The Schneider Family

Christmas 2011

2012-01-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful Christmas…6 celebrations with family and friends. We were ALL exhausted once the celebrations ended. Overall, a great Christmas. I enjoyed time with the family. I enjoyed the week vacation with my husband. I enjoyed relaxing, watching and listening to the laughter.

Christmas eve, it was a late night for Mr. and Mrs. Clause (they stayed up until 3am putting together a doll house, a doll bed and a marble run). Thank goodness the kids decided to sleep until 8am. The kids were surprised to see all the toys and fun items Santa had left them. The big hit, Ipod touches.

After we played Angry Birds and raced the remote control cars, we ate our traditional Christmas breakfast, waffles and bacon. Yum!!! Then it was time to get dressed and drive to Hico to spend the afternoon Jon’s grandmother, mother and brothers. Here we enjoyed an evening with family eating a wonderful Christmas dinner and opening presents.

Day after Christmas, the kids and I went to Houston to visit my grandmother. I really enjoyed seeing her, my Aunt Carolyn and the rest of the family. I only wish we could have spent more time together. Love you Memaw!

Final celebration, New Year’s weekend at the Wensel Ranch with my parents. Jon, the kids and I packed up and drove 4.5 hours to Campwood, TX. It was a good weekend (would have been perfect but Christian was sick the entire weekend). Ugh!! This did not make for a fun time for Mommy and Daddy. Kayla had a blast playing with her older cousins, Zoe and Addison. I enjoyed seeing my family and driving around with Jon on the four wheeler looking for a deer that had been shot. I really enjoy my time at the ranch. Relaxing, quiet and peaceful.

What a wonderful and blessed Christmas season.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

2011-10-22T17:50:00.001-07:00

Today we went to a small local pumpkin patch in Georgetown. The kids were so excited and ready to pick out the BIGGEST pumpkin they could find.

We searched over 100+ different pumpkins.

We took pictures.

We found big ones and small ones.

We took more pictures.

We played bean bag toss game.

We took more pictures.

And finally, the kids found the perfect pumpkins (just their size).

Kindergarten begins…

2011-09-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

The first day was VERY hectic and VERY wonderful. First having to get up at 6am…that is a tough one for the Schneider family. But we did it. I cant believe we made it and had time to take photos before leaving. It was difficult waking my sleeping beauty up, but after a few tickles and kisses she was up and ready to get going.

Whew! Out the door and had time to take a few pictures.

Off to Meridian World School. Now, being a new a school and having 110 kindergarteners and their parents (plus all the other kids in 1st-8th), you can guess the chaos and uneasy nerves in the air. We arrived at 7:55. At first, I felt like a cow being herded into a pin. It was CRAZY!! Once we were corralled into the “Common Room” it was all good. Kayla found her class line and then it was “mommy who?” She immediately found her friend, Sierra. The two sat together in line and then started talking to another little girl sitting next to them. The three girls chatted up a storm as they waited to be walked to their Kindergarten room. When Ms. Cossey’s class was finally called (30 minutes later), all the children stood and the three girls held hands and walked to class together. I will admit, I was nervous. Will she meet new friends? Will she enjoy her new school? However, after seeing the three little girls smiling and giggling there were no more nerves by mommy…she would be fine. 10 steps in front of the parents and then right into the room. Never once did Kayla look back. She was gone into the room and into her seat. No good bye kiss. Sniff. Sniff. I wanted to stay around and take pictures, but it was already 8:45 and I knew the staff was ready for ALL the parents to leave so the day could get started.

Picking Kayla up was great. The smile on her face as she ran out of the school was priceless. A smile of happiness. As we got into the car, she told me about all the new friends she met, all the fun activities and best of all how much she enjoyed school. I decided to take the kids for a treat after school..so, I off to McDonald’s with some friends for ice cream. DELICIOUS!

Two weeks have passed and Kayla is still loving school. Her favorite part of school is of course PE. The homework is also another part of school that she is enjoying. It is not like last years homework, practice writing your letters and memorize sight words. So far this year we have had fun assignments like make up a game with a deck of cards, a scavenger hunt and research a culture.

Can you guess what culture we researched?

I am so happy that Kayla is enjoying Kindergarten. Even today she asked if she could stay later for the after school programs . Wow, she must really like it. Happy kid, makes for a happy mom!!

A Tough Little Girl

2011-09-14T21:32:00.001-07:00

Kayla can stand with the toughest kids. She can give that intense glare that reads “Beware!”

But, she is still a little girl.

When it is over 100 degrees outside…

2011-09-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

there is only one way to cool off.

First Day for My Three Year Old

2011-09-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Christian’s first day in his three year old class at First Baptist Weekday Education Program was GREAT. This year he did not cry when I dropped him off. He did not grab on to my leg begging me to stay. This year he walked right in and started working on his morning craft. Yah!!!

And as always, he was the last one to wake up during nap time (I think nap time is his favorite part of the day).

Love you Christian!!!

The End of Babyhood…

2011-08-30T21:01:00.000-07:00

The end of babyhood… OKAY, so maybe I’m being a little dramatic, but you really notice your baby growing up when you see them put on that backpack and head off into the world of kindergarten! Suddenly, she’s no longer my baby girl, she’s a BIG GIRL!

When Kayla was a newborn, everyone told me the days of parenting are long but the years are short. I had no idea how true that was until today.

I didn't cry before their first day because I was too concerned with Kayla’s nerves. I didn't cry while taking photos on our front porch. I didn't even cry when she headed into her classroom because the look of the happy face as proudly entered the room and found her seat.

Instead the tears came as I sat down to write this as I thought about how quickly the last five years have gone. Realization that I have a kindergartener. The baby years are over, forever.

At the same time I am also excited. I am excited that she will make new friends who she may have her entire life. I am excited at her independence and confidence, how she didn’t look back as she walked in her new classroom with a big smile and no fear. I am excited for the new phase in her life.

This parenting thing is hard. And wonderful. And joyful. And amazing.

From a baby to a…

KINDERGARTENER!

2011 Annual Pictures

2011-08-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Every year during the summer, I shop around for the perfect coordinating outfits. I get the kids ready for what feels like an all day event. And then the headache begins. This year was...well no words can explain the stress. Christian did not want to calm down. He was on some kind of sugar high. He was being his silly self; falling down, laughing, rolling on the ground, driving Mommy crazy. Kayla kept smiling a fake, unnatural smile and was more worried about what Christian was doing then looking at the camera. I was tired, stressed over some simple pictures and SO ready to go. Many times I thought about calling it quits and saying forget about 2011 photos. Just one good picture please! I had put off picture day all summer. Today was the last day before school started. Thank goodness for a great photographer. She was calm. She helped settle the kids down. After an hour photo session and 50+ photos, we finally got a few good ones.

Now I can relax, until next year.

A weekend to myself…

2011-08-14T00:10:00.001-07:00

The house is quiet. The kids are visiting the grandparents for the weekend. The husband is away at a tennis tournament. I am left alone and it feels great. My goal for the weekend was to relax, catch up on sleep, clean the house, sew and enjoy the piece and quiet. Well that is not happening.

It is 2am and I am still up (there goes the idea of catching up on sleep). The sewing machine has not been turned on (I got everything out and ready. The intent was there but did not happen). The house is not clean. Laundry not done (well, I actually did clean out the fridge so I guess I can say I did do something in the cleaning category).

Instead, I have spent the last 24 hours working on ANOTHER craft. Those that know me are probably thinking that I am CRAZY (I already have tons of crafts and a list of to-do items a mile long). I might be, but I actually have really enjoyed sitting down with no interruptions and working on a new project. So far, I have completed (well almost completed) five pair of painted pants.

These were my first pair. I may be in trouble when Kayla gets home and sees these since I did not have a pair of jeans in her size. I guess I will be going to get her a pair of jeans and painting them this week.

Still need to add Pixie Dust.

Going to add Chip (the little cup in Beauty and the Beast)

Waiting for the paint to dry to add the leaves and glitter.

A Much Needed Family Vacation

2011-08-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

Last minute decision (that is the Schneider way). Two nights at Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop, TX. What a great place for the family. There were so many different activities for kids. Of course mine only wanted to do one activity…so, we spent ~~most~~ all of our time in the water. The kids really enjoyed the lazy river, the water slide and the sand beach. Mommy really liked the fact that a waiter was there to take my drink order. Pina Colada please. After several hours in the pool, we were all getting hungry. The first night, we ate dinner at the resort. It was so cute…they had a little buffet line set up for the kids (just their size with chicken nuggets, corn dogs and all those yummy ~~nutritious~~ finger foods). Christian thought it was cool that he could make his own plate and that he got a RED plate. After dinner, a movie was playing outside. We grabbed a blanket, a bag of popcorn and all laid down to watch Garfield. Great family time. The kids lasted about 30 minutes and then started getting bored. They were not really into the movie (they would have rather been watching Transformers or Scooby Doo). Oh well, it was getting late and we still hadn’t roasted our evening marshmallows. Fun times. The kids had been asking to roast marshmallows all summer (but with the lack of rain and the extreme heat, we have not really thought it enjoyable to go camping) Christian really liked holding the stick and roasting his marshmallow, but when it came time to eat his S’more, Mommy had to help out. Darn! The next day can you figure out what the kids wanted to do….SWIM. We did take a short nature walk down by the Colorado River, went to the Animal Corral (got to pet some donkeys and llamas) and played some soccer, but the entire time…can we go swimming now. After nearly five hours in the pool it was time to get out and get the kids to Camp Hyatt. Mommy and Daddy time. The kids enjoyed time away from the parents while the parents enjoyed relaxing adult time…a cocktail and dinner on the patio. It was a nice evening with my hubby. Needless to say ,the kids passed out that last night. But when they got up, it was time to SWIM!!! Yes, I took them for a last dip in the pool and then it was time to head home.

