Pool Dayzzzzzz

Another reason for my lack of blogging is the amount of time we spend up at the pool! It has provided some of the best moments of summer and takes me back to my youth where I would spend 8 hours a day chasing boys and friends around the pool making memories that would stick with me for life! Here are some pictures of my little fish!

We were fortunate to have some fun visitors yesterday on the 4th! The Shelton's came to the pool with us for a little while. Too bad it was close to nap times and the little ones were pooped but we still had fun. The kids play so good together and Palmer and Ava are total "Monkey See Monkey Do" I love it! They are the sweetest girls ever!

See if you notice anything similar with Ava, Emerson and Annie? haha!

AVA

ANNIE

EMERSON! That's right they all 3 had the same bathing suits! We tried a group picture but it was out of the question~

Neenie and her buddy! He swims SO great in his life jacket!

Neenie, Annie (in her new and OH SO CUTE bathing suit!) and Palmer having a blast!

We love the pool it has been one of the things that has made living here so much better! I hope we are lucky enough to have a pool every summer!

No words....

What's your favorite thing about Neenie?

"She makes me LAUGH and when I LAUGH I am HAPPY!"

Palmer 3 years old

CATCH UP!!!

I don't know why I haven't been able to keep up with my blogging, I know busy people do it everyday! haha! But with 2 little ones, work, meetings, company and finally some "me" time (whatever that is) my blogging has suffered :) Maybe it is also easier to blog when it is freezing outside and not 90 degrees and no rain in sight!

We have been BUSY with neenie here, we had a great and eventful week last week too! I have been going to a lot of meetings so Tex and I surprised the kids and let daddy take them on a "Cupcake Date" If you have never been to Gigi's Cupcakes you are missing out!!! Go here to see if they have one in your area....http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com/ These are not your average cupcakes they are so much more!

Palmer with his "Birthday Surprise" Cupcake, he already took the gummy worm off!
Ann Mason enjoying every ounce of the delicious pink icing!

OOOOH! Ok, I did NOT post this cause I have pretty toes because even Palmer tells me my feet look funny but Neenie treated Ashley and I to a pedicure and I was in much need of one! It was embarrassing really how much I needed one! The woman told me I lost 2 pounds of dead skin! Oh my! Those little women at the nail salon are not afraid to tell you what they think!
One of the best nights of the week was celebrating my friend Erin's 2nd Birthday! I was so happy for her and so proud to be part of her big day! We went to Sol Azetecas after our meeting at like 9 and I was starving! I am the old fogey that eats dinner at 5! We had so much fun!
Erin, Me, Sarah (another girl said to be sexy with our chips obviously we don't do that very well!)

Here we are looking normal. :) There were 16 of us there that night, some I knew some I didn't but we had SO much fun! I can't tell you how blessed I am to have met so many incredible people on this journey. People who I haven't known for long but that I could call at all hours of the night if I needed something. People that don't need any explanation of where I was or how I got here cause they have their own story. It is a "God" thing and I am SO blessed to have listened when I didn't want to and showed up when I was scared cause I have met the most amazing people and I am so excited to get to know them even better!

So as you can see we had a busy week and that just got us to Wednesday! haha!! More posts to come!

Ann Mason 15 month checkup...

Yes, that is right I said 15 months and she is pretty much 16 1/2 months!! Oops we go to the Dr so much anyways, I am sure it doesn't matter! ha! This was her "well" appointment and this girl is growing like a weed! I was shocked to find that she was:

25 pounds - 75% for weight

31 1/2 inches - 72% for height

and 57% for head circumference

She was in the 30% for everything the last time we went so she is moving on up, I pray my children get more of their daddy's height than mine (or lack their of! heehee)

This girl is feisty people! She loves hard, plays hard and fights hard!

She is talking up a storm and I am LOVING it! She says baby, milk, water, momma, daddy, bubba, ball, right here, etc... It is the sweetest sound I have ever heard until it becomes her demanding scream! ha ha!
She LOVES her brother but her main goal in life is to still re-arrange his ever organized little world, some times we let Palmer "stay up later" after Ann Mason goes to bed so he can just "be" without anyone messing with him. As much as he gets frustrated he laid down this morning and cried because she wasn't up before him, so I know he LOVES her just as much!

