Our chocolate puppy

Today we went to Lone Grove, Oklahoma to see our puppy!! When we got there, Niki (our breeder) was waiting on the porch with our new puppy. We went inside and the kids immediately wanted to hold him. They went back and forth with whose turn it was. :) He is PRECIOUS and I think the cutest puppy/dog I have ever seen. I know I am biased. :) Presleigh Joy could not keep her sweet hands off of him. If it wasn't her turn to hold him she had to touch him. Several times we would catch her just hugging/squeezing him because she loved him so much. Kaden was a little more apprehensive but loved holding him and got more and more comfortable with him the more he held him. I have been so excited about taking the kids to see him and it was everything I had hoped for and more. They had a blast and now we are all anxious to take him home next weekend!! I took a ton of pictures but just posted a few b/c I know we will have lots more to share after next weekend. We do not have a name yet. We are working on it and will hopefully all four come to an agreement on a name soon. :)

Puppy Love :)

San Francisco and Napa

I got the opportunity to go to San Franciso with Nick the beginning of May. He was there on business for a few days meeting with some doctors that he works with. I almost did not go because once we booked the trip I found out it was Mother's Day weekend and that my kids would be singing on Sunday morning at church (Presleigh's first time). However, thanks to the convincing and help of my sister-in-law I decided to go. The kids stayed with their Aunt Charla, Uncle Tony, cousin Lilah, and Gramma and away I flew. I am so glad I went! It was kind of a whirlwind because I was there one night and Nick and I did a lot of driving around sight-seeing and eating yummy food and then we came home. :)Hilly San Franciso with Alcatrez in the background.


Alcatrez ( hope I'm spelling that right) :)

As of this moment I can't remember the name of this restaurant we ate at Friday night but it was beautiful and yummy and right off of the harbor.

View from our hotel room

San Francisco's golden gate bridge

On our way to Napa Valley Saturday morning we went over the golden gate bridge.

Most beautiful little town in Napa Valley, called Yountville. This is the restaurant we ate at, the French laundry. I personally had never heard of it but apparently it is famous. :)

Waiting in the courtyard.

This is Nick and I with Dr. Ali and his wife Mary. Meeting Dr. Ali and his wife was the whole reason I flew out to California. Dr. Ali had made reservations for the 4 of us months ahead of time to try and get into this place and they wanted me to join them. Dr. Ali is a cardiologist in Lubbock and when Nick was still a TFE for Medtronic he worked with him often. Now that Nick is a sales rep. he rarely travles to Lubbock. They are very kind and have two youngs girls.

The garden across the street where the restaurant, Chinese Laundry, grows a lot of its food

Nick and I in front of the restaurant. It took us about 5 hours to eat here. It was a 9 course lunch/dinner!

Well.... because our amazing lunch/dinner was so long we missed our flight home! I was quite upset at first because I was afraid I would miss the kids singing at church and not only that but on mother's day. Nick figured it out though, as he awlays does, and we left in the middle of the night and arrived about 6 a.m. Texas time.

The reason we rushed home from San Francisco! Tht is Kaden singing in the white shirt.

Presleigh and her cousing Lilah in their matching dresses that Gramma gave them. Presleigh has the pink bow.

Our little performer! Presleigh loves to be on stage and very much enjoyed singing!

June Bugs for Breakfast

My son literally gags on pasta. It is probably one of his least favorite things. He will always try some but it usually ends with gagging. However, he LOVES to eat June Bugs! Kaden has always been "mister outdoors" and loves to go on adventures and exploring. He has also always loved insects and bugs. Lately, however, he has become interested in eating them. He has also become very interested in Bear Grylls, "Man vs. Wild" that comes on the discovery channel. He has seen him from some youtube clips Nick has shown him. That guy will eat all kinds of nasty things. Kaden loves it!

This is a very excited Kaden about to eat a June Bug that Nick fried up for him.

In the mouth it goes!

Hmmm... that's tasty!

He has had several more since. :)

Easter 2011

Easter egg dying. This was the first year I had tried this with the kids and they had SO much fun! We did it twice and will definitely do it every year from now on.


Happy campers with their bowl of eggs. They each took their "bowl" to their room and decorated with them for a few weeks.



