appointment station, it began raining! Not to fear... the rain did not stop us at the Ooh La La Spa! Marmie was prepared with several umbrellas for the girls to use.

All of the girls were very patient while they were getting their spa services. We had a "waiting area" and the girls didn't seem to mind hanging out there together.

Marmie did a fabulous job as the "hair-do lady." She came up with some very fancy dos!

Amy and I ran the pedicure station which was definitely a hit. These girls know how to relax!

Marmie's sweet friend, Cindy, helped with the make-up which was a real treat. Cindy used to help with pageants and is an amazing make-up artist!

Once the girls made it through all of the stations, they had a great time showing off their new looks to each other. Berkley and Lily were feeling quite fancy!

Once all of the girls finished, they posed for a picture. It was unanimous... they were fans of Ooh La La Spa!!!

Berkley got a chance to open her gifts at the end of the party. She got some very fancy things!

Finally our time was up. Berkley did a great job thanking all of her guests and telling them goodbye.

A big thanks to Marmie and Amy for helping to make Berkley's party a spa-tacular one indeed!!!

bye-bye floaties

2009-07-03T15:27:00.002-05:00

It is hard to believe that swim lessons are officially over. Berkley and Beckham had their final lesson yesterday. They got a chance to show off some of their new skills. Beckham loves the water, and he was very excited each day to jump in the pool.
One of his best buddies, Luke, took lessons with him. They had a great time together.

Miss Mary Margaret gave Beckham a certificate to show his completion of swim lessons and to recognize all of the things he learned!

Berkley took her lesson after Beckham, but she was always ready to watch Beckham and cheer him on.

Brenner enjoyed being at the pool for his brother and sister's lessons too. Most days he got to play in the baby pool, but for the last day he just got to watch the performances!

Beckham absolutely loved jumping off the diving board. He would have done it all day long!

And with such amazing form... or at least style!!!

He did a great job swimming back to the side too. He really learned great form this summer!

He was really proud of himself, and with much reason to be. He did a great job!

Supportive siblings...

Then it was Berkley's turn to get her certificate. She was feeling pretty proud of herself too for her accomplishments!

Berkley also enjoyed jumping off the diving board this summer. She was very comfortable doing it, and she too put her own style into it!

Her form improved a great deal this year. We are so proud of her!
And she might be pretty pleased too!Berkley did a great job in swim lessons this year... even without knowing anyone in her lesson. She had a terrific class and a fabulous teacher.

After watching two final lessons, Brenner was very concerned why he hadn't gotten his chance in the pool. After all, he could only play with his sweet friend Grace for so long without noticing that he was the only one who hadn't gotten to swim!!!
So... he got his chance when the lessons were over and he loved every minute of it.

He was definitely proud of himself! After all, he hadn't even had lessons!!! Those will definitely be coming next year.

brandin' buckaroos

2009-06-07T14:14:00.005-05:00

This past weekend was the annual Rock Springs Ranch Branding. My dad has been doing this for several years now at his ranch, and it has become an event that we all look forward to... especially our kids. In years past, the kids have been spectators along with the girls; while the men are all assigned certain "jobs." This year, however, Beckham wanted to participate. (I think Brenner would have too if he had been old enough to make the cut!) Needless to say, my boys were all ready to play cowboy.Berkley had an invitation to help this year too, but she decided she would just watch with the rest of the girls. Of course, she still dressed the part of a stylish cowgirl!Matt really does enjoy this chance he gets every year to play cowboy. (Even if he does feel like a poser!) He definitely looks the part!

Beckham got a chance to ride around with Daddy for a while and loved every minute of it.Brenner even got to ride around a while with JT. He didn't seem to show a lot of emotion, but I think he enjoyed it.It wasn't long before Beckham requested to ride solo. He was so proud of himself and felt like a true cowboy.
After warming up on the horses, it was time to get down to business. Matt has had the same job the past few years at the branding. He gets to "cut." (I won't go into detail on that one!!) JT asked Beckham if he wanted to help "spray" the cows this year with their special medicine, thinking Beckham would be more than thrilled to have a job. Nope... that didn't sound exciting enough. "I'm going to be a cutter with daddy!" he explained to us. So, it looks like daddy was going to have some extra help this year. JT got a "special" knife for Beckham to use, and he was so proud of it.Daddy showed Beckham how to "sharpen" his new knife. Beckham took this job very seriously and quickly got to work.He enjoyed doing it and even tried to show Brenner what to do.Brenner didn't seem too interested. He chose to be the glove man instead. Tasty!Once Beckham had his knife sharp, he took his stance ready to begin. He and daddy took one last look at his knife before they were ready to begin. Beckham wanted to make sure he had gloves too, because he didn't want to get any "bleed" on his hands like daddy does. (Smart thinking!)
Once the cutting began, Beckham watched Matt very closely.He also observed the other cowboys, making sure he knew everything that was going on. He didn't want to miss a thing!He was finally ready to get to cutting. He worked right along side Matt.He "cut" over and over again, never growing tired of his assigned job.

In fact, he seemed to fit right in with all of the other cowboys out there helping.

Meanwhile, Berkley observed all of the action.She seemed to find some of it quite entertaining!

After the first round of the branding was complete, it was time for a break under the shade trees. Berkley and Beckham found a great spot with Uncle Chris.I would love to know what this little buckaroo was thinking right then while he was taking his rest. Too sweet!

Beckham later moved over to a rock by himself to watch his horse, Smokey. There is no telling the dreams of adventures with Smokey that run through his head!

Beckham grabbed a spot to watch the final work for the branding that day. The cutting was over, so he had finished his job.

Later he found an even better spot up on the truck with Marmie and Brenner. The action was entertaining them all.

After a full branding, as everyone was getting ready to head home, Beckham was still busy. I think this little cowboy was already getting ready for next year. After all, you always have to have a "sharp" knife.
There is no question that Beckham will indeed be counting down the days until the next branding. He sure has come a long way since his first one.

the mighty thunderbolts

2009-05-30T14:05:00.000-05:00

Tee-ball season has officially begun for Beckham. He had his first tee-ball game this morning, and he was very excited! He does have a little growing to do before he completely fits into his "thunderbolts" uniform, but he looked really cute. Before the game the thunderbolts weren't looking so "mighty." In fact, several of them looked a little timid.

However, in no time they began to warm up a little and were ready to play!

Beckham has several friends on his tee-ball team. Two of his great friends from mother's day out, Nic and Luke, are on his team along with our sweet neighbor, Ella. They are great buds. (In fact, it is Ella's brother who got Beckham so interested in baseball!!!)

Berkley is excited for the tee-ball games too, because she has a friend to sit with this time. Berkley and Carlee are ready to cheer on their brothers!

The thunderbolts began the game in the field first. Beckham took his place, ready to get some balls.

Soon it was time for the thunderbolts to bat, which is Beckham's favorite part. (Along with most of the team!) The team bats in order of their number, so Beckham had to wait patiently. (Once again, he got to be lucky number 7 thanks to Coach Bobby!)

Finally it was Beckham's turn to bat. He quickly took his stance.

He was in deep concentration as he got ready to swing his bat. Look at that face!

Beckham got a great hit and got to run the bases with daddy!

When the game was finished, Beckham was pretty proud of himself. He had a lot of fun!

He was excited to see that baby Dane came to cheer him on. It won't be long and Beckham will be giving Dane some pointers on his swing!

Matt and I questioned whether or not we should let Beckham try tee-ball since it was starting right at the beginning of the Summer and we knew we would miss some games due to being out of town. In the end, however, we decided we would let him do it and I know he is so happy that we did. (Even if he does have to miss a few games!)

tune in and turn out

2009-05-25T20:59:00.006-05:00

This past weekend was Berkley's third ballet recital. It was called "Tune In and Turn Out... Dancing Through TV Land." It was a really cute idea and very entertaining. All of the dances were set to music from a TV show, some new and others quite old. Berkley got to be in two dances this year, which she thought was very exciting. She danced to Charlie and Lola for her ballet dance, and her jazz dance was to a song from High School Musical. Needless to say, she was very excited about her performance on the big stage once again.

Friday night was the dress rehearsal. Berkley and all of her friends enjoyed getting ready together in the dressing room.
They all looked so big to me this year. (I'm sure the severely caked-on make-up doesn't help matters!) And they acted so big too.

When it was time for the rehearsal to begin, all of the dancers got seated in the auditorium. Berkley was really excited to watch all of the dances.
She and her friend, Lily, were growing anxious for their turn. They've been dancing together since they were three. Lily's mommy, Mrs. Lisa, is their ballet teacher.

It didn't take long for most of the group to be ready for their turn. They passed some time posing for all of the mommy cameras. Are they really flashing the peace sign? At age 5?!?

Once they rehearsed their ballet dance, it was time to switch to jazz mode. Berkley really liked her jazz costume, because she looked like a cheerleader! The whole group was pretty cute!
The rehearsal went well, however it was very long. We learned that when you are in two dances, one in the first half and one in the second half, it makes for a LONG night. We had to be at rehearsal at 4:30 and we didn't get home until 9:00. Berkley slept good that night.

Finally the night of the performance was here. Brenner had to stay at home with a babysitter since the show didn't even begin until 7:00. (Too close to his bedtime!) Beckham, however, was very excited to cheer on his big sister! He even had a bouquet of beautiful flowers for Berkley when the show was over to show her how proud he was of her hard work. (He was pretty proud of himself too for being so thoughtful!)Berkley was very grateful for the flowers and gave her number one fan a big hug when the show was over!Beckham was even able to give his congratulations to his buddy, Miles, after the show. (Miles' mommy is Mrs. Lisa, the ballet teacher!)

Beckham also enjoyed watching one of his favorite babysitters, Miss Whitney, during the recital. Berkley got a picture with her after the show and seemed to be feeling quite big that she had been dancing with Miss Whitney!

Berkley's fellow dancer and sweet friend, Charlie, gave Berkley some flowers too. She is such a sweetie!

Berkley enjoyed taking some pictures with her friends after the show celebrating their hard work this year! Berkley, Lily and Annabelle have known each other since they were babies!!!

Berkley and Annabelle are only 5 days apart! They met each other for the first time when Berkley was only a few days old!

Of course Berkley had a fan club waiting to congratulate her! Beckham might have been her number one fan, but mommy and daddy were pretty proud of her too!

Marmie was excited to congratulate her favorite little dancer as well.

