Skyler's Brace Day @ 8 yrs old

Today was a big day for Skyler, she got braces just 2 days after her 8th birthday.  She was super excited and even woke me up early this morning to "remind me" that she got them on today.  {grin}  Here she is just before walking in to get her braces.

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Getting her last round of X-Rays before hand

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Getting started

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Almost done, they only put 4 braces on at this point since she still has some baby teeth and we are really just working on the front two at this time.

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Skyler and Dr. Pratt

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Check out those colors.   I will post updated pics as things change, as for now...a few hours later...she is already a bit tender and feeling some pressure.  Advil here we come.  :o)

Galveston Trip

We took a weekend trip to Galveston with Schuyler's cousin Kathleen, her husband Anthony and son Trevor.  We had a blast and sure hated to leave.

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Madison and Trevor played well together, he is 6yrs old....right between the girls.

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This was Hayden's 1st time at the beach and she did great.  We have been blessed with such a good baby this time around.

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The crew leaving the beach club house all loaded down and headed back to the condo

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Check out this sunset that we saw as leaving the club house....soooo pretty. 
(wish the power lines weren't there though)

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Below is the pool area at the club house, it was a great way to relax and cool off after going to the beach.

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Hayden napping in the shade...no the radio was NOT on while she was laying there.   :o)

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While us adults were sitting on the beach and the kiddos played in the water...we started to notice some horses and then all of the sudden we found out that we were in the middle of a beach trail ride.  It was craziness....got a little worried since we got separated from the kids who were in the water with horses and cars all around.

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The view from the the balcony of the condo was so pretty and peaceful

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I love seeing these smiling faces, they sure love the beach.

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While we were there we celebrated Skyler's 8th birthday at a local restaurant.

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Yup...this little girl is 8 years old.  (tear)  You can tell by this picture that she doesn't like to show her teeth very much anymore but that will all change in 2 days.  She is getting BRACES on her front 4 teeth Wednesday!!!  She is super excited.

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Apparently we got a nail in the tire on the way home and I took the opportunity to teach the girls a life lesson that all girls should know....how to air up a tire and head to the nearest Discount Tire. {grin}

I love how wonderful mamaw is to our girls and they love her so much.  I sure wish Madison was in focus in this picture though.

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Miss Hayden was looking sweet and snuggly while mamaw was holding her.

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Look at Hayden sun bath...ok she was only like this long enough for me to take the picture but I still think it's cute.    :o)

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While I was cooking dinner daddy was getting his "play with Hayden time" after he got home from work.

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Mamaw has been growing this crazy looking plant around her swing....she says that the things growing on it are the things that luffas are made out of.

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A movie that got me thinking

This evening I was watching a movie that was PG13 and thought it would be ok that Madison was in and out during the movie.  It wasn't a bad movie but it had some mature subjects.  So when she sat down with me towards the middle I thought it was ok for her to watch since most of the mature subject matters were over her head anyway. 

Well....at one point in the movie the mom kicked the dad out...it was a bit of a dramatic moment which included their 6 year old son chasing the dad's car down the road as he left, while screaming, crying and begging him not to leave.  I quickly looked over at Madison who had tears in her eyes and I stopped the movie instantly.  She then looked over at me and started balling and said "I wanna go hug daddy" (who was in his office at that moment)  So we went and she hugged her daddy and told me that she didn't want her daddy to leave like that.  {tear}  We all three shared some hugs and a little reassurance to Madison that daddy wasn't going anywhere.

So this movie and that moment got me thinking.  Sometimes husbands and wives have challenging moments but I am so grateful that in my life and our marriage that there is NOTHING that would make us cause that sort of pain on our girls.  NOTHING!  I am so happy and it is so comforting knowing that our family life is so great.  Don't get me wrong...I know that we will have many bumps in the road and that things can change at the drop of a hat since in a marriage no one is 100% in control.  But I do know that I cherish every day and love my life, my husband and my children and I will do anything that I can to keep it this way.

1 grandmother + 2 parents + 8 children/spouses + 13 grandchildren all in a 20 mile radius

Welcome to Texas David, Tracy, Zachary, and Kaylee!!!  I spent the day helping my sister move here from Florida.  After many years of talks of a move, it seemed it would never happen but it finally has and we now have 1 grandmother, 2 parents, 4 children plus spouses, and 13 grandchildren all in a 20 mile radius.  (if I am counting correctly)  I am excited that we are finally all together and that my girls will grow up knowing their cousins.  Hopefully they will form some close bonds.  What a wonderful family life we all have and we are so lucky to have 2 awesome parents!!!

So what does 1 + 2 + 8 + 13 = ??? 


MY FAMILY

What I see, hear, and feel from here

While blogging or working from home, I see many things and have many distractions.  Here are a few pictures of such things that I saw just yesterday.

A four year old who has been playing dress up and now needed help getting the dress off.  Doesn't she look lovely?   :o)

I then got distracted by this sweet little picture that the girls and I made daddy and thinking what the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years will be like in our house with 3 girls.

I then hear the giggles of two little girls who decided that it was a good idea to bring in the house a creature that they found outside.  Quickly followed by the screech of one who found out that it bites.
(pictures after I got them to pick it up off the living room floor, put in a tub, and take outside)

What is it???  Look closer...

Oh yes...a TURTLE.  Couldn't they have just found a lizard, or something normal???

Lets not forget that there is another little girl in this house who needs to be entertained and cared for while I blog....so what do I do with her while I try get stuff done on the computer?  Many things, but yesterday she spent it like this for a while.

Life as a mommy... it's so much fun!!!  {grin}