Last Wednesday, Tate and Emmy performed at our church. Here is the video…
After the performance, we went to Village Burger Bar for dinner. YUM! 
Thank you to Papaw, Mimi, Honey, Banty and Boots for coming out in the cold to watch the kids. :)
That is the phrase Brad and I often end our day with. :)
This little girl has stolen our hearts in the short 15 months she has been a part of this family. She is such a sweetheart! Thank you, God for allowing us to have this Lyla-Bug in our lives!
She is more of a mess than you can imagine…but, that is what will keep us young, right?
Over Thanksgiving, Lyla found a new love for pink boots! :) Now if she would just walk in them without falling over…
Santa came to visit us at Papaw and Mimi’s house on Saturday night! We were supposed to have a cousins Christmas party, but due to the random snow in Houston this week…the Houston group could not make it :(
Our attempt at the “kid” picture…notice me…Lyla wanted NOTHING to do with the big guy in red! :)
Our family pic…
Listening to Santa read The Polar Express
Lyla making a mess working on a craft.
Mimi helping the kids make a bag
Brody and Santa
Miss Maggie :)
We ended the Thanksgiving Weekend cheering for Tate in a baseball game in Boots and Banty’s front yard.
Notice her eye…she had a run-in with the door frame. :)
Giving Daddy some high-fives while rounding third base
We did have intermissions for the dancing princess…
Here are some other pics of Lyla…
Eating at the big kid table…Cheez-Its
Hanging out with Banty and Sissy on the front porch
Talk about looking guilty!! :)
She had this thing with showing Boots her outfit every time he was around…
Yes, I know I have skipped over Thanksgiving completely…Tate had strep for most of the holiday (and when that kid gets sick…watch out!), so I did not take one pic! We did get to eat a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with Mimi, Papaw, Uncle B, Auntie M, Brody B, Maggie and Mamaw. Then, we went shopping in Waco on Friday…thanks for the pic, Julie…
while Tate and the boys played golf…again…not ONE pic!!! :(
Brad and Philip have started a tradition with the girls to take them to The Nutcracker Ballet every Christmas. They have known each other since elementary school. :) The girls look forward to this special day all year. :)
Philip, Ari, Emmy and Brad
Daddy and Emmy 
One tired little ballerina!
Daddy bought her a doll ornament and some flowers. :)
Guess what this little toot finally decided to do….besides get cuter everyday…
WALK!!!! Finally, after a few months of standing and taking 1 or 2 steps, she is officially walking…she just decided it was time. :)
Here she is showing off her skills at Emmy’s soccer game.
We are still trying to convince her shoes are a good thing…she will not keep any on…
Little Stinker!!!!
Last weekend, we went to celebrate Evelyn Grace’s 5th birthday party. The party was at Sugar and Spice…a little girls dreamland! They got to pick a dress when they walked in, got their hair and nails done, sang karaoke, did a fashion show and ate cake. What more could a little girl ask for???
Emmy chose this Jasmine dress
The birthday girl
Singing along to Miley Cyrus…
Walking the runway
Emmy and Evelyn Grace
What a fun girly-day!
This year the kids were very into trick-or-treating. We went to Mimi and Papaw’s neighborhood. 
All ready to go get some candy!!!
Best Buds…
Our Little Bug
The Zoo Keeper
Miss Dorothy
Little Lady Bug…
thanks Ellie for letting us borrow it!
Trick or Treat!!!!
Last week, I took the kids to get some pictures taken in a friends backyard. As you probably know, getting 3 kids dressed and ready for pictures can just about wear you out before the first shot is taken. Well, we got some cute pics…more on that later…but, during the last shot I was holding Lyla near a tree for a picture and noticed what I thought was a piece of bark on her wrist. I tried to just swat it off, but when I touched it, I was surprised to find it soft a squishy. So I grabbed whatever it was and had to literally pull it off her arm. I did not think much of it, after all, I was still stressed out about getting that perfect holiday photo of three kids who did not want to have their pics taken. :)
After we finished and went back inside, Lyla just started screaming and fussing…not like her AT ALL! She was wearing a long sleeve dress and I thought maybe she was getting hot and tired, so I took her dress off. Well, that is when I saw her arm all swelled up and bright red. Freaked me out…I remembered pulling the bug off her earlier and knew she needed some Benadryl. Unfortunately, we did not have any liquid with us (now we have it in every car, purse, diaper bag, etc.)…so, I hopped in the car and decided to take her to the doctor.
Mimi was with me helping with the pics, so she rode in the backseat with her and tried to comfort an inconsolable baby all the way to the doctor. When we got there, she was still screaming through all the weighing in, measurements, temperature taking, etc. I was just so worried because it was not like her at all to be that upset for that long about anything. She gets over things pretty quickly. They gave her 2 tsp of Benadryl…alot for a baby!!! Then watched her for 15 minutes. The rash had now spread up her arm, over her shoulder, up her neck and around the top of her forehead. They decided to give her a steroid shot to see if that would help. Thank goodness it did and the rash started to recess back down her head, neck and arm. Poor baby was so drowsy from the Benadryl, she passed out on the way home and slept for 4 hours. When she woke up this is what was on her arm…the outline of the bug and where it had bit her. I did not even think to get a pic of the rash at the doctor…
I tried to research what it was, but did not have much to go on. A few days later, Aunt Julie called and told me to look up the ASP caterpillar…turns out that is what had bit her!!!! It is basically a venomous caterpillar found in Texas in wooded areas. Here is the article I found about the ASP caterpillar. Turns out is very painful to be bit by one of these most adults compare it to a jelly fish sting…poor girl!