And JT was right behind her. They're pretty big fans too!
Mimi even came to town for the big recital. She was so excited to see Berkley dance!

Berkley really did do a terrific job. I truly enjoy watching her on the "big stage," because it is so evident that she LOVES dancing. She has so much fun and her smile is absolutely beautiful. I think she has decided that this was her one and only year for jazz, but she is sticking with ballet. I hate to tell her daddy, but he might have many more ballets in his future! (Of course, he doesn't mind them when he gets to watch Berkley dance!) Great job ballerina Berkley! We are so proud of you and love you so much!

celebrating a successful soccer season

2009-05-21T21:06:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday the Wildcats' last game of the season was canceled due to rain, so Beckham's first soccer season is officially over. Last night we celebrated with a soccer party at our house. All of the kids had a great time playing together. The cupcakes with purple icing were a big hit with all of the kids. As soon as they were passed out, the kids began devouring them.

Berkley took a big bite right away! Beckham got serious about eating his cupcake up too!

Brenner was just so proud to have scored his own cupcake!

First, he started just licking the yummy icing off his fingers.

He quickly decided to just dig in like everyone else!

When we began to laugh at his purple face, this is the look we got. "What are you guys laughing at?!?"

And of course, when he was all done he was a complete mess!

Needless to say, he wasn't excited about getting cleaned up!

It took both mommy & daddy to tackle that mess, but I'm pretty sure that the pure delight of the cupcake was worth the struggle to Brenner!

At the end of the party all of the kids got a trophy for their successful soccer season! Beckham was excited to see his, but he was more interested in playing with his buddies. I think he had a great time playing soccer this Spring, but he is now counting down the days until tee-ball begins. He has a new obsession with baseball since our neighbor across the street has been playing in a baseball league. We'll see how that goes...

Anyway, congratulations to the Wildcats and to Beckham for a great soccer season. We're definitely proud of you guys!
Silly side and all!!!

stick horse rodeo champion

2009-05-13T21:06:00.007-05:00

This past weekend was the Western Heritage Classic Rodeo here in Abilene and our little cowboy competed in the bull riding event. (Okay, so it was the "stick horse" rodeo they hold for kids that Beckham "rode" in... but to him it was definitely the real deal!!!)

JT signed Beckham up weeks ago for this event. Beckham has been practicing some with JT, but mostly he has just been talking about it. He has been really excited! When his day to ride finally came, he was ready to go. He looked mighty fine in his cowboy attire!

Berkley and Beckham were both excited to get to the arena where the stick horse rodeo would take place. They had checked things out the night before with Marmie and JT, so they knew exactly where to take us.We definitely had some excited little cowpokes to say the least.Once we got inside, JT took care of business and got Beckham registered.Beckham got his number on and took off with his faithful horse in hand to get warmed up.I got one last hug from my little cowboy before I had to be seated.Matt got to stay with Beckham in the arena.He was even able to give him a few tips before the bull riding event began.Beckham seemed to be taking this rodeo very seriously. He did a great job warming up.He and Daddy took a break to check out some of the competition.However, these other little cowpokes had nothing on Beckham. He scored a 54 in his bull riding event which landed him in first place! That's right... Beckham is the new stick horse rodeo champion. He even has the belt buckle to prove it!

Beckham was all smiles when he saw his new buckle.

Daddy helped him put it on his belt right away. He couldn't seem to get it on fast enough for Beckham.Soon enough, however, Beckham was proudly showing off his shiny new buckle!JT was pretty proud of this little cowboy too!It takes a tough cowboy to ride a bull. Here is the crew showing me their cowboy (or cowgirl) faces!Once we got outside of the arena, Beckham had to make a few phone calls to his fans who couldn't make the rodeo. He really enjoyed sharing the exciting news!

He couldn't walk farther than a few steps without stopping to check out his buckle. Too cute!It was definitely a big morning for Beckham.
And I'm pretty sure it is a morning he will never forget!!!

game 7 for # 7

2009-05-13T10:05:00.006-05:00

This past Saturday was game number 7 for the Wildcats, and our little number 7 was ready to take on the world! (He was pretty excited from the stick horse rodeo! We actually thought he might not want to ditch his cowboy "duds" for his soccer uniform, but he seemed to be ready for his next challenge of the day!) Due to it being close to the end of our season, the Wildcat team had dwindled somewhat; but that didn't seem to discourage the cats that were still left. They were ready for the game to begin!

Beckham scored quick, adding to his excitement!
He never seems to grow tired of celebrating either. He loves to flash his big grin and hand out some high-fives to the crowd when he comes back to the sidelines.His number one fan helped him take a nice little break too by sharing her seat.

As the game went by quickly, I began to realize how much Beckham really has learned during his first season in soccer. He has learned to be aggressive and take the ball away from the other team. (Okay, maybe he has had some practice in taking things away from others before soccer. But at least in this game that is encouraged, which is a positive note!)

He has learned to run as fast as his little legs can carry him to chase after that ball! And he seems to do it with such concentration. (Look at that face!)

He has even picked up some fancy footwork along the way... even if it has been by mistake!

Most importantly, however, he has learned good sportsmanship. He has embraced it with enthusiasm!
And of course, it has also been great for Beckham to simply be part of a team as he has begun to learn the importance of working together with others. I'm sure we'll be working on this for several more seasons to come!
The greatest thing though is that Beckham truly has fun during every game. I think he is already developing a great passion for sports which brings a smile to his daddy's face!

ouch!

2009-05-05T11:23:00.003-05:00

This morning I was reminded of just how bad a "boo boo" can hurt. And how it can hurt in so many ways too... not just physically, but it seems to bruise your pride a little bit too!

It was a beautiful morning, a little overcast with a slight breeze blowing. I dropped the kids off at Mother's Day Out ready for a work-out, but instead of heading to the gym I decided I would ditch the treadmill and enjoy some open air! (I'm now wishing I'd stuck to my old faithful treadmill!) I headed up to a local park with a great track for running, walking, strolling, etc.

I began running and quickly begin feeling out of breath and really tired, so I turned up my iTunes and got a rhythm going. Before long I was running smoothly, enjoying my beautiful surroundings (as opposed to staring at the same thing on a treadmill) and praising the Lord as songs of worship flowed from my iPod. It was such an unbelievable feeling... and then I decided to cut over to another path. Bad decision. This short crossover path wasn't paved nice and smooth like the other paths had been. Still in my groove, I didn't notice the huge hole just ahead of me! My foot fell into the hole, my ankle twisted, and my body was taken to the ground.

Ouch! That one is going to leave a mark! And yes it did.
And even worse, I tore a hole through my favorite pair of workout pants!!!
Not to mention the embarrassment I felt as several people slowed down or stopped to check on me as I sat on the ground trying to determine if and how I was going to be able to even stand up, let alone make it back to my car! Although I felt pain, it didn't totally seem to set in until I did in fact stand up and slowly tried to make it back to my car. As I began to slowly put weight on my bad ankle, it hurt, but the pain was definitely manageable. The pain I then began to notice was my knee and its fiery stinging. I looked down and then realized my favorite pants had torn and my knee had taken a slight beating.

As I got into my car and drove home, very aware of my aching ankle and stinging knee, I was reminded how bad "boo boos" really do hurt. And I was also realizing that sometimes the pain even got worse before it got better! I also seemed to come to the conclusion that even after the pain faded a little, the memory was still there of those people who watched the entire thing happen. And although none of them were laughing at me by any means, I was telling myself they were. My pride had been "bruised" a little. Most importantly, however, I became aware of how often my little b's get "boo boos" and how often I try to toughen them up quickly and even get frustrated with them sometimes when the drama seems to go on longer than I think it should. Wow! Tough lesson for me today. "Boo boos" hurt... physically and emotionally; and sometimes we just want to be comforted, even when the physical pain goes away.

It is funny, but as I come to the end of this I am now typing with a smile, realizing how everything really does happen for a reason. Thank you Lord for this gentle reminder. There are going to be many more "boo boos" along the way. Some will be small and some will be big. And some of them are even going to hurt, but we will always find comfort in you. May I always come to you for that comfort.

I also had a harsh reminder as a mommy. My little b's need comforting when they are hurt, and sometimes even more than I think they really need. (Because I now have been reminded how bad a skinned knee really does hurt!) I know there will come a day sooner than later that they won't need my comforting as much, so why don't I just enjoy it now... drama and all!

playing soccer... rain or shine

2009-05-02T13:05:00.006-05:00

This morning the Wildcats played game 6 of their season and it was chilly and wet! Although the parents were pretty cold and miserable, luckily it didn't seem to bother the kids much. Once again, we got to the field a little early, so Beckham warmed up a little by himself. He was pretty cold at this point, but the "coach" kept telling him he would warm up once he got moving.Soon he was warmed up, ready to go, and had his eyes on the other team.Game time had finally arrived. Our team lined up to meet their opponents... the grasshoppers!!! (Our team was pretty small today due to the yucky weather I think!)Berkley was such a great big sister. She cheered on her brother's team despite being cold and wet. She is no fair weather fan!Brenner hung in there too... especially since he had a snack to pass the time.

The grasshoppers were pretty good, and made the first two goals of the game. It wasn't long, however, before the wildcats got their game on. Beckham and his buddy Luke worked together to make a goal.

Beckham and Jack celebrating another score!
We didn't take a half-time break simply because we were just trying to get the game finished! By the end of the 2nd quarter, Beckham needed a little "pep talk" to get him through the game. The grasshoppers were definitely giving us a run for our money and I think our little man was somewhat discouraged. He came over and told me, "I can't run as fast as them! It is too hard!" Yep... handling some competition is a little tough. Time to learn what true sportsmanship is!

Luckily the "pep-talk" helped and the wildcats were ready to push through to the end of the game. These guys were really good sports considering how miserable the weather was for them.
And although we were missing some of our players, the ones we had at the game made a great team by working together and cheering each other on. Both teams did a really good job cheering each other on too. And, of course, they all shared some high fives at the end of the game.

