College Station

Well, we have said all summer that we needed to do a family getaway before school started.  As the girls and I were driving back from Shreveport Shawn and I got to talking that we really wanted to leave town either that night or the next morning so we didn't have to deal with continually getting thrown out of our house when realtors came to show it.  We didn't want to drive very far, we didn't want to fight crowds, and we wanted to girls to be able to swim.  We also knew that to them, staying in just about any hotel was about like going to Disney World!  We randomly decided on College Station.  Most people would probably say "Why in the world would anyone(who is not an Aggie) go to College Station for a getaway?!"  Well it proved to be perfect!  We have been dying to get over there to eat at Abuelo's anyway so Saturday morning we got up, ate breakfast at Denny's and hit the road!  On the way there I called and got us a hotel room and as soon as we got to town we hit Wal-Mart for snacks and pool toys and then it was SWIMMING TIME!!!  The girls had a blast at the pool, we came in for a nap and then it was on to dinner at Abuelo's and dessert at Cold Stone.  Can it get any better?!  Anything went on the trip...as soon as Braelyn rolled out of bed on Sunday she brought me a bag of Cheetos to open!  Never would I let her pig out on Cheetos for breakfast but without a moments hesitation, I opened the bag and she was off and running!  It is times like this that I just wanted to freeze time!

Daddy and Em practicing on her floating skills!

Braelyn has been asking daily for us to swim with her so she was one happy girl!

So it wasn't just chips for breakfast...it was before bed too!  BEST VACATION EVER!! 

Braelyn's 3 Year Pics

We have always struggled getting pictures of Braelyn that really captured her little personality.  Thank you Amber for ending that struggle!!!!  We couldn't be happier with how her 3 year pics turned out!  Now the only problem is, how will we ever choose?!

Happy Anniversary to an Amazing Couple!

Jerry and Janet celebrated 50 years together this year.  All along, Jerry said that if anybody planned anything, they would be out of the will!  Finally, Jerry realized that it would be a great surprise for Janet to have all those she loved surrounding them for a special celebration.  Given everything that has been going on, I told Jerry there was no way we could be there.  Anybody who knows me knows I love a good surprise though and that these two people mean the world to me!  I would not have missed a night to celebrate the love that all marriages should aspire to!  A few nights before the party, I called Lamar, the one heading up the party planning and asked if there was room for a few more!  He was the only one who knew the girls and I were coming.  We pulled up just in time to see Gransan, Jon, Dondi, and Bailey crossing the street to the restaurant.  They could not have been more surprised when they saw us!  It was an adventure getting there after I had worked the morning, picked up the girls, and gotten dressed in the parking lot of a truck stop but we wouldn't have missed it for the world!  The only thing that would have made it better was if Daddy could have come with us but vacation days are few and far between and we really need them for the move!

Of course when the presents came out, the girls were right in the middle of the action helping Jerry and Janet open!

Braelyn took a little cat nap in Jordan's lap during the slide show!

Every one who spoke and who were on the slide show all said the same thing-throughout their marriage their priorities have been obvious:  God was always first, then each other and then their family.  The perfect formula for 50 amazing years!

It was pretty fun getting to surprise the happy couple AND Gransan!

Braelyn, Bailey, Jordan, and Emerson

They have been there for so many of our special events and celebrations over the years...it was great to have the chance to celebrate them! 

The next morning we got to have breakfast together before the girls and I hit the rode again!

Thank you for being so much more than an aunt and uncle!  I love you both!

Boobie Trap

Unfortunately the contract that we had on our house fell through so we had to get the house ready to go back on the market again.  While Shawn and I were busy cleaning, Emerson was busy setting up a "boobie trap".  When I asked her what the trap was for she said "It is for the people coming to look at our house!"  I cracked up and thought that she might have a pretty good idea.  The next couple that comes to look, we will just trap them so they have to buy it and live here!

PRECIOUS!!!

Is This Really Happening?!

I can't believe that I actually did what I did today!  Emerson and I went school supply shopping!!!!!!  For KINDERGARTEN!!!!!  How did this day come SO fast?!  I wish I could have captured how incredibly excited my sweet girl was!  She wanted to walk by herself in the store, without holding my hand, and put each item in the cart herself.  Her notebook was really the only thing on the list that she could choose what she wanted and much to my surprise she did not choose a pink one!  She chose a "sparkly blue one"!  Wow, is this summer filled with a lot of big events or what?!

Couples' Night Out

We don't usually do two date nights in a week but when Kim called and asked if we were up for a grown ups night out we were in!  The closer it got to the day, the more couples joined in the fun and we had a blast on our first Top Golf experience!  Thanks for organizing Kim!

The 2 Shawns likely giving Jeremy a hard time!

Lisa, me, Kim, Crystal, Lisa, and Beth

The Bells, Schramms, Brooks, Garys, Carrs, and Millers