Sunday Singin'

Today was a big day for our Big Little girl Caroline. She was singing in big church for the first time! I predicted that we would all dissolve into a puddle of tears at the sight of our Sweet C on stage! I have so many memories of singing in big church. I hope that she loves it through the years as much as I did! Check it out...

So when I said tears, I was thinking of us, not her! If you can't tell what happened, Caroline started picking her nose and my mom, on the front row, was telling her to stop. So, she called down to my mom that there was something "crusty" in her nose that hurt, which of course made us all burst out laughing. As soon as she saw this, she started crying because she thought we were laughing at her. I was hoping that she would recover and get over it, but she ended up being pulled down to sit with us. Well, at last it was memorable!

Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls

The Shriners offered all local teachers and their families free tickets to their circus last night. It was such a treat! All of the acts were very professional and impressive. Caroline was in heaven! She was on the edge of her seat the entire night!
Caroline was too chicken to go up to the clowns, so we let Coop show her that it was nothing to worry about. Yeah, didn't work out as planned.
Chris' mom got Caroline an elephant stuffed animal and it has not left her presence since that moment!

Caroline rode the elephant 3, yes 3, times and the camel once. This picture is not good, but you can see how teeny Caroline looks on this huge elephant! Mommy had obviously left when the decision was made for her to make her first solo ride on a multi-ton animal. Thankfully, she was safe and had a great memory!

Mums with Mom

One of our friends, Tamera, is a cheerleader at her middle school and needed a mum for homecoming this week. Mom and I jumped at the chance to relive our high school days and make one for her! We went to two different craft stores looking for just the perfect trinkets for this greatest of Texas traditions. By the end, it was covered in helmets, bells, footballs, megaphones...the list goes on!! What a fun time! We had some leftover ribbons, so I had to make one for Caroline.

The Same Kind of Different as Me

This past Sunday I had the privilege of meeting and hearing speak Ron Hall and Denver Moore, the authors of "The Same Kind of Different as Me." Really I was privileged to just read the book over the past few weeks. What a tale! I was moved on so many levels. The tragedies occurring in my city. The love story between Ron and his wife. The friendship that connected Ron and Denver. And most importantly the saving relationship all of the main characters had with their Lord. It made me want to be a better disciple, wife, teacher and friend. It hit me hard when it came to my kids at school. There are several that I teach that are in a cycle of poverty. I pray that I may somehow take advantage of the short year I have with them and that there is some eternal impact from our time together.

I almost forgot to snap a picture after lunch! Grabbed one as we were all walking out the door!

Stuffed Japs

I am so obsessed with stuffed jalapenos right now! It all started when the lovely Em G. made these one evening at her house. I died for them! I made them at our family reunion the next month, and they were a major hit!

I found another jap that I am now also a big fan of. It's is at the Flying Fish. They stuff them with jack and cheddar cheeses and SHRIMP! Then they wrap them in bacon and grill them! Take a gander at the size of these things!

Thanks to the Gentrys! Brad introduced me to Sweet Tea and Emily to Stuffed Japs!

7 Months

Another month gone!! This little man is changing right before our eyes. He is too much fun!

* He is so close to crawling! He is doing all of the rolling, scooting, rocking that he can do!

*This little guy is so quiet! Caroline and I were having girl talks by now it seems like! He is starting to "dadadada" more these days, but really just spends most of his time smiling his big smile and stealing my heart! I am so lucky to have such a content little man!

*He can eat pretty much anything now. I can cut it all up and he can shovel it in! He obviously is not missing many meals! A large amount of it ends up on the floor or in the dog's mouth, but he gets better everyday!

*Still sleeping like a log- Thank the Lord!

*Weighs 20 lbs.- Big Boy!

*Got his first ear infection this month. He was put on amoxicillin to help clear it up. We started noticing on Friday at the Fair that he was breaking out on his face, legs, back , tummy and diaper area. By Monday he had been diagnosed with a penicillin allergy. We are so thankful that his reaction was not worse than it was. His face is clearing up slowly, but he is feeling WAY better on his new antibiotic.

I took this picture to show the remaining rash on his face, but it didn't really show it that well.

I went in today to see my sweet friend Carrie at the hospital with her new baby Luke. What a sweet little guy! Even more special- he was born in the same room that Cooper was. It was the first time I'd been back in the room since that special night/day. What an unforgettable time in my life. I got all teary! I am so thankful for this time we've had with Coop- from those first days to these!

Pool Party

My class won a pool party because we raised the most money for the local YMCA. How cute are they?

We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we

It's that time of year. The time when we spend way to much money to watch our Alma Mater Aggies play a very small game on a very huge stage. Regardless of all of the anger, ranting and frustration, we had a great time with friends at what can only be called a beast of a stadium.

I included this picture because I love my girl Em and to remind myself, and all those reading this, to not take a side picture when you've stuffed your back pockets with a license, credit card, camera, phone and other miscellaneous items. Talk about junk in the trunk.

Fletchers Corn dogs again!!!

Loved running into old friends at the game!

Lots of maroon

Our faces by the half

Chef Point Cafe

Oh the excitement. Oh the enjoyment. Oh the cheese.

We tested out the most amazing new diner in a Conoco in Watagua- yes a Conoco. The restaurant was featured on the Food Network show Diners, Dives and Drive Ins. We had the great fortune of sitting right next to the kitchen so we could see everything that was being served. Oh wow. We will be making about fifteen trips back in the coming months to try all of the yummies we saw passing by. I ordered the stuffed mushrooms and Chris had a pizza. Delish!! We ended the meal with an "