90/365

89/365

my little guy had his first driving lesson today.  (who knew it'd be on a chevy.)  anyway, the joys of having a home in the country means that your children can learn to drive at an early age.  i did.  soon, he'll be on his own.  no doubt.

88/365

look at that noggin.  this girl took a HARD spill and it scared me to death.  nana & papa got a super fun bouncy castle for the kids to play on for the long weekend and mykah tripped over one of the tie down straps.  she hit the concrete driveway so hard.  we all heard it.  i just knew there would be blood all over.  i just knew she'd lost a tooth or two or three or broke her nose. 

i scooped her up and papa rushed us to their house so we could get ice on it.  it started swelling outward, which is a good sign.  now she just has this nice "easter egg" on her forehead.  i'm so thankful she's ok!!!

87/365

today was karsyn's kindergarten easter egg hunt.  as most of her other school events, i was unsure of what to expect.   we got there in time to help hide all of the eggs, which mykah was super excited about.  i didn't know if they'd separate classes to designated areas.  or if they'd have a free for all on the playground.  there were eggs EVERYWHERE.  they soon walked them out.  sat them on a sidewalk.  blew a whistle.  it was a free for all for sure. 

kindergarten craziness.  and they explained that each kid should get 15 eggs?  really?  i was quick to explain to karsyn, who found 14 eggs that we were so thankful for the 14 she found.  that maybe some friends found less than that.  and how fun it was to hunt eggs with her friends.  she was happy!  and i was proud.  there were kids gloating about their 20 eggs.  some crying about their 10.  and she was happy as could be. 

86/365

sugar is not good for you.  period.  and i've done so good without it.  but lately, i have craved sweet tea.  and there's no better, truer, more southern sweet tea without pure, white sugar.  i think i've made 2 pitchers now and they certainly don't last.  but my sugar jar is almost out.  and i will not be buying more.  that's the only way i can break the habit.

85/365

this girl has been rocking the poses lately.  for some reason, all of a sudden, she WANTS her picture taken.  and you better believe mama is taking full advantage.

84/365

i'm trying to get in shape.  not as hard as i could or should.  baby steps, right?  my goal right now is to be able to run a mile without stopping.  first try ... 11min45sec.  not too shabby i'd say.

83/365

i absolutely love spending time with these two every single day.  i miss karsyn terribly though and usually wish i had all 3 of them safe in my arms all day every day.  then there are those times where i'm thankful for school and can't wait for mykah to be there too.  i do wish they didn't grow so fast.  these days are fleeting.  i'm trying my hardest to soak up the moments though.  every single one of them. 

82/365

81/365

this boy is a thinker.  he's pretty quiet.  and he likes to stare.  i'm sure he's trying to figure out what in the world he got himself into.  and what about that perfect baby skin?  i absolutely love it.  the softness.  the smell.  sure enough he'll be a sweaty, stinky boy.  until then, i'll enjoy the clean, powdery smell.  and soft, unblemished skin.  and those lashes?  be still my heart.

mykah reese

we have learned so much about this girl.  as she grows, we grow as parents.  yep, she's that child.  she's the one that keeps us on our toes.  she's rowdy.  she's wild & crazy.  she's out of control.  she's hyper.  she's very energetic (when she wants to be).  she likes to fight.  she thinks she's a ninja.  she is absolutely hysterical.

just recently she has REALLY come out of her shell.  a shell that was already pretty tiny.  a shell that she only hid under for a mere minute before she would become highly social.  now, she doesn't hide.  she shows her colors from the minute she walks in the door.  

but through it all, she still has a very tender side.  she'd be lost without her mama.  she cries when i'm not there.  she has "rough days" at church now.  she talks constantly about being afraid that mama is going to die.  she doesn't want us to grow old.  she never wants to leave this house.  she never wants to leave me.  all of that makes me sad.  of course i don't want to die.  and i don't want her to leave me.  but i also know that all of that is part of life.  i'd love more than anything for all of my children to stay little.  if i could push a button to turn back time, i'd do it in a heartbeat.  

and i also know that God has put each of us here for a reason.  i know that we'll all grow old.  we'll all change.  and, although i will have to remind her of her undying love for me when she's a teenager and hates my guts, i will do continue to do my job to guide her through life.  to find her purpose.  and to grow her knowing about the God who loves her.  the God who will never ever leave her.  because i want her to cling to Him always.  

whenever i want to ring her little neck for punching her sister again.  or for writing all over the dining room chairs with permanent marker.  or for sneaking her grapes into the trashcan again instead of eating them.  i remind myself of this innocent smile.  her naive sense of life.  her absolute sweetness that shines through the craziness.  

i can't believe how much i love her.

