Tae Kwondo

Lately life has been busy, and Ashton's new after school activity has added to the mix considering we spend at least three days a week at Tae Kwondo, but I am not complaining because he LOVES it and asks to go almost daily. He has a ways to go before we will be seeing a colored belt in our future, but as long as he is having fun, I am perfectly happy with that.

And just for fun, a couple extra pictures of my two loves....can't wait to meet their sibling in July!

Hello 30

So most of the time I use this blog as a scrapbook to remember what is going on in our lives, or I guess I should say what Ashton and Reese are up to. For one post I am going to write about me. Today is the last day of my twenties and while I am not going to lie, I really have not been looking forward to turning thirty, I started thinking back about my 20s and wanted to recap the past ten years....

20...hello twenty! I met my best friend/future husband and was living with three of my best friends! (1011 bayou woods...Kelly,Jenni and Amanda!)

21...officially legal, yes Casey and I could finally go to Dave and busters as we couldn't before because I was a year shy of 21 and sadly he was a year shy of being old enough to be considered my "legal guardian" for this establishment; got engaged and finished my last semester in College Station

22...big year...landed first job and despite technically working for 5 different companies, I still have the same job for the last eight years; graduated college WHOOP!!; married my best friend; bought our first house

23...celebrated one year anniversary in Las Vegas, welcomed Mr. Spook to our family...love our little white fluffy westie-poo

24...found out I was pregnant...surprised, shocked, scared, elated..total mix of emotions

25...My Golden Birthday...gave birth to my precious son Ashton William and experienced the most incredible kind of love anyone has ever known; learned what it meant to be really tired and how to function on minimal sleep; retired my Honda Civic (actually Casey sucked it up and drove around in it) and got my first SUV...love!

26...sold our first house and bought and moved into our current home, literally one year to the day that we brought Ashton home from the hospital

27...took at long overdue trip to New York to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and found out the morning we left I was pregnant with baby #2

28...lost my Maw-Maw at 89 years old, a month shy of her 90th Birthday; gave birth to our sweet daughter Reese Elizabeth and experienced a whole new love all over again

29...became an AUNT/Godmother to the two most precious baby boys...Cash William and Walker Kevin; found out I was pregnant with baby Lee #3 and learned what morning sickness really was...I only thought I knew from Ashton and Reese, boy was I wrong....

These are just a few of the memories I have from the past 10 years. I have cried a lot, laughed a lot and smiled a ton and made some of the best memories with some of the best friends/family anyone could ask for. So I guess, bring on my thirties...if all of these wonderful things could happen in my twenties I can't wait to see what the future holds...especially come July when I get to meet Baby Lee #3!

I DO!! I DO!!

Lately Reese has been showing a bit more of her stubborn or maybe I should say independent personality especially when it comes to meal times. I understand kids need to learn to feed themselves and Reese has always done pretty good at this. I normally would feed her about half of her meal (to ensure a good portion went in her mouth) and then would let her feed herself. Meal time has become somewhat frustrating lately as she will not let anyone help her and wants to do everything herself. "I DO! I DO!" is what she tends to say loudly and with quite a bit of intensity. If you do not let her have her way, A) She refuses to eat B) Has a large meltdown. Once you give in, things tend to go better. So a few outfits/baths later and all is well with the world. Here is Reese eating JELLO, if you didn't know better you may think she had the chicken pox. Man, we love this girl!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I am late on our Christmas post but wanted to make sure I got it in, even if it was in 2012. And I had more pictures but BLOGGER is just not want to cooperate with me today. Here are a few to recap...

Mo and Mimi spent the night with us Christmas Eve so they could be there bright and early (yes we told Ashton at 5 am it was too early and were able to hold him off until 6 am to see what Santa brought)

Mo got a new Texas A&M shirt which he wore for the bowl game


Ashton and Reese openning presents, Santa brought Reese a kitchen and Ashton a "Super Duper Fast RaceCar" if you ask him

Every cook needs an apron

Super excited that her brother is about to bring her for a ride

She looks freaked out but she had so much fun and Ashton made sure to go slow when his sister was in the car with him

This year Christmas was a little out of sorts. The pediatrician recommended that the twins hold off meeting their cousins for a couple of months so we did Christmas in shifts. Casey and I went to see Cash and Walker and drop off some gifts

Walker, keeping watch and Cash sleeping away

The new family of four on their first Christmas together

Ashton trying on his new cowboy hat and boots from Captain Mark and Aunt Jac

Later in the week our New Orleans family came. I don't have many pictures but here is one of Nan and Reese reading a book

We had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. We were bummed not to get to spend New Years with our Midland family but we know that we will get to celebrate with them soon and it will be great. Best wishes in 2012!!!