Gymnastics Skills Meet

2011-07-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

Our little gymnast had her first gymnastics meet July 30th. It was hard sitting on the side line watching my little girl. I wanted to be right there guiding her, encouraging her and helping her with the difficult skills. Never once did she show signs of discouragement or doubt. She stood tall and had fun. That is my girl! I was so proud of her (Christian also did a great job sitting on the sideline for two hours. Yes-2 hours of sitting is amazing for that little guy).

I don’t know if Kayla will stick with gymnastics, but for now she loves it and looks forward to going every week. She is learning to do round-offs off of the balance beam, kart wheels on the beam, and a pull-over on the uneven bars.

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After party events..

2011-06-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

The fun did not stop once everyone left. Uncle JJ and La La, played with the kids for hours on the slip-n-slide and they had a blast (and they felt it the next day).

Yes, that is Uncle JJ flying over the slip-n-slid pool.

Then it was family fun the next day. The four of us had a blast racing down the slide and laughing together.

Under the Sea with Mermaid Kayla

2011-06-20T19:01:00.000-07:00

June 18th @ 10:30am the party began. 2 water slides, 18 adults, 22 kids, and 42 water balloons. The party was a success. (besides the dolphin balloons floating off as soon as I tied them to the fence).

It was really fun thinking of fun foods and different Under the Sea decorations…Fish and Chips, Salt Water Taffy, Seaweed Dip, Seaside Cupcakes w/ Sea Turtles and Jelly Fish, Sunken Hidden Treasure with goodies for all the kids and Soap Bags with Floating Fish.

Besides having two water slides and the pool, the kids also enjoyed a balloon popping game…girls versus boys. The kids raced to the chair to try and pop their water balloon.

The slip and slide was the big hit. The kids (and adults) had a blast slipping and sliding…

A great party with friends and family makes the hard work worth it all. Hope you had a great birthday Kayla!

To my little mermaid…

2011-06-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Congratulation on your birthday!!! You’re now 5 years old but it was like only yesterday that you came out to this world and added so much joy and love to my life. A day never goes by that I don’t give thanks to God for you and the joy you have brought to my life. Yes there are days that we butt heads (maybe because we are so much alike…at least that is what Daddy says) but I know that we will always be close and you will always have a special place in my heart...my little mermaid.

I’m very proud of you. You are so smart, so generous and so loving. You can always count on me to support and guide you along the way.

I thank God that you are a healthy and a happy little girl. I love you and Happy 5th birthday “my little mermaid ” God bless you always.

With love,

Mommy

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A Wild Time at Safari Champ

2011-06-02T19:18:00.001-07:00

One party down and one to go…For Christian’s third birthday, we had 19 wild little animals running around and enjoying a fun time at Safari Champ. Christian had a great time. The smile on his face when all the kids sang Happy Birthday to him was priceless. The BIG kiss and hug and THANK YOU made all the work and long hours the night before all worth it.

The night before the party Barbara (Jon’s mother) and I stayed up until 2:30 making the alligator cupcake cake for the kids and the cake balls for the mothers. They turned out great. (Thank you Barbara.)

Christian was not real happy with my centerpieces. He did not want his zebra and elephant lost. I reassured him that they would be ok.

The kids enjoyed everything. Thank you to all that attended and made Christian’s 3rd birthday very special.

Lions, Bears, and three crazy kids…oh my.

2011-05-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, we loaded the car up and picked up a friend and her mother. Off the five of us went to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas. The three little monkeys enjoyed seeing all the wonderful animals. Christian’s favorite animal was the squirrel monkey (not very surprising since he is my little monkey). Kayla’s favorite animal was the giraffe (if there would have been a zebra that would have been her favorite), and mine…the jaguar. The zoo was the perfect size. Took us a little over an hour and a half to see everything. PERFECT (I don’t think I could have handled much more). It was getting hot and the kids were getting tired, hungry and cranky.

Happy 3rd Birthday Christian!

2011-05-26T20:51:00.001-07:00

To my little guy…

As I laid you down tonight, you told me that you were now a big boy. You told me that you can now pick up your toys by yourself…big boys don’t need help. I smiled, kissed you good night, and told you that you will always be my little boy. Even when I am this big…even when you are that big.

Happy Birthday Christian!!!

I love you!!

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Dinosaur and Easter Day Fun

2011-04-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

This Easter, we did not go crazy with six different Easter egg hunts. Kayla did not only pick out the pink Easter eggs. No, we had one Easter egg hunt at school, one with the Social Butterfly Group (our mommy’s group) and one on Easter day, which was nice (no throwing away tons of eggs and candy.)

Easter weekend, the kids and I drove down to Glen Rose to meet up with the Schneider cousins and venture to Dinosaur World. What started off as a bad trip, ended in a great time. We arrived to the hotel only to find that I left my credit card at home. On top of that, I used my cash on hand to fill up my car (and it took almost all my cash, $97.00…ouch). My loving husband came to the rescue. He paid for the hotel over the phone. With three hours to spare until the cousins arrived, the kids and I were stuck. No cash, means no going anywhere. So, we went swimming and yes it was COLD!!! (but we had fun).

Once the rest of the Schneider clan arrived, I was given some cash (thank you Josh) and we went to Dinosaur World with the kids. They had a blast. Jonah and Kayla were gone, running as fast as they could seeing who could get to the next dinosaur the fastest. Christian and Meredith lagged behind with Monda and I .

The next morning, Easter. Unfortunately, we did not make it to church. I was a bit disappointed but that is part of life and having family live far away. As the kids slept the night before, I snuck into the bathroom to put together the Easter baskets. The kids had a nice surprise when it was time to take a bath the next morning. Once we were all dressed, the Schneider clan drove to Hico, Texas to spend Easter with Grandma and Mimi.

Overall, a GREAT weekend (once I had cash in hand). Family, the good food and seeing the smiles where just a few of the things that made the drive and being away from Jon worth it.

Sorry for all the pictures. I think between Monda and I, we took over 600 photos. WOW! and there were SO many good ones.

Things never change

2011-02-16T19:58:00.001-08:00

In 2009, I found Kayla on the couch with her favorite treat. In 2011, she still sneaks in a treat after dinner.

May 2009 January 2011

Oh, the joys of being a kid…

2011-02-16T19:45:00.001-08:00

Watching my kids enjoy a night out with Mommy at McDonalds... no cares in the world....racing their way up to the top....pretending to be chased by dragons....I wanted to become a kid again!

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12 degrees in Austin

2011-02-08T19:27:00.000-08:00

Yes, you read it right. Last week was not a good week to get the door hangers out. Last week was not a good week to jump on the trampoline. However, last week was a good week to watch a good movie. Last week was a good week to make chicken and dumplings and drink hot chocolate with my little ones.

The highlight of the week, snow day on Friday. To see my little girls face light up, made the stay at home all worth it. She enjoyed playing in the snow and made tons of little snow angels. It took Christian some time to warm up to the idea of going outside and away from his computer game. However, once we forced him out, he did not want to come back in.

After three days of below freezing temperatures, I am glad to have received at least half a day of a white winter wonderland.

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Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-01T21:22:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a great day filled with love, happiness, laughter and good eats. We had a really nice visit with family and then made it back home safe and sound. And we didn't overeat which is good! AND…we made it home just in time to watch the Aggies play. What a great ending to a wonderful day!!

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Aggies win 24-17!!! Go Aggies!!!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-07T23:39:00.000-08:00

Honestly I am doing really good getting this post up so fast. A week after Halloween, that is pretty good for a mom with two CrAzY kids, way to many projects on the agenda and a husband that has been traveling non-stop for the last two months.

So, the Halloween festivities began a week early for the Schneider family and it was non-stop until Halloween night. Monday..gymnastics party, Wednesday…neighbor party, Thursday…school fall festival, Friday…Noah’s Ark Festival and Social Butterfly Halloween party, Saturday… Halloween party with the cousins and the finally Halloween Day. Wow!! That is a lot of Halloween celebrations for two little ones (and way too much candy).

So what were the kids for Halloween. Well,if you know anything about me, I am a very indecisive person. Unfortunately, I think my kids may have picked up this trait. Kayla and Christian could not decide what to be for Halloween. I bought them both new Halloween costumes (Batgirl and Batman) but being the same thing each day was BORING. So, multiple costumes were worn. Thank goodness we have a variety of dress-up outfits.

Monday, Kayla dressed up as a cat for gymnastics party(no picture sorry).

Wednesday, Kayla wore her Halloween pants that I made.

Thursday, Kayla was a pink Batgirl (no picture sorry).

Friday, Kayla dressed up as a doctor and Christian was a tiger.

Saturday it was black Batgirl and Batman.

Sunday, there was a beautiful princess and a fierce dragon in our presence.

Wow…that makes my head spin thinking about all the dressing up.

So enough about the costumes…the candy. Oh my goodness. I don't know how two little kids could get so much candy. I let the kids enjoy going through there mounds of candy. However, soon after they were in bed, I raided the KitKats and Snickers and then bagged a majority of the candy up for troops in Iraq. Yes I did keep a few items for the kids (I am not that cruel).

(and this was only two of the buckets of candy. We had 4 FULL buckets.)

I am glad that Halloween is over (well, kind of). From now until the end of the year will be CRAZY. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are my favorite time of the year. But, the day after Halloween is the beginning of the most hectic time of the year.

MUD DAY 2010

2010-10-19T19:06:00.001-07:00

Two years ago, Kayla and I got to enjoy Mud Day at her school. This year, it is Christian’s turn to enjoy the shaving cream, the bubbles and, of course, the MUD!! A lot of parents cringe at the idea of mud, kids and all the mess. Me, I love this activity. I get to let my little one run wild and not worry about staining their clothes. I know at the end, the shirt and shorts will be trashed. I will say that Christian did not get near as messy as Kayla did two years ago. However, Christian did explore more activities and not just the mud. He had a great time running from one activity to the next. By the end of the day, he was exhausted.

