Pool Party

For Lily and Emery's 3rd birthday, we had a pool party at Champions Park North Clubhouse on a Wednesday afternoon. Although we had their party at the same place last year, we decided that the best thing to do in Houston in the middle of July is swim!

We kept the entire party outside this year just to make things easier. It turned out that although the pool was open for anyone, no one was there so we had the whole place to ourselves. Daddy joined the party as soon as he finished working.The diving board was definitely the favorite activity at the party. Not too many pools even have diving boards any more so that made it even more special.
That is Emery jumping off the board.

We made ice cream sundaes for their birthday treat.
Everyone waiting patiently to put their toppings on their brownie and ice cream...chocolate and caramel sauce, strawberries, m&m's, oreos and whipped cream.
Mommy and Daddy with the birthday girls.
We were glad MIMI was able to come to the party. She is always so helpful with watching Carter and serving food.
The Hall family...Lily had had enough of the picture taking.The favors...

...were these ice cream bowls that came in multiple colors with matching spoons and we filled them with some candy.

3rd Birthday

Lily and Emery are 3 years old!

Good Morning Birthday Girl. They got these adorable shopping carts from Nana.

Sometimes playing with the boxes is as much fun as playing with the actual toy. Those are Aubrey and Emery's legs and feet!
The traditional birthday breakfast - chocolate chip pancakes.
MIMI stopped by to have some breakfast with us. Lily is on the phone with one of the family members that called to wish her a 'Happy Birthday.'

I decided not to rush of to one of the many activities we usually have planned in the morning. Instead we stayed home and enjoyed a relaxing morning of playing around in the water.
That evening we went over to Mike's stepbrother's house to go swimming and have dinner.

Lily and Emery got to choose what they wanted for their birthday treat. They both requested rice krispie treats.

After dinner they opened their birthday present from us.

NEW BIKES!

All three girls got new horns to put on their bikes.
They opened their present from MIMI last because we didn't want to spoil the surprise...helmets!

Happy 3rd Birthday sweet girls! We love you both very much!

Lingerie Shower/Bachelorette Party

The kids and I went to Fort Worth/Dallas so I could help throw a lingerie shower for my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Kim. My mom and brother watched the kids in Fort Worth while we threw the shower at my brother's house in Dallas. It was an afternoon shower so we decided to have a chocolate fountain and all the delicious things you can dip in chocolate.

We kept all the decorations simple and classy.

The shower was hosted by my other sister-in-law, Lori (on the left) and Kim's best friend, Meggie (on the right).

As Kim open each gift we came up with a name for the piece of lingerie that she received. Later they rewrapped each item and attached the nametag to it. Kim took all the wrapped gifts on her honeymoon and Drew got to re-open them.

Meggie gave Kim this t-shirt and a pair of socks as a joke. We gave it a very creative name hoping Drew would be a little suprised when he opened it. The best part is that it looks exactly like a shirt he would actually wear!

After the shower, we went out for a bachelorette party with Kim dressed in her "bachelorette" attire.

We all got fancy rings to wear for the evening.

The girls at dinner.

The whole day was a blast. I really enjoyed getting to know some of Kim's friends better. They are all wonderful people.

10-year Anniversary

Mike and I met at a sorority/fraternity mixer about a week before school started my freshman year at TCU. That night he asked me out on our first date.

September 1994

We enjoyed our years of college together. After he graduated in December of 1997 he moved to Dallas and I spent another year and a half at school. We went to Steamboat, Colorado for spring break in March of 1999. One night Mike took me on a sleigh ride up into the mountains and romantically proposed in a teepee.

We were married July 8, 2000.
10 years and 4 beautiful children later, we were able to celebrate our anniversary with a delicious dinner and romantic evening out.
It is by God's grace that our marriage and family has grown these past 10 years. Life has thrown many challenges at us and it is through prayer and our love for each other that we have remained strong and faithful. Mike is an amazing husband and father. I am truly blessed to be loved by such a wonderful man.