The parents were definitely glad to see that game come to an end. I think a few of us might have been fair weather fans!!! Those wildcats are tough! We'll see what kind of weather we have next week. Some sunshine with no wind would be great.

game 5

2009-04-26T10:54:00.004-05:00

Beckham missed his soccer game last Saturday, because we were out of town. Needless to say, he was excited about his game this past Saturday. We got there early, so Beckham had some time to watch the game ahead of his.
The wind, once again, was blowing with great speed; but it didn't seem to bother Beckham. He was intrigued by the other players. (Maybe watching for some new techniques?)
It was finally time for the game to begin. The players were lined up and ready to meet their competition!Beckham is really enjoying soccer, and he is learning a lot along the way too. He has learned to dribble the ball quite well, and can even quickly get it turned around in the direction he needs to go.And he has definitely learned to take it down the field towards the goal! (In fact, this game was the first time he showed disappointment when his ball didn't make it in the goal! Could he be a little competitive like his daddy? Possibly!)Celebrating a goal with his daddy! The look on his face is priceless!Halftime is always fun for the kids. They love getting water from the water jug... very refreshing!These guys lined up after half, ready to secure a victory!Matt has done such a great job coaching, and the kids all love him! He has taught them quite a bit too. I love this picture of the players lined up, Beckham even standing on guard, awaiting the other team to throw in the ball. (It truly is impressive that these 3-year-olds can focus on something this long!)

This time after the game, there were more than just handshakes and high fives shared with the other players. The opponents' fans made a tunnel for their team to go through, and our team helped themselves through as well!

Beckham's cheering squad was small for this game. Just mommy, Berkley, Brenner and of course the coach. That didn't stop him from finding someone to celebrate with after the game! I guess this might be their victory swing!
We're once again looking forward to the game next week. Gotta love those Wildcats!

berkley the babysitter

2009-04-25T15:04:00.004-05:00

Berkley seems to be growing up before my eyes. She has always loved to be a little "mommy" to her younger brothers, but she seems to gain more and more "mothering" instincts as she gets bigger.

Last week I had to run a quick errand. Marmie came over to stay with the kids so that my "quick" errand could be just that... "quick!" We were getting ready to leave town, and I was trying to have everything ready to go for our estimated time of departure. Brenner was getting really tired and a little fussy, but I was holding him off from a nap so that he would sleep in the car. When I left Marmie and the kids, Brenner was crying. Evidently, he was sad for a while, so Marmie rocked him for a little while until he calmed down. He later decided to get up and play for a while. After a little while, he decided he was too tired to play. He began to get upset again. Berkley suggested to Marmie that she could take a "turn" rocking Brenner. My mom said Brenner seemed to understand what Berkley had offered, and he stretched his arms up to Berkley. Very satisfied, Berkley picked up Brenner and got situated.

I returned home to find this...
My mom told me that within just a few minutes of Berkley rocking her baby brother, he crashed. So sweet!Berkley was one proud big sister... with much reason to be!
This weekend we spent a night at the lake. Marmie and JT were there too, along with Aunt Amy and baby Dane. Uncle Chris is out of town for work, so Amy & Dane have decided to hang out at the lake for a few days. Chris usually gives Dane a bottle each night around dinner. Since he was gone, Amy was looking for someone to help out with that feeding. My little "mommy" stepped right up to the challenge. She was very focused in the beginning, keeping her eye on Dane and watching him very carefully.

Dane didn't seem to mind that Berkley had "stepped in" for his daddy.
Soon Berkley was feeling pretty confident of her bottle-feeding skills.Towards the end I think she considered herself a pro. I'm pretty sure I have a babysitter in training!

parading preschoolers

2009-04-23T20:13:00.005-05:00

Berkley was in a parade at her school today. She was so excited about it, because it was familiar to her this year. Last year, in her 3-year-old class, she got to participate in the same parade. This year was different, however. Last year Berkley rode in a wagon during the parade. This year, however, the preK class got to choose to ride bikes, scooters, or tricycles in the parade. Needless to say, Berkley thought she was pretty big. Each student got to decorate their "wheels" for the parade. (With the help of a 5th grade student!) Berkley proudly showed off her bike.

She and her friends waited anxiously for the parade to begin. It is pretty hard to look stylish in a helmet, but these girls seem to pull it off. They are too cute!

It was finally time to head to the track for the parade. Berkley was so excited to get started, and she had perfected her wave!

Let the parade begin! There were lots of excited kids ready to race the track, and Berkley was one of them!

All of the kids had the option of riding the track once, twice or three times. You better believe Berkley chose to make all three rounds!

Beckham enjoyed the parade too. He had a lot of fun searching for Berkley on the track and checking out all of the "wheels" that passed by. The Spiderman bikes were his favorites!

JT & Marmie were able to come to the parade too. Berkley enjoyed having a fan club to cheer her on.

After watching Berkley ride the track, Marmie, JT and I decided she was about to need a bigger bike! As adorable as her retro mini-cruiser is, I think it is time for her to advance to some bigger wheels. Her legs are too long and her training wheels won't be able to handle much more I don't think. They are permanently inverted. Matt seems to think we need to just ditch the training wheels next anyway. It looks like we might be doing it sooner than later now! (It is a good thing Berkley looks so cute in her helmet, because we might be putting it to some good use.)

easter '09

2009-04-12T13:11:00.002-05:00

Easter Sunday was an eventful one for our family. Mimi and Papa had been in town for the weekend and were able to go to church with us that morning. After church, we all headed to Red Robin for a yummy lunch. (The kids LOVE going there, because they each get a balloon. Brenner is somewhat obsessed with balloons right now, too. He calls them balls or "bah" which is his only word. So, when he can ask for something with his one and only word, we usually try to get it for him since he has "used his words!")

Once we were home, Mimi and Papa had to head back home and the kids all took a nap. They needed to rest up for some egg hunting that afternoon. When all of the kids were up, we headed over to Marmie and JT's house for an egg hunting adventure. (The kids had been waiting ALL day for this, and needless to say, they were really excited!)

The hunt began as soon as we got there, because the kids couldn't wait any longer. Berkley was off in no time, searching for eggs to fill her basket. Beckham was right behind her searching for his treasures.Brenner ran out after them, excited to be on his first official egg hunt.Berkley and Beckham needed little assistance this year. They had no problems finding their eggs on their own.Once Daddy showed Brenner where to put his eggs, he began to understand the game.He searched hard for some eggs of his own.He didn't want to miss a spot. He was taking this hunting very seriously. (Not surprising coming from Brenner!)In no time Berkley had filled up her basket.Beckham's basket was pretty full too as he surveyed the yard one last time for any eggs that might have been overlooked.Brenner inspected his basketful too.He was ready to get into those eggs! (But of course, mommy had to have some pictures first! What?!)On the way over to our "photo shoot" Beckham had a slight injury.Brenner got up to check out his brother's boo-boo. Something was going to have to be done to cheer up Beckham before we tried to take any pictures. Daddy stepped in and got him smiling again!

Of course, it didn't last long. And Brenner was pretty upset that no one was letting him check out his basketful of goodies. Berkley was tempted to look in her eggs too.

Once we got Berkley's attention, she tried to help out a little with Brenner. But, of course, Beckham still hadn't recovered from his injury.
Slowly we began to at least get everyone's attention and even a smile from Berkley! Things were looking up. Of course, once we got Beckham back to his silly little self, Brenner had already decided his "photo shoot" was over.

Even though Brenner had split, I still felt the need to try for more pictures. Beckham seemed to be thinking, "You've got to be kidding me! You're still snapping away?"

And sweet Berkley was trying her best to flash her big smile and add a little pose of her own. Maybe when all of the kids are a little older I'll be able to get some good pictures!

I have come to find that it is almost impossible right now to get a good photo of ALL three children at the same time, and if it does happen it is usually by mistake! But still I press on and push through a "photo shoot" any chance I can... basically torturing my little b's.

Despite the torturous "photo shoot" our Easter was wonderful. Mostly it was so wonderful, because of the amazing and unbelievable event that we were celebrating. That our God loves us so much that He sent His one and only son to die for us, to rid us of our ugly sin, so that we may have eternal life. Of course, the story doesn't stop there! Death had no hold on Him. He is risen and sits at the right hand of our God, the Father; waiting for those who believe in Him and have accepted Him, to join Him one day at His throne. Now that is something to celebrate!!!

cascarone competition

2009-04-12T09:38:00.002-05:00

Last year my family had a little "cascarone (confetti egg) competition" to wrap up our Easter celebration with each other. The kids had SO much fun, we decided it needed to be a tradition. This year we were all ready for some serious cascarone cracking! Berkley gave us all precise instruction before the competition began.
Beckham took his stance, ready for the games to get started!Berkley stood on the other side, awaiting an attack from her brother."On your mark, get set, GO!" Berkley and Beckham began our competition.Matt & Chris quickly decided to recruit some help before they went up against each other. Beckham and Matt got their game faces on. They were ready for battle!Chris and Berkley seemed to chuckle at their opponent's faces. They were ready to have some fun!And the cascarones cracked one by one.Beckham enjoyed his vantage point from up high...But he didn't stay safe for long!
Brenner was even able to get in on the fun. It didn't take him long to figure out how to crack those eggs.

When all of the cascarones were gone, the clean-up crew stepped in to get rid of the mess.There was a lot of work to be done!
I think it is official that our "cascarone competition" will continue to be a tradition for quite a while. It is so wonderful to spend time with family, enjoying each other's company and simply soaking up all of the blessings that the Lord pours upon us all so generously.
May you all experience the joy of God's blessings today... confetti and all!

game 3

2009-04-04T15:04:00.001-05:00

The Wildcats were ready for their game on Saturday. (Especially since they had just had their make-up game this past Thursday!) Beckham and his friend, Jack, stood with Matt watching the game that had to end before their game could begin. (I think Matt was trying to use this opportunity as a "teachable" moment to review some game-play strategy!)
The "coach" received some hugs after a "pep talk" before the game.
Beckham was on a roll today. He scored five goals and loved every minute of it!!! (Must have been that "pep talk.")
Once again, the players enjoyed congratulating each other after the game. (I think at this age good sportsmanship still comes easy!)Beckham's number one fan, JT, wasn't able to make it to the game today. However, Beckham was thrilled to see that someone else had come to cheer him on. Uncle Chris definitely gave Beckham a sweet surprise! (Along with Aunt Amy and baby Dane too!)

Brenner was pretty excited to have a buddy at the game too. Uncle Chris kicked the ball with him, and he had SO much fun. I think he is ready to sign up!

Thanks for supporting the Wildcats guys! We can't wait until we're cheering Dane on!

make-up game

2009-04-03T14:38:00.001-05:00

Game 2 of our soccer season was canceled due to weather this past Saturday. (It was actually somewhat of a blessing, because not only would it have been freezing, but our game was scheduled to begin at 8:30 AM. That would have been pretty early for a soccer game!)

