Could they be anymore beautiful!!!

I am so happy and blessed that they are mine. 

 

 

Ashley came into town for a few days for Easter. Between work and school in Austin it's difficult for her to get down here. I told her the only plan was that we were all going to be in the same place at the same time and take a family pic. I didn't care if we were all smiling I just wanted a family pic. I am surprised how well they came out. I could not be more proud of my family. I absolutely love it!

Resolutions

I usually don't set aside a list of rules for myself to abide by. Especially since by 1-3-12 half of them are usually broken. I try not to set expectations that will disappoint me. I'd rather just have a word or a phrase to live by each and every day. Last year my word was SIMPLIFY. I strived to really make my life simple. This year it's still the same, SIMPLIFY. I succeeded in simplifying last year but I think it's something that always needs to be revisited. I love this sign that hangs in my kitchen because it's a constant reminder that simple is always better.

Christmas 2012

And she's off

The Friday after Christmas we left for Louisiana to visit Aaron's family. We decided we would only stay until Tuesday wince Ashley had to be moved to Austin by the 3rd. We had a great time shopping, eating out, visiting with friends and relaxing with family. Even more exciting was the on Monday morning I sent Aaron a link to a car that I had been looking 3 months for. You see when we need something rather it be a car, a tv or a new pair of shoes we research (sometimes to a fault) We want to make sure we get the best bang for our hard earned buck. So imagine my disappointment when we called the owner of the car to find out it was sold. Oh well wasn't meant to be................. or was it? Aaron got online and decided just to search the Lafayette area since we had usually only searched the Houston area. We found a car a great car for an awesome price, from a dealer. Meaning the warranty and the ability to deal was greater. We left the kids at Nana's and went to test drive the black Traverse. I loved it! Black wasn't my first choice but I didn't see the white diamond tricoat color I REALLY wanted. So we test drive and come back. Upon or arrival back to the dealer there it was like a beacon in the night, a white diamond tricoat 2012 Chevrolet Traverse LT. Where do I sign? I fell in love. It is by far the nicest car I have ever had and will be driven until the wheels fall off just like every other car I have had. It is an all leather, dvd, back up camera, heated seats, power lift gate, captains chair, bose stereo dream I tell ya!
Ok so I obviously regress. We got back from LA on Tuesday unpacked the car. Ashley and Aaron repacked my car and her car for the move to Austin the next morning. Bright and early Wednesday morning we headed out to Austin. My mom came over to watch Preston and Lily. Such a blessing because I could not imagine having the whole fam damily with us. So we arrive into Austin get unloaded, unpacked and head to Sam's and Target to stock the apt full of necessities. Leaving Ashley in Austin is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I worry for her safety, I pray for her guidance and am proud of her determination. She has turned out to be an absolutely wonderful lady. She starts culinary school and her new job on Monday. Say a little prayer for her on this day.

Merry Christmas

Wishing your family a very Merry Christmas. We have had a very busy year and an even busier few weeks. This was the first year I was done done done with shopping by the first week in December. I just picked up stocking stuffers this week and food for Christmas day. It felt good but I found myself wanting to buy more as it got closer to Christmas because the kids would mention something they forgot or Ashley would say something she needed. This Christmas (like last) we are staying home. I will cook a ham and a crazy amount of side dishes. My mom will be here and my brother and his family will come by. It'll be a very relaxing day. We travel for New Year's to LA to see Aaron's family and to eat some good cookin by his momma. On January 2nd Ashley moves to Austin to attend Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. She has orientation on January 4th and starts on January 7th. I believe she is ready, this is a very exciting and nervous time in her life. It'll be weird moving her into her own apt. I pray she has great room mates and they all get along.
Preston and Lily are well and so very excited for Christmas or Jesus birthday as it's often referred to. Carly is a mover and a shaker. She has learned to scoot and can zone in on the smallest object on the floor and go after it. Within minutes it will be a slobbery mess in her mouth. Christmas day will be fun with this happy girl. Aaron is doing great at work and hasn't traveled much the last quarter. That changes in January when he goes back to Rio (waaaahhhhh wahhhh) He is still on the worship team at church and is playing Sunday as well as Christmas eve.
We hope you all have a safe Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy and Healthy

Yesterday at MOPS a lady gave a devotion before our activities started. She spoke about JOY and how it can't be bought, or manufactured. She went on to tell a story about when her daughter was growing up their house was an "Aggie House" if your from the south you understand but if your not allow me to explain. Aggie's (and any other die hard college from the south) live, eat, sleep and breath all things AGGIE. The lady spoke of how amazing her daughter was and how she made honors and went to leadership programs during the summer at A & M. So imagine the disappointment of her parents when she didn't graduate the top 10% of her class and go on the be an "AGGIE" As the speaker said that "she didn't get accepted" she still had the look of disappointment on her face. I wonder as a mom if her daughter sees that same look when the topic comes up in their household. The daughter goes to Baylor, a great school as well, but it's not A & M. I thought about this story most of the day yesterday. I thought about going through life with the pressure of getting into a school that you personally may or may not want to go to. I thought about the disappointment that the parents must have felt when she didn't get in. And even more the disappointment the daughter must have felt when she let her parents down. Did she though? She graduated with honors, she attended leadership camp every summer, she goes to Baylor. Is she happy? I don't know. I came to the conclusion that I am so glad my parents didn't put pressures like that on me. Granted my childhood was not at all what this girls was. The only pressure my parents put on me growing up was to be HAPPY! Truly happy. My dad used to always ask me "are you happy" sometimes my answer was no. He would reply "then do something about it" and I always did. All I ever want for my kids is to be happy, truly happy. I don't want them to have the overwhelming pressure to go to a college they might not give a crap about. I don't want to live through my kids. I want them to live for themselves and to be HAPPY!

