April

Hey another beautiful month is in the books.
ADS had their adults fundraiser Slow Feast in the Field, Caleb was working (in all the events if he is not pictured you can assume he was working or training for his upcoming Ironman, it was a buys month for him) so I shipped the kids off to slumber parties and went with the Herdemans, we had a great time.

 Caleb had an event in Blanco so we joined him and went camping. It was great weather and pretty flowers and a nice break to unplug and enjoy each other and being outside.

Another spring of Killdeer babies. This year we only checked on the eggs for a week or so and then they hatched, but after for a few weeks we got to see the baby chicks run around. There were four eggs, then three fuzzy babies and after a large storm down to two. The whole family left after a while so we never got to see the babies fly but it was fun to see a different stage of life from last year. 

 Baseball month, we were pretty consistent about going on Tues afternoons, the day I keep Chris & Travis, sometimes the kids felt like playing other times not (but Nick and I always had fun).

 I continued to my substitute teaching career and got to be in Gloria's class the day they hiked to the river, muddy wet fun.

 We finally got their pictures taken and this is how they killed time, Lydia reading and Gloria finger knitting with yarn.

 Then we went to the Turkish cultural festival and enjoyed henna and Turkish food!

 My cousin Kyle got Teacher of the Year at his school and we all went to the celebration with dinner following.

 ADS had an Earth Day performance. Lydia got to be her class ambassador in doing the sun salutation to being the celebration. It was really an inspiring event and I love that the school is trying to go to zero waste!

 An ADS fundraiser at the skating rink, as this is their 4th time the girls are really getting the hang of it and enjoying it! I was very proud that both of them joined the race for their age! Neither won but they were in the arena daring greatly!

Caleb had a work event in Seguin complete with helicopter and cutting up fish.

March

It is April 1st and I am blogging March~no joke! I love spring in Texas and we spent most of this one outside! Including discovering the alligator is back out sunning. We checked on him several times and saw him for a few times in a row before he went back to hiding.

ADS has a two week spring break and we kicked our off with camping at SFA St Park with the Kirkwood family. Lots of fires and food, bike rides, walks on the  nature trial behind our campsite. The place was pretty empty. The last night it rained so we were thankful for shelters to stay in, the first two nights the kids were in tents.

Fun with cousins.

Lydia and Gloria hardly had any issues during spring break, it was glorious!  Here they are just hanging out.

Nana and Kathy joined us at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower center for bluebonnet pics, lunch and swinging.

Then we took Alina to Laguna Gloria-cool outside art and Mount Bonnell and

a picnic at Mayfield park with peacocks and a nature/wet walk.

Another fun park-All Abilities in Georgetown on a spring break day.

Then the Easter Season began with a friend egg hunt in the park.

It was cold and windy but a good time was had by all.

More sister hanging out.

The Birches joined us for Passover, a wonderful hands on time of celebrating Jesus.

Gloria's class had a field trip on Good friday (after we gave Easter lilies to all their teachers) to see James and the Giant peach live musical production. It was a fun day together.

For Easter  weekend we went to Salado along with Boyd cousins. Again lots of time outside enjoying the beautiful weather.

They love the tree house, Trooper and "Rockville"

He is Risen, we all went to church together on Easter morning.

Nothing says Jesus is risen like Rey's lightsaber and sticker on Easter eggs :)

Jan & Feb 2016

After a completely packed and crazy December it was great to slow down in 2016 and begin it with a Houston friend brunch.

Gloria's class had a talent show and she did magic tricks.  

I went on a few hikes at the school (and the end of Feb began subbing, first time in Lydia's class)

Lydia had a field trip to the zoo and both Caleb and I got to go. 

Caleb and I saw Star Wars over the break with his family, we weren't sure if the girls were ready to see it but first day back at school and almost everyone in Lydia's class had seen it and were talking about it. She really wanted to go so I took her to the IMAX 3D and she really liked it, she is obsessed with Rey, we love the music and discussing theories.  

Annual ADS campout with 150 friends, bike rides, fires and family ride the last morning. Then I got strep and poison ivy and survived a week of life/work.  

The day I was better Caleb and I finally used our silent auction purchase of a Food Tour in Austin, it was yummy and fun.  

Guess who is back to sunning himself since Spring came so early this year?

Last weekend in Feb, we had another CAJE get together in Belton at Dorothy's.  We walked and hot tubbed and mostly talked nonstop, so thankful for these sisters!

December 2015

We had a school friend playdate for Lydia's birthday with a piñata at a park. 

December, what a crazy month! Besides Christmas and traveling to see family, we had normal life and other special events like volunteering at school, Friendship International's party and hosting Fulbright visitors to Austin.  See fish fry above. 

Mom and Dad came to a rainy TPWD event on his birthday.

We went to Park Hills Christmas program.

The girls and I went to Austin Stone's Children Christmas party with a  petting zoo!

Alina's friend from Germany came for a visit so we hosted them in our home as well as going to a UT gingerbread house making party

Grandmama passed away so we had more time to visit family in Belton. 

Pretty great granddaughters.

Crazy crowded Trail of Lights and Zilker tree.

Visiting Santa at the TPWD party (while I was at work)

Back to Salado/Belton we had our annual Living nativity.

And Christmas Eve service.

We got together with Caleb's whole family the week after Christmas.