things heard around our house

Tonight at dinner Ben got the Ranch dressing out for baked fries and LE said "Daddy's ketchup."

Tonight's dinner prayer as told by LE - "Jesus, food, Mommy, Daddy, Bella, Landry, apple juice, chicken, fries, carrots, Blythe, Garret and LeeLee. Amen" - she is saying thank you for...

Last night I was watching a training video from the church with our Pastor, Pastor Joe. LE climbed up in my lap to watch too, and said " I wanna watch Joe." did not have a clue she knew he was. Then, today she asked to watch Joe at lunch.

house for sale

Our house is officially on the market.

Mack Brown Women's Clinic

My neighbor and good friend, Jane invited to the Mack Brown (University of Texas football coach) Women's Clinic tonight. We had a great night of food and desserts and were introduced to this year's coaching staff. Coach Brown had this ginormous line of psycho ladies lined up, literally 100's of women lined up for autographs and pictures during the night. Jane was a sweetheart and offered to wait in line with me so I could get an autograph, but I told her it was OK, I would have gotten it for my brothers and they had one already. The highlight of my night came after the event. Jane and I went to the Bevo Museum in the bottom floor and we were walking around. We were enjoying a night out without the kids and I am a history nerd so I was enjoying the knowledge. (Did you know the Schreiner's donated two Bevo's?) I noticed her and I were 2 of 4 people in the museum by the time we were finished reading so I decided to go back up to see if I could get a closer glimpse of Mack. As I walk off the elevator there he stands with his wife Sally and two or three other coaches. He walks over to me and greets me and hugs me and asked if I was looking for him. "Did I come back for an autograph?" told him yeah, but he was going home so it was OK. Nope, he signed my name badge and thanked me for coming. We chatted a bit about Colt McCoy and his team and then he held the elevator for me and I rode the elevator down with him, his wife and a couple of his coaches. I know a couple of famous people and famous people usually are not this nice, especially not at the end of the day and especially when there isn't a crowd watching their every move. He was genuinely nice, I mean exceptionally nice. I was a fan of Longhorn football before tonight, but after my evening I LOVE LONGHORN FOOTBALL.
They invited all of the player's moms to the event and there was a question and answer session. I had no idea all of the things they did for the players. Each player has one of 7 support adults who help them transition into college life and then if need be into the NFL. The players have their support person's phone number to call any time of day. They are like their mom or dad on campus. She was telling about one of the kids who came from a town of 600 and his dorm had 3,600 students. Two players came out and answered questions Chris Ogbonnaya and Robert Killebrew. They had door prizes, super nice door prizes, but we did not win any. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and had a blast. Thanks Jane! I will be waiting for my pics, I did not take my camera after last year's game when they told me I could not take into the stadium!
Marissa, you are my special guest next year!

Landry's birthday party

Richards Family Four

Birthday Cake- notice the bears in bikinis??

The Harris Family

Megan and Emily

The Gumpls








A.J. Tanguma

Uncle Greg and Adom

We had such a blast at Landry's birthday party. We want to move to an area with a nice pool or picnic area and have more get-togethers. I think the party was so much fun because all of our immediate family was able to make it. Landry has 6 uncles and they were all there to spoil her. It is so weird to live with siblings for 20 plus years and then to only see them once a month. Ben and I are so blessed b/c both of our parents are still married and we are so close to all of our brothers (I am the only girl). I am doubly blessed b/c I still have 3 of my 4 grandparents still living and my Granny was able to come to the party too! Landry had such a great time with her friends and she loved her presents. Mimi made the best cake ever with teddy grahams dressed in bikinis to match our hula by the poola luau theme. Thank you to everyone who made her day so incredibly special.

Happy Birthday Big Girl!

Wow, what a year! We asked Landry how old she was today and she said three (because yesterday we told her she was two)! I love you, big sister!

build a bear

Landry, "Ruff" and "Bear"
Unlce Ryan and AuntMarissa, Uncle Bryan and Aunt Susan are here for the weekend for Landry's birthday and the Orange and White Scrimmage. Tonight, we took Landry to Build-a-bear tonight for her 2nd birthday. We are in the build a bear club so for Mommy's birthday I got a gift card for a free bear, Landry got a $5 gift card, not sure the logistics, but it was a free bear, right?? We went last year for her birthday and decided she was too young last year, so we would try again this year. She did not take a nap today so she fell asleep on the way to the mall. Then, she did not wake up when we got to the store and Daddy carried her in. When it came time to build our bear, she did not want a bear she wanted a doll. We finally talked her into getting a puppy and they were out of the puppies. So, she decided upon a bear for her third choice. It was a velvet bear. We had to stand in line for the stuffing phase and while we were waiting she found a puppy magnet. She decided she wanted a magnet instead ($5 gift card, her choice, so OK.) We went ahead and continued waiting in line in case she changed her mind again, she is her Mommy's daughter, so highly likely. When it came time to stuff, she absolutely did not want to give her bear up, so Daddy stuffed her bear and Landry put his heart inside. She did not want clothes on hear bear, which was kind of a good thing b/c those clothes were nicer than mine (and more expensive if you read blog titled single digits!) So, she got pink bows while we were standing in line and she saw the babies again and decided she did not want the bear, but a baby instead. We got the bear! On the way home, she said "I've got Daddy's heart", yes, you do!Happy Birthday baby girl!

