52 Week Photo Challenge Week 10

Something that the 52 Week Photo Challenge has taught me already is that I do take a lot of pictures!  I have realized that I haven't really struggled to keep up with taking pictures every week.  I have struggled more with which ones to label "52 Week Photo Challenge" here on the blog (as well as how it will be titled later in my scrapbooks).  I have decided to change my focus from just taking pictures every week to trying to take 1 picture every week of a simple memory that I normally would have not noticed/remembered to be important.  I am also going to challenge myself to think outside of just the kiddos.  So many other things make up our days as well as our memories.

I recently discovered Write.Click.Scrapbook and am in love with the way these scrapbookers document so much more than just the big things.   I have always struggled with journaling in my scrapbooks.  I would write the date and maybe where the picture was taken and call that my journaling.  Looking back over years of scrapbooks, I realize that I am missing so much emotion, excitement and storytelling that should have been in that book!  This was one of the primary reasons I decided to start blogging.  I have found it so much easier to journal within a couple of days of the picture being taken rather than 9 months later when I get around to scrapping the picture/event.  Never have I intended for my scrapbooks to be expensive (and time consuming!) photo albums.  I long for them to be storybooks of my childrens childhoods, a love story of their parents, a way to see into who mommy and daddy are aside from being mommy and daddy.  Documenting all the things we all love together and individually.  I intend for them to be an amazing treasure for our grandchildren and great grandchildren to learn about their family.  For this to happen, I need to write more and see the important details that appear insignificant in the moments. 

So that is my revised 52 Week Photo Challenge for myself.   This week (technically lasts weeks) is of Rylee and her BFF Ally.

Rylee begged me to come have lunch with her.  It wasn't really me she wanted- it was the MacDonalds!   And the chance to sit with Ally.  They have recently been assigned lunch seats and she is 2 people away from Ally and this is devasting to Rylee!  My girl has refused to buy her lunch all year, and it is not because she doesn't like school food.  If she has to wait on the lunch line, it takes away from her Ally time (Ally brings her lunch).  It makes my heart happy to see my girl have such a close friend.  As a matter of fact, she has a sleepover planned at Ally's tonight.  No way I could expect her to go the entire spring break without her BFF!

Yee Haw Y'all

March means Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo time!  We have taken our kids every year of their lives with the exception only being when Jadyn was 7 months old.  It is easily one of our favorite family traditions.  We love taking it all in- the livestock show, BBQ, Rodeo, cowboy autographs, the concert and the carnival. 

The livestock show is a favorite while they are young.  The girls have outgrown it, but Colton was really excited about riding a pig.  Not sure where he got that idea from, but it was all he talked about when he was told he was going to see pigs and cows.  While no pigs rides took place, we did make sure we scarred him for life.

As you can see, we thought it would be fun to take a picture of him with the black cow.  Yeah, well, black cow decided to "moo" hello from behind Colton.  Turns out the way moms and dads moo to their preschoolers actually sounds nothing like the real thing.  I am laughing again.  Mean mom, I know.

My kids can never get enough of the carnival.  Jadyn has become a bit of a chicken in recent years and she prefers the fun houses and giant slides over the "real" rides. 

She did make a great riding partner for her brother though!

She took it upon herself to teach him to ride ALL rides with your hands in the air.  This was seriously one of the cutest things I have ever seen.  He LOVED the rides and appears to be quite brave.  This little car ride seemed simple.  Cars driving in a circle.  Well, turns out it flings you around the corners very fast.  I was sure after the first turn he would freak.  NO!  He cracked up and screamed when the ride was over.

Colton also rode the kiddie coaster with his noonie.  See him there with his little hands in the air?  Again, CUTEST THING EVER!

Now Rylee on the other hand...well, she is a dare devil.  Nothing and I mean NOTHING seems too intimidating to her. 

The arrow is where Rusty and Rylee are on the large roller coaster.  I rode with her last year, Daddy this year.

Thankfully if her sister isn't going to be her riding buddy, she has a mom and dad who are almost always willing to.

I say almost because the swings neither Rusty or I are willing to ride along on.  Rusty has decided he doesn't trust the chains for himself anymore and I cannot handle going in a circle.  Never ends pretty.

The rodeo is no doubt some of my favorite memory makers with my kids.  I realize that I kind of mark the passing of years by the rodeo.  How big the kids were, what their favorite song was that night, what rides they couldn't ride because they weren't tall enough yet.  Already looking forward to next year!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

This past weekend we took our annual trip to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.  I will blog more on the rest of the rodeo later, but right now I am going to share a little about the concert, my girl Jadyn, and an embarrassing story from a past concert.