Since we had no game on Saturday, it was rescheduled for Thursday, which is the day we usually have practice. The weather wasn't much better either. The wind was ridiculous! Also, since the game was on a weekday, a few of our teammates couldn't make it. The other team had only a few players too, so the coaches and referee decided we would only play a "half-game." They had no complaints from anyone!!!

Before the game started, Beckham (#7) seemed to be checking out their competition. Too funny!Matt gathered up his first three players who were willing to play and tried to get them ready for the game. Beckham was looking a little tired. (After all, it was a school day for him!)Once he got warmed up, however, he had a great time. He loves kicking the ball all the way down the field! You can see the big grin spread across his face.The game was short and sweet. The Wildcats did a great job and offered handshakes and high-fives once again to their opposing team.Beckham then headed over to high-five his number one fan, JT. Beckham loves to have a cheering section!The Wildcats will play again Saturday. Hope they are rested and ready to go! (And lets hope the winds die down a little!)

doting on dane

2009-03-29T21:40:00.002-05:00

dote- (verb)
to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually.

My little b's have spent the last few weeks doting on Dane any chance they get. Berkley and Beckham have especially enjoyed caring for their new little cousin. As soon as they get a peek at him, their face brightens with a big smile.

You can see the joy that this little blessing brings them, and it is so awesome to watch.

They have spent some time sharing stories with Dane.And he always seems very interested to hear them!

The boys have seemed to share a few secrets with each other. (Who knows the plans they might be making!)Berkley has shared a few laughs with Dane.

And, of course, Dane has been showered with kisses!!!

Brenner has slowly become somewhat interested in Dane. (A big improvement from their first meeting!)

Basically, Berkley & Beckham could stare at Dane all day long! It is absolutely precious!

Simply mesmerized by everything he does... even when he is sleeping.

The joy seems to be never ending. And finally, my baby b decided to experience this joy too. After watching Berkley and Beckham hold Dane SO many times, he wanted a turn.He watched baby Dane closely and it brought a smile to his face too. He was now experiencing the joy of this tiny miracle.Something tells me these two guys are going to be big buds soon! There is something so joyful about a new baby. I think, for me, it is the fact of what an awesome miracle a baby is in the first place. To begin to realize that this precious life is here by no accident. Our Creator made him perfectly in His image and planned the precise time that Dane would bless us on this earth. I am completely blessed to be a part of his life and look forward to all of the memories that my little b's and I will get to make with him. I LOVE being an Aunt!

v is for victory

2009-03-21T13:17:00.003-05:00

Saturday was Beckham's first soccer game. He was so excited, along with many of his teammates. Before the game, Matt tried to get the kids to practice a little. They were all smiles and couldn't hold in their excitement.

Before the game began, Matt huddled up as many of the players that he could, and tried to remind each of them on what they would be doing. (Trying to kick the ball in the direction of our team's goal!)The direction in which to kick was very important during the game. It turns out that 3-year-olds need to be reminded about that quite often. (Especially when they have so many crazy fans on the sidelines yelling their names, screaming "Go! Go! Go!")Matt did a great job of trying to direct them and keep them as "focused" as they could be.Once Beckham knew what direction to kick the ball, he was off! He kicked the ball all the way down the field.

And he even SCORED!!! That was something for he and the coach to celebrate for sure!It turned out that once Beckham got started, he didn't want to quit. He took the ball down to the goal a few more times. And he even scored a few more goals too.
He always raced back to daddy to give him a high five.

Our first game was a big success. Most of the kids had a good time and only a few refused to go on the field at all. They were all great sports, though, and were full of high fives and hand shakes for the opposing team when the game was over.
Beckham was on cloud nine after the game and had fun celebrating with his buddy, Luke.Since our team is so young, the YMCA doesn't declare a "winner" in this division. (However, all of the parents are secretly keeping score.) We owe our first victory to our great "coach." And of course, I'm very partial to number 7 too. I am so proud of them! (And I think they were pretty proud of themselves too!)

Lets hope we keep this excitement going to last us through the whole season. Go Wildcats!!!

zoo x 2

2009-03-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

During our Spring Break there were only a couple of days that we had nice weather. We decided to take advantage of the pretty weather, along with a few of our friends, and headed to the zoo.

Beckham immediately stole a seat in the wagon with his friend, Trinity, when it was offered to him. They had lots of fun riding together.

Our first stop were the flamingos, which are always a big hit with my kids. Berkley & Beckham watched them intently and even gave them a few snacks.
Brenner and his sweetheart, Ainsley, were interested in these flamingos too. I think Brenner was trying to show off for Ainsley with an impression of his "flamingo stance." Ainsley wasn't going to be shown up though. She quickly showed Brenner that she could stand like a flamingo too. (I think she has it down a little better!)

Of course the giraffes are always popular. The kids have so much fun feeding them and watching their slimy, purple tongues slurp up their tasty treats!

Berkley liked to keep her distance just a little. She is never too sure about those big, slimy purple things!

We finished our trip indoors visiting the "creepy crawler" exhibit... never a favorite of mine. I realize the snakes are behind the glass, but it is just a little too close for me. All of the kids seemed to enjoy it, however. They really liked "searching" for the creatures who seemed to be hiding from their visitors.

The next week when Berkley was back in school, her class took a field trip to the zoo... so for Berkley it was the "zoo times two" since she had just been there! She still had a great time though. She really enjoyed being with all of her friends.

Here is her class with their sweet teacher, Mrs. Diller.
And this trip, Berkley got to give it her best at being a flamingo. Not bad!

We are so grateful for our Abilene Zoo. I know it doesn't compare to much, but it is the perfect size for an exciting excursion! (And honestly, the kids don't know any better!)

baby dane is here

2009-03-10T16:40:00.002-05:00

Dane Christopher Smith arrived last night at 7:39 PM after we awaited his arrival ALL DAY! He weighed in at 7lbs 4oz and was 20 inches long. He is absolutely perfect.Amy had a long day, but she pulled through it like a champ. And at the end of the day, Chris and Amy's gift from God was snuggled in her arms. The kids and I had been up at the hospital a couple of different times yesterday. We stopped by that morning to say hi and hang out for a while, hoping something might happen while we were there. When lunchtime hit, we decided to go home to get some food and rest. Marmie and JT assured us that they would call if anything began to happen. Once the kids were up from their nap, even though we hadn't received a call, we headed back up to the hospital. I couldn't stand the thought of missing any of the excitement. (Obviously I wasn't remembering how long this process can sometimes take, and that there usually is quite a bit of time from when the baby is born before visitors can actually meet the tiny miracle!)

The kids had fun playing in the waiting room. We also passed the time with a tasty snack in the cafeteria. Daddy finally showed up too. Brenner finally begin to grow tired of the hospital, however; and he needed dinner, a bath, and a bed! Matt graciously volunteered to take Brenner home and let Berkley, Beckham and I stay awaiting Dane's arrival. FINALLY, Marmie got a text from Chris around 7:45 announcing Dane was here! Of course, then we had to wait a while before we actually got to go meet the new little man. The kids and I were growing quite tired of the waiting room, we were all getting really hungry, and bedtime had already approached... but we had to see Dane before we left. By the time we got a glimpse of baby Dane, it was around 8:30. We just got to run in Amy's room really quick and get a quick "peek" of Dane, but none of us got to snuggle with him.

The next morning we were all excited to head back to the hospital to spend some time with Dane. Berkley got to hold Dane first. She really enjoyed meeting her new little cousin.She was definitely very proud of Dane, and she really enjoyed being the first cousin that he got to meet!Berkley gave Dane her approval!
Unfortunately, Brenner didn't quite share Berkley's enthusiasm about this tiny intruder. Brenner definitely plays the role of the "baby" really well. I think he is feeling a little threatened by baby Dane.

Beckham had no problems meeting his cousin. He was really interested in him.He really seemed to enjoy checking him out and getting to know him a little. Dane seemed pretty interested in Beckham too. (I'm sure they were making big plans together!)
We are so blessed to live in the same town as family. Berkley and Beckham both are so excited to have a cousin in Abilene! They've been waiting for Dane to arrive for a long time, and it is evident that they are glad he is here.

On a side note, Beckham now wants to be a "nursery" when he grows up. Beckham was fascinated with all of the nurses he saw at the hospital yesterday while we spent so much time waiting. Once we got to see Amy and baby Dane, he was really intrigued with the nurse that came in to check on them both. The nurse immediately got his attention, because she was wearing gloves. As soon as Beckham commented on them, the nurse asked if he wanted a pair. His eyes lit up as he shook his head. When the nurse returned with a pair for both Berkley and Beckham, she also brought her stethoscope so Beckham could get a closer look at what had been hanging around her neck. She showed Beckham how it worked and let him listen to his heartbeat. He was amazed! He had found another passion in life. He wanted to be a "nursery."

Needless to say, the next day when we returned to the hospital for our first true visit with Dane, it was no surprise to me that Beckham needed to bring along his own "patient" and his doctor kit. Of course, when we asked if he just wanted to be a doctor, he quickly responded, "No, just a nursery!"

bend it like beckham

2009-03-05T20:42:00.003-06:00

Tonight was Beckham's first soccer practice. He has been SO excited about getting to play soccer this Spring. He has watched Berkley get to go to ballet lessons each week and has seen her in her recitals, and I think he was ready for his turn to do something special. (Mommy & Daddy are happy too, now that Beckham has other interests and is excited to dress up as a football player, cowboy, pirate, golfer and now soccer player instead of a ballerina!!!)

This past Saturday we spent the morning searching for soccer cleats, shin guards, soccer socks and shorts. We thought this would be a one-stop trip, but we were very wrong. It turns out most people must buy their soccer gear a little earlier than the weekend before soccer season begins!!! Everything was so picked over, and it was especially hard to find Beckham's size in anything. However, after many trips around town, we finally found everything we needed for our little soccer star. He has put his cleats and shin guards on with his shorts every day since we got them. Tonight he was especially excited to put them on, because he knew it was for the real deal. The day of his first soccer practice had arrived, and he was ready!

His team is pretty much made up of a bunch of his friends. One of our good friends from our Life Group at church got the team organized and invited all of the kids in our group to participate. The team is organized through the YMCA and you have to be 3 years old to play. Beckham was really glad that he was finally old enough to play something.