Don’t worry though…once she slept the Benadryl and shot off…she was back to her bubbly self that evening…you can ask her where her bug bite is and she will point to her wrist and stick her bottom lip out…so funny!
We went over to Fort Worth a few weeks ago for Mr. Red’s Cowboy Gathering. We had a great time walking around the Stockyards and watching the rodeo.
A picture with everyone looking! :) Very Rare!
Tate with Mr. Red
The Bug playing
Ellie and Emmy Auntie B and Ellie
Lyla being silly with Aunt Laci 
Walking in The Stockyards
Watching the chuck wagons roll into town.
Me and My Bug
The girls…
Emmy striking a pose with Boots
Last week, the kids had their fall party at school. They had cookies, drinks and got to paint a pumpkin.
Gavin, Robbi, Kaden, Harper, Brandon, Tate, Emmy, Conor and Luke 
Emmy was into painting the pumpkin, but Gavin was not sure what to think. :) 
Last night we took the kids to the carnival at our church. They had a great time playing all the games and bouncing in the bounce houses.
Dorothy, LadyBug and the Zoo Keeper 
Uncle B and Brody came over to play with us.
Riding the Barrel Train
Today at church, we had Jerry Vogal from LifeWay Kids come speak to us during our Sunday School hour. He talked about Parenting and how it is like…
-going on a journey
-making an introduction (spiritually)
-laying a firm foundation
-drawing a map
-and planting a seed in a garden
It was very refreshing to listen to what he had to say. It made me that more thankful for the blessings in my life, especially these three little miracles. Often I get caught up in all the drama of the day and miss out on just enjoying my kids. Today, we hung out and just played together…then we went to the park by our house to spend some more time together. They amaze me everyday and I know how blessed I am to have three healthy kids who (most of the time) are happy and content with life. Jerry did not say anything I have not already heard, but it was a refreshing experience to put it all back in perspective. I was also able to go with some 7th-11th grade girls this weekend to the Revolve Tour in Ft. Worth. It made me realize these days of playing and going to the park together are numbered. I know kids will grow up, as they should, and we will just become that much more proud of them. These girls were all so sweet and nice to be around, but it made me realize they were once 4 and 1. So, I needed that reminder today to slow down and enjoy this age because it will be gone tomorrow. I hope you are enjoying your blessings and making the most of the time you have with them.
Tate is becoming quite the little man. He told me today he was the Daddy since Brad was out of town and he needed to drive us to church, pay for our lunch and come home to work and watch the ballgame. :) When we got to lunch he told me he did not need any money because he had found a penny in the parking lot and that should be plenty for all of us to eat. He is still into the cowboy/sports guy stage, and I think he is getting sweeter everyday. I just love to see how proud he is when he completes a task on his own. He loves his family and is into “family dinners” and just “hanging out”. His way of looking at the world continues to amaze me. He is such an analyzer about everything. He told me tonight that he could not possibly eat a Lunch-able for dinner…I could not figure out why until he said it is not a Dinner-able, Mom!!! I am so proud of this little guy we lovingly call “Good Time Charlie” because of his ability to organize a get together at a moments notice. He loves to be around people and has a true compassion for others. Thank you for being such a sweet boy, I love you!
Oh, Miss Em! She is something else! I LOVE how “girly” she is about EVERYTHING! She knows how to make people smile just by being herself. I hope she can continue to have the self-confidence she has now. She is not easily swayed by others and will let them know it! This trait will come in handy in those teenage years. She absolutely loves her brother and sister to pieces. Lyla will just look at her and I can see how they already have the sweet sisterly bond. She is such an independent child always wanting to try doing something before asking for help. Some may look at this as stubbornness and hard-headed, but I think it will make her a leader. She is a girl that knows what she wants. :) She loves her dance class and dressing up. I overheard her asking Brad the other day if she was going to have to run in soccer, when he said yes, her response was that she did not like to sweat! :) She is a born performer and loves to be the center of attention. I pray that you stay sweet and girly for always. You are a ray of sunshine to all and we love you for it!
The Bug! We joke that she is going to grow up the class clown and eventually a stand-up comic. This girl will do anything for a laugh, especially from her Sissy and Bubba! She is learning new words and sounds everyday. She is a watcher, but she is also ready to jump right in without much of a thought about it. She is fearless about most things. The only person I have seen her not like is the pediatrician and we have no idea why. :) She is a “cuddler” and loves to be held and close. She likes to be in the action and is into EVERYTHING! I do not remember the twins being this way at this age. I love her babbling and her new “surprise” face (I will try to get it on camera soon). She is standing on her own, but not taking steps yet, she has no need to because her crawling is fast enough for her. :) I am excited to see her grow and discover who she is. I love you little Bug!
Thank you for these blessings and I pray we are the parents we need to be for them.
