August Adventures: Seeing LOTS of friends

What a super jam packed weekend . . .we put the kids to bed tonight (Sunday) almost an hour early! They are just about as exhausted as I am. . . I put them into bed and didn't hear a PEEP!

Friday, my good friend Mandy, her husband, and brother came to Kemah so we met for dinner. Actually it was more of a "crowd control" type situation with my kiddos. So much energy lately! Fun though for "non-parents" (yet!) to see what it is like with toddlers! Boy, did they get an education! I'm always afraid that we scare people a little! heehee I have know Mandy since 9th grade, and I'm really glad we live closer to each other now. I sure have missed her alot!




Saturday our friends Ryan and Kathryn came over with their little sweetie Kylie. We had a big dinner, sat, talked and played. Avery LOVED Kylie and wanted to always play with her. They become fast friends. I LOVED having parents to talk to that are at the same "stage" as us!

Sunday my friend Shawnie and her brood came into town and we hung out at her in-laws fabulous house and pool. Between us, Shawnie and I have six kids! At one point, as we were trying to take a picture she looked at me and said "Did you ever think you were going to have this???" She and I both laughed and then we agreed we wouldn't change a thing! I love Shawnie because it doesn't matter how long we have been apart, we always seem to pick up right where we left off!

(These pics exemplify Lil Pete's attitude for the day: tired and grouchy!)

Hailey eats sweet potatoes

Yummy, yum, yum. Hailey had her first solid food and she seemed to really like it. I went ahead and skipped the whole rice cereal thing because of constipation issues (I know, I know, TMI) but instead am trying foods that are supposed to ease stomach troubles. I'm a bit late starting solids with Hailey but was holding off until a)the stomach upset had gone away (it hasn't)and b) I could bring myself to do it . . . it's so much more work!!!



All in all, she seemed to like it, and hopefully she will be a great eater like her brother! I'm also hoping that this starts to help her sleep through the night again . . .the past couple of nights have been a little rough!

Daddy's weekend . . . goin' to the beach

Pete took the opportunity while I was away to bond with Lil' Pete and Hailey! He of course jam packed the weekend with fun things to do, so I don't even think they had time to miss me (well, hopefully they did a little bit!)





Pete's parents came to our house and then the whole crew headed to the beach which is very close. I heard that Pete was in his element and loved, loved, loved every minute of it! Plus, Grandma and Grandpa got to shower our little ones with lots of love.


Pete also made a little friend . . . I guess he's just so used to having someone to play with!

August Adventures: Lubbock

Avery and I just returned from a weekend visiting my sister, Ashley, in Lubbock with my mom. My mom was nice enough to treat us to this weekend away with the girls, and I can't tell you how much I appreciated it (and needed it!)

Ashley just bought a house in Lubbock which is where she is now living after getting her masters at Tech. I was so excited to go back to my alma mater and see the little town that holds a special place in my heart! I had forgotten how much I truly love being in Lubbock! The weather is great and it is just such a quaint "little-big" town!



It was doubly special because little Miss Avery got to experience riding in an airplane for the first time. I was so worried about how it was going to affect her but she was a CHAMP! It was like she had done it a million times before. At one point, I looked over and I was reading a magazine, Avery was reading a book, and my mom was reading a magazine. It couldn't have been anymore picture perfect!



We visited Ashley's house which is so nice and she has done so many updates already to it. It is near a wonderful park which we took total advantage of (Lubbock has the best parks!) Avery loved getting to feed the ducks and ran around in pure happiness all morning! She also got to engage in some serious home accessories shopping as we tried to help Ashley decorate her new home.




We went to a great wine tasting down in the Depot District. We got to sit outside in the Lubbock night and listen to a guitar player. Overall pretty relaxing and you can't beat a good glass of wine. I also got to see my old roommate, Dinah, who owns a gorgeous gift and invitation shop in town. We "oohed" and "ahhed" over all her beautiful things she has and creates.

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On our last night we ate dinner at a hibachi style restaurant. I thought Avery would love it, but quite the opposite! She was so scared she never left Nana's lap the entire night. At certain points she clutched for dear life to Nana's clothes. Our chef was fantastic and funny so it made for an enjoyable dinner.




Of course, we had to visit campus. I hadn't been there in YEARS! It was neat to be there with Avery and get to run around and show her some of the sights. My sister's boyfriend very diligently took some pictures for us as we walked around.




Avery got so much individual attention and I got to spend many one-on-one moments with her! She relished every second of the attention and I loved it too. After returning home I started thinking we need to do this type of thing more often. I wonder what Pete, Lil' Pete, and Hailey were up to this weekend . . . more to come about that later!!

Thinking of Them Thursday

I'm thinking about how much I love these kiddos . . . Hailey and I had a photo session yesterday. She, of course, did not disappoint.
I'm thinking how well these kiddos play together (most of the time) . . .

I'm thinking how my oldest child will be on her first airplane ride tomorrow . . .

I'm thinking how happy I am to finally get two spiky little pigtails, even if she only let me keep them in for 2 seconds . . .

I'm thinking it won't be long until Miss Hailey is sitting up by herself! I came into the kitchen to find her sitting up in her baby chair . . .

August Adventures: Denton Trip

Pete and I decided to head out to our old "hometown" and see a bunch of our friends, eat at all our favorite places, and just plain have fun. We spent a long weekend in Denton with our friend Christie and had a blast. Little Miss Hailey went with us while the kids stayed with Nana and PaPa having their own fun!


Christie has this hilarious "chair" called the Lovesack . . .no, seriously that is the name of it. It is this HUGE beanbag chair. Hailey loved it!


We got together with a bunch of our friends at our old hangout "Sweetwater". Ahh - memories! Before we had our kiddos, we spent many a Friday happy hour here!



We went back to our old neighborhood and visited our amazing neighbors Connie and Johnny. They really are more than neighbors . . . we have always considered them our family and it was great for them to see Hailey for the first time. I have to say, I got a little choked up when we drove by our old house. It almost seemed like we had never left and we just needed to walk right in. The house where you bring your babies home for the first time is always special.



Our last big event for the weekend was playing poker with our old poker group. We used to play almost every month before we left! Most of the players are the same . . . some of these people had played with us for over 5 years! Quite a group, to say the least! Hailey was fantastic and everyone wanted to hold her so she could be her good luck charm.

Wordless Wednesday

Ok - a few words. . . thanks to Grandma (Pete's mom) for coming out today and taking us to lunch in Kemah. We had a fabulous time and always enjoy her visits!!