Looking Toward Fall

Beauty in the Common Things: cooler weather. In this area, we've had 68 days with 100+ temperatures. The record is 69 days set in 1980. Such a relief to have high in the 80s. I'm going to cross my fingers that we don't end up breaking that record.

Dinner Plans: taco salad with Wholly Guacamole 100 calorie packs (my new favorite find!)

Listen In: review of college football. Bring on the Longhorns...if only we could watch them.

This month's family fun badge was "Learn Something Together"

Since we are a science minded family, I went with a simple science project: Sink or Float.
We got an empty bucket and filled it with water.

We then gathered nick-nacks to try out. In this case a stick, a leaf, scissors, a toy car, a card, a pine needle, a toy cow, a necklace, dice, cheerios, a pencil, a foam star and a nail.

Before we could make our hypothesis on each object, Grant threw them in the water. That is ok though, he enjoyed it.
In our log book, we would write that the heavier items sank and the lighter items would float (even the old drenched paper card)

The rest of the weekend was spent in the sandbox or playing with our cat, Kitty. Grant kept trying to get Kitty to look at the camera.

After the fun, came the catching up on chores. I scrubbed the floors while Grant took my order from his kitchen. No matter what I order, its always $10! But who cares, look at that smile!

No Cabin Fever Here!

Beauty in the Common Things: Today is chalk full of beauty. My husband woke up early, gave me a sweet kiss, and said "Baby, its still snowing. We have about 4 inches." I said a quick "HOORAY!", then rolled over and went back to sleep. When my body finally woke up, I was super excited! More of that to come later.

Listen In: Watching Oprah. Its been pre-empted all week due to the weather, I've got to get my girl shows in.

View From the Kitchen Window: powdery snow everywhere and 2 dogs that were just let out for a potty break

Dinner Plans: I've been cooking a lot since we've been stuck indoors...sopaphilla cheesecake, chicken pot pie, pork chops, cheesy bread, sloppy joes....maybe tonight will be leftovers!

Last weekend, Daniel and I took a group of about 35 students to our college Alma mater for a tour. Bad thing about it though, one of us had to ride the school bus with the other sponsor. Grant wanted to get on, so I decided to join him. Turns out when you ride with your toddler who is super excited for his first bus ride, its not so bad after all!

He didn't sleep the entire 3 hours, but didn't begin to get crabby when were 20 minutes away from our destination. He claimed the bus was "too little" for him and he needed to get out of his car seat.

We went on the official tour of the school and showed them some of the ropes. They are only sophomores, but it was nice to see them get excited about the future.
While in town, we visited with some college friends of ours who have a daughter six months older than Grant. I found he is a little gentleman with the ladies. Right before this picture was taken, he opened the Jeep door and said, "Hey, you want to go for a ride?" Miss Avery jumped in a looked back with this adorable face.

It was hilarious watching them. When he'd drive, she'd play with the Barbie radio and when she would drive, he would try to control the radio, and the wheel. Typical couple...haha.

It was a beautiful January day, so we also got in some swinging time as well.

Grant and Avery were worn out be the end of the day. They had a nice pillow fight with their pillow pets and then watched Toy Story 3.

Thank you Suttles family for letting us stay with you and enjoy your home and family! I can't wait to see Miss Maitland arriving in a month!

This week has been so, un-Texas-like. We went to school Monday, then an arctic blast came in. Temperatures were in the teens and you could ice skate on our side walk. The ice was at least 2.5 inches thick. School was canceled for 3 days due to the ice and bitter cold. Our district, and surrounding schools, knew they may not be able to handle the single digit wind chills. I know that people up north laugh at us for such things, but this is so rare, everyone freaks out. Last night we had snow come in. We woke up to some beautiful powder.

Here is Grant and Daniel throwing snow. It was not wet enough to make snowballs nor a snowman.

I thought our birdbath looked neat with a blanket of snow on it.

Daniel was laughing at Grant. He found it hard to walk and just feel down.

7 inches total, on top of all the ice.


Daniel actually did a snow angel? He must have been really excited! He never does that!


This can give you an idea of our weather.

Rowdy and Honey did not care for the bitter cold

I am so grateful that I don't have to go into work on days like this, and even if I did...it is only about 5 miles from my home. I am grateful for my heat, 2 boys to cuddle with, and a beautiful fire in the fireplace to look at. More snow may be on the way later next week. I give props to all the Global Warming Issues:)

Snow Day!

