What happened to July?

Well, another month has gone by. Summer goes so quickly. The girls are having a great summer. With my more flexible work schedule, we are getting to spend more time together. We can sleep in and not hurry and get to a camp. We have had some fun though.

Our July started with us going to Oklahoma for the Fourth of July. We went to a yummy restaurant that had a live jazz band. Wes danced with the girls. They loved it. That night, we watched fireworks with the family. It was really fun!

 We happened to be in the mall one day and bought new hats! The girls loved them!

 We did have one camp this month. It was cooking camp and the girls loved it. They went last year and wanted to go back again this year.

 Wes has been wanting to go to the rodeo for a long time. I found one in a little town about an hour away. It was really fun. The girls liked it a lot. Both want to be barrel riders now. Please excuse my double chin, I'm sure its the angle of the camera......

 Nana adopted a dog, Willa, and she has been spending a lot of time with us. Nana is transitioning to a house from her apartment. We are taking care of Willa until Nana can take her full time. She is a really sweet dog and does well with Lizzie and Gracie.

I can't believe July is already gone! School will be starting again soon. We better make the best of August! My little girls are headed into the second grade when school starts. I can't believe it!

June Was Busy!

This past month was really busy. This month, the girls had their first dance recital, their 7th birthday, spent a week with grandma, went to VBS, and finished first grade! June was exhausting.

In addition to all the activities, a squirrel decided that it was cold and wet one night during a rain storm and wanted into our house. It dug through our shingles and a hole in the siding. It was very strange one morning to not have a ceiling in my pantry because the water leaked in and destroyed it. 

Bluebonnets 2015

We found a lovely patch of bluebonnets and of course had to get the girls' picture.

 We found some lady bugs as we were headed back to the car. We had to look at them closely before putting them back in their home.

I really love the bluebonnets in spring! The girls and I always keep an eye out for them.

Easter!

We celebrated Easter this past weekend in Oklahoma. We had a fantastic weekend! The kids dyed Easter eggs and hunted them. It was a really fun weekend for us!

 

March Flew By!

March was crazy busy too!We had more snow! Lizzie got strep and missed almost a week of school She went back to school on Friday and the next week was Spring Break! During this time, Gracie was sad to go to school without Lizzie. She worried about all the fun Lizzie was missing. Lizzie would ask me several times a day when Gracie would be home. They missed each other.

Lizzie finally feeling better and playing in the snow with Gracie.

 

We had a busy spring break. During the first part of the week, we headed to Alabama to see Wes' family. On the last weekend, we went to see my family to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday and my niece and nephew's baptism.

The kids with my uncle's antique car.

 My dad getting ready to blow out the candles.

The girls getting ready to see their cousins get baptized.

Sydney and Sam after the service.

Grandma and Papa with their girls

For my sister's family their spring break was the week after ours, so they came to visit. They got to see the girls school. The girls were so proud to show them around.

With all the rain and snow, the girls soccer season had a delayed start. They finally got to go to a practice and played their first game this past weekend.

After their game on Saturday, we went to the church for the Easter Egg Hunt. The girls loved it!

 Palm Sunday! The girls were so excited because they got to wear their cousin Sydney's old dresses. Several people asked we where I got them. The girls looked really pretty.

Palm Sunday was fun. First, Nana and I taught Sunday School. Then, the girls waved palm branches and then sang during the service. Palm Sunday is one of my favorite Sundays. I love the tradition of the kids waving the branches as they come in. Each time I teach Sunday School, the kids always teach me something new. I love their perspectives.

February

February was a busy month for us. I changed jobs in the middle of the month and started working from home. It was a great transition and nice change of pace.

We had snow days where we played in the snow!

 We celebrated my grandma's 90th birthday with a great party.

We skate almost every weekend and love taking lessons. 

For children's Sunday, they served as ushers for two of the services.

Sometimes on Fridays, we go get donuts before school.

On one of the snow days, the girls played dress up.

Snow!!!

Christmas 2014

We had an excellent Christmas! It was so fun. We spent it in Oklahoma with my family. Santa came to Grandma and Papa's. Before we left town, we went to see Santa. 

Seeing Santa

 The Sunday before Christmas, we went to my parents church. It was a good service. They have this beautiful sleigh and Christmas trees set up, so we took advantage and took some pictures.

The girls

With Grandma and Papa

All of us

Cousins walking out of Christmas Eve Services

 On Christmas Day, after opening presents, Wes made breakfast. After breakfast, my sister and her family came over for lunch. We had a fun day celebrating Christ's birth.

Our dolls!

Lizzie's doll looks like her cousin

 The day after Christmas, my cousins family, aunt and uncle came over. We had dinner and fun!

More cousins!

Sweet cousins and my sister.

more cousins

My aunt and uncle

Manicure party

Saturday, we were woken to Lizzie saying "there's snow!" Sure enough, there was some snow on the ground. We had to run to get shoes, hats and gloves. We weren't quite prepared for snow.

Snow!

Later on Saturday, we headed to meet up with my dad's family for Christmas. We had fun visiting with his family. On Sunday, we had to leave to head back home. Wes had work on Monday.

 Before we left town, we stopped by my grandma's place. I snapped a few pictures before we left. The girls love to make great-grandma pictures while they are there and tape them to her door.

The girls and great-grandma

All of us!

Love this!

We hope this Christmas and New Year that you find light in the darkness, love for one another and peace.