Crafts in the Schneider House

2010-09-26T22:08:00.001-07:00

I take a deep breath. I tell myself I can do it. And I prepare for the worse. But I still do it over and over.

My kids love to make a mess. My kids love to finger paint, play with shaving cream, use glitter and glue in their artwork. I have tried to just use crayons and markers but this does no hold their interest.

Here are a few of the crafts, we have done over the last month…

ICE CREAM DAY – after the craft we went to Baskin Robbins for a treat. (Mommy needed it).

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BUBBLE ART AND MORE SHAVING CREAM – last time to do bubble art even though Kayla ask everyday to make bubble art.

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LETTER ART – lots (and I mean lots)of glue was used during this activity

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First Day of School

2010-09-26T21:28:00.001-07:00

I tried getting pictures of the kids on their first day of school. However, as soon as we walked outside, my camera kept fogging up due to the humidity. So sorry for the blurry pictures.

Well, the kids are growing up so fast. I cant believe my little girl will be in kindergarten next year. (sniff sniff). Looking back at the past three years, I cant believe how fast she is growing up. Kayla loves being in school. Kayla is in the Zebra class at First Baptist Weekday Education.

2008 First Day of School

2009 First Day of School

2010 First Day of School

Christian LOVES going to school. So much, that he is going five days a week. I am so happy for that decision. Last year, school was daycare. This year, he is learning in class and thrives for the knowledge. Every morning, Christian is ready to go to the Frog class at First Baptist Weekday Education or “Zach’s Class” at Christ Lutheran Learning Center (Zach is one of his buddy’s). I was a bit worried about the little guy when I enrolled him. He likes to sleep. During the summer, both Kayla and Christian (mainly Christian) would sleep until 9 and even 9:30. Then in the afternoon, Christian would take a 2-3 hours nap. I had no idea how he was going to cope waking up at 7:15 and taking a 45-60 minute nap. But the trooper is doing great and loving the fact that he is a “big” boy.

2009 First Day of School

2010 First Day of School

Lemonade for Eighty Dollars

2010-09-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

Kayla and two of her friends (Luke and Lori), set up a lemonade stand the other week while the mommy’s had a garage sale. Too cute!!! I will have to say that I was very surprised at how much they got into the selling. Now, I think half the lemonade ended up being drank by the kids rather then the customers. Oh well. No matter how often I told the kids 25 cents a glass or bag of cookies, the kids tried for more…1 dollar, 25 dollars and even 80 dollars.

MUD DAY 2010

2010-07-21T16:39:00.001-07:00

So, I thought I was crazy for letting my kids finger paint in the house. But this is even crazier. This week at Kayla’s school was Messy week. Monday, the kids played with shaving cream and ate chocolate pudding with their hands. Today…well I will let the pictures tell the story.

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Call me crazy…

2010-07-21T14:34:00.001-07:00

Many people may say I am insane for letting my kids finger paint in the house (especially a two year old).

I will say all was fine and nothing got really messy until they decided to do dap their feet in the paint.

All I have to say is…glad it was bath night.

Bo, You will be missed and always loved

2010-06-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

On Christmas Eve 2001, we found this little guy in a pet store at The Woodlands Mall. I fell in love with him at once. Knowing that the pet store was going to euthanize him due to his old age (only 9 months), Jon and I rescued him and brought him home.

Bo was..well it is hard to explain it in words. He was one of a kind.

He was loving. He loved to be attached to someone’s hip. His favorite place was next to Jon on the couch. He was not a very playful dog. Don’t get me wrong, he would have his moments of playing tug-a-war, but Bo was definitely a lap dog.

Bo had his issues. He could clear out a room like no other dog. Poor little guy barely had any teeth due to a major over-bight. By the time he was five, he had six teeth pulled and could barely hold on to a rope to play tug-a-war (but he tried). At the age of seven, he had patellar problems and blew out his ACL. Oh and the ear infections and the allergies…And the barking, oh the barking at anything that came in our yard.

When I took Bo in due to a hacking cough, I knew that it was time. I did not need the vet to tell me. All he wanted to do was sleep in the middle of the hall. Any activity and the poor little guy started hacking. Knowing this did not make it any easier when I heard the news. My plan was to take him home and feed him ice cream, a juicy t-bone (so that he could then hide the bone in our blankets) and to cuddle with him…to make up for the many times I yelled, “Bo be QUIET!” or the many times I neglected his needs because I was tired. However, while driving back home, plans changed and I knew it was time. So, I turned around and took him back to the vet.

I had never put an animal down. So, I did not know what to expect. Bo felt so tiny in my arms (he wasn’t the plump 15lb Maltese that I knew). He just laid his tiny face in my hands. I think he knew and was ready. The lifelessness I felt within seconds of the injection is something I will never forget. However, there was a sense of peace with it. No wheezing to take a breath. No more coughing attacks. No pain. Being in the room and holding Bo was one of the hardest things I have done. I would not change it though. Being there, holding him, comforting him and letting him know that I love him, gave me and my little Bo-Bo peace.

I love you Bo and you will be missed.

My little acrobats

2010-06-22T16:36:00.001-07:00

Look at these little ones. Kayla is always trying to show off her new acrobatic skills. Christian in turn tries to copy his sister. How cute!

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Dear Kayla On Your 4th Birthday,

2010-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

I think I have written this letter over and over. This might be the tenth time to write my thoughts down. I want to say so much to you and for it to make sense. So, if I start rambling, I am sorry. I just want you to always have these words and know how much I love you. So here goes…

Today June 11, 2010 is your 4th birthday and I want you to know how much I love you. Right now, this letter may not mean much to you. Maybe you’d rather have some colorful princess card. In the future, though, as you grow up, you’ll always have the memories that come with this letter.

At this stage in your life you love.... gymnastics, mermaids, swimsuits, butterflies, Batman, kittens, singing, ponies, and bugs. And if you so desire to be "rock star" like you've mentioned on a number of occasions, than so be it. May you hold onto your glorious imagination and incredible stage performances for the rest of your life. I will always be there watching you my sweet sweet incredibly princess...

At this stage in your life you are realizing the world around you. You are starting to understand life and asking questions. You have a remarkable way of putting things into perspective. You have taught both Daddy and I, to slow down and always tell those around you how you feel and to always give one another a hug and a kiss before leaving. (For this, I am grateful).

So, today you turned four and not a day passes by without me thanking God for such a wonderful, active and amazing little girl.

You have such a wonderful personality. You are caring, wise and a very strong willed individual. You always try to make everyone happy. If someone is really sad, you are right there to help, with a hug, a kind word, or a gesture of compassion. You now exactly when to say, “I love you so much Mommy!” and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don't hear those loving words. There also isn't a day that goes by that you don’t try to negotiate your way out of or into something. It has taken me four years to learn that rather then saying no or because I said so (which seems to crush your spirit), I negotiate back until a compromise is met. From books to other articles that I have read, people say that raising a strong willed child is no easy task. However, these children will be leaders one day and they will take their willpower and dedication to unimaginable heights if their decision-making, independence and spirit are nurtured. I see this in your future. So with that, I embrace the stubbornness, the negotiating skills, and the ever ending energy. For I know that one day you will accomplish great things.

I love you my princess…I pray that your life is filled with joy and love. I pray that your spirit is never crushed and that it is always embraced. I pray that you grow to be a strong, confident young lady that always follows her dreams.

I love you and HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY!

5 Weeks Old (2006)

One Year Old (2007)

Two Years Old (2008)

Three Years Old (2009)

Four Years Old (2010)

Happy 2nd Birthday Christian!

2010-05-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

Dear Christian,

Another year has come and gone and you have gone through even more changes. So much so that when I look back at pictures from the day you were born I can barely recognize you as that little baby I used to be able to cradle in my arms.

Over the past year you’ve mastered walking, or more precisely, sprinting. You have also started talking and are uttering your first sentences. Each day we build new things with blocks and read an endless number of books that seem to have stirred your imagination.

Almost on a daily basis you surprise your daddy and me with the things you’ve discovered in your world. Whether it is how to jump off the couch or as simple as a letter, color, or number, there is always something new for you to observe and dutifully report to us.

Even as you exert your independence with the simple words “I do it!”, you have shown us great things in how considerate you can be. Whether making sure everyone (Mommy, Daddy, Kayla, Aspen, Bo and anyone else in the room) gets a kiss good night or sharing your toys with your sister and your friends, we are very proud of you.

You are a true joy to be around. You have such a cheerful disposition. You love to smile and make others smile. Your laugh melts my heart every time. You are definitely ALL boy. You love playing chase, you love playing sports related games and you love to tackle. However, you do have a very sensitive side. Your feelings get hurt when someone yells at you (especially your sister) and you love to cuddle. You will come up to me in the middle of the day, give me a kiss, hug me and say “I wuv you!” Love It!!!

Right now the concept of birthdays and things wrapped up in shiny paper may not mean a whole lot to you, but to me they are all part of this journey, your journey. I am honored to be part of it and excited for all the things your future holds.

As you celebrate your second birthday you are fortunate to be surrounded by family that loves you more than mere words can express.

Love always,

Mommy

May 26, 2008

May 26, 2009

May 26, 2010

Annual Bluebonnets

2010-05-02T21:43:00.001-07:00

This years bluebonnet pictures were not the best. I kept putting off packing the kids up, driving to a nice patch of flowers, bribing the kids to smile for Mommy until it was almost to late. So, the flowers were not as abundant as I would like. But we did get our annual bluebonnet pictures (and fire ant bites).