I wasn't sure what to expect for the first soccer practice... especially with eight 3-year-olds!!! Matt helped out, along with a couple of the other dads, and they amazingly got the kids to do a few drills! Beckham did a good job following directions and listening. He took it serious for the most part. He did a great job waiting his turn in line to practice kicking the ball into the goal.He was quick to get in his spot while the coaches tried to get the team in a circle for a drill.
He also did a great job working with his "buddy" Luke. They have so much fun together!I did notice, however, that he had some "issues" of some kind going on with his soccer shorts.
We might have to get this under control before the first soccer game!
Beckham had an absolute blast at soccer practice. He had so much fun playing soccer and being with his friends. When practice was over, he wasn't ready for it to end. He and his sweet friend, Trinity, practiced together more with Matt. They were pretty proud of themselves!
I'm not sure what Beckham's first game will be like, but I am pretty sure that he is going to LOVE that too. It was so fun watching Beckham tonight. Every time I looked at him, it was evident how much fun he was having. I'm not sure if he will have all the moves or skills that David Beckham has, but I am positive that he thinks he does!!! And really, in the end, I guess that is all that matters.
Here is to an exciting soccer season ahead of us!

repaying a favor

2009-02-27T15:47:00.004-06:00

While we were in Colorado our sweet neighbors, William and Ella, took care of Maddie. They came over twice a day to feed her, let her outside, and love on her a little so she didn't feel so lonely. Once we were back from our trip, we knew we needed to treat our special helpers to something fun. (And give their mommy a little break too since she was truly the one that did all the work!) Berkley and Beckham decided that we could take them for ice cream. We loaded up in our "bus" (how Berkley refers to our Expedition) and headed to Coldstone. Unfortunately, when we arrived there was a sign on the door that said they were closed for remodeling. Bummer! Not to worry... we had a back-up plan. We headed across the street to Chick-fil-a. This way the kids got to have some fun on the playground and have ice cream too. It was a win-win situation.

When we got there, the kids decided that they wanted to play some first before eating ice cream. They all had SO much fun together. They hit the slide first, coming down one right after the other.
Then the boys paired up and came down together. Beckham always has a BLAST with William!
Soon the kids started racing each other, seeing who could make it down the slide the fastest.
Then they decided to play a little "hide-n-seek" and sent each other "searching" for them one by one. Ella was the first one to be "it."
Brenner quickly realized how much fun the other kids seemed to be having on this slide, and he wanted in on the fun too.He tried his best to climb up the slide, but he never made it very far.Berkley, being the wonderful big sister that she is, noticed Brenner having trouble and came to the rescue. She showed him where he needed to climb up to get to the slide. He got a little side-tracked on the way up, but he was having so much fun. He LOVED playing with the big kids.

He finally made it to the top and Berkley helped him right back down to the bottom!

After a while of playing hard, everyone decided it was time for ice cream. We all got a cone (except for Brenner... he shared with mommy) and enjoyed our treat together. I had a great time hanging out with them and listening to all of the funny things they were talking about. William and Ella are such sweet kids, and we had a great time with them. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful neighbors. Thanks William and Ella for taking care of Maddie. We truly appreciate your help.

road trip... a journey to colorado in the car

2009-02-24T13:00:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago Matt, Berkley, Beckham and I headed to Colorado for a road trip. (We decided to leave Brenner with Marmie & JT; knowing that Berkley, Beckham, and I would be enough of a struggle to keep happy in the car for twelve hours!!!) Matt's cousin, Kimberly was getting married in Keystone. She had invited both Matt and Berkley to be in the wedding. We were honored by the invitation and knew that we had to find a way to make it to Colorado. At first we discussed turning it into a family vacation, where we could have a few extra days before or after the wedding to "experience" the adventures of the mountains with the kids. (For example... skiing, tubing, snowboarding, etc.) Unfortunately since Matt is working so hard right now and is only in his second month as a State Farm agent, we knew it was not possible for him to be out of the office that long. We knew that it was going to be a LONG trip for such a SHORT time, but we also realized that it would be worth it. So... we packed up our stuff; loaded up the car with movies, books, crafts, snacks, etc.; and hit the road!

We left at about 10:45 AM with a long road ahead of us, but our spirits were good and we were all excited. Besides, we had brought along lots of things to keep us entertained! We immediately put in a movie, hoping to buy us some time so we could stop for a late lunch. Beckham was thrilled to watch one of the new movies he and Berkley had picked out for the trip. Besides, he wasn't feeling his best either, so just sitting and watching movies truly was fine for him. I had taken him to the doctor a couple of days before we left for his cough, so we had lots of medicine to help him along the way! Even though he had a slight fever, he was definitely excited to be headed to the mountains full of snow!

Berkley was excited to watch some of the new movies we got for the trip too, but she did get bored after a while. Good thing she enjoys art! She stayed busy for a long time coloring pictures. It was also a good thing that she had packed her purse with such thought. As soon as the sun began shining in her eyes, she simply whipped out her sunglasses and she was good to go!!!

Berkley even shared with Beckham when he needed some shades. We made a quick pit stop in Plainview only for a potty break and to drive through the golden arches. We ate a late lunch in the car. With full bellies and the constant sound of the truck on the highway, naps were definitely in order.

This guy really needed some good sleep, and for the most part he got it. Berkley and Beckham both slept a couple of hours.

They woke up rested and somewhat regenerated. We played several rounds of "I Spy" in the car to try to pass the time. For the most part our spirits were still good.
Matt kept on trucking without any complaints. (I wasn't behind the wheel for a single second on our trip!)
We drove through what seemed like days of flat lands all around us. It was exciting when Matt pointed out the "baby mountains" up in the distance. Knowing we were still no where close to our final destination, the sight still seemed to give me a glimpse of hope.
The kids truly were incredible on the trip. We pushed on into Pueblo, New Mexico for a late dinner. (The only stop we had between lunch and dinner was a very quick pit stop on the side of the road for Beckham.) Seriously, Berkley and Beckham couldn't have been better. However, by this time they were growing pretty tired of their car seats. I didn't blame them one bit, because I was tired of my seat too. We decided we needed to stop for a nice, long dinner to give ourselves a break. Beckham wasn't feeling very good by this point, and he really hadn't eaten much all day, so we asked him what he wanted to eat. His answer was not surprising at all. He wanted pizza. We spotted a Carino's and decided that it would be perfect. (Especially since Berkley would be delighted to have salad and bread!)

It was really nice to be out of the car for a little while. We all agreed about that!

By the time we finished with dinner, it was already way past the kid's normal bedtime. We put them in their jammies, got them situated with their pillows and blankets, and wished them good night. They were both able to sleep the rest of the way to Keystone.

We arrived in Keystone around 12:00 AM. We got checked in, unloaded, and all went straight to sleep. As excited as the kids were to be in Colorado and see the snow and mountains, they were even more tired and were able to go right to sleep once we all got settled.

We woke up the next morning to snow falling. This was the view from our balcony. It was breathtaking.The kids were in absolute amazement. They truly couldn't believe how mighty the mountains were and all of the snow that surrounded us. Matt was just about as excited to be in the mountains as the kids were. I truly wish that I could have the same enthusiasm as he does for the snow and mountains, and even for the skiing. It is beautiful. The problem is I want to enjoy the beauty by a fire sipping on some hot chocolate, not flying down a mountain feeling helpless. There is no rush that I get from that except a rush of pure fear!!! Fortunately for me we would have no time to hit the slopes this trip, but Matt assured me that we would be back sooner than later.
After seeing the excitement on the kid's faces, I definitely think Matt is right. And that is fine. I know they need to experience things like that. But at that moment, I was just grateful that we had reached our destination and were ready to have some fun. We were in Keystone.
And skiing or not this trip, my Bs were still excited; which made the trip worth it all.

tubing, tumbling & a terrific treat

2009-02-24T12:00:00.000-06:00

While we were in Colorado we knew we had to find time to do something fun with the kids. (Especially since our time was limited!) Friday morning after exploring our resort a little and grabbing some breakfast, we checked in with Uncle Wess, McKay and Owen. Uncle Wess had been given the job of occupying himself and his boys so that they were out of every one's way as the other family members scrambled to finish last minute wedding details! We knew Wess would be up for an adventure of any kind and would probably even have some ideas for us all. After talking with him, we decided on participating in some good old-fashioned tubing. Berkley and Beckham were so excited just to get to do something in the snow, they were ready for anything!

We met Wess and the boys at the tubing hill, and the kids wanted to get started right away. Wess had already gotten tubes for his boys, so while Matt went to get tubes for Berkley and Beckham they hopped in with McKay and Owen. They were ready for immediate action.

Matt returned very soon with two more tubes, so everyone now had their own. Berkley, McKay, Owen and Beckham all lined up and ready to go... with the help of Matt and Wess.
The kids quickly learned that once they made it down the hill, they also had to make it back up... with their tube! Berkley was a trooper at first and carried her tube up the hill along with Beckham riding in his tube!
However, this didn't last long. Daddy was soon recruited to help them back up the hill. (This really is much harder than it looks!) The kids would make their way back up the hill each time growing a little more tired and moving just a little bit slower.

But their spirits were lifted once they made it back to the top!

Beckham hung in there too, despite not feeling his best! And of course, once they made it to the top they knew it was downhill once again!
And that alone made it worth all of the work to climb back up!!!
The old-fashioned tubing turned out to be great. Berkley and Beckham had so much fun, which in turn made the adventure worth while for Matt and I as well.

Even though our time with the tubes was up, the kids weren't finished! They really wanted to have some time to just play in the snow. It was really fun to watch them, realizing how magical the snow was to them. I think they could have played in the snow for hours.

The snow was pretty deep too. Berkley kept getting stuck and losing her boots in the snow. (Probably since she was wearing rain boots instead of snow boots... we had to make due with what we had!) Owen came to her rescue!
Although Matt and I probably used poor parental judgement allowing Beckham to play in the snow while he was fighting off a pretty nasty cold, we decided it was worth it. Beckham had a blast in the snow.

He would march around in the snow and then just fall down, rolling around and laughing the whole time.

And naturally, no one can play in the snow without making snow angels.

