8 years y'all

(Celebrating at Jack Allen's kitchen...best food EVER!!)
Sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky!  I am so in love with this man!! 

(Night time shenanigans)
He makes me laugh every day and over the span of 8 years...that's 2,920 days of laughter.  Pretty awesome!!

(Temple trip to San Antonio)

 

(Echo Lake 2001)
Even though we've been married 8 years, he's been my best friend for 13.   

(Heaven)
Still got it!!

He's walking!!

All it took was a basketball hoop and some courage.  He's off!!  Little G man is walking!  He decided it's way easier shooting hoops if you don't have to crawl holding the ball.  Being a foot taller is way better too! 

Go Green or Go Home!

The leprechauns made their way into our house again this year.  We were out to dinner with friends that evening and got the idea from the Lunts to write mustaches on the kid's faces while they slept that night.  Chase and I had to leave the room a few times because we were laughing too hard and the littles were beginning to stir.  Being a parent is so much fun!!

We managed Jack swimmingly. He could probably sleep through a Tornado, but Sadie kept moving and we decided that after almost waking her, we'd skip our lightest sleeper in the next room....G-man!! 

The Leprechauns got us too!!

The kids woke up at the crack of dawn and were overwhelmed at the destructing around our house and the marks left behind, even on their faces!! 

Seriously, I hope we have at least three of four more years of this.  Maybe 5?  Why can't they just believe our lies forever?  They're growing up too fast!!!

Grandpa!!

Grandpa couldn't come for Christmas, so we got him in March instead.  Hooray!!!!
George was shy at first but then realized Grandpa is just like Dad, just with a fluffier head. 

Of course we spent the whole week outside.  It was spring break so we had lots of time to burn and still didn't have enough to do all we wanted to do.

Barton Creek was a must and we had a lot of fun splashing in the water and having a picnic in the woods.

But real food was required so we introduced yet another city slicker to the Salt Lick.  He loved it!!  And clearly Sadie and Jack love and adore him.

Jack cracked us up that night.  We ordered him some turkey and as Chase was gnawing on a rib, Jack looked over with a perplexed look on his face and said "hey Dad, were'd ya get that rib."  It was a proud moment for Chase watching his son act like a cave man while ripping flesh off a bone.  I was more proud that we're acclimating enough to indoctrinate the children in Texas ways....all the way down to their fantastic BBQ.

George just loved being outside and flirting with a table of ladies.

 

A visit from Grandpa is never complete with out a little tree climbing.  I found him the best tree ever!!

 

 

I couldn't have survived spring break with out him.  The kids were beyond entertained and we all had a marvelous time. 

And to top it all off, we were able to be together as we watched Aunt Jane open her mission call to Nauvoo, Ill.  Learning American Sign Language.  Hooray for Jane!!! 
All in all, a perfect week with my amazing Dad!!

 

 

Date Night with my Lady

Sadie had a school play while Chase was out of town so I hired a babysitter and made a date out of it.  The play consisted of a bunch of off key first graders shouting out songs while a select few starlets danced on the stage.  Pretty typical, but so fun to see Sadie wave and grin at me from across the room. 
We went to TCBY afterwards and as we sat down with our ice cream I found that no matter how many interesting questions I asked Sadie, I couldn't get her full attention.  I was so frustrated because I rarely get alone time with her at home.  I realized that she was staring at a television behind me so I switched places with her in hopes that I could enthusiastically engage her in some conversation.  But then I noticed that there was another television behind that seat as well. I stopped for a moment and was astounded to find that there was not one corner of the establishment without a blaring television distracting my little girl from looking into my eyes.  Darn the media that's ever inundating our society!!  I guess we'll save the girl chats for "pillow talk" and leave the ice cream to bluebell.  You're fired TCBY!! 

Spring Happenings

We love this time of year in Texas.  We've been soaking up the beautiful weather before it gets too hot to breath.  There have been many a scooter ride....

and trips to the park. 

Mayfield park was a hit.

If there's water and rocks to throw, we have some happy campers.

We were laughing at this backdrop.  So Texas!!

We had a pretty fierce windstorm (so glad to be renting:-)

And with the wind came some great kite flying at the Austin Kite Festival. 

Sadie is quite a pro at this point.

 

It's fun seeing all the different kites until one gets tangled with yours...boooo!

Bike rides in the rain.

Puddle stomping at Costco.  Jack wanted to wear a purse too so we called it a "satchel."

Bath time is harder than it looks.

 

....and more shenanigans. 

Happy Spring!!

Love...love...love

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Valentine's Day!!  I get so excited every year and start planning my valentine to Chase weeks before.  It's my favorite holiday because I don't have to rush around buying gifts for anyone.  All that's needed is a little construction paper and glue and we're good to go.  Besides, I'd much rather get a valentine from my sweetheart any day than an overpriced gift. 

Well, that;s not entirely true. Last year, for example, Chase forgot to make me a valentine. He said he "ran out of time" and that it was stressful with a "new baby" and all that jazz. I guess I just had WAY more time and wasn't stressed or overtired at all with a "new baby." I only had to wake up every three hours to feed the little chap and live off 4 inconsistent hours of sleep every night for months on end. I made him a really cool one too. It was a deck of cards with 52 reasons I love him posted on each one. It only took me several days to make.....no big deal. I didn't post about it last year because I was probably bitter and am probably still (is it that obvious?). Anywho, he got me some beautiful jewelry for our anniversary a month later to make up for his stupidity and because it was so pretty,, he totally redeemed himself. So yes, sometimes an overpriced gift is just what the love doctor ordered.   

This year Chase was determined to NOT end up in the dog house (all I want is a stinking Valentine...is that asking too much?!!)  I woke up and found he had taken window paint and colored messages on all the windows, mirrors and glass surfaces in the house.  Our oven said "can you feel the love?" and the kids each had something written on their vanities as well.  It was pretty sweet. 

We made heart shaped pancakes with Nutella and decorated some more cookies to take to Sadie's class for her party.  I love that Jack sticks his tongue out when he concentrates.

After sending Sadie off to school and making sure she had her box and valentines, Jack and I got busy finishing up his cards too.  George was great at picking up scrap paper and putting it in his mouth.   I was feeling rather festive so we cut out some felt hearts and stuck them on our shirts.

Then.....we went out to the garage to take Jack to preschool and found Chase didn't stop with the windows, mirrors and glass surfaces in the house.  He got the car too!  At this point I decided I didn't need a valentine anymore.  I would be driving my valentine that day.  It was a little embarrassing but fun too.  Made me feel like a 100 bucks for sure!!

I got to visit Sadie at her class party.  It's always so fun visiting her at school because she's so excited to see me.  Love that little peanut!

 

That night we had Chinese food and chocolate fondue...of course...and exchanged our valentines.  This is what I came up with for Chase.  Inside was a poem:

All the reasons I love you so,

are million in number as far as I know.

Summing them up, I've narrowed them down,

to three most splendid and glorious nouns.

You gave me all I could want and more,

in three little faces I surely adore. 

I made this one for Jack with some Orla Kiely wrapping paper from a Mimi x-mas gift (yes I save wrapping paper:-).  Going along with the car theme I wrote "I wheel love you forever."  Chase made a darling valentine for Sadie that I still need to take a picture of.   

Here's the one he made for me.  I'm pretty impressed how he comes up with these ideas.  We've really started a fun tradition of collecting these cards over the years.  My mantle is overflowing with LOVE!

I also love that Austin has a wall downtown adorned with heart shaped rocks.  Awesome!!

Then we snuggled up in Jack's bed for some books that Mimi sent in a v-day package.  I love my little family so much.  We're bursting y'all!