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One more month…

2010-04-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

31 more days and my little boy will be two years old. I love every minute with him and cherish every hug and kiss. This month he has grown by leaps and bounds. He is talking more and more. He has started to tell me, “I love you!” (Melt my heart.) The other night, Christian came down with a fever. I held him and patted his pack. Later that night, he rolled over and started patting my chest and hugged me. (Melt my heart.) Even though he is very loving, Christian is still ALL boy. Christian loves to play ball, loves to hit, loves to tackle, loves to eat.

Easter Day 2010

2010-04-10T17:58:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Easter with eggs. Well, the other day I came across a little girls explanation as to why…”it must be because eggs are a symbol for life. We hide the eggs like Jesus was hidden from us in the tomb by death. When we find him, we receive a wonderful gift of grace when we find the egg (life) we get a present. It's supposes to help the kids understand.” I hope that one day my kids are explaining this wonderful explanation to their kids.

Easter Day 2010 at the Schneider home was a wonderful day. The kids and I woke up, got dressed and headed to church. Kayla sat with me in “big” church since all Sunday school classes were canceled. I loved having her there with me. It reminded me of my childhood. Sitting there next to my Memaw, drawing on offering envelops and trying to sing the songs with the choir.

After church, we headed home to see if the Easter bunny had arrived. WOW! 50+ eggs were in are front yard and two large baskets were waiting for the kids. You should have seen Christian and Kayla’s faces. They could not get out of the car fast enough. Jon and the kids ran around searching for the eggs. Kayla picked up as many eggs as she could and waited to open them until she got inside. Christian did not care about waiting. I think he finally made it inside with a little less then half the chocolate that he found. Thank goodness the Easter Bunny hid money in half the eggs and candy in the rest. Otherwise, Christian would have had a chocolate overload. Kayla on the other hand got so excited at how much money she got and could care less about the candy.

After counting the money and putting it in the piggy banks, Jon made us lunch and then it was nap time. After naps, I decided to take the little ones to San Gabriel Creative Playscape. They had a blast. We played hide-n-seek and ran around until we were ALL exhausted.

Overall, we had a great Easter Day. I hope everyone had a blessed Easter Day.

Up to My Neck in Easter Eggs

2010-04-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

I think five Easter Egg Hunts in a 4 day span is way to many (and that is NOT counting Easter day hunt). What am I going to do with 100 plastic Easter eggs? I hate throwing them all away. I always keep them and tell myself…next year I am going to use these rather then buying new ones. However, it never fails, I go out and buy a couple dozen more eggs. I guess in a couple of years, I can host my own community Easter Egg Hunt.

This years, hunts started out like the previous years. Kayla only wanted to pick up the PINK ones and Christian did not care about finding the eggs as much as opening them up and seeing what was inside (and then proceeded to eat it). Kayla soon realized that if she just picked up all the ones that she could, she would fill her basket and have more treats. So, by the end of the Easter fun, I was thankfully not stuck with ALL pink eggs (only 2/3 were pink).

Enjoy the pictures from three of the five hunts…

Easter Egg Hunt #1

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Easter Egg Hunt #2

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Easter Egg Hunt #3..Christian would not get near the Easter Bunny. He just stared at him (which I really don’t blame him, he kind of scared me).

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A weekend of fun!

2010-03-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

The past weekend was filled with tons of actions. The cousins came down for a visit. Not if that was enough, Kayla also had her last soccer game and soccer party. The kids had a blast. I love watching Jonah and Kayla interact. The two have so much fun together. Christian and Meredith are starting to bond (and it is adorable). The weekend started out with some fun in the jeep. Poor Monda…the kids decided to try and run her down. I think she finally had to hide between the cars to get away. They had a blast!

Next, was the soccer game and end of the season party. I think my kids won the award for the messiest cupcake eaters. Go Christian and Kayla! I think it took several days for the green to finally come off her hands.

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After the soccer game, Monda and I took the kids to Jump n’ Climb. They all had a blast. Actually, we all had a really good time. The kids talked Monda into climbing up one of the play areas and going down the slide. Yah! All I have to say is after I heard her scream while coming down, I decided it was in my best interest to stay in the ball pit with Meredith. This slide was no normal slide. Two stories tall (maybe even taller) and straight down. Christian, Kayla and Jonah LOVED it! I think they went down the thing at least 100 times.

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Overall, it was a great weekend. Kayla and Christian were TOTALLY exhausted the next week. I think it took them several days to catch up on the much needed rest and relaxation.

Texas Weather…

2010-03-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

Sunday February 21st, it was beautiful. High 78 degrees. So, how does it snow ALL day two days later. Crazy weather. Well, the kids sure enjoyed it. I had to wake Kayla up Tuesday morning for school. Normally, she lays there complaining that she is still tired. Not, this morning. Instead, I asked her to look out the window. She gazed out the window, rubbed her eyes, looked out the window again, and then jumped out of bed doing a crazy snow dance. “Lets go Mommy! lets go play in the snow!” I could not get her dressed fast enough. She had a great time playing in the snow before school. After school, she played in it more. Attacking me with snowballs. I tried to get her to make a snowman. However, she just wanted to run around and throw snowballs. Christian was not sure about the snow at first. He wanted to stay in side were it was warm. However, after watching Kayla for a few minutes, he started running around trying to pick up snowballs and throw them at me. His snowballs consisted of getting snow on his hands and rubbing it off on my legs.

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21 months old..

2010-03-03T21:24:00.000-08:00

Wow, my little guy! He is growing up so fast. The past couple of months have been amazing. My little boy is no longer a baby, but he melts my heart everyday just like the first day that I met him.

Christian loves to dance and sing.

He loves to torment his sister (great!). Just tonight, Kayla told him to throw the ball to her. He pointed in another direction and said, “There.” “No, over here!” says Kayla. Christian looks at her, smiles real big and points behind him and says “There!” Needless to say Kayla got very frustrated and Christian just grinned real big. Great!

We believe, Christian will be left handed. He draws left handed, kicks a ball with his left foot, uses his fork with his left hand.

Christian loves to read books and points out EVERYTHING in the pictures. I mean everything…from the grass to the clouds, from the stars to the sun, from the pages numbers to the letters. We cant miss a thing.

Christian eats NON STOP. Today he had five mini pancakes, a banana, two (yes two) P&J sandwiches, Doritos, grapes, 3/4 of a New York strip, carrots and chocolate flavored fish.

Christian loves to pretend that he is a monster and tackle you (if he keeps eating like he did today, I am if he tries to tackle me).

My favorite…Christian still loves to cuddle and give kisses. From day one, he loved to be held. Even today, he wants Mommy to hold and cuddle him. Every night, we read and rock. One of my favorite evening rituals.

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My little mermaid…

2010-03-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

During the first part of January, Kayla had her first official swim lesson. After listening to her say over and over that she wants her hair to be long (like a mermaid) and watching her hold her breath and try to swim in the bath tub, I felt it was time to let her enjoy being in the water and learn how to swim. I signed her up for group swim lessons at the YMCA. I may have created a monster…everyday she ask to go swimming. Tonight Jon asked Kayla what she wanted to be when she gets older. Her response, a princes (shocking) and a professional swimmer (what? where did that come from). We are know on our second round of swim lessons. Her goal, as she tells me after each swim lesson, is to swim like them (the high school swim team that practices in the big pool).

I Choo Choose You!

2010-02-10T14:44:00.001-08:00

At 9pm on Tuesday evening, I remembered that Kayla’s Valentine’s Day party was the next day. AGH! I had nothing for Valentine gifts and I am supposed to bring cupcakes. Thank goodness I had a box of chocolate cake mix. So, I start making the cupcakes. However, being the freak that I am, I could not make plain old cupcakes. Off to the grocery store to get the ingredients for the special Valentine cupcakes. By 1:45am, the 16 Valentine cards were done! The dozen chocolate covered strawberries for the teachers were in the fridge! and 18 “I Choo Choose You!” cupcakes were done!

Soccer Time!!

2010-01-28T20:53:00.001-08:00

So, Kayla has started playing soccer at the YMCA. I was kind of weary about putting her in another sport program. T-ball was a FLOP!! We attended one practice and one game (and that was forcing her to go). So, to say the least, I was a little reluctant to pay the $35 for a oversized uniform that she would wear once. However, I am glad that I did. Kayla LOVES running around and trying to get the ball into the goal. Christian even enjoys going to the games!!

First haircut…

2010-01-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally decided it was time for my little man to have his first haircut. I just loved his curls and didn't want to cut them off. I also didn't want him to look too old but he had been called a girl one too many times recently I decided it was time! (a girl really? Do you see all the bumps and bruises!)

Before Kayla's swim lessons, we headed to Snip-Its in Round Rock, TX. Christian did a GREAT job. He sat there peacefully. He didn't make a sound or a movement. Kayla stood there with him, supporting him, giving him encouragement.

Once we were done, Christian smiled real big and said Cheez…my little man!!

Why does it go by so fast?

2010-01-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

Christmas – my favorite holiday – has come and gone too fast, as it does each year. I still count the days until it comes and wonder at the joy of family and friends as we meet each December to share the pleasure of being together … being wistful when it is over. This year was the same – as I hope it was for you – full of happiness, full of love, full of joy. This year, we traveled Houston and then to Hico to visit with family and even had the enchantment of a white Christmas (Texas standards).

I share these pictures with you as I start my countdown to next year’s Christmas. Hoping that maybe next year it won’t go by so fast. Wishing you wonder as you start your new year. I trust you will fill it with good people and good times. May we all come to the end being thankful, as I am, for the friends and family that fill my life with love and joy!