This was our second egg dying day with more eggs.

Presleigh Joy getting ready to hunt eggs at our church's Easter egg hunt.

She loves babies and pigs so this was perfect for her. :)

Kaden came straight from a t-ball game so that is why he is sporting his jersey.

Precious ones on Easter.

After our Easter egg hunt outside.

Enjoying a little candy.

Go Rangers!

Kaden is playing T-ball! I think he is really enjoying it. He is on an "advanced" team, which only means all the boys on his team have played before; some are even 2 years older than him. He is on the advanced team only b/c he wanted to be with 2 of his buddies that had played before. We were a little concerned at first but he is doing good with it. We are definitely still learning but he is having fun and that is what matters to me! I missed his first game last week b/c I was at a baby shower so today was his second game but my first to watch. I get so nervous and butterflies in my stomach when he goes up to bat. It's crazy. Nick keeps telling me to relax. He got a run towards the end of the game and you should have seen his face when he crossed over home plate. So happy he practically skipped of the field. :)

Having snack after the game. That is one of his friends, Avery, next to him.

Kaden hitting the ball. This particular one actually ended up being a foul ball but he hit it right after this. :) Warming up before batting

Snakes, snakes, snakes!!!

If you know my son at all you know that he loves snakes! I am not sure what started this fascination but I wish I could remember. It all started probably about 2 years ago, I would guess, and he had a snake book that he would want to read. I have never liked snakes and they have always bothered me. In fact at the beginning I could barely read his snake book to him b/c it grossed me out so bad. However, I pressed forward. People have commented before, "how can you let him touch this or have that", " that is so gross I could never let my child do that". My thought is always that my child loves it so and has such an interest, it is clearly how God made Kaden, how could I not let him? He is very knowledgeable about this certain creature and how could he not be with about 15 different snake and reptile books now?! All this to say.... we found Colleyville Nature Center yesterday afternoon. :) My sister-in-law, Charla, has told me about this park/nature area and I knew Kaden would love it. I had no idea how much! I took Kaden and Presleigh yesterday about 4 p.m. and we were walking around the pond. I am pretty much always cautious about ponds/fields in general, especially in the spring and summer, b/c I am just sure we are going to step right on a poisonous snake. :) Well, we get by this tree area and we are bending down to see if we see anything and I see this snake slither right into the water! And then I see another one! Followed by Kaden spotting one in a tree. When he tried to show me the one in the tree, over the water, I could not see it and I thought, "he thinks he sees one but he doesn't". I was totally freaked out and pulled them away from the water. Kaden begged to go back to the tree and so I let him. The second time I saw the snake in the tree he tried to show me. I should have known he was right! :) It was a long snake. Kaden was in heaven and I was having a really having a hard time. All my life I have never been that close to a "wild" snake that has not been in the zoo. And I had to deal with seeing 3 of them! I just knew they were poisonous and probably water moccasins b/c they like the water. So.... we have been 3 times in the last 24 hours to the nature center!!! There has been so much snake talking around here I even dreamed about snakes last night! Kaden begged Nick to take him first thing this morning (like as soon as he woke up before I was even out of bed) and they found 5 more! We all went again this afternoon. He is hoping we take him back tomorrow after church. :) Precious boy.....

Too fast.....

Kaden had school today so it was just Presleigh and I. I enjoy this time with just her and half the time we just stay at home in our pajamas and play with her dolls and babies and read books and if the weather is nice we will play outside. It is precious time with her that I treasure. I spent 2 and a half years at home with just Kaden doing the same things so it is a blessing to get to do it with her too some. Today while she was eating lunch I was looking at a "Pottery Barn" magazine and she randomly says, " I want to get married". I was a little taken aback b/c I can't think of any movie or book we have ever watched or read where someone gets married. I don't know where it came from but I said, "really why is that?" to which she answered, "it is just something I want to do." Sigh..... I don't know where it came from but I am anxious to hear her daddy's response when I tell him about it when he gets home later. I told her someday she would get married and then kind of dropped it. :)

