Partying Hard

Super excited to have been invited to the back home reception for James and Jamie's Texas wedding. 

Super excited because my kids haven't had the chance to go to many receptions. 

Kids love to dance and mine are no exception. 

I have 98 photos from the night and I wish I could put them all up here.

The tent took up the whole street. The kids had a ton of fun burning energy running around before dinner.

Dad picked out her boots- good job, Dad.

LOVE this pic! Turned out so cute:

There weren't many other kids there but thank goodness Lexi was there. It helped to have someone to play with for a while.

Finally the music started. Time to party! Let the dancing begin.

Maren was so excited about the "white princess!"

Maren requested some Katy Perry and they played her favorite song, Firework. Helga noticed she knew the words and got the microphone for her. Maren was so excited. She told me, "they clapped for me, mama."

Dancing with da-da.

More love for the bride, and groom too.

We stayed WAY past their bedtimes and Maren cried all the way to the car. She was so interested in that white princess. What is it with girls and weddings!?

Cuddles with Calvin

Calvin, my cat since he was still too young to be weaned. I got him in my first studio apartment my freshman year of college and bottle fed him between classes. He was just tiny.

He's never been the perfect cat but he's been mine for 14 years. We recently got some hard news. He has developed diabetes. He is so scrawny. Not the 12lb cat I was use to all these years. The weirdest part, he's been so social and nice lately. He use to spend all his time away from the family coming out only when the kids are asleep and not wanting much attention. This has changed drastically. He wants attention often and is around so much more. He use to bolt at the sight of Maren and now he'll sit with her as long as she's still and she loves it. She cuddles with him all the time and covers him with blankets - he likes this. They watch TV and read books together. It is so cute. The hardest part is what if his health declines? The two of them have become so close? Tears roll just at the thought of it.

Ah, Texas

After only one weekend away in the last 3.5 years Matt and I took to Texas. The first weekend away was for Matt's 10 year class reunion and we stayed at Matt's mom house for two nights. This time:

a direct flight to San Antonio! The first night we stayed with Matt's brother, David and his fiance Josie just west of the airport. We went to dinner on the River Walk (which, by the way, was the coolest thing ever. Everyone told me to go there but I had no idea it would be so beautiful!). We even saw the Alamo - from the outside. Matt was super pumped.

The next day we went out to lunch with Matt's niece and her son then off into Texas hill county in our rented Mazda CX-7. We hit a H-E-B on the way to pick up anything and everything we might need and more. Then we went off the beaten path for a wine tasting at Dry Comal Creek Vineyard.

It was our first vineyard and tasting. We had so much fun! 

Further into hill country outside the town of New Braunfels we hit our destination. 

Here is the view from the door of our one bedroom suite:

We'd never seen a spanish oak tree before. They are prevalent in this area.

 On their branches grows these little plants that don't need soil and suck moisture from the air.

Friday night we ate at the Gristmill in Gruene, TX.

We had a wonderful evening with the group of 40 or so. We hit a tasting room after dinner and a brewery after that. 

Saturday we went back into Gruene and did some shopping and had a nice lunch. Back at camp we took a quick nap and got ready for the main event; James and Jamie's wedding.

There's the wedding party ready to come down, isn't it beautiful?!

and the bride, I know right!?! The best bride ever. She stayed calm and relaxed even with rain, stolen bridesmaid jewelry, and wind breaking the glasses on the reception tables.

Congratualtions, James and Jamie. Thanks for inviting us to your special day!

And thanks to Gramma and Grampa for watching our two wonderful handfuls for three nights and four days for my husband and I to get away. Love you so much!

What Maren likes

Maren is officially three and a half and is quickly outgrowing her 4T clothes, at least in height. 

She is very proud of the length of her hair although she still doesn't have very much of it. 

She still loves to read and is memorizing short books at a fast pace.

She loves when Mom goes to consignment sales and the thrift store and buys costumes on the cheap for her to use for dress up. Here is a Captain America costume (purchased for $2.50). Dad made a shield out of a cardboard box and some velcro to complete the look. 

Maren likes when Lilly naps longer than she does and she gets one on one time with Mom.

Mom just finised making muffin/cupcakes with her and she decided we had more baking to do. 

Mom was on the phone and decided to ignore the mess making behavior for the sake of an adult conversation. Here she is mixing her muffins:

Can you name any of the ingredients?

Then she grabbed the wine glasses that were out and decided we'd have to drink the "batter"

-cheers! (no I didn't try it, I'm pretty sure she did though)

Maren also loves to cuddle with Calvin. Hank has always been the social tolerant cat of the house but recently Calvin has really taken a turn and loves the attention. He will sit by her for as long as she sits by him. They'll even snuggle under blankets together. 

What Little Lilly Likes

A long overdue post

Little Lilly is growing so fast! She has an unbelievable vocabulary of over 100 words at 16 months!

I know! She is really starting to show a love of books, just like here sister. 

She also loves to color:

 I love how she plops down on the floor, right on her belly, to go to town with her art:

Here she is in a tu-tu and beads. This girl loves her beads. She will constantly put beads on. 

She likes hats. Here she is in Maren's old pumpkin hat:

She also likes to play peek-a-boo:

He he he! Peek! I just can't get enough. She is so fun.