Christmas with Memaw, cousins and other special family members in Houston, TX…

Christmas with Mimi, Grandmother, cousins and other special family members in Hico, TX…

Pretty in Pink

2010-01-05T19:20:00.001-08:00

Kayla loves pink…pink boots, pink pants, pink polka dot shirt, pink rubber bands and a pink camera.

Cookies, how could I forget.

2010-01-05T13:51:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve…finally. I had my day planned out. A to do list that was a mile long. However, the kids had other plans. Yes, they both decided to sleep until nearly 10:00. On mornings that they sleep in, Mommy sleeps in as well. This probably was not a good idea on a day that I had TONS to do. Once we all woke up, it was to the list. Oh wait…Jon decided to give me a break and took Kayla to work with him. I was very grateful, but had to prepare for this change in plans. Dress our little princess, make sure she had snacks and juice, and move over the car seat. Ok, all done. Now to the list. First thing…wrap presents. Completed, but as I stated in the previous blog, Christian decided that he wanted a certain gift. Off to Target (not on the to do list). After our short trip to Target, it was time to put Christian down for a nap and make some Christmas treats for Jon and Santa. Of course, I got side tracked on my way downstairs (the toy room needed a mom’s quick touch). So, I did not get to cooking until much later. Once the toy room was picked up, I started the Trash Mix and tackle a couple of items on the to do list. By now, it is 3pm. What happened to my day. I still had a list of things that needed to be completed. Agh!! There was no way everything was going to get done...the day was halfway over and only 4 things marked off. Well, trash mix was completed and cooling. Kayla and Jon return home just in time to start thinking about dinner…Tamales and cheese dip for Jon and I and spaghetti noodles and meatballs for the kids. Completed…after dinner Kayla insisted that I open my Christmas gift from her and Christian. So, after dinner, we all sat down and opened our gifts. The kids enjoyed tearing into the paper. It was the highlight of the day. After tearing the paper, Kayla asked about the cookies for Santa. Agh! Cookies, how could I forget. Time to bake the cookies. 20 minutes later, warm chocolate chip cookies that we all enjoyed. Once the kids devoured their cookie, it was time for bath and bed.

So, you might we wondering if my to do list got completed. Yes! Can you believe I got everything done. However, I did stay up until 2:30 making sure that everything was perfect for Christmas morning. What a day! Until next year…

Spike Jr. Dinosaur

2010-01-02T20:35:00.001-08:00

A couple of days before Christmas, Christian and I sat out to finish up the Christmas shopping and wrapping of the presents. While wrapping Jonah's (cousin) present (which I do NOT recommend trying to do with a toddler), Christian decided that the toy was his. I had the hardest time keeping him away so that I could finish wrapping it. Finally, I got the package wrapped. I even thought I hid it pretty well under the tree. No luck. I left the room for two seconds and I walked into my little boy unwrapping it…

I took the package away and hid it in the closet. Yes, Christian threw a royal fit. Down on the ground, screaming and kicking. Wow! Amazingly, I did not give in, the gift stayed in the closet. However, Christian and I made a fast trip to Target to get another gift for Jonah. Once we got home, Christian headed straight to the closet. He tried everything to open that door so that he could get the gift that was not intended for him.

To say the least, this was Christian’s favorite Christmas gift…Spike Jr Dinosaur.

No longer a nice, relaxing task…

2009-12-16T22:17:00.001-08:00

So my husband wonders why I don't make dinner more often…Before kids, I could prepare dinner in a quiet environment and I didn’t have to fight over pots and pans. It was nice, relaxing. However, times have changed.

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The Snowmen

2009-12-16T10:39:00.001-08:00

For Kayla’s Christmas party at First Baptist MDO, Jessica and I got together and made eleven snowmen cupcakes. The cupcakes were a SUCCESS!!! The kids loved them and even the parents oohed and aahed at them. Thanks Jessica for you help.

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Christmas Programs

2009-12-11T12:23:00.001-08:00

This week was filled with the kids Christmas programs at school. Tuesday evening was Kayla’s and Thursday morning was Christian’s.

On Tuesday after school, the kids and I headed to get Kayla a Christmas dress for her recital. While looking through the dresses, Kayla finds a pink dress that she “has to wear tonight.” What a struggle. I wanted her to wear a traditional looking Christmas dress. She had different plans. So, we left the store with two dresses. A red one and a pink one. Thank goodness for Daddy’s. He made the final decision and I didn’t have to be the bad guy. She looked beautiful in her red velvet dress.

We dropped Christian off at the neighbors and headed to hear Kayla sing. She did a great job. I will say that I got really irritated while at the recital. Kayla's class was one of the last classes to perform. The recital was only an hour at the most. After each class performed, parents were giving the opportunity to take photos of the kids on stage. So cute!!! What irritated me, was that many parents decided to take their kids after they finished singing and LEAVE!!! What? Come on people, RUDE!!! Well, I got over it, but still.

So, Thursday was Christian’s little Christmas program. The little guys got to were their pajamas to school. No singing by these little guys but they sure did ring the bells loudly. It was so cute.

If I can figure out how to post videos I will post a clip or two of the kids singing.

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A dash to see Santa…

2009-12-08T21:15:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, the kids and I bundled up in our coats and mittens and headed to downtown Georgetown to see the Annual Christmas Parade. As I was packing the kids up, I thought “this is crazy.” It was 36 degrees outside. burr…. Well, we got to the parade and with enough time to grab some much needed hot chocolate and a chocolate chip cookie. The kids really enjoyed the parade. Christian ran around, eating his cookie and stealing the hearts of the people near by. Kayla sat waiving as each of the ca, float, and other attraction past by (waiting patiently to see Santa). Kayla had talked ALL morning about Santa Clause. She wanted to tell him about the pony that she wanted for Christmas. Before the parade, I told her we would go see Santa after the parade. Well, the last float went by and it was Jolly Old Saint Nick. Kayla was so excited. As he past by, I tried to round up the kids. “Let’s go Kayla. Come on, lets go see Santa Clause.” I turned around for a second to get Christian up on the sidewalk and Kayla was GONE!!! My heart stopped. I started yelling for her. She was just there. Those two 0r three minutes of yelling and panicking seemed like a lifetime. As I am yelling and looking for her, I see in a distance a police man escorting my little girl to me. I was so thankful to see her (but at the same time I wanted to hide, how could I have let this happen). The police man informed me that he saw her take off down the street. He said that “she took a mad dash to the float yelling for Santa.” I didn’t know what to to do...cry, yell and scare her, or laugh. Well, after that fiasco and after explaining to Kayla how and why she cant do that, the kids and I rushed (all together) to see Santa. Kayla got to tell Santa about the pony that she wants for Christmas (hopefully I got the right one!).

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What was I thinking…

2009-12-07T07:19:00.000-08:00

When the kids started school in September, I volunteered to take part in several school wide events. I really had no idea what these events would entail. First was the teacher appreciation lunch. No big deal, I made a cake. Next was the Thanksgiving parties for three classes. 24 turkey cupcakes. This task was a little more time consuming. But, the Christmas Cookie Bake Off, oh my! I stayed up into the wee hours of the night making 7 dozen cookies…separated into 42 bags. I sometimes ask myself, why do I volunteer for these activities. But in all honesty, I do enjoy doing these things. But 7 dozen cookies (well actually 8 dozen since my kids and myself ate a few) ...WOW!

At 18 months Christian is…

2009-11-28T18:53:00.001-08:00

Is starting to answer questions with a simple “yes or no” or shaking his head.

Loves to be chased around the house by either the dogs or Kayla.

Has started asking "what's that?" but usually just says "that?"

Is starting to say phrases like "down Bo" or "Mommy up/down"

Loves to cuddle especially when he is tired and loves to give kisses. My heart melts every time!!

Loves to dance to "The wheels on the bus…”

Loves to eat. I have to make sure and close the pantry door. Otherwise, our little ones finds his way to the chips or crackers.

Can point to his body parts and say some of them or at least he tries.

Loves reading books. favorite book is Good Night Moon. We have to read that one EVERY night before bedtime.

Really enjoys going to school and is learning so much. He has already started recognizing colors and shapes (orange, yellow, blue, triangle, star and circle)

He's changing so much on a daily basis and I can't believe the time has flown by so fast! He'll be 2 years old before we know it!

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Walking with Dinosaurs

2009-11-25T16:22:00.001-08:00

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This past weekend was a weekend full of LOTS of activities. One of these events included Walking with Dinosaurs. And wow was it FUN! I had my hesitations about taking Kayla to see the show. Everyone said it would be loud (and Kayla hates loud noises, unless she is making the sound). Well, I am so glad that we all went. Jonah, Kayla, Jon, Josh, Monda and myself loaded in the car and the entire way to the arena, the kids roared like dinosaurs. So cute. They were so excited. The kids sat on their daddy's laps while holding their ears. However, their eyes were glued to the show and mouths opened in amazement. Once the show was over I asked Kayla what dinosaur was her favorite...."All of them! Can we go back!"

Tears to my eyes...

2009-11-24T06:33:00.001-08:00

Monday was Kayla's Thanksgiving party at what she calls gymnastics school (Mother's Day Out at Kidsport). The kids were not at the gym when I walked in so I had time to look at the placemat and all the crafts that each child made for the Thanksgiving feast. At each place setting there was a small pumpkin pie that the kids made in cooking class, a stuffed paper bag turkey, and a placemat with their handprints and a list of a few things that they were thankful for. Kayla's placemat had five items that she was thanksful for...toys, Mommy, Daddy, and (here are the tear gerkers)Mommy making my fairy costume and God. Tears immediatly came to my eyes when I read the last two items. I really didn't think that Kayla noticed the costume that I made her. I sat down to make her costume more out of selfish reasons. Knowing that I made it for her was something that made me feel good. Wow, I am so touched that she realized and appreciated the effort that I put into it. And the last item, God. I dont even know how to put my feelings into words on this last item. I just am so touched. I must be doing something right.