Time goes by too fast..... everyone tells you that and honestly I don't really like to hear it but it is true at times. I just got finished checking my email and came across an email from Kaden's preschool. They are having their "graduation" pictures taken next week. I remembered this but the part I forgot was that they are being taken in the cap and gown we ordered him!! The email brought me nearly to tears and as I write this I have to fight them back. I know that it is just Pre-K he is graduating from but it does symbolize a part of life that he is leaving, which is the preschool life. He is graduating to Kindergarten and for many reasons I have been having a hard time with this. I know I will cry my eyes out the day he "graduates" not only b/c I will see my baby in a cap and gown but b/c it also gives me a glimpse in to the future when he will wear it again. The Lord is so good to our family and how blessed I am. Time does go by but as I look back as I have done today I am overcome with Joy and gratitude at the Lords blessings he has given us.

Theta Friends

This past Saturday I got to go to Addison to my friend Megan's baby shower. She is expecting twins, a boy and a girl. :) I was so excited to do this because I have not seen these girls in a long time. I had such a wonderful time catching up with them and reconnecting with some girls from Baylor and they were all also in my sorority. What a fun time I had! I hope to see you girls before long! Congratulations Megan!

Amanda, Kelly, Megan and I

The Theta kite! :)

I had to add a picture of the kids. This is Kaden on one of his favorite outside toys; his "snake scooter" Santa brought him at Christmas.

Presleigh Joy practicing cheering before bubba's first T-ball game the next day.

Kaden is 5!

Sunday, March 20th my Kaden David turned 5 years old! It is unbelievable how big he is getting. I truly can not believe that my precious baby is 5! We had his birthday party on the day of his birthday this year also. I usually do not like to do this b/c I am a little sentimental with birthdays and like to just take it easy and enjoy being with the kiddos on their actual birthday. However, our snake entertainer could only come on the 2oth. :) So we made it work! Kaden is old enough now to remember the birthday traditions we started when he was 2 years old and looks forward to them so much now! We started these when he was 2 b/c when he turned 1 he was too young and I thought it would be so much fun for them and make for special birthday memories. I was right! The two big things we do on their birthdays are blow up an insane ammount of balloons the night before and fill their floor/room with balloons so when they wake up on their birthday it is filled with balloons. This also makes for hours of fun entertainment for both kids the first day or two. :) We also go on a birthday "scavenger hunt". Nick draws about 5 or 6 pictures of items/places in our house and they run around the house looking for clues to lead them to their presents. This is so much fun for everyone and lucky for Kaden and Presleigh their daddy is a great artist or they would never know where to go. :) I plan on doing these things as long as they live at home. I know it may not always be as "exciting" but my hope is that they will secretly like it. Hey, if they want their presents every year they will have to hunt for them! :)

This first picture we made Kaden stop real quick and hold up two of his first clues on his scavenger hunt.

This is after Kaden opened his presents from us. His favorite gift was 2 new pet hermit crabs. This is Kaden holding the green shell, "Hermie", and the other one is blue and named "Squirmie". He also got a paint/decorate stuffed robot from us and a lava lamp. A beautiful day for a birthday and party! This is the kids enjoying Kaden's birthday breakfast in the backyard.

This is Kaden and Presleigh having what they called a "dance, dance party" and they would run around like crazy and they had so much fun!

Me and my 5 year old!

The amazing snake cake my mom made Kaden and some snake cupcakes also.

This is the kids watching as the snake man just arrived. He was a big hit with everyone! Some of the kids watched from afar though and did not sit down in the front. :)

The birthday boy with two ball pythons, one around his neck and the other on his head!

He loved it!

I can not remember the name of this huge snake but if Kaden was sitting with me right now he would. I think it was a boa but not sure.

Sweet Presleigh Joy with the giant lizard. The snake man called this lizard his "baby" during the show and ever since then Presleigh loved it b/c she thought it was a "baby".

Having an older brother who loves snakes means they don't bother you at all! :)

Kaden did not want to stick candles in his snake cake so Nonnie made him a special blue snake cupcake to blow out.

What a fun day we had! The weather was beautiful, quite windy, but beautiful! Kaden loves snakes and has for years so this was a lot fun for him. The snake guy brought 11 snakes and his giant lizard and Kaden told me this morning he wants to have another snake party next year. :)