A week after the new year began, Mother Nature brought us a nice weekend surprise! Heavy snowfall came in which made for a fun day and a late start to school the next day. Extra bonus!

Grant kept looking at all the snow coming down, as did I.

Our view of the backyard with GIANT flakes coming down!

Caught in the act...
FABULOUS!
Rowdy and Honey enjoyed the snow, but not the cold!

Grant found out that the best snow was on his playset.

Our neighborhood turned into a winter wonderland.

Grant loved throwing snowballs and his Dad and I.


I kept trying to show Grant how to catch snow on his tongue. He took one look at me and put his head down like he was embarassed. I'm sure that won't be the last time!


Daniel was trying to get Grant to make a snow angel.

Look at those rosy cheeks.

We joined the neighborhood kids to make a huge snowman.

This one we made in our yard. He finally melted almost a week later.

Christmas Part II

Beauty in the Common Things: Not really common here, but it just started snowing!!! I hope it sticks!

Listen In: We are watching "Couple's Retreat", so far so good.

Dinner Plans: Left overs...Pizza Hut!

I love sending out Christmas cards. Some people CLAIM to be too busy but I don't believe it. My sister took our pictures for our card this year. They took a total of 10 minutes and turned out great!

Here is the runner-up:

Here is the winner!

This picture I had to share...my cousin who passes through town every once in a while stopped for a day for a visit before Christmas. He gave Grant some dinosaur eggs. He was so excited about them and proud of them. He kept asking when they would hatch. Turns out they weren't dinosaur eggs after all...just full of sugar :)

Grant had surgery the day after "Christmas Part I". He had his adnoids taken out and tubes put in his ears. We went to a great ENT here where we live. It was a quick surgery. Lamb Chop and Puppy were anxiously awaiting his return to the recovery room.

It took awhile for him to get out of the anstesia, but we waited patiently.

We finally got home and Grant rested for quite a while and ate plenty of popsicles.

After a while, playing time came back to him, sort of....

Later that night he was caught jumping on his bed. Quick recovery :) The surgery already has seemed to improve his health.

The next day, Grant and I put together a gingerbread house. I iced everything and he stuck the candies everywhere. Students gave me candy and such, it was a great way to use them besides eating them!

Christmas Eve afternoon, we took Grant to see his first movie at a movie theater, "Yogi Bear". The movie was absolutely awful, but he pretty much made it through the movie. Afterwards, we played in the arcade.

Like father, like son.


Grant and Fletcher got to bowl some.

It was 'mini-lanes'. Adorable and just the right size!


This is PawPaw and Vivian. He was rocking her to sleep...sort of.


I kept taking pictures, and she gave me this look...just like her mother!
Here is Grant giving Vivian some more kisses :)
Daniel rocked her to sleep, and did this when she woke back up...aww.

When we got back from the movies on Christmas Eve, it was time to prep for Santa's arrival!

Here is Fletcher and Grant putting out the reindeer food in the yard.

Greg and my mom played Christmas carol duets on the piano. I love hearing my mom play on the grand piano!

MiMi did crafts with the boys. Here they are writing a letter to Santa and making mugs for Santa's beverage!


We made cookies for Santa to eat.


The boys loved rolling out the dough.

We also made a few for us to eat!

It was a late Christmas Eve night, but we made sure Santa got his letter, goodies, and was able to see the gingerbread house.
Before Grajt woke up, I snuck in the living room to see what Santa had left.

Can you believe Santa carried this large train table in his sleigh. He really must have plenty of magic!

Grajt was excited to see what Santa had left. Daniel and Grant spent most of the morning on the train table.

Santa also brought this neat firetruck puzzle. Its four feet long!

We had to pry Grant away from Santa's gifts to open the ones from us. Then we went to my parents to see what Fletcher and Vvivian got from Santa as well as open gifts from each other. It was a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

To end this long blog, I'll show you a project we finished over the break. Woodshop at the high school made these dog houses. They were unpainted when we got them, so I told Daniel we needed to paint it for our dog Honey. I helped paint the roof black, then left to play with Grant for a while. I come back and he painted the rest gold. GOLD! I was horrified and so angry about the super ghetto dog house. My Honey could NOT sleep in such a horrible thing! He just laughed at me and repainted it all.. Now Honey can sleep in a pretty place that is maroon.