2009-11-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of photos from the past week...

Kayla having fun at the First Annual Boo Run.

Christian saying cheeze.

Kayla and her buddy "Lukey" (as she calls him) at the park.
Another cheezy smile.
My little ones before heading to church.

Wine, good conversation and cream cheese icing

2009-11-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

One of my friends creates the most amazing cakes and cupcakes. I have always been impressed with her creativity when it comes to icing those yummy looking cakes. Well, several weeks ago, she came up to me with a great idea. I would take her family photos and she would teach me to use the icing tips. (I think I came out ahead on this exchange). So, last night we got together and spent the evening icing a cake and cupcakes. What fun. Wine, good conversation, and cream cheese icing (yum). I never imagined that icing a cake would be therapeutic. But, it really took my mind off of everything around me....Thanks Jessica for teaching me a new hobby. Hopefully one day I will be able to create a cake that looks as amazing as yours.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

2009-11-01T19:11:00.000-08:00

The kids had a great Halloween. The entire week was actually filled with Halloween parties and carnivals. However, Halloween night was the highlight of the week. The kids looked great in their costumes. Kayla was a beautiful fairy princess and Christian was the fierce dragon. Both kids were ready to go as soon as we got outside. There was no stopping either one of them. Kayla made sure that we hit every single house while Christian stole the hearts of everyone. He was adorable. He would sign thank you to the people and wave bye-bye as Kayla tried to drag him to the next house. I thought the the big kids rushing in to get candy would scare the kids, but no! Both held their weight and kept up with the big kids. After staying out for two hours, the kids came inside and raided their baskets. After a couple of pieces, I finally put a stop to the candy frenzy. Now what am I going to do with 100+ Twizzlers, a million Dum-Dums, and who knows how many pieces of chocolate.

Pumpkin Carving Not Really a Toddler Activity....

2009-10-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

This was the first year that we carved a family Schneider pumpkin. I will have to confess this is one of my least favorite parenting toddler activities. I am not the Grinch of Halloween it is just that pumpkin carving is not particularly a developmentally appropriate toddler activity. Yet it seems we are missing something if we don’t do it. Think about it-what exactly does the toddler do? First Kayla had to wait until Daddy cut off the top. The next part Kayla was excited about...but really I have yet to meet a toddler who likes the feel of pumpkin innards. One or two touches and then it was off to find a spoon. Kayla made one or two scoops with the spoon and then she was done. Daddy finished cleaning the innards out as I cleaned Kayla's hands. We tried to reengage Kayla with the face planning but again-sharp knife is not toddler appropriate. Once the pumpkin was carved, we placed a candle inside of it and that was it. The excitement was over and it is now Halloween night and the candle is still sitting in the pumpkin and has not been lite. After carving the "BIG" pumpkin, I let Kayla paint and glue feathers on a small pumpkin. She "so" enjoyed this activity (and it was easier to clean up). Maybe this should be a lesson learned. However, I know better. Next year we will again go pick out the perfect BIG pumpkin and set out to have the kids watch while Mommy and Daddy carve it.

A Nice Family Visit

2009-10-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

In truth a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another, and by the hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit.

Yesterday the kids and I had a great visit with family. We spent the day in Hico, Tx visiting Kayla and Christian's grandmother, great-grandmother, cousins and aunt. The kids had a blast. Kayla and Jonah played all afternoon and into the evening (not one fight or melt down). They ran through the house, played with the treats from their grandmother, visited the local pumpkin patch and decorated small pumpkins with feathers and glitter. Christian tried keeping up with the older kids. Chasing them and playing keep away. He also spent his time playing ball with his grandmother, giving kisses and hugs to everyone, and even looking out for his little cousin, Meredith. We had a good day.

I love watching the cousins play together. Growing up, I had a cousin that I was really close to. Spending time with her and the family is some of my fondest memories. I hope to create some of those memorable memories for Kayla and Christian. Family is so important. Taking the time to visit and share memories together makes the family stronger and the times together even better.

First Field Trip

2009-10-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

Today, Kayla went on her first school field trip. Kayla woke up this morning ready to go. There was no time to eat breakfast, "Let's go Mommy!" She and her classmates (11 other children) loaded up in the van (school bus) and they all ventured to the Pumpkin Patch. The caravan of mother's followed the van to the Pumpkin Patch. There the kids listened to Halloween stories, colored pumpkin pictures, picked out pumpkins and enjoyed the fall weather. Kayla had a great time (and Christian even enjoyed himself). After school Kayla came home with stories about the day. I cant even imagine....12 toddlers! 12 car seats! A van! The teachers are very brave. I am glad Kayla had a good time and is home safe.

A Wonderful Week of Photos

2009-10-11T17:46:00.001-07:00

The kids had a fun filled week of school, acting crazy, playing at the jump houses, and making Christmas ornaments. Here are just a few pictures from the past week.

Kayla making clay Christmas ornaments at her friend Andrew's house.

Christian acting crazy.
Christian eating his favorite food...Goldfish (or as he says "Fishhhh")

Kayla playing in the jump house.

Christian and his buddy playing at Georgetown Jump.
Kayla's face pained like Tolee (character on Ni Hoa, Kai-Lan)

16 months old and growing

2009-09-26T10:37:00.000-07:00

16 months!!!

Our little guy is growing so fast. He is accomplishing something new everyday. This month he...

*is saying giraffe, lion, done, bath, out (for outside), snack, night night, nap and get down.

*LOVES watermelon (ate a quarter of a watermelon by himself the other day).

*knows his body parts (eyes, ears, hair, knees, mouth, hands, feet, chin and nose).

*knows certain shapes like star and circle.

*loves to cuddle and give kisses.

*enjoys playing with Kayla. He follows and copies everything she does.

*is enjoying school and learning so many new things (like how to sign thank you).

*hates cheese (very strange since Kayla and I love cheese).

*likes making silly faces.

*is so helpful. He likes to hep clean up and put things in their correct place.

Girls Afternoon Out

2009-09-20T18:38:00.000-07:00

Today Kayla and I spent the afternoon together. I had our babysitter come over and watch Christian for a couple of hours while the two of us went to the nail salon to get a little pampering and much needed time together. We had a great time.

Before heading out, I asked Kayla what color she was going to have her nails painted. "Pink!" However, once we got there she could not decide on hot pink or bright orange. So, she picked both. Pink for the finger nails and orange on the toe nails. Before sitting in the massage chairs, Kayla went up to several of the ladies getting pedicures and started asking questions. "What are you doing?" "What are those (the toe wedges)?" "Why are your feet in the water?" Once we got into the big massage chairs, I turned on the vibration for her. She was not a fan. Myself, I was in total bliss. Kayla sat there watching the nail technician's every move, asking questions and enjoying herself. Once Kayla's nails were painted, the lady asked Kayla if she wanted flowers on her thumbs. Kayla's eyes lit up with excitement. "Glitter Mommy. WOW!" So cute. The ladies in the shop were so impressed with Kayla. She sat there calmly, blowing on her nails (and if you know my child that is a miracle) waiting for me to finish up my pedicure. And can you guess what color Kayla picked out for my toe nails...yes pink. Thankfully not hot pink, but still a shade of pink. Once we were done, we both enjoyed a sucker while we walked down to the grocery store. Unfortunately, Kayla's nails did not dry completely and we had to go back after stopping at the grocery store. The ladies at the shop were so nice and fixed her nails. A blessing because I thought we were going to have a melt down if they were not able to fix her flowers.

As I put my little princess to bed, she gave me a big hug and said, "Mommy, I had a great time this afternoon. I really like my nails. Thank you. I love you so much." I guess this is going to be a monthly ritual, girls pampering afternoon together.

FRidAys FaVOriTe FiVE

2009-09-17T23:45:00.000-07:00

Rain...what is this?

Christian's newest silly face.

Christian loves to paint and draw. Not so much on the paper as on himself.

Best friends acting silly.

Kayla and her new hair style.

First day tears of sadness and joy

2009-09-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

Last week was Kayla and Christian's first day of school. What a morning! I was not prepared for the running around trying to get two kids dressed, two lunches made, breakfast made and getting myself dressed. I figured an hour would be enough time. WRONG!! Try two hours. Once we finally got to school, the realization that my babies were no longer babies hit me. Thank goodness we were running late, I had no time to stop and tear up. First stop was to drop Christian off. Kayla helped me take Christian to his class. She introduced Christian to his new teacher. "Christian, you are going to like Ms. Theresa. She is really nice. She was my teacher too." Then Kayla showed Christian some toys and came over to me and said, "Mommy I will be here to take care of Christian if he gets upset." Melt my heart. No crying, no time (even though I so wanted to). We gave Christian a big kiss and snuck out. He didn't even notice we left. He was more interested in a toy lawn mower. Now it was Kayla's turn to go to her class. As soon as we got to her new class, she was gone. No kiss, no hug, no bye. What happened to my little girl that hung on to my leg the first time I dropped her off? What happened to my little girl that cried and asked me to not leave?
After dropping the two off, I headed to my car and the tears began to flow. However, after a few minutes of sulking the realization hit me. I realized that I had five hours of FREE time. No more tears of sadness, only tears of joy. WooHoo!! Off for some much needed Mommy time!! Shopping alone, sitting at home watching TV (and not Noggin), and being able to clean with no distractions (yes cleaning...sad but I really enjoyed not having to clean everything twice).
This year is going to be nice. Tuesdays and Thursdays no kids, no Noggin, grocery store alone, and then the wonderful and heart felt excited smiles and kisses when I pick up my little ones.

Am I in trouble or what...