After a lot of fun tumbling in the snow, we convinced the kids it was time to go. It was lunchtime, and luckily the kids were hungry enough to decide that eating was a pretty good idea! We found a pizza place at our resort and knew this would be a big hit for everyone... And it was except for Beckham. By this time Beckham was really worn out. His fever was slowly coming back too. (Thanks to the wise decision his parents made to let him be out in the cold and snow for several hours!!!) He actually passed out in my arms before our pizza ever arrived. But he did a great job of hanging in there and not complaining a bit, which shows how much fun he must have had despite feeling so lousy.
After lunch, we all headed back to our rooms for a nap. That night we would all be going to the rehearsal dinner, and we knew we needed to be rested for a night full of fun!

winter wedding

2009-02-24T11:00:00.001-06:00

The main reason, of course, that we were in Colorado was for Kimmie's wedding. Kimberly is Matt's cousin, but is more like a sister to him. Matt and Berkley were both invited to be in the wedding, and Berkley could not have been more excited. She absolutely loved being the flower girl in my sister's wedding, and she was looking forward to having that chance again. She is not stupid. She realized that she was going to have the opportunity to be pampered a little. Kimmie has always told Berkley that she is her "little twin" since they both have blond hair and blue eyes. She told Berkley that she wanted her to look just like she did for her wedding. Therefore, Berkley had her hair fixed just like Kimberly. She also got to have her "make-up" done, which she really enjoyed! (She also got to get a manicure and pedicure in Abilene before we left for Colorado thanks to Marmie! She treated Berkley and I to an afternoon at the nail salon, while she stayed at home with the boys. We had so much fun!) Needless to say, Berkley was on cloud nine and was feeling like a princess. I think she looked like one too. Her daddy looked pretty nice himself! Here is my darling duo: Kimberly decided that she was going to wear her cowboy boots with her wedding dress, and she wanted her bridesmaids to do the same. So, since Berkley was Kimmie's "little twin" she got to wear her boots too. However, Berkley had recently outgrown her cowboy boots that JT had given her. Not to worry though... JT came to the rescue and took Berkley to the boot store to pick out some new ones. She took her decision very seriously, and she simply wasn't satisfied with the selection at the first store. JT took her to another store, and Berkley found the perfect pair of boots. (They did look really cute on her! Thanks JT!)All smiles and ready to go...Of course, we must not forget a last minute touch-up! Berkley paid very close attention to the other girls, and she listened intently to each instruction.

The wedding was beautiful. It was held at the Keystone Ranch. The room Kimberly and Matt (yes, her husband's name is Matt too) got married in had a huge window overlooking the mountains blanketed with snow. It was gorgeous. The room was somewhat small, however, so it was standing room only. Thankfully the ceremony was short and sweet. Once the wedding was over, we were directed to another room where our tables were set up for dinner. Beckham and I found our table and waited patiently for Matt and Berkley. Beckham had not been feeling well on part of our trip and had even been running a high fever, but not tonight... he was full of energy and ready to celebrate!Luckily he found the place cards to be very entertaining!

He inspected them for quite a while, which kept him busy.

Matt showed up before too long and told me I had to go check on Berkley. The wedding party had been instructed to wait in the bar area while some last minute pictures were being taken. I walked in to find this...

How old is she again?!? She was having the time of her life with her cousin, McKay! (McKay's mother, Corri, is Kimberly's sister... Matt's cousin. He and his brother, Owen, were the ring bearers. Berkley and McKay have known each other since they were born and were really close when they were little, because Corri and her husband lived in Abilene for a short time.) Every time they see each other, they seem to begin right were they left off. They are great friends and love each other so much! It is pretty evident!

They really cracked me up. They both looked and acted like little adults... scary! They were almost a mini version of the bride and groom. Actually, by the end of the night Berkley and McKay were joking that they were going to marry each other!!! Uh no... you guys are cousins. (But I do have to admit, they are pretty cute together. Ha!)

Since we have been speaking of family... here is the other sister from the bride's family, Kelsey. She is the baby girl of the family and very special to Matt. She is so beautiful inside and out. Our kids adore her!

And of course we have to have a picture with the bride, Kimberly. Unfortunately I only got one, but it turned out pretty good. Kimberly looked absolutely beautiful, and her "twin" was right beside her looking pretty cute herself!

While I was on a roll taking family photos, I decided to get a few of my little Bs.
After several shots, Beckham let me know that our photo session was finished! What is that face?
I quickly realized that they were both ready to get on the dance floor and bust some moves!!! Berkley danced a short time with McKay, but his little brother Owen cut in quick.

Berkley didn't seem to mind though. She had a lot of fun "teaching" Owen how to dance.

By the end of the night they actually looked pretty good dancing together!Beckham hit the dance floor with enthusiasm and had no plans of dancing with anyone else. He even said no to an offer from the beautiful bride! He wanted to dance solo.

He got warmed up quickly, and soon he was all over the floor. He flashed his smile everywhere he went.

He moved and moved fast! He was seriously all over the place, and nothing was slowing him down. In fact, after falling down a few times, he simply incorporated the "falls" into his dancing. I have actually never seen "floor dancing" at a wedding before, but Beckham seemed to pull it off.
The wedding was absolutely perfect. Matt and I had a wonderful time celebrating with family. Berkley and Beckham had the time of their life. We had to drag them away from the dance floor at the end of the night. We are really glad we made the road trip to Colorado and were able to celebrate with Kimberly and Matt.

"are we there yet?"... the long road home

2009-02-24T10:00:00.000-06:00

After driving ALL day on Thursday, participating in some snow adventures and a rehearsal on Friday, and throwing in a little shopping and a lot of wedding festivities on Saturday... Sunday had arrived and it was already time to make the long journey home. It is funny how much more excited you usually are about packing up and loading into a car for twelve hours when the adventure is upon you and somewhat unknown. However, when the adventure is over and you have already experienced the twelve hour drive once and have come to realize how long that actually is to be stuck in the car... the excitement just seems to fade and dread sets in strong.

Sunday morning we woke up, got packed, ate breakfast in our room with Mimi and Aunt Darlene (affectionately know by her grandchildren as "Mo") and loaded the car. The kids were not ready to be leaving Colorado so soon, and they definitely were not excited to be leaving behind the snow or McKay and Owen. (Who were getting to stay a few extra days!) However, there was a blessing in the midst of everything... Beckham was feeling much better! It is always so nice to see your child smile again, and Beckham woke up bright and early Sunday morning back to his happy little self!

As we began our long journey, we were surrounded with such magnificent beauty. A beauty that you cannot look at without realizing how amazing and miraculous our God truly is. It was so peaceful to just sit back and relish in His awesome creation. I began to understand what it is about the mountains that Matt loves so much. Unfortunately, the supernatural peace I felt didn't last me the whole trip. The trip back home just seemed SO MUCH LONGER. To my surprise, the kids did remarkably well. And when they began to struggle a little, we made a pit stop. We threw in a couple more on the way home simply because they were needed to lift out spirits. (Especially our pit stop at DQ Country for our blizzards! Ice cream tends to make everything better!) I think I truly was the one with the worst attitude, but I tried to keep it to myself.

For whatever reason, I have very few pictures of our trip home. (Maybe because I didn't want to document how painful I thought it was.) We did witness a few things along the way that caught my attention for one reason or another. Not long after we had begun our journey home, I spotted cars out in the middle of a small lake. Seriously...cars parked on the water? What? Okay, so the water was frozen... but how frozen was it? Was this really safe? Matt pointed out to me that they were all ice fishing. Wow! That is something you don't see everyday living in Texas!!! Needless to say, Beckham was as amazed as me!Later in the trip, Matt spotted several clouds of smoke. They grew larger and larger the closer we got to them. We were convinced that we were going to come upon a huge fire. We watched intently and with much anticipation. We were severely wrong. We soon spotted a plant of some kind with all kinds of smokestacks letting off these huge clouds of smoke. It did keep us entertained for quite some time though, which was a bonus indeed!

With only a few hours left in our journey home, we made one final pit stop. As we were filling up with gas, I spotted something that completely intrigued me. It was an eighteen wheeler with quite a message.
"Jesus Christ is Lord... not a swear word!" Wow! You don't see that everyday either. What a way to spread such a powerful message. Amen! That seemed to energize me a little, and helped me gear up for the last few hours of our journey.

Overall our trip to Colorado was awesome. However, we quickly realized that twenty-four hours in a car is a long way to drive for only forty-eight hours to spend somewhere! We might rethink that next time!!!

winter swimming

2009-02-02T21:14:00.002-06:00

This past Saturday we decided we needed a little family fun! The kids really look forward to the weekends right now, because they get to spend some quality time with daddy. (He has been working really hard during the week and usually doesn't make it home until the kids are in bed.) Berkley has been wanting to go swimming pretty much every minute since we have been back from our vacation to San Diego. (We went with all of my family in October and had a blast!) Berkley finally swam on her own with complete confidence while we were there, so she has been wanting to practice more. However, the water is usually pretty chilly in January!!!

Good thing we heard about the indoor pool that has reopened at Fairway. What a perfect way for the kids to get a chance to work on some of their swimming skills before the Summer season arrives. When I asked the kids what they might want to do on Saturday, Berkley immediately suggested swimming and Beckham agreed with excitement. Although Matt and I honestly shared very little of their enthusiasm, we decided we would be good sports. We headed to the pool late that afternoon after everyone's naps. When we got there we were pleasantly surprised. We had the pool all to ourselves... along with our personal lifeguard, who looked super excited to be there!!! (And probably even more excited when she saw our family of five arrive!)

The minute we were inside, the kids were ready to jump in. Even Brenner was excited to see the water. Matt and I sucked it up and jumped in. It actually felt pretty good. The water wasn't super warm, but definitely warm enough. The kids thought it was absolutely perfect.
I truly think that Berkley had the most fun. She was all smiles while we were there.She jumped off the side over and over again swimming all the way across the pool to Matt. She did a great job, and it was fun to see how proud she was of her accomplishment. It actually brought back a lot of memories to me. I had one of my birthday parties at this exact indoor pool. I think it might have been my 7th birthday party. It is crazy to now be in the same pool watching my five year old jump into the water with the same excitement I had when I was little.
Beckham had a great time too. He also jumped off the side over and over again. He does an impressive belly flop, but I didn't get a picture!Brenner was even happy in the water. He jumped off the side a few times too. Well...maybe more like leaned into the water from a sitting position, but still pretty impressive for such a little guy.

