Llano with the Pages

We met the Pages in Llano for a week's vacation in July. Since we are both in the middle of selling our homes and moving, both families opted for a "budget-conscious" vacation this summer. Also with Carrys still so young and the EXTREME heat this summer, Llano worked great thanks to my parents' hospitality and willingness to "watch" Carrys for us. We had a fantastic, relaxing time. Much different from the beach last year, but we all enjoyed feeding the cows, playing outside in the dirt, on the slip-and-slide, water balloon fights, swimming at my aunt's pool, gator rides, eating and eating and eating, riding the 4-wheelers, enjoying company with great friends, touring Longhorn Cavern, and spending time in nearby Marble Falls. It's always fun to watch our kiddos play and pick right up from last vacation, they do great together!!! And...it's always a blast to share in each others' lives and grow our friendship more and more. We love you Pages, you guys are incredible friends and God has truly blessed our family with yours!!!

loading up to feed the cows

what a pair!!!
the BIG kiddos in Granden's truck

feeding cows

Aaron with NO fear

sweet baby calves

the newest one

slip-n-slide time

beatin' the HEAT

Carrys taking it all in

a good 'ole fish fry

Doug making it happen

entrance to Longhorn Cavern

the "gang" heading into the cave

stopping for a rest

Colten going through a tunnel

incredible rock formations

one even in the shape of a dog

the group after the tour

kiddos on the way up

at Chili's on the lakelooking at the water

playing games at the family center in MF

Already looking forward to next year!!! Can't wait for more memories to be made and Alivia to join us. Love you guys...

Things are a changing...

Well, we are right in the middle of BIG changes in our household. We have had our lot for three years now, have completed our new home plans and have everything bid out to start building. So here we go....

Our current home is on the market and we have had great feedback but no buyer just yet. All in God's time, I'm just so thankful to still be in our home as the school year begins. It is very bittersweet to me, I am so incredibly excited to start our new home and this next chapter in our lives. But...our current home is the one we have brought all our babies home to, it's just overflowing with all our STUFF. So, we've de-cluttered and packed things up in order to sell this home and move into our new one in the upcoming months. Hopefully, I will post pics on the progress of our new one so stay tuned.

playing in packing boxes

it's for real!!!

our lot, future new home site!!!

All things Carrys

Just a post about Carrys for now...I have TONS of catching up to do, but wanted to get this on here first!!! Our sweet baby is 6 months old, where has half of her first year gone?! She is doing great and had a great check-up. She's in the 50th percentile for height and 75th for weight. She is eating baby food really well now and has started sitting up without support and is doing fantastic, she loves it!!! She is the happiest little thing and so easy going. She's dropping her third nap and has started taking two long naps on most days. She loves her crib and falls asleep so wonderfully on her own (staying that way at night is another story)!!! Her big brother and sister adore her and the feeling is mutual. She blesses our lives daily and lights up my world with just her toothless smile.

sweet sleeping baby

one happy girl

two faces that love to greet her!!

trying to feed herself

6 months!!! love that grin!!!

Celebrating Colten

Colten and Cooper (a school friend) had a combined pool party this year for their 6th birthdays. We celebrated with a Captain America theme, just in time for the 4th of July. Several school friends came along with family and friends from both sides. This year was extra special for Colten because all 5 of his cousins were able to come. In fact that's all he really needed, I had to remind him to interact with his school friends and make sure he said hello, goodbye, thank you ,etc before the party ended. He just had way too much fun with Chance and Sheldon!!! He had a GREAT time, anything with swimming is right up his alley. It's so hard to believe 6 years have gone by since we brought our baby boy home, what a blessing he is!!! He is so much like the both of us in different ways. He is a great big-brother, an excellent student, and a loving son. He brings us so much joy...lots of love to you Colten Michael and here's to many more happy birthdays to come!!!

let's swim!!!

Carrys napping on Oni
Caleb was the "adult supervision" in the pool (aka child launcher)

Cambry, a little fish herself

Colten and Sheldon

Daddy and the big kiddos

Colten and Cooper

who doesn't LOVE cookie cake?

some of "the boys" and their best Captain America poses!

Granden and Carrys, trying to keep cool

Oni couldn't resist a swim

and with the girls

Dax and Cambry, what a pair!!!

Carrys even got in!!!

present time

Granden and Cambry looking on

back at home opening more presents

Daddy's gift...some kind of Nerf weapon

Thor's hammer

What a FUN day of celebrating Colten and our summer birthdays are officially over...ahhh!!!