2009-09-07T10:34:00.001-07:00

While giving the kids a bath last night, I realized that I am in trouble...
Christian kept standing up in the bath tub. I kept telling him to sit down. He would sit down and a couple seconds later he would stand up again. Finally after many warnings, I gave him a tap on the behind. He sat down and pouted a few seconds. Guess what happened next...Yes, he stood up and gave me a really big smile. "Christian you are going to get another spanking if you do not sit down and stay seated." He gave a big smile and proceeded to give himself a spanking. Agh!!! It was hard not to smile. Really what am I going to do with him. He is not even a year and a half and already given me grief.

15 months and growing

2009-09-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

Christian is growing so FAST. Everyday he does something new that amazes me.

Christian's FAVORITES...
Food...Mandarin Oranges (dislikes Mac-n-cheese)
Comfort Item...Blanket from his Great Grandmother Memaw
Toy...Animals and Dinosaurs and Kayla's Pink Princes Chair
Past Time...Drawing (ask to draw at least 5 times a day)

Christian's NEWEST WORDS...
Ball, Draw, Fish, Down, Done, and even Giraffe

Christian's HATES...
Not getting his way

Christian's PERSONALITY...
Loves to laugh, play, and cuddle. Only when he is tired or hunger does he make a fuss.

Shower Time

2009-08-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

I was about to take a shower and look what I found waiting for me...

Egh, what is that smell?

2009-08-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

We just got back from visiting my parents at their new beach house in Corpus Christi. The trip down there was a horrible drive. The last hour was nothing but screaming from a very grumpy little boy. Once we got there, the trip was great. Wednesday evening, Kayla got to fish with her grandaddy. Watching her sit on my dad's lap waiting for a fish to bite reminded me of the wonderful memories I have fishing with him. That night the kids went down fairly easy. Kayla insisted on sleeping on the top bunk. So, I laid in bed most of the night worried that she would try to get out on her own. Surprisingly, she did not make a sound all night. The next morning, Kayla woke up at 7am (and if you know my child that is really early for her). First thing out of her mouth, "I am ready to go to the beach!" By 8:30, we were playing in the sand. She had a blast. Kayla jumped the waves, tried to build a sand castle, enjoyed a mud bath, and loved digging for Coquina clams. Christian enjoyed himself also. He loved playing in the sand and helping Kayla find clams. He learned real quick not to try and eat the sand. After several hours in the sun, we headed to the Texas Aquarium and then out to fish some more. While fishing Kayla caught a very unusual snapper. My dad reaction, "Wow!" Kayla's reaction, "Holy Cow!" Too cute. The kids were EXHAUSTED that night. They both fell asleep fast and slept all night (two nights in a row...what a blessing when you are traveling). The next morning we were off to the beach again. This time we did not get there at 8:30am instead 10am. We stayed a couple of hours, cleaned up and then headed back to Georgetown. The kids slept most of the way home. It was a VERY nice and quiet trip home. It has taken several days to recoup and get back to our normal daily routine. We all had a wonderful time. Wonderful memories were made. It was great watching the kids experience the beach and see my parents. I look forward to going back soon.

**During the trip, it never failed as soon as we got in the car and headed over the bridge to Padre Isle, Kayla asked "Egh, what is that smell?" The first couple of times, I explained to her that it was the seaweed from the ocean. Even though she knew,she still asked EVERY time.

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Do the Booty Dance!

2009-08-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

The kids and I packed up the car and drove to McKinney, Texas to visit family a couple of weeks ago. What a great time. The kids got to see their cousins, Jonah and Meredith. Kayla and Jonah played so well together. I love the fact that they are so close in age and really enjoy being around one another. The two played on the computer, ate popcorn, watched a movie or two, dug for dinosaurs at the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science (which was an adventure...check out The Daily Stroll Blog for more details), dressed up as firemen at the Dallas Children's Museum, went swimming and wore each other out.

During our stay in McKinney, we ventured to an awesome water park one of the days. Christian actually stayed at the house with Uncle Jerod while Kayla, Jonah, Monda and I headed out for a day in the sun. For the first time, Kayla went under water on her own and began swimming. WOW! I was so proud of her. She was so excited. (Thanks Jonah for helping her overcome her fear) Once she got the hang of it, it was no stopping her. Jonah and her went down the slide, swam the lazy river, and swam under the water trying to get various objects. After several hours of fun, we headed back home. Monda and I figured they would pass out on the way home. As we got closer to home, we decided to stop for yogurt since they were still up. We each got a bowl of some yummy yogurt topped with gummy bears, sprinkles and cookies. As we ate our treat, the kids decided to start dancing and singing in the middle of the yogurt shop....."Do the Booty dance, booty dance!" Yes, they were the center of attention. Too cute! I so wish I had a video camera to capture the priceless memories. The kids never fell asleep for a nap that day. Yes, it was an early night. We were ALL exhausted. The next day the kids went swimming while I packed up the car to head back home. Once they returned we headed back to Georgetown. Before we even made it out of McKinney, both Christian and Kayla passed out (Thank you Uncle Jerod and Lauran). Good sign that they had a great time.

14 month old and a three year old...

2009-07-30T15:47:00.000-07:00

The kids are growing so fast...

Christian is into EVERYTHING. He loves to get into the bathroom drawers and tries everything out. He will put on my headbands. He tries to brush his hair. But his favorite thing is to get hold of the toothbrushes and toothpaste and he tries to brush his teeth. I don't know how many toothbrushes I have lost. One day I will find them all. Christian has a very competitive personality. He loves to race. Ready, Set and Go and he is off running. And he will keep going. Christian is only 14 months and he eats more then me. Cereal bar and fruit for breakfast, a McDonald's cheeseburger and green beans for lunch, puffs and more puffs for snack, two hot dogs with broccoli and yogurt for dinner, and finally a graham cracker before bed (not to mention the two cups of milk at night). Where does he put all this food....I can only imagine what the teenage years are going to be like.

Kayla is growing up to fast. She is no longer my little baby girl. Instead, she is a very independent person. She wants to go everything herself (this causes problems at times). I did find out this summer that she has no interest in t-ball. We attended two games and three practices. After having to beg and plead for her to stay in the game or keep practicing, I figured it was a was not worth the struggle to keep her on the team. Starting in September, we are going to see about swim team and gymnastics. I am so looking forward for school to begin. Hopefully our schedules will get back on track. When summer school ended a couple of weeks ago, Kayla decided that her bed time was at 11pm and not 9pm. This has been killing me. I tried her afternoon nap out hoping that she would fall asleep at 9pm. No luck. You would think that she would sleep in since she goes to bed so late. No...8am she wakes up ready to go. What happened to my child that would sleep from 9:30pm-9a.m and took a 2-3hour nap? Jon tells me it is the Schneider genes that kick in at night and keep her up.

Weekly update...

2009-07-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

My intention is to post something at least once (if not twice) a week. However, with two kids running around constantly, working (on a per needed basis) and trying to get back in shape has left very little quiet time for me. The quiet time that I do have tends to be me cleaning the house (okay I admit...Facebook is the culprit).

So what have we been up to....play dates at the various water parks around town (a must in this heat), school (two days a week) for Kayla, and more water activities. I tried to get Kayla to stick with t-ball this summer. However, after leaving in the middle of several practices and one game, I called it quites. I had a hard time deciding if we should stick with it or not. I want to teach Kayla that when she starts something she needs to finish it. But, getting two kids packed up, driving 20 minutes to practice, unloading the kids, standing around in 104 degree heat, and only staying ten minutes is exhausting and not fun. So when Kayla said she did not want to play t-ball, for selfish reasons I decided not to push the "if you start something you need to finish" speech.

The kiddos playing together and having a good time. Finally!!

My little boy...loves being outside.

My little girl, my princess.

What a smile!

What a great weekend...

2009-07-05T20:45:00.001-07:00

This weekend Jon's brother and his family came to visit. Jonah, Kayla's cousin, and Kayla wore each other out. They have such a great time together. I love the fact that they are so close in age. They are now at the age were the two can go and play without one of us (adult) there entertaining them. Christian wanted to be in the mix and did not understand why he could not hang with them. He gave it his best shot. Soon, he to will be running around with them. Kayla loved seeing baby Meredeth. Her motherly instinct came out several times when Meredeth was awake. I love when they come down. However, dieting is a definite each time they come to visit. Two (yes two) Blizzards, pizza, and fried chicken do not make for a healthy weekend or good for a mother that is trying to get back to pre-pregnancy weight. Oh well...you have to enjoy yourself. What a great weekend.

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What do you do when it is 100+ degrees...

2009-06-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

go swimming (i think maybe it is time to take the water soaked diaper off)

and eat some Dairy Queen ice cream (I think most of the ice cream landed on their clothes and on the floor rather then in their mouth)...

A birthday celebration

2009-06-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

For nearly two months now, Kayla has been asking about her birthday party and letting me know that she wants a water slide at her party. Of course I gave into the water slide and I am so glad that I did. The kids had a BLAST on it. She had a great time with all her friends and family. We had tone of food, lots of laughs and special cupcakes.

Thank you to everyone that was able to make it. Birthdays are so special to me and I love celebrating them with those that we care about.

Picture of the family before the festivities began and before Jon threw me into the pool of water at the bottom of the slide. Yes you heard me right. I was soaked. Oh, well what do you do....join the kids and go down the slide.

Kayla enjoyed the water slide.

I made special ice cream cone cupcakes for Kayla's party. 34 cupcakes for the kids. That is a lot of cupcakes.
Kayla shared her birthday cake with her best friend.

Both were covered with icing and laughed at one another.

Football, baseball or both?

2009-06-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Kayla!