She is ALWAYS willing to be hugged and kissed to no end and I love that more than anything in this world! She is constantly smiling and just loves attention and love from anyone! I can pick her up at any moment of any day and she is always willing to hug and kiss me back and loves every minute of it! I can't get enough of this girl :)

Unfortunately during our "well" visit we realized this smiling face had strep AGAIN! We are determined she is a straight strep carrier and almost always has it. Our options are A. Take her tonsils out (which I am not opposed too just not ready to pay the outrageous medical bills) or B. Put her on a 4 week amoxicillian regimen to see if we can kill the strep? Probably not medically correct but you get the point. I had NO idea she was even sick! I felt so bad. But she made it and got two shiny silver stickers and a big cup of vanilla soft serve from DQ and she was a happy girl!

These last 16 1/2 months have been amazing but I have truly loved the last few months watching Ann Mason's personality come out (even more!) and watching her learn new things and starting to talk! Her and Palmer are just the most precious things in the world to Tex and I, my heart just breaks thinking about them! I am trying to give Ashley's baby a lot of good things that were Ann Masons and it has mad me incredibly sad. I threw away her bottles the other night and I almost sat down to cry, over Dr. Brown's Bottles! I don't know what God's plan is for me and whether we will be blessed with another child but I never take for granted that I have already been blessed beyond measure for a family that is healthy and happy and for that I am eternally grateful!

Neenie's Back in Town!

Neenie's in town and the kids couldn't be more excited! They are at such fun ages and LOVE when their grandparents come to visit! They know how to melt their grandparents hearts and get what they want! We had an awesome weekend just being together!!

Neenie, Ashley and I
Our attempt at a family picture, I guess I will take what I can get :)

These two are just crazy and precious all in one! They seem to have this pose down pat!

We have pretty much spent every day at the pool which as been awesome! We also got to go to church and listen to another amazing sermon on having realistic expectations for your marriage, this series on marriage is unbelievable! Go here to hear some of the sermons from the series, the fathers day sermon was by far one of the best sermons I have heard in a long time, it really hit home!http://www.southeastchristian.org/sermons/

We plan to hang with neenie this week and unfortunately I have to go work for a few days, while Mom and Ashley get the week with the kids :) I think we may try to go to the zoo which I am super excited about!

We are taking Annie for her 15 month well check up tomorrow (only 1 1/2 months late) so I will post pics and updates!

FATHERS DAY WEEKEND!

Click here to view these pictures larger

We seriously had one of the "funnest" weekends ever celebrating fathers day!!! :) I am so blessed to have so many wonderful dad's in my life and to be married to one of the greatest dad's I know. There is never an end to his supply of love, hugs and kisses for Palmer and Ann Mason. He can work a 13 hour day in 90 degree weather and the minute he steps thru that door his face lights up and he is on the floor wrestling for hours! I have so much respect for single mom's because I don't know what I would do without Tex and all of the help and love he gives to me and the kids!

We started off the weekend with Mexican food with Aunt Ashley and Uncle, Saturday we went to the "arc" to play in the morning and then the Bats Baseball game that night! Palmer had not been to a real baseball game since he was 6 months old and he LOVED it! Sunday we ended the weekend with the most amazing church service, time at daddy's golf course and dinner with my dad and Debbie. I am absolutely LOVING the kids ages right now! I know I have probably said this a million times but it seems like they are both at such fun ages and they can interact and have a great time everywhere we go! We still have our moments but to see them playing and being best friends just melts my heart, I don't want this stage to end!

A Whole Lotta This....

My lack of blogging has been because we are trying to spend as much time at the pool! We are loving every minute of it and the kids love the pool as much as their mommy always has! We go in the afternoons after work or naps and try to go at least for a couple of hours a day on the weekend if the weather permits, we are definitely getting our money worth! ha!

Ann Mason in her little lounge chair snacking! This girl does more eating than swimming for sure!
Both Kiddos taking a break and enjoying the view of the baby pool eating their food!

My two favorite boys in the whole wide world! Palmer wants to be just like daddy so we had to buy him a hat too, sorry for the "cheese" haha we are working on that!

Ann Mason has officially taken over my first coach purse apparently she thinks it is hers and she carries it everywhere! Figures, I didn't think taking my stuff would start this early :)

This girl is a mess! Tex said she looks like me on some nights in college! Purse on my shoulder and a missing shoe :) haha Those of you who knew me then would totally appreciate this! We aren't the most "put together" chics but we try :)

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer as much as we are! I am soaking up this time with my children and the outdoors as much as possible and loving every minute of it!