Rewind

The past three weeks have been nothing short of a whirlwind. Time has been a biggest gift that seems to precious as it just seems to escape me. In a short/long post I want to recap what has been going on. Three weeks ago today, November 27, to be exact, two miracles happened. The birth of my nephews Cash William Donat and Walker Kevin Donat came rather unexpectedly that day. I got a phone call from my mom around 9:30 am. Was at the hospital by 10:30 am and Cash William was born at 11:11 am weighing in at 4 lbs 10 oz and then his brother came one minute later at 11:12 am weighing 4lbs. These two sweet babies gave their daddy the best Birthday present he could have asked for that day, their arrival. Thankfully the boys are doing well and while I do not have pictures to post (I know, bad aunt) I have gotten to spend many of my lunch breaks visiting the NICU and loving on them. They are both getting bigger and stronger each day and we are continuing to pray for them to come home, hopefully sooner rather than later, as long as they are healthy. They both stole my heart right away and just reminded me again how wonderful God truly is when you see all of his creations.

Fast forward to the following week. Ashton had his first Christmas program at his preschool. I think Ashton had the largest fan club in attendance with his Mo, Mimi, Molly, Grandpa, Nannie Marge, Mommy, Daddy and Reese taking up not one but two pews to see his performance. It was so cute and we laughed and "Ooooed" and "Awwed" at all of the adorable kids and the songs and hand motions they performed.

Then the next day Ashton headed to Midland with Molly and Grandpa for two days to hang out. He had a great time and then we met him along with Molly, Grandpa, G.G., Mema, Uncle Chris, Amber and other cousins to celebrate Ashton and Reese's Great Great Grandma's 100th Birthday!!! This woman is AMAZING and looks incredible. Molly and G.G. had done a great job putting a party together which all of Great Great Grandma's friends came to enjoy. It was a wonderful celebration filled with family and friends and I am so thankful we were there to enjoy it. After a whirlwind weekend we headed back home from San Angelo and have spent the last week trying to get ready for Christmas. I love this time of year and after spending time with family it makes me continue to remember the Reason for the Season. Here are some pictures from the party.

The Birthday Girl....doesn't she look incredible for 100! (She claims she is only 96 though!)

5 Generations:

Mema, looking beautiful!

Pictures of my handsome boy, ready for his Christmas program:

And my sweet, yet mischievous girl

Rare

Had to share, a VERY rare shot with:
A) Kids looking at the Camera
B) Looking at the same time
C) Not hurting one another
D) SMILING!!!

We have had professional pictures taken TWICE in the last 5 months and neither photographer (not for lack of trying or for their amazing skills) were able to get this to happen. It is the little things that I have to LOVE!

Happy Halloween!

The kids had a blast trick or treating tonight. Ashton made a game time decision and decided to be a Transformer and throw Superman to the side for now. As for Reese, she was the cutest little Reese's Peanut Buttercup that was seen on Halloween. I think he costume was a winner as when most people saw her they scrambled to find a Reese's Cup or Reese's Pieces to give her. She quickly got into Trick or Treating and prefered sticking her hand into people's bowls and hold her pieces of candy rather than putting them in her bag. It was a great night!

Reese's school outfit and Ashton showing us his Transformers gear:


Excuse the blurry picture, but it is the only one with the mask on I could get

Loading up in the wagon for Trick or Treating....Ashton was super excited, Reese, a bit distracted

Reese and Mo & going with Daddy to the first house....soon enough she was running up sidewalks to keep up with her brother....hard to believe at this time last year she was four months and trying rice cereal for the first time...a far cry from the chocolate and sweets she got this year.