6 months old

look at him.  what a joy.  a blessing.  a gift.  he has truly changed my life these last 181 days.  i absolutely cannot imagine our family without him.  and how in the world is he already 6 months old?  that's half a year already!!!

at 6 months old, jaxton ...

*is working on sitting up.  he has a ball that we sit in front of him that he holds onto and sits up for a little bit.  not by himself just yet.  but just long enough to be able to say "he can sit!"
*loves, loves, loves to eat.  and he knows when it's time.  right now he still takes a 6 ounce bottle every 3 hours, plus has cereal/baby food for breakfast and cereal/baby food for dinner.  his favorites are bananas and sweet potatoes.
*grabs everything.  nothing is safe.
*actually does well in the car now.  as long as he has his giraffe & his "gankie"
*is able to suck his thumb whenever he wants, but really only does it when he's tired
*absolutely loves his sisters.  karsyn especially can make him smile & laugh like no other.  he's still wondering about mykah.  i think mainly because she's always so loud and in his face.  he does like to pull her hair.
*has been a changed man since getting tubes in his ears.  he's SO happy now. 
*sleeps from about 7:30pm to 7:30am regularly now
*his naps seem irregular these days.  some days i get 3 hours.  some days 1 hour.  some days 10 minutes.  but he makes it quite obvious when it's a nap that he needs.
*still doesn't like to take a bath.  i haven't quite figured it out yet. 
*has his moments where he wants his daddy for sure.  but i think, for the most part, he's a mama's boy.  and i love that.
*loves to swing outside.
*drools like a mad man.  and puts everything in his mouth.  the girls rarely put stuff in their mouth, so this is new for me.  we'll have to watch him close.

80/365

it's been 6 months since that picture was taken.  seems like yesterday.  i have each detail memorized still.  it was one of the best days of my life.

tomorrow is a big day

this guy will be 6 months old tomorrow.  BIG day.  this picture was taken when he turned 5 months old and it's one of my very favorites.  can you see why i'm in love?!?  he has my heart.

easter pictures

i decided to attempt easter pictures this year.  and i'm so glad i did.  how cute are they?!?!  the girls are actually big into posing for me lately, so i'm trying to take every advantage that i can.  we made new friends at karsyn's school this year and they just happen to live on a farm.  and just happened to have some new baby chicks this week.  we caught them at the right time.  baby chicks only stay cute for a few days, you know.

79/365

i absolutely LOVE everything about this sweet boy.  i especially love his laugh.  this was mid-laugh right here.  scrunched nose and all.  so. stinkin. cute.

78/365

a sweet new friend let us borrow her baby chicks for easter pictures.  we were lucky to catch them in their quick cute days, just before they get ugly.  karsyn was in love.  mykah hated them.  and jaxton wasn't too impressed.  i thought they were adorable myself.  if they would only stay so cute.

healthy home

one of my goals for the year was to make our entire house healthy.  to declutter the home.  to get our bodies moving.  to fill us with healthy foods.  and to make God the head of our household even more, by praying more, reading our Bibles more, and simply talking more about God and what He has done for us. 

we have definitely been eating healthier.  and we spend TONS of time outside moving instead of inside sitting.  our new favorite thing is to load up and find a new walking trail around town.  we are lucky enough to live in a community that loves being active.  running mainly, but getting families active seems to be a big priority these days.  so we have walking trails all over.  and they are trails that we have never been on, just driven by, so it's been fun to explore.

one evening we just went for a long walk, then ended up at the playground close to where we walked.  another night we ate a light dinner at a picnic table, then walked on the trail by where we were.  mykah is the one that is hard to get on board with our plans to be healthy.  she likes to eat and she does not like to walk.  but we're getting there with her.  she knows the importance of being healthy because we talk about it constantly, but her little legs seem to get tired quickly.  until you mention ice cream or playground, then she gets rolling. 

we have LOVED doing this.  the weather has been perfect.  jaxton has done great in the stroller.  and we feel so good afterwards.  on the nights where we don't really want to leave the house, we put jaxton in the stroller and walk the neighborhood.  it's definitely been a good change for our family.

soon i'll post about how we are becoming spiritually healthy in our home.  we KNOW we are blessed and we are doing what we can to make sure God knows how thankful we are for what He has provided us.