3 1/2 years ago, Rusty and I saw Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Gary Allen at Reliant Stadium.  I am a huge country music but am a HUGE Kenny Chesney fan.  Before the concert started, I noticed on the field a man with a bodyguard and a small crowd gathering.  I quickly realized it looked like KENNY CHESNEY!  I freaked.  Suddenly all common sense and maturity flew out the window.  I headed down the stands, apparently going to chase this man down.  I decided that I wasn't going to get close enough that way.  I headed back up the stands, grabbed the camera from my (embarrassed) husband, and headed another direction to meet him as he was coming up the stands.  I did run into him and the small crowd, but quickly realized it wasn't Kenny.  It was a HORRIBLE, UGLY impersonator.  Great from a distant, bad up close.  I was immediately embarrassed at my fanatic behavior.  No clue what overcame me. 

We saw Luke Bryan this past weekend.  I have raised up a couple of country music fans, and we all look forward to the rodeo concerts.  At the end of the show, Luke Bryan's exit was directly under our section.  We were several rows up, though, and as soons as Jadyn realized where he would exit at she BEGGED me to allow her to run down to get as near to him as possible.  I snapped the above photo of her attempt.

It made me laugh to see her enjoy the show as much as she did, but it also made me laugh that apparently her mother can easily behave like a 9 year old!

52 Week Photo Challenge Week 9

(Yes, this is nearly a week late)

Something struck our house again.  Cold victim this time-Colton.  A few weeks ago I blogged about Rylee being sick.  Now is Colton's turns. 

This was my view for 2 days last week.  Poor Colton was curled up in mommy's lap or laying with mommy on her bed.  Point was where ever he was, he needed me to be. 

And the fingers were in the mouth the entire time, too.  Thinking teething maybe?

This kid cracks me up when he coughs.  The tongue pops outs!

Our only source of entertainment was reading Baby Dinosaurs over and over again, watching Cars over and over again, and taking baths over and over again.  I even caught myself quoting Lightning McQueen while at the grocery store this week. 

I am happy to say we seem all better.  Please, Lord, NO MORE COLDS!  Although, I have decided that Mater is my one of my favorite Disney characters ever.  "She jus' likes me for my body".  Cracks me up everytime!

It's a Family Thing

Jadyn and Rylee recently have started Awanas at Second Baptist.  They are loving it!  A couple of weeks ago, Jadyn had her first Pinewood Derby Car Race with Awana's.

Jadyn wanted to participate because it was the thing to do, all her friends were doing it.  As far as putting the car together (designing, building and decorating it) she really didn't seem all that interested.  Sure she enjoyed decorating it, but as far as whether or not she wanted to win, well, she never mentioned it!  Never said anything about hoping she would win!

I had a Girls Night Out with friends that night and because of her lack of enthusiasm, I felt like I need the night out more than she wanted me there.  Just as the movie I was seeing began, the first text from Rusty came through saying she had won 2 of her first 3 heats.  I could not believe it! 



Daddy did a good job taking pics with his phone for me!

Jadyn was thrilled with how the race was turning out (in her favor!), but Rusty was just as thrilled that his design was winning!  She went on to win 1st Place in Speed!  All 3 top winners were girls.  We thought that was pretty neat, too!

I called this post It's A Family Thing because very recently her cousin Kaleb (in Colorado) won first place in his Boy Scout Pinewood Derby.  That made Jadyn's victory even sweeter we thought!

Another Installment of Alicia's Copy Cat Crafts!

We can just call me the Crafty Copy Cat.  I am always first to admit that most of my craft attempts are copycats of something I have seen. 

Recently I repinned this sphere on Pinterest.  First off, I LOVE her blog title!  Hill Country Homebody.  So cute.  Back to the sphere.

I saw these on Pinterest, and when I realized how darn easy they are, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby!  For $2 I purchased (2) 6" embroidery hoops.  Honestly, $1.60.  I am such a cheap-o that I used my mobile 40% off coupon on a $.99 item.  Yep, that cheap.

To get the gray color, I mixed a black and white acrylic paint that I already had.  Again, spending 99 more cents on gray acrylic paint was out of the question.

Love how it came out and so easy!  I plan to make a larger one to sit beside it, just haven't done it yet. Thanks again Pinterest!  And, Hill Country Homebody!

You Might Be A Redneck If....

You think shirts are optional in your backyard.  The red underwear showing above your shorts is just an added bonus.