Major Cuteness Alert!!!

A coworker of mine gave me a coupon for some free pictures at a local photo studio that recently opened. We took Avery over there tonight to get some shots done and I absolutely love the way they turned out. She wasn't in a real smiley mood but we still got some awesome pics. Here are just a few:


Miss Sassy Pants!!


Paul's favorite picture!


Fun with bubbles!


My favorite!!!! She is so beautiful (I may be just a tad biased)!!

Don't worry Ashley, you are still our official family photographer and we still want our session with you next time you come to town but the bargain queen in me couldn't pass up free.

Sorry I haven't been blogging alot lately but life has been blissfully calm around here. Well, as calm as it can be with our own little tornado running around. We have several plans this weekend so hopefully I will have something to write about after that.

Thanks for checkin in with us.

Happy Thursday!!

Happy Birthday Paul!!!

Today my wonderful husband turns 38! Wow!! He's getting on up there!!


Paul,
I hope you know how much you mean to me. Not only are you an amazing husband to put up with my crap but you are also an awesome daddy!! Your two girls love you more than we can ever express. Hope you have a wonderful day!!


Happy Monday!!

A true Texas girl!!

Tonight we purchased Avery's first pair of cowgirl boots and even a John Deere tractor to go with them!!

Happy Saturday!!

Happy Birthday Kelby!!!!

Kelby turned 15 today!!! Where do the years go? He is growing up so fast!! He celebrated his big day by going to school, playing in a basketball game (he did AWESOME!), and then going out of town to go hunting with one of his friends. We will celebrate as a family in the near future!

Kelby, we love you and are so proud of the wonderful young man you have become!! Avery definitely adores you and you are a great big cousin to her. Keep reaching for the stars and we know you can accomplish anything you set out to do! Hope you had a wonderful birthday!!!

Just because........

I don't think I will ever get through a January 12th without remembering everything about this day!

Thank you Lord for the life you have given me and the many, many blessings you have bestowed upon me. Help me to never take life for granted and to use each day to glorify you!!

Happy Monday!!

Dancing with the Stars!!

Last weekend I had to opportunity to see the Dancing with Stars on Tour show. I went with 2 friends (and co-workers) and we are all huge fans of the show. We really didn't know what to expect or how this thing would be done but we were pleasantly surprised. It was a total high energy, action packed show that lasted 3 hours!! I can't believe those dancers were still on their feet and moving so fast after all that time, not to mention the amount of dances they had to learn and perform. The 3 of us had a great time and now are even more anxious for the next season to start!

We started our evening with dinner at a local restaurant. It was a Cuban place that Keysla and I had never been to, so we were branching out! Courtney was familiar with the restaurant so she helped us order some wonderful food. It was also a couple of days after Keysla's birthday so we were also celebrating that as well.

Keysla, The Birthday Girl, with her fruity drink and nachos (and those are the appetizer size)!

Keysla and Courtney sampling my very tasty margarita!!

After dinner it was off to the arena to find our seats and see the show. Little did we know that our seats were in the "platinum section". Even though we weren't in a suite we were right next to them and had to use a special escalator to get to our section. We had a great view of the dancefloor!

Keysla and I being so impressed we were in the Platinum Club!!

The set up for the show: those seats right off the dance floor at the round tables were $225 each!! Not wonder we were up little bit.

There were 5 stars performing and a variety of both familiar and not so familiar pros. The celebrities were: Maurice Green, Lance Bass, Cody Linley, and Toni Braxton from last season and Marlee Matlin from a couple of season ago. They all performed dances from the show that we remembered very well.

My favorite pro: Lacey Schwimmer!!

Lance and Lacey doing one of the dances they did for the finals!

Marlee and Fabian waltzing across the floor.

Maurice and Cheryl performing their jive!

The finale group shot with all the pros and stars together.

Not all of my pics turned out because of the lighting and such but these will definitely help us remember a great show!!

Thanks for a wonderful evening ladies!!!

Tea for Two!!

Avery received a very cool tea set for Christmas from Tony and Melinda. It makes a pouring sound when the pitcher is tipped on it's side and it also came with play cakes to enjoy with your tea. Today we set the tea set on Avery's table in her playroom and she immediately knew what to do. She had herself a little tea party. Soon daddy joined her and I had to take pictures of the occasion.

The perfect hostess pouring daddy a cup of tea.

Now a cup for herself.

