A year later...

It has been a very, very long time since I last posted anything. Our summer was fast and now we are gearing up for the first day of school, August 23rd. The kids are excited! Nothing out of the ordinary happened this summer. We stayed busy with sports camps for Nicholas and Alexis. Justin isn't an avid fan of soccer or baseball, but he is super excited for football season. Alissa continues to terrorize everyone in her path and will be 3 on August 27th. It's hard to believe that in September it will be 3 years that she changed our lives along with Alexis, Justin, and Nicholas. Now she is about to start school...the very thought makes me want to cry.
And now for a year later...last year I set a goal to start a healthy lifestyle. I ran my first 5k in April with my daughter AND my sister, Betty! I have dropped 2 sizes AND almost 40 pounds!!! Enjoy the pictures :)

Growing up...

The other day we were passing by Texas Tech University when out of the blue Nicholas asked what one of the buildings were and why was there alot of bikes in front of it. I explained to him that it was where some students lived while they went to school. Then I go on to tell him that some students that lived close by or sometimes with parents or friends they drove their cars to school. My description went on for a minute or two and he sat quietly and listened. We stopped at a light and said, "Mom, I don't think I want to go to school here anymore." I asked why. A little puzzled because Nicholas LOVES Tech and it's all he talks about. I had to ask him another time and he finally said that he didn't want to live in that big building. I told him he didn't have to and that he could still live at home or in Lubbock by himself or with friends but that he could decide that when he got older and there was no need to worry about it now. But HE WAS ADAMANT...then he said he had an idea, maybe just maybe myself or his daddy could take him to class and then pick him up after school. And it was agreed upon, I will still chauffeur my child around even when he is 18 and going to Tech! Can we get this in writing? ;)

It's snowing!

We couldn't believe our eyes when we woke up a few days before Christmas...there was snow on the ground! The kids thought it was the most magical day of their entire Christmas vacation. Unfortunately Nicholas wanted to wear sandwich bags on his hands because he didn't want his gloves to get dirty. Alissa wanted to eat the "ice" and Lexi had the time of her life. Just to see their eyes light up and enjoy what we take for granted (when it does snow) was gift enough for me. The snow lasted on the ground for a couple of days but the cold, freezing temperatures lasted throughout the New Year. Everyday they still look out and ask, "did it snow last night?" Well it was fun while it lasted. We are so ready for warm weather. We can only play hide and seek in our house so many times before all it becomes is a game of tag.

Ben's other love ;)

We started our own business in 2008. It's has had it's rough patches, dry spells, or whatever you want to call it, but we have placed it all in God's hands and has it has done quite well. During Christmas Ben was stuck in Altus, OK because of the bad weather. Luckily he made it home by Christmas Eve afternoon. Sometimes the business wears on us a little but it is moving along. Ben's popo always said the only time you start on top is when your digging a hole.

New Year...New Beginnings

WOW!

Well to start off, I lost my password, along with the fact that life caught up with me and I just plain fell off the planet with my blog! Let's just backtrack a little...

The kids have started yet another year of school. Sadly I only have Alissa left at home but she will venture off with other kiddos next year :( Alexis is now in 4th grade and do AmAzInG! Her last report were all A's and B's and her reading is improving by the minute. She is a very different person than 2 years ago. Yes, it has been 2 years (in May). She is really stoked about softball season again so I think she has found her niche. Nicholas is in Pre-K and is doing great. He has learned to right his name and has started reading simple words. Thank you Dr. Seuss! He has expressed an interest in karate so we are still debating T-ball this year. Justin is in the 3 year old class and has made us so proud. We are still working on his stuttering but it seems to come and go. Why I have no idea but he is dealing with it quite better than I thought he would. Out of all of the kids we WOULD have to be different. He is our only Longhorn fan in a household full of Red Raiders! Last but not least, we have Alissa. She is the most independent 2 year old I know. She makes me sad because I am so not ready for her to grow up, much less start school. I think I just might start substituting at the school just so I can be with them more ;)

Cowgirls Don't cry ;)

Riding a bike is easy, right? Try riding a bike pulling a 3 and 2 year old. It seems light at the beginning but coming back up hill is outright torture to my legs! Of course the kids kept yelling, "faster mommy, faster!" Walking/running Alexis to summer school wasn't to bad. I got used to it by the end of the week, even though a storm almost got once. Over the weekend, my most supportive hubby bought me an in-step two seater for my bike. F.Y.I. it's that funny looking bubble that you pull behind the bike as you ride. He thought I might want to change up my routine a bit. (Isn't he amazing?!) Needless to say, it wasn't to bad going to school, it was the trek back that made me want to quit. I made it though with Brooks and Dunn in my ear...."it's gonna hurt every now and then. If you fall, get back on again. Cowgirls don't cry....."

Whew!

This morning was beautiful! It was a little cloudy, the air was fresh and crisp. I decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea if we walked Alexis to summer school. I have a Kool stride double stroller so I decided to put it to good use. We walked at a pretty good pace and the clouds started to roll in right before we got to the school. Alexis and I ran a block and it wasn't as bad as I thought. My knees felt a little weak but it was OK. We watched Alexis make it into the school and the kids and I headed back. By this time it started to sprinkle here and there. When I mean sprinkle, I mean it just felt like someone spits on you ;) We made it a block and it "spit" a little more. A girl from our church passed by and asked if we needed a ride but I knew we could make it. I felt pretty confident that I could run a little more and I did, another block! This time the sprinkle stopped but the thunder was getting louder. We walked a little faster and after a few more people asking if we were going to make it :) we were home! As soon as the kids got into the house the sprinkle turned into a mist and when I stepped in now it's a light rain. Thank you Lord for getting us home safely.