77/365

i think this is my new favorite picture of the girls.  at this moment. 
and for some reason, they are actually posing for pictures these days.  and i'm taking full advantage.  i'm also taking advantage because these moments when they actually act like they like each other are few and far between as well.  oh, sisters.  their love for each other is indescribable.

76/365

 

happy st. patty's day.

david thinks we went a little overboard on the green.  i think i like it.

houston zoo

our spring break consisted of doctor appointments, dentist appointments, and our sweet boy getting tubes in his ears and his tongue clipped.  those were the first few days.  we tried to make the most of the break and we ended up having a wonderful week.  i was actually sad for it to be over with!  after the business of the first few days with appointments, we decided to make the other half a lot of fun.

we did a quick, random trip to lake bryan.  and then friday we decided to load up and head to the houston zoo.  we haven't been before and we love going to zoos.  we had everything ready the night before so that we could just get up in the morning and head out.  we had to park and walk forever because there was so many people there, but it was way worth it. 

we started the visit off with a train ride, which was awesome.  we got to do a little sight seeing through hermann park and to see some of memorial hermann hospital.  i absolutely loved the park.  it was so neat and perfect weather.  tons of other people had the same idea though.

jaxton wasn't so sure of the train.  i had him in the carrier on my chest, but he cried immediately, so i had to take him out.  everytime the whistle would blow, he'd stick out his bottom lip and scream.  it was so sad, but hysterical at the same time.  the people behind us kept watching and laughing too.  he finally got used to the sound, then came a tunnel.  he most certainly didn't like that. 

the girls were extremely excited, if you can't tell.  they love going to the zoo too, so to be at one that we have never been to before was even more exciting.  the train ride was about 20 minutes long, then we headed straight to the zoo.

ready to drop some bucks?  the zoo is NOT cheap.  at all.  but of course we didn't plan THAT well and everyone was ready to eat lunch right when we got there.  then, it's not a trip to the zoo without cotton candy apparently.  the girls HAD to have it, so that was their special treat for the day.  they knew they wouldn't get anything else, so they were very smart and snacked on their cotton candy all day long.  

jaxton did SO good.  seriously.  he was happy most of the day.  if he wasn't happy, he was ready for a nap.  he napped a little while in the carrier on my chest and again later in the stroller.  i was so very proud of him and how he made it through the day. 

it was a FUN time.  they even had a huge carousel at the end of the zoo, plus a kiddie park with playgrounds and a petting zoo.  our favorite parts were the elephants because we got to watch a mama elephant and a baby elephant really interacting.  i'm pretty sure the mama was trying to teach the baby things because she would do something, then nudge the baby until he did it too.  it was so neat.  i could have watched it all day long.

another favorite was the monkeys.  the one in this picture was hysterical.  he just sat there.  but he kept holding out a hand to us.  almost like he wanted something.  the other monkeys were just as funny.  one picked up a mouse and carried it with it's fingers by the tail.  then played with it, batting it around like a toy.  another one was walking around with a towel over his shoulders.  too funny.

mykah's favorite part was the carousel.  karsyn's was just seeing all the animals.

it was a GREAT trip.  everyone was well behaved, which makes it even better.  i don't know that the houston zoo was our favorite.  it was definitely more spread out than others we've been too.  it had lots of shade, but lots of people.  we'd probably go back sometime, but we'll have to save up some money.  it seemed expensive!

after the zoo, we made the long trek back to our car and realized it was 4:55 on a friday afternoon in downtown houston.  not the best plans.  but it gave the kids a nice chance to rest while we headed to the downtown aquarium for dinner.

75/365

here's our version of a double stroller.

actually, what happened was ... we are trying really hard, as a family, to be more active.  we play outside all the time and we took full advantage the last few days to go to different walking trails around town just to get out and about and get some exercise.  mykah's not much of a fan just yet.  she's our lazy child.  so we make her walk for a while, then she likes to sit.  we do have a double jogging stroller, but i don't really want riding to be an option for her.  she needs the exercise too.  but this walk today was a little longer than we usually take, so we gave in.  it didn't last long.  jaxton likes the stroller all to himself apparently.

74/365

this guy was hysterical.  he just sat there.  but he would hold out his hands to the crowd like he wanted us to cheer him on or hand him a banana.  so funny.  maybe he's meditating? 