We had a great time together. Getting out wasn't very fun, however. As warm as the water had been, once we hit the dressing rooms it was like an arctic blast. I've never dressed my kids so fast. We were all happy to get back in our warm car and head home. I'm sure that will be an adventure that we get to explore more and more as we wait for Summer to arrive.

one serious photo session

2009-01-24T17:47:00.009-06:00

Our family was recently invited to be a part of a special surprise tribute honoring Dr. Tadvick, my OB/GYN who delivered all three of my little Bs. I accepted the invitation without hesitation. Dr. Tadvick has been such a blessing to my family, I am honored to get a chance to bring blessing to him. Part of the assignment for each family was to write a letter to Dr. Tadvick expressing our gratitude towards him. We were also assigned a time for our children to get their picture taken by a local photographer helping out with this project. All of the letters collected from each of the families participating, along with all of the pictures taken of the children, will be compiled into a book that will be presented to Dr. Tadvick in few weeks. (This is a big surprise, so those of you who are patients of his... don't spill the beans!)

Our scheduled photo session was last Saturday afternoon. We met the photographer at Jacob's Ladder on the ACU campus. (A very impressive sight by the way if you have not seen it.) It was an absolutely beautiful day. The sun was shining. It wasn't too cold. And the kids were all in terrific moods. The scenario couldn't have been better for a photo session... especially since this one was supposed to be pretty quick. After all, the photographer only needed one good picture of the kids. That wouldn't be too hard. Right?

We sat the kids down and got them ready for the picture. They were all smiles... that is until Brenner spotted the photographer. Immediately his smile turned to a face of concern. He began inspecting the situation he had been put in, studying this strange lady smiling at him.

Berkley and Beckham continued flashing their big smiles, while Brenner's face became more intense with each picture taken.

Matt and I were jumping up and down, playing peek-a-boo behind the photographer, making funny faces... nothing. Brenner would not crack a smile. He was so serious. I began to wonder what was going on inside that little mind of his.

Once the photographer realized we weren't going to get a smile out of Brenner, she moved on to individual shots. Berkley got to go first and loved every minute of it!

Beckham did a great job too. He actually kind of seemed to enjoy it.

Brenner's turn didn't go so well.

So... Matt tried his best to get him smiling again, instead of crying. He succeeded.

He even got him laughing!!!

Now we just had to keep him happy while the photographer captured it! However, he just didn't want anything to do with this poor photographer. This was the closest we got to a smiling picture of Brenner... in his daddy's arms!

We finished the photo session agreeing with the photographer that we did our best. She looked at a few pictures she had taken and felt that she could find one that would work. After finishing with her, I had a bright idea that I needed to have my own photo shoot with the kids. After all, they were all dressed nicely, the day was beautiful, and they were still in fairly good moods. I figured Brenner might be more willing to smile too since the strange woman had disappeared. I figured wrong.
The smiles finally came, however... once he was FREE!!!In the end, I think this picture pretty much sums up our photo session.
"FAIL NOT!" Our little man's stubbornness prevailed. He wasn't going to let a smile out for anything. Especially not for the strange lady with the camera in his face.

We are planning to take some more family pictures in a couple of weeks with another photographer. I'm really looking forward to that now! :)

blue skies mend a broken heart

2009-01-22T10:00:00.007-06:00

five year old girls. drama. hurt feelings. I knew Berkley would soon be a part of all of this, and yesterday she was. The past month Berkley and her friends at school have gotten very busy loading up their social calendars. It seems that during their day at school all of the girls will make a plan as to where they will be playing and who they will be playing with after school. Then at the end of the day when all of the mommies come to pick them up, we are swarmed with pleas begging to go play here or have this friend come play at our house. It has actually gotten really exhausting. I have been working on explaining to Berkley that she cannot have a playdate EVERY day. Although she has still not completely grasped that concept, simply not understanding why I wouldn't want her to be able to play with her friends ALL the time; she has gotten better at trying to discuss her desired social calendar with me ahead of time. We have decided that it is much better to plan playdates and discuss them with the mommies, before anything is decided for sure. Yesterday, however, Berkley did not make it into her friend's "plans."

I arrived at school just a minute or two late. Berkley was waiting by the flagpole with her teacher and a few other classmates, but all of her girlfriends were already gone. As soon as she saw me, she ran towards me and flew her arms around me. I didn't think anything of it, because most days she runs up to me and gives me a big hug to greet me. (Which I absolutely LOVE. I have heard she might not do this when I pick her up from middle school!!!) The big hug, however, grew tighter and tighter. When I looked down to ask her how her day was... I didn't have to ask. I realized she was sobbing. I scooped her up and carried her to the car as her cry grew louder and louder. I noticed two of her friends loading up in a car together and I immediately knew what had happened. Today Berkley was the friend that was left out.

I had seen this scenario play out just a week ago. Berkley was invited to play with her friend, Kaitlyn. I helped her load up into Kaitlyn's car to send her on her way. As I walked back to my car I noticed another one of their friends still waiting by the flagpole for her mommy. She had been left out of the plans that day, and she was crying with all of her might. I quickly realized what had happened and knew that I needed to talk to Berkley about this. Unfortunately, by the time I saw Berkley again I had completely forgotten about the sad scenario I had witnessed.

Now it was Berkley's turn to be the friend that wasn't invited. She was the one who had an empty social calendar for the day. She was now on the yucky side of all of this girl drama and her feelings were hurt. Her little heart was broken.

As I loaded her into the car, I began trying to explain what had happened. I assured her that her friends were not leaving her out on purpose. I took this opportunity to tell her the story of what happened to her sweet friend last week who was the one left out. I told her that this was something that was going to happen sometimes. I broke the news to her that it would happen again and that her feelings would be hurt many times. That was part of having so many great friends. Everyone wants to play together and fill their little social calendars, but sometimes friends get left out. I reminded her again why it was so much better to make plans ahead of time. This way she and her friends could look forward to their upcoming playdates. Although I thought this "pep talk" sounded good, nothing changed the fact that in this moment my little girl's heart was still broken and it needed mending.

As I drove home looking at her sad face in the rear view mirror, my heart broke as well. I know as a parent you cannot always protect your children, but it is so hard to see them upset. I began to feel the warmth of the sun shining upon me in the car. I realized what a beautiful day it was outside, and I quickly decided that we needed to enjoy it. After all, blue skies and bright sunshine can brighten any one's day... right?!? So, we went home to change our clothes and headed off to the playground to enjoy the beautiful day.

In no time at all the kids found the swings. Soon Berkley was swinging through the air, her hair blowing in the breeze. She was laughing as she swung higher and higher. It was nice to see her beautiful, big smile once again.

Beckham had a great time on the swings as well. He loves to swing high. In fact, when I wasn't pushing him fast enough he would tell me, "Mommy, I'm losing my air!"Brenner enjoyed swinging the most. As soon as you sit him in a swing he starts smiling.Berkley took a break from swinging and pushed Brenner for a while. He absolutely loved it!In fact, he laughed the whole time Berkley was pushing him!Once we finished swinging, we headed to the slide. Brenner had so much fun sliding down with his big sister and big brother. He was feeling really big! (And so was Berkley, since she was such a helper!)We did a little exploring on the playground. Berkley stopped for a photo opportunity.Beckham had to have a turn as well.Brenner seemed to really enjoy his freedom to explore too. He is getting so big, and he knows it!After almost an hour at the playground, I decided it was probably time to go. It was such a beautiful day though, I hated for our fun to end. I quickly remembered how Matt and I have always agreed since the time we got married that "ice cream makes everything better!" So, I suggested we head to Coldstone for a yummy treat. The blue skies had already seemed to mend Berkley's little broken heart, but having a little ice cream could only make things even better! We all picked mint ice cream with oreos. That will bring a smile to any one's face! Berkley took this picture of Brenner and I sharing our ice cream. Brenner was too busy devouring our bowl to stop and smile for the camera!! (Berkley took a picture of Beckham too, but it didn't turn out. Trust me... he was all smiles!)

When we got home Berkley said, "That was SO much funner than going to a friend's house!" My heart melted, because I agreed with her. It was so much "funner" than anything else I could have been doing either. My little Bs and I had a fabulous afternoon just hanging out with each other. I think there are way too many days where the busyness of life gets in the way and we miss the opportunity to enjoy the blue skies and bright days that the Lord blesses us with. And even though I realize I won't always be able to "mend" my children's hearts when they break with a simple trip to the playground or a yummy bowl of ice cream, I do realize how special this time is that I have with my kids and I want to cherish every second!

can't top this "big top"

2009-01-19T11:24:00.009-06:00

Our entire family attended a birthday party yesterday afternoon that was unbelievable!!! It was a circus theme party for Luke and Wyatt, twin boys in Berkley's preschool class... their fifth birthday I might add. (As soon as we arrived, Matt asked me what I thought these guys would have for their 16th birthday!!! You will soon understand why.) Truly, I have never seen a birthday party quite like this one. In fact, I have not been to the circus for quite sometime, but I would bet this party came pretty close to topping one. Especially a circus that comes to Abilene!!

At first Berkley and I were going to go to the party by ourselves and leave the boys at home. The party began at 2:00, which is naptime for everyone. For some reason at the last minute I remembered that Luke and Wyatt's mom had invited all of us to the party. Berkley and I had been to their birthday party last year... which was very impressive, so I told Matt that we should all go. I knew the boys would have fun too, and it would give us a chance to have some fun as a family. (Especially since Matt has been working so hard lately!) I never imagined ALL of us would have SO MUCH FUN!!!

As soon as we drove up and spotted the huge tent in their front yard, we knew we were in for a treat. Matt quickly spotted the camels hanging out in the front yard as well. Definitely something you don't see everyday! As we walked up to the tent our faces were simply in amazement. This "big top" was full of any kid's dream. There was a popcorn machine, snow cone machine, and a cotton candy machine. Of course, their were also hot dogs and big, giant pickles. Matt and I looked at each other and just laughed in amazement. (So Berkley's carnival birthday party might not have been quite this good!)

Berkley's friends quickly spotted her and ran up to her with excitement all over their faces... along with amazing "artwork." They had just visited one of the clowns who was face painting. This wasn't your average balloon bouquet, heart, or butterfly kind of stuff either. They looked like they were about to march in a Mardi Gras parade! Berkley quickly ran off with them to get her face painted as well.

Of course, she had to grab a quick snow cone too while she waited in line. How is this for some face painting?

Berkley wanted a butterfly just like her friend, Annabelle. (They already had on the same shirts, it only made sense to have matching art on their face!)
Meanwhile, Beckham and Brenner spotted the camels and were in absolute amazement. Matt took the boys over to check them out. Beckham took a ride on one and LOVED it. Unfortunately, the camera and I were with Berkley getting her face painted, so I missed my photo opportunity. Berkley and I did head on over to see the camels when we finished. She wanted to ride too. (I mean, are you kidding? Who gets to ride a camel at a birthday party?)