2009-06-11T23:30:00.000-07:00

Today was Kayla's 3rd birthday. I cant believe my little girl is already 3. It seems like yesterday when she was born. Looking back at the past three years brings tears to my eyes, the memories, the happy moments, the growing and changing, all the wonderful laughs and the heart felt i love yous. Kayla is such a joyous and happy little girl. Her laugh brings true joy to my heart. Her tears break my heart everytime.
This year she has grown so much. Her imagination has really come to life, for the good and the bad. (pretend animal friends to monsters coming to take her). Kayla has started to try and reason with people. She definitely has a mind of her own. This is a good thing but sometimes it makes it difficult (especially at night when we argue about what we are going to wear to bed). Kayla caring and helpful personality has really blossomed as well. This year Kayla and I have really grown closer. Our relationship has grown into a wonderful mother-daughter bond. She talks to me about her likes, dislikes, fears and wishes. She wants to cuddle on a daily basis. When something is wrong she confides in me. Out of no where she will tell my that she loves me and for once she really knows what it means and it is not just words. Her hugs are genuine heartfelt hugs. I love these changes and all the joyous memories of the past year. I look forward to the changes in year 4. I love you pumpkin (big pumpkin) and Happy Birthday.

First t-ball practice

2009-06-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

How cute...Today was Kayla's first t-ball practice. I was very impressed on how she did. She listened the entire hour (well most of it), she hit the ball (like a girl) and threw the ball better then some of the boys. What fun! It is going to be a fun season but a VERY hot one.

Kayla Kicks Daddy Out of Bed

2009-06-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

A funny story...Last night Jon went upstairs to sleep with Kayla. Well about 3am, Kayla woke Jon up and this was the dialog...
"Daddy stop you are hurting my ears."
"What, what was I doing." he asked.
Confused she made a snoring sound.
Jon said,"Was I snoring."
"Yes. Stop it hurts my ears."

Several minutes later, she told him to sleep downstairs.

So tonight as I was putting Kayla to bed, I asked her if she would like Daddy to sleep with her tonight. Her eyes got real big and replied, "No, he hurts my ears and keeps me up." I then said, "What you want Daddy to sleep with me and keep me up." She smiled real big and laughed a yes.

Annual Zoo Trip

2009-06-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Last week, the kids and I ventured to the San Antonio Zoo. We had a great time. I love watching both of them get excited about the animals. Christian loved the monkeys. Kayla talked about seeing the zebras the entire time. She kept asking about the zebras. Finally when we got there, she looked at them for a few seconds and then said, I am hungry. Both of them watched and pointed at the fish more then anything (it might be time to get a fish tank). Towards the end of our trip, we went to the tot area. Here there was a sandy area where the kids could play in the water and in the sand. Thanks to Bitsy, the kids had swimsuits so they could splash around. There is no way I could have done the trip by myself. Thanks Bitsy for helping us out. After the zoo, we headed home and before we got out of the parking lot both kids were passed out. A good indicator that both kids had a good time.

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FrIDayS FaVOriTE fIVe

2009-05-27T21:42:00.001-07:00

Mother's day visit to great grandmother's home...What a grin!
Christian laughing at his sister. I love his laugh.

Kayla enjoying a summer day in the pool.

Kayla jumping for joy!

My little boy...one year ago. I cant believe how much he has grown.

Happy Birthday!

2009-05-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Can you believe our little boy is a year old today. What a year! It has been an amazing year. Christian is ALL boy. I look back and wonder how he has survived. He goes for everything full force, tackling what ever is in his way. I cant even begin to count all the bumps and falls he has had. Every week is a new injury. A helmet would probably be a good investment for this kid.
Christian is such a happy boy. He loves to chase Kayla (which is not always a good thing). He loves to be outside and throws himself down screaming when he cant go outside (thankfully he has not figured out the doggie door). Christian does not like the water as much as Kayla did at his age. Instead, he is drawn to rocks and dirt. Yes, ALL boy. Christian is starting to talk and express his wants and dislikes. He has started saying a few words like yes, done, and ball.

Happy Birthday Christian!!!

Birthdays and Ballet

2009-05-19T17:44:00.001-07:00

This weekend was filled with Christian's birthday party with the family and Kayla's ballet recital. What a day. The day started at 8am...getiing Kayla ready for recital practice, 9am....recital practice, 11am....family birthday party, 2pm....get Kayla ready for recital, 3pm....recital, and went to bed at 2:30am. Why? It was a busy day but a good day. Most of our family was there. It was really nice to share these special events with the people we love. Thank you for all those that could make it and we sure missed those that were not able to attend.

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A girl who knows what she wants.

2009-05-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

While putting Christian to bed, I heard Kayla downstairs rummaging through the kitchen. I did not think much about it. I figured she was grabbing a toy from her toy cabinet or maybe some goldfish. To my surprise, my little girl was sitting on the couch butt naked eating ice cream straight from the carton.

FRidAy FiVe FavOrITes

2009-05-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

Here are this Friday's five favorite photos...

Sorry I did not get these posted on Friday.

what a grin!

Summer Fun!

No comment.

Christian loves playing in the cabinet.

Love seeing the two play together.

Bowling for the First Time

2009-05-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

On Monday, Kayla had a playdate at the local bowling alley. It was the first time she had ever been bowling, and she was oh-so excited to go.

Kayla thought it was great, she got to put on the ever-popular bowling shoes. Christian wanted to play and walk down to the pins. He gave it his best shot, but I think he is still a little too young. Kayla picked out her ball (of course she wanted the pink but it was to heavy). One of the workers brought out a ramp, where the kids could just roll the ball down and he put the automated bumpers up. All the kids got so excited when they knocked down a pin.

As a testament to my awful bowling, Kayla beat my normal score! She’s a 3 year old, who had never bowled, getting a higher score than what her ol’ mom normally scores! Guess I need to work on my bowling game-in my spare time.

It is so fun to see your child enjoy something, and just have 100% fun. Even if I am an awful bowler, it was still the best time I ever had at the bowling alley. This will definantly be something we do again.

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The perfect picture...

2009-05-03T22:01:00.001-07:00

FrIdAy'S FaVoriTe FiVEs

2009-05-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine post her favorite photos once a week (Friday's Favorite Five Photos). I love this idea...so here we go.

Since we just finished April, here are five of my favortie April photos.

My big boy sleeping (2009)

Big Smiles from my little girl (2009)

What a silly little girl.

Watch out!

Sleeping beauty!

I'm 11 months old!!!

2009-04-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

Christian is 11 months old today! It's amazing how much they change in 4 short weeks! At 11 months....

*Christian is eating all table food now.

*His favorite foods include pizza, freeze dried yogurt, and steak.

*Christian can stand up with no assistance.

*Christian is walking everywhere.

*He loves climbing the stairs. (with us spotting him of course)

*His newest word is DaDa (who is his newest favorite pal).

*He loves taking baths and makes a royal fuss when you try and take him out.

*Christian is such a happy boy with a really BIG personality.

It's been an exciting month. So many changes everyday! We still can't believe he will be a year old next month! Time has really flown by!

No more eggs!!

2009-04-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Not one, not two, not three, but four Easter egg hunts. I can't even count how many eggs Kayla got this Easter. The festivities started with her Mother's Day Out Easter party on Thursday and ended with an Easter egg hunt on Sunday with her cousin Jonah. Unlike most kids who try and pick up ALL the eggs, Kayla had her eyes on only the pink eggs. It was the cutest thing....

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Happy Easter!!!

2009-04-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

Wishing everyone a very Happy Easter!

Kayla 2 yrs 1o months, Christian 10 months

Good Times

2009-04-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

The time has come...my two little onees are starting to enjoy playing with one another and they dont need Mommy o entertain them. I didn't think this day would ever come. Don't get me wrong, the two still battle for my attention. However, for the first time, I was able to sit back and let the two of them play. What a wonderful sight...

Strawberries and One Best Friend

2009-03-29T06:03:00.001-07:00

On Friday, the kids and I headed to Sweet Berry Farms for some delicious strawberries. Kayla was so excited about the trip. However, I think she was more excited at the fact that her best friend, Luke, was going with us. The two were so cute together. They picked strawberries for one another, they fed the horses strawberries and even tried to milk a cow (pretend cow). Cristian even enjoyed himself. We all had a really good time. I cant wait to do this again.

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Almost a year....wow.

2009-03-27T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ten months ago, I held my little boy for the first time. Then he was 9lbs 7oz. Today he is almost 22lbs. Then he was wearing 0-3 month clothing (a few NB). Today he wears 12-18 month clothing (and he fits into his cousins 2T pajamas). It is amazing how much he has grown. This month...

*Christian had 4 teeth pop up this month.

*Christian is saying MaMa and DaDa.

*Christian is trying to repeat words like dog and that.

*Christian can stand on his own for 5-10 seconds.

*Christian loves being outside.

*Christian loves to climb the stairs and loves to climb over pillows.

*Christian thinks it is funny to attack me or anyone laying on the floor.

The boys...

2009-03-26T07:32:00.000-07:00

While I was pregnant with Christian, there were three other moms within the Social Butterfly play group that were pregnant as well. We were all due within a couple of months of each other. Back in September, we took a picture of the four boys in their matching outfits. Wee, just the other day we were all together again along with our youngest. Photo opportunity....Wow, these boys have grown!

September 11, 2008

March 28, 2009

The best birthday gift

2009-03-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

I remember telling Kayla on Tuesday that Mommy's birthday was tomorrow. I didn't think much of it. However, while at the park on Wednesday, Kayla made me a special treat. She explained to her best friend, Luke, that she was making Mommy a "special" birthday cake. Once the bucket was filled she stuck a twig in the middle and proceeded to carry it over to me. She then said, "Happy Birthday Mommy. Blow out the candle." My heart melted. I could not ask for anything better.

Georgetown Carnival

2009-03-22T19:57:00.000-07:00

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Enjoying the Bluebonnets

2009-03-22T12:22:00.000-07:00

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