73/365

we decided on a whim today to go explore lake bryan.  we've lived here for nearly 8 years now and i've never been there.  it's never really been the talk of the town.  the cool place to go.  the hot spot, if you will.  but i love lakes.  and boats.  and water.  so i wanted to go check it out.

and we were right.  nothing to write home about, BUT we really had a great time.  we paid $5 to get in and only spent about 20 minutes there, but the girls had a blast.  we do plan on going back.  better prepared.  and with time.  and food.  and toys.  and a change of clothes.  and towels.  it was like a mini-beach.  the girls could have spent hours there.  and the weather was perfect. 

i can't wait to go back.

72/365

this little guy had a big day.  we had to be at the hospital at 5:50am.  and he went back for surgery at 7:21.  he got tubes in his ears as well as his tongue clipped.  thankfully, for this mama, he fell asleep and transferred to the nurse so easily.  he was done quickly and woke up screaming.  i was able to feed him right away to get him calm.  we were headed home shortly after.

as soon as we got home, he fell right to sleep in my arms.  we napped for about an hour and i gave him to david because this mama's bladder isn't what it used to be.  when jaxton woke up from his nap, there was blood everywhere!  coming from his tongue.  and he bled for a quite a while.  we finally called the nurse from the hospital and took him back in.  thankfully, dr. price was still there and was able to get the bleeding to stop.  the prescription ... a pacifier.  and it worked like a charm.  he took the paci so easy and the bleeding stopped.  it bled a little bit more once we got hom

71/365

seriously.  i could do this.  all day long.  i'm not sure if it's because he is my third (and final) child.  or if he's my only boy.  or if it's because he was a miracle given to us.  who cares.  all i know is that i'm in love with this dude.  and i pretty much choose to do this as much as possible. 

70/365

i just love my pantry.  it's ALMOST how i want it.  i really want to label everything, but i still need to decide how i want to do that.  it's always a work in progress.

69/365

what an amazing big sister this girl is.  have i said that before?

68/365

what a week it has been, but i think that we are all healthy at this moment.  we had to postpone the kids trip to see nana and papa for a day so we could make sure everyone was feeling well.  karsyn and mykah have stopped throwing up and jaxton is on more antibiotics, so he seems better as well.  mykah also ended up with an ear infection, so she's on antibiotics too.  good luck to nana and papa!

67/365

 

the smiles on this little face have been few and far between lately.  he seems well for a little while, then doesn't feel well again.  the ear infections are on again, off again.  and the antibiotics are flowing like a fountain it seems.  i'm pretty sure the doctors all think i'm crazy when we show up again immediately after 14 days of antibiotics for the 4th time and i say that i'm pretty sure he has an ear infection (still).  they do the checking and, sure enough, still infected.  i know my boy. 

today we decided to go ahead and schedule tubes.  next wednesday.  here at the med.  and we'll go ahead and clip his tongue while he's under.  i certainly don't like the thought of surgery, but i know it'll be good for him and i really just want him to feel better.

66/365

i can honestly say that i have never ever ever seen a love like the love between these sisters and their brother.  it amazes me every single day to see how they treat him, react to him, play with him, and just love him.  i know these moments will quickly pass, so i cherish them deeply.

65/365

cutest. thing. ever.

64/365

i have an issue with snacks.  with snacking.  and with crackers.  crackers, pretzels, chips.  anything salty.  BUT, i'm also trying to be healthy and make healthy choices.  i found these delicious treats.  i seriously could eat the whole bag in one sitting.  therefore, i won't buy them again.  because they're that good.  and i have no self control.

63/365

we got easter decorations out today.  i'm pretty sure there are easter eggs hidden all over the house.  in the most unsuspecting places.  my little guy had fun with this one.  he had a hard time keeping his chubby fingers wrapped around it though, but it provided some good entertainment for a while.

62/365

it may be a "proof", but it's all the proof we need to show you that we ran our first 5k together.  karsyn has been beyond excited since we first signed up for this race and waking her up at 6am didn't change that excitement.  she did so good!  and it was so cold!

about halfway through she tuckered out, but worked up the energy to finish it out.  there were cones set up the whole way, so we made it a game to see who could get to the next cone the fastest.  then we'd walk to a cone.  then run to a cone.  walk. run. walk. run.  pretty much the whole way. 

i am so excited to get her more active and actually excited about doing something more active.  we've already signed up for another race in june.

61/365

i think it's taken me moving away for a while to make me realize the beauty of home.  my grandmother's roses that grow right alongside the sidewalk that lead to her front porch remind me of home.  she grows them beautifully.  and i love them.

60/365

happy birthday daddy.

the girls made him special cupcakes.  with pink icing.  because apparently he likes pink.