I do have to say, the camels did look quite friendly. He almost looked like he was calling us on over.
Surprisingly, Berkley did not hesitate at all. She was all smiles and ready for a ride.

What are the neighbors thinking as they see this passing in front of their house? (And are they questioning the camel more or the strange man leading it?)

Although I missed Beckham's ride up on the camel, I did get a great picture of him checking the camel out. In fact, the camel quickly became interested in Beckham's big box of popcorn. The "camel man" quickly escorted him back over to the line.

While one of the camels rested, Brenner and Daddy got a chance to check him out closer.

Brenner was interested, but didn't want to pet him.

Since Brenner was a little too tiny to ride the camel, he found something a little more his speed.

He was pretty serious for the majority of his ride, but I think he enjoyed it.There was also a petting zoo set up for the party. Beckham really liked this.
He really wanted to pick up one of the babies, but they seemed to always get away!

Hobo, the monkey was a big hit too.

I found out that he will soon be famous. He is scheduled to perform in a Barney video.

The party ended with a magic show performed by one of the clowns under the tent. All of the kids gathered to watch in amazement.
Maggie the clown was actually very entertaining. Her show was at least 30 minutes, but she kept the children's attention quite well.
She ended her show performing as a ventriloquist. She was actually really good and really funny.
She got Beckham laughing... no doubt about it!Brenner wasn't very impressed. He found something much more entertaining during the show.Yes...fresh popped popcorn! Could it get any better? Only when you have the box ALL TO YOURSELF!
We ended up being at the party much longer than we had anticipated. We didn't have a clue what was in store for us. Obviously, no one got a nap yesterday... but it was totally worth it. We all had so much fun and truly felt like we had been at the circus. Thanks so much to Luke and Wyatt for inviting us all to celebrate such a fun day with them. Now we just have to make sure we get invited again next year!!!

like a good neighbor...

2009-01-02T09:51:00.002-06:00

Matt Paul is there!!!

It is official! Today is Matt's first day as a State Farm agent in Clyde, Texas. We are so excited about this opportunity and the adventure that lies ahead. We know the Lord opened this door for us, and we pray His blessings upon our agency. We would appreciate your prayers and support.

christmas parade

2009-01-02T08:47:00.005-06:00

Abilene has a great Christmas parade each year, and we always try to make it. In fact, last year Berkley, Beckham and I got to ride on a float in the parade! (The photographer we use had a float and asked the kids to be on it.) This year, however, we planned to just be spectators. Berkley kept asking if she was going to get to be in the parade again this year, and I kept telling her no. I explained how fun it would be just to sit and watch all of the floats go by, but that explanation didn't seem to be a very good one.

The day of the parade I ran into Berkley's ballet teacher, Mrs. Lisa. She asked if we were going to the parade and if Berkley might want to ride on the Nutcracker float. I immediately told her that I was almost positive that she would want to. Mrs. Lisa's daughter, Lily, is also in Berkley's ballet class. (She is one of Berkley's favorite friends.) Lily always rides on the float. This year she invited Berkley and Annabelle to join her. They got to be mice, and they were absolutely adorable. Berkley was especially excited to be a mouse, because she loved watching them in the Nutcracker this year knowing that she would be able to be a mouse in another year or two.

Here are the mice giving their best pose. (Annabelle, Lily and Berkley) Berkley was so excited for the parade to begin. Can you tell?After we dropped Berkley off at the ballet studio, the rest of us headed to find a spot for the parade. (Luckily JT had parked his truck earlier that day, so we had a great place to watch the parade!)

Beckham always LOVES parades; because he enjoys the horses, the bands and the fire trucks! Brenner really enjoyed the parade this year too. He watched intently as everything passed by us.Brenner also enjoyed watching some of the parade with Amy and Chris.

Of course Brenner watched a lot of the parade with JT, but I don't have a picture of them for some reason. Marmie joined us too. We all had so much fun!

By the end of the parade it was getting a little chilly. Brenner enjoyed snuggling under a blanket with mommy, but he never got fussy. He really enjoyed himself!
Unfortunately, the pictures I took of the Nutcracker float are terrible. You can't see anything except the back of the truck and blurs of light. Our little mouse was on board though, having a great time!

a new baby in our house

2008-12-31T15:01:00.005-06:00

Yes... we have a new baby in our house! However, it is NOT another little "b." Her name is Claire Elizabeth Paul, and she belongs to Berkley.

Berkley got an early Christmas present from Marmie and JT. She was given the opportunity to adopt a baby of her own. Since Berkley was going to be the mommy, they decided she needed to be the one to pick out the baby. (And go through the entire adoption process!) So... Marmie, Amy, Berkley and I headed to the Newborn Nursery in Plano the week before Christmas.

We had explained to Berkley all of the things she was going to get to do when she adopted her baby. We had also shown her a website online that explained the adoption process at the Newborn Nursery so that she would know what to expect.

The day of our road trip, Berkley was SO excited. She dressed herself in "mommy clothes" so that she would be completely prepared for the adoption. (After all, it is always important to dress the part!) She had also instructed Amy to bring along the baby name book that she had borrowed from us so that we could help Berkley pick out the perfect name for her new baby. Since Berkley is indeed such a planner, she also instructed Marmie to bring the extra car seat so that her new baby would have a place to ride on the way home! She was completely prepared and totally excited about her adventure ahead.

On the way to Plano, we had lots of fun picking our favorite baby names. We made a list of several names so Berkley could make her final decision. She originally had said she was going to name her new baby Clara, like the girl in the Nutcracker; but she decided on Claire. Berkley picked Claire's middle name pretty quickly. We all agreed that she had picked a beautiful name... Claire Elizabeth. We couldn't wait to meet her!

When we got to the Newborn Nursery, Berkley immediately went up to the nursery window to look at all of the babies. There were so many to pick from, and they were all so cute.The nurse soon greeted us and explained that Berkley needed to answer some questions first and sign an adoption agreement before she could pick out her baby. Although Berkley was a little shy, she did a great job listening to the nurse and answering all of the questions she had for Berkley.

Here are the questions she had to answer:

*Will you sing your new baby to sleep if it is upset?
*Will you read to your baby?
*Will you provide clothes for your baby to wear?
*Will you take your baby on special outings?
*Will you change your baby when needed?
*Do you promise to love and care for your new baby?

She, of course, answered "yes" to them all! Next, she needed to sign the agreement she had just made. She took it very seriously!
Now that she had officially completed her paperwork, it was time to pick out her new baby! The nurse instructed her to pick certain babies that she wanted to see closer and the nurse would bring them to the window. As Berkley looked at all of the babies, she decided that she wanted a baby with blond hair and blue eyes just like her. She quickly had it narrowed down to two babies. The nurse held both of the babies side by side, and Berkley instantly knew which baby would be Claire. In fact, it was the baby that Amy had spotted right from the beginning. She thought that particular baby had been looking at Berkley from the moment we got to the nursery!Once Berkley picked her baby, she got to go into the nursery to hold her baby and make sure she was indeed the perfect choice. Berkley put on a hospital gown and sat down in the rocking chair to hold Claire for the very first time.She told the nurse that she was happy with the baby she had picked. The nurse then took the baby from Berkley to weigh and measure her so that she could fill out Claire's birth certificate. She also asked Berkley for the baby's name, and the nurse was so impressed when Berkley replied with "Claire Elizabeth Paul." The nurse told Berkley that a lot of mommies didn't always have a name picked out when they came to adopt a baby.

The nurse completed the birth certificate and shared all of the information with Berkley. She listened closely to all of the information.
Here are the stats for Claire Elizabeth...

Claire Elizabeth Paul
born December 13, 2008
6 pounds 4 ounces, 19 inches

Berkley was officially the mommy of Claire. She proudly showed off her new baby.
Once all of the paperwork was complete, Berkley got to take off her hospital gown. I think she began to feel a little more comfortable. She soon showered her new baby with hugs and kisses.She was definitely a proud mommy!Marmie got a chance to meet Claire next. Berkley really enjoyed showing her off!What an exciting experience!!!

Once we left the nursery, Berkley turned into a little mommy. She got Claire strapped into her carseat and quickly began taking care of all of her needs. She was having so much fun!

Since we were already in Dallas, we decided to do a little shopping. Claire had her first girl's shopping day. I think she takes after her mommy, because she truly seemed to enjoy herself.

After a full day of shopping, we were all ready to get home. We stopped in Weatherford at Rosa's for a quick dinner to break up our trip back to Abilene. Berkley got Claire a booster seat so she could join us at the table.

I think Claire is one lucky baby. She got one great mommy! We look forward to all the adventures we will have with her in the future!

Thanks Marmie and JT for giving Berkley such an amazing experience. I know it is something that she will always remember. I know Claire thanks you as well. (You know this adoption kind of makes you her great-grandparents!!!)

golf lessons from the pro

2008-12-31T10:45:00.003-06:00

Beckham has definitely been interested in cowboys, boots, rodeos, and horses for a long time. He is beginning to develop some interest in sports now as well, much to his daddy's approval. (I'm sure this sudden interest might have developed with a little help!) Naturally, Beckham is most interested in the sports that daddy likes, which right now consist of football (due to the time of year) and golf. Papa really enjoys playing golf too. In fact, the last time he came to visit us, Beckham got to go to the golf course with daddy and Papa! That was a big day for Beckham!

Over the holidays while we were at Mimi and Papa's house, Beckham got a few golf tips from our pro, Papa. Papa let Beckham hit with one of his clubs in the backyard, which was hours of entertainment!

First step... setting up the ball.Next step... checking his grip and positioning his club.Finally... execute the swing!Papa came in closer for some helpful golf tips for Beckham.
And a little bit closer... Papa helped Beckham with his grip and gave him some pointers on his swing as well.

Before long Beckham was hitting the ball like a pro thanks to Papa's instructions. He even started hitting it over the fence, which he really liked doing! Berkley decided she might try this golf thing out after watching Beckham have so much fun. She gave it a few tries, but decided it wasn't her game.Beckham quickly took the role of "coach" while Berkley tried swinging the club. He was continuously calling out pointers to her, and he would get so frustrated when she wouldn't hit the ball. How fast he turned from student to teacher!!!Brenner wasn't interested much at all in the golf lessons. He just enjoyed being outside.

Besides, who wants to watch a golf game when there are horses galloping around!?!

Who knows? Maybe he heard how tough his brother was on Berkley and decided not to put himself through that experience!