new location to take pics

Look at these curls, I used to pay for curls like this and they never turned out this good, she reminds me of cousin, Patricia when she was young.~ My favorite picture of the day~

I shot family portraits for a friend at the Arboretum this afternoon. They are some great spots for photos, lots of variety and textures. They told me to bring the girls and they would bring a babysitter, so I could not resist taking some of my favorite models. These were my favorite pictures of the day, I may be biased though.

day at the water park

We had a blast at the water park today. It is so amazing how much can happen in a few short months. At the start of summer, Landry would only venture into the little sprinklers and only if it was her legs getting wet. This week she was running through the big sprinklers, walking around the entire park without Mommy or Daddy. Bella plays in the water and crawls away from Mommy and Daddy too. At the start of the summer she could not even sit up to play. She had to be held and only her fingers would go in the water. It was a great family day!

Landry and Bella's Daddy

I am in a sentimental mood today. This morning we visited James Bradley and his mommy and daddy (aimee and jj, as they were once known) and realized how fast the past 2 years have flown. I used to get my hair done every 8 weeks, had a gym membership, my own cash to spend on me, just all of those things that I thought made me feel successful. Man, I was wrong. I am the luckiest person in the world. I get to stay home with my girls, my husband sacrifices so much for me to get to do that. I thank God every day for you, sorry I do not tell you enough, but I am so glad I get to stay home with our girls. These past couple of weeks I have just realized how great of a husband and Daddy he really is. Yesterday, he drove to Howard Lane during his lunch break to help me decide between two bathing suits b/c he knew swimsuits are my biggest insecurity, ok, my hinie and belly are my biggest insecurity, but the lack of them being covered was what I needed support with. He did that for me. Before that he switched his days off so I could pursue a dream of teaching again. He is going to be a stay at home Daddy one day a week so I can go back to teaching at the Co-op. Most guys would rather watch football or basketball, but not my guy, he would rather watch two bathing beauties in the backyard in the pool. He reads two books every night to his girls before bed and then, sings Jesus loves me to LE as he puts her in bed. Honey, I am so blessed and I writing this so everyone knows how incredibly blessed your girls and I are. Thank you! I love you Benjamin!

cool photo

just a cool photo my mom caught with my camera, I love my camera. It is one of the best gifts BEn has ever gotten for me. If you are scrapbooker or sentimental person, you need a good camera. It is worth the extra money.

new website

Check out the website - http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html. They send postcards that you personalize to the troops in active duty. I am going to try and send one every day this week.

Bella crawling

Bella is crawling so well, she is getting so big and adventurous. I cannot believe it has been 9 months, my baby is 9 months old!! Today she crawled down the hall to the living room responding to the sound of Daddy's voice. She is such a silly baby. She has this amazing belly laugh. Tonight, her and Landry were standing in their beds "talking" to each other and we could not keep them lying down, so we finally just left them giggling at each other.

Pasghetti

Landry learned to slirp spaghetti tonight. Pasghetti is one of her favorite meals, can you tell?

piggie tails

I love that the girls can wear piggie tails (as LE calls them). I want their hair color this summer, it is the perfect summer color.

single digits

I did it, I went shopping last night and purchased pants in the single digits!!! It only took two months too (down 3 sizes)!! I am so stoked. I actually put on a size 6, buttoned it and contemplated buying them, but Ben said the 8's looked better and he would buy my the 6's as soon as I lost a little more! I weighed at Landry's doctor appt last week, and I was down 13 pounds from the last time I weighed (which was awhile ago, but still, now I know what I weigh), so I can plan on how much more I want to take off. Actually, my goal was to be a size 6, so you should have heard me in the dressing room when I knew it was obtainable!! Anna - Ben said you had to take me accessory shopping. And as soon as I hit my next goal, I get to buy more than a couple of shirts and pants!! Banana Republic here, I come!!

Just an FYI - Bass at the outlet mall is having a huge sale - 70% off summer, lots of great things. I got t's, polos and capris. But there were LOTS of cute things. Van Heusen was having a great sale too.