Drinking together!! Daddy practicing his proper tea etiquette (notice his pinky?)

Having tea is fun!!

She gave daddy one of her cakes and wanted him to have it while she continued with tea!

More please!

Getting everything ready for a tea party.

Sampling her tea to make sure it's good!

Her tea party set up.

Are these not the cutest tea party pictures you have ever seen? My husband is an awesome daddy. I have long dreamed of him having a tea party with his daughter and today that dream came true. It's amazing how much these little people can capture your heart.

I Know I am a little behind but will catch you all up on our life very soon!!

Thanks for checking in!!!

Once upon a time....

We had a super cool guest room that looked like this. No it's not everyone's taste but it is original and soooo Robyn. Then came a long wait for our little girl and with it alot of stress induced shopping for toys that she just had to have. Then our little girl came home and we were showered with gifts for her. Room at our house was tight but we were getting by. Then came Avery's first Christmas and once again we received an abundance of toys for her. Then we were gifted with a super cool bed that we knew Avery would love.

All of these circumstances led to today's project: converting our guest room to a Toy/Play room for Avery.

We have spent the last couple of days cleaning everything out and then today we put up the bed and moved the toys in!! Avery was in heaven. Even though it will be a couple of years before she actually sleeps in the bed she has already made good use of the slide. She was immediately up and down it repeatedly. At first she kept her feet on the slide and kind of walked her way down but then she really got going and is now fearless in her slide endeavors. Nothing sounds sweeter that to hear her laughing as she flies down the slide.

Trying to sort out all these toys!

Avery's new bed and playroom!!

Toys, toys, and more toys!

Have I mentioned I have a slight obsession with Little People? This is not the entire collection we possess. And no I don't think they will look every look like this again after Avery hits this room tomorrow but it made for a good photo op!

We wound up waiting until Avery was in bed before we started sorting out toys so I know she will be very excited tomorrow when she enters her new playroom! And best of all I have already told Paul I have not intention of attempting to keep this room straightened.

Happy Saturday!!!

One year ago today.....

we learned that we missed a January referral by one day. We were a little disappointed but finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel knowing we would be next. We know that things always work out exactly how they are supposed to because if we had made the cut in Jan '08 we wouldn't have OUR Avery. She is the light of our lives and we consider ourselves very blessed to have been chosen to be her parents...even if she is a precocious little girl who likes to sit backwards in the high chair!!

Happy 2009!!!!

Gosh, I can't believe it is 2009! 2008 was of course a banner year for me and Paul! We finally became parents and our world has not been the same since that fateful day in March. Life has been a whirlwind since then and we can't wait to see what 2009 holds in store for us!

Last night we got together with Christie and Valerie and hubbies to ring in another year and chat about how many changes 2008 brought to all our lives! Avery had a sleepover at Aunt Kathy's and Uncle Bill's and rang in the New Year by going to bed at 8pm! We had a great evening with good food, good friends, good conversation, and a little band playing thrown in!

We really went uptown this year and had a fabulous meal of prime rib, waldorf salad, baked potatoes, pineapple butternut squash, and that doesn't even include the appetizers or desserts. Us country folks felt like we were at a 5 star restaurant!!
Chef Anton with his prime rib! It was wonderful and he didn't even act too offended when I smothered it in ketchup (just a little habit of mine!).

A night with Christie and Anton would not be complete without Anton falling asleep at some point. It's just one of his little quirks and we all expect it at some point. I guess all that cooking really wore him out.
Christie and I checking to see if he is still breathing.

Let me see how close I can get this drumstick to his nose without him knowing!

Even though we couldn't convince Valerie to actually play the guitar we did get her to pose for a picture:
A very cool looking girl band if I do say so myself.

The requisite group shot:
Christie & Anton, Me & Paul, Valerie & Gary

Our midnight toast!!

Anton and Christie modeling our cool glasses and hats provided by our awesome hostess Valerie!

And what New Year's Party would be complete without noisemakers?

I love this self portrait of me and Paul!

The beautiful tray prepared by V with all our party paraphernalia!

Midnight kisses with the one's we love!!



A toast with just the girls:
Here's to a great 2009!!!!

Thanks so much Valerie and Gary for opening your home to us!! We truly treasure your friendship and hope 2009 is a wonderful year for your family!

And last but certainly not least:
The sweatshirt says it all!!!

Hope you all had a safe and wonderful New Year celebration and that 2009 is a great year!

Thanks for checking in!!