Le Cordon Bleu here she comes!

I could not be more proud of Ashley. She has spent the last 6 months researching and putting forth her best effort and made the decision to go to Le Cordon Bleu. She has been ACCEPTED! She starts in January. It seems so fast. I can't believe she will be 18 next week. I can't believe how fast life passes by. We are so blessed!

Organizing

I used to be soooo very organized and some say I still am. I used to be way more OCD organized before the chaos of kids took over. I have found lately though since the newness of Carly has worn off and life is returning to a routine that I need to get organized. I converted my pantry door into a family go to for sports schedules, appointments, school calendars. I like that it's centrally located, easily accessible and can be hidden. To create I used:

4 pack of cork panels Walmart $5.94
2- 3 pk picture hanging strips from 3m $3.27
1- 2pk spring clips from 3m $5.88
1 desk calendar $3.88
thumb tacks $had at home

I first measured my door. Since my tiles are 12x12 I had to trim an inch off of each tile using a rotary blade. You can use scissors if you don't have a rotary blade. I hung my calendar first since I knew the door know would be in the way. I used the spring clips for it so I could take it off to add dates. I then used 3 strips on each cork panel to hang. You will want to hang the cork panels high enough so the papers you put on it don't hang down where you can't see the calendar. I only used 2 panels from the 4 pack and put the others on the inside of a cabinet we store our medicine in to put emergency numbers and info for babysitters.

I also created an art wall for the kids to hang their pictures on. My Lily is an artist, very crafty and loves to draw. She often makes several pictures a day and wants to tape them all over the house.This art wall is perfect for her to display her art for everyone to see. It's upstairs in the playroom in the hall between Preston and Lily's room.We need some more art on it now. I also plan to get big letters from Hobby Lobby to spell CREATE.
This project was basically free. I raided my husbands tools. I found a picture hanging wire, nails and some Ikea hooks with clips I had leftover from another project. I hung 3 nails. Wrapped the wire around the first nail then the middle then the end. I tried to keep it straight without it being too tight. Hang the clips and add your art. You could easily use paper clips on string, cloths pins or binder clips for this as well. 

A day for remembering.....

With this day 15 mins from being over I decide to blog about this day in our families history. It was 5 years ago that I was 25 weeks pregnant and got the heartbreaking news that we lost baby , Mason, Preston's identical. I still don't understand why stuff like this happens. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that little boy. Read about it here: Triplets

Also on this day 3 years ago we lost our beloved Mama Jean (Aaron's grandmother) She was a fun free spirited lady. I know she would be so proud of her family. We miss her so much and can't believe it's been 3 years. I know she is up in heaven rockin her little Mason in her arms. Read about Mama Jean

Although it's difficult today to see beyond the sorrow,
May looking back in memory help comfort you tomorrow. ~Author Unknown

Anniversary

I could not ask for a better husband, father, and mentor to our family. For our 8th anniversary on July 10 Aaron was out of town in California. I know poor Aaron in Los Angeles for work! So when I realized he would be gone for our anniversary I simply said "bring me something pretty back" Boy did he. First of all when Aaron gives a gift he really thinks about it. He doesn't just go by a random something and put it in a box. He went to High Voltage tattoo studio in Hollywood and purchased an autographed biography from Kat on D. She is a world famous tattoo artist and the star of reality show LA Ink. He then booked 2 flights to LA for he and I to fly out over Labor Day and for me to get a tattoo at High Voltage by one of their amazingly talented artists. He even arranged for his parents to come in from Louisiana to watch the kids. How cool is that? I'm so lucky to have a man that knows exactly what kind of gift I would love.

Destin

Since the day Carly was born we have been over the moon. Obviously because she's the last AND she's the baby. But a few months ago she started having major crying fits at night. I mean wailing from 5-7 every. single. night! So not fun. With Ashley, Preston and Lily I changed their formula to lactose free before they were a month old. With Carly I guess I didn't think to change because her crying was only at night. With the other 3 they spit up alot which was a big red flag, Carly never spits up. Well low and behold last week I switched her formula to a sensitive formula. It has made a huge difference. She is happy! I can't believe it took 3 months to figure it out but hey every kid is different right?!?!?! I wish I would've changed her formula before our trip to Destin.

 

It's been a while

Wow it's been a while. Of course I've been busy. I started volunteering again for Cypress Calling and reopened my embroidery business, Lily Lou Designs. I am only taking a few orders so I don't get overwhelmed. The kids are good. Aaron travels alot. He left for West Africa when Carly was 2 weeks old. He was there for 19 days (I think) It seemed like forever. he was back home a week before he left for Scotland then Newfoundland. The twins have been in VBS for 3 weeks since school let out. Carly is the cutest baby ever. She is cooing and laughing more. So stinking cute. Ashley has a job and has been working alot of hours. Pair that with getting her license and she is busy busy. She still wants to go to college and study nutrition. I am trying to talk her into staying local and going to Lone Star comm. college (you know the cheaper option) but she wants to go around Austin to Blinn or SW. All I see is dollar signs when she says that. Who knows what that girl will do though. She is a free spirit who changes her mind daily. I'll leave you with a few pics. Oh and if you'd like to see my 15 mins of fame check this out. Oil Wives of Cy Fair 

Ashley Lily Carly. She really does look like both my girls!

My dad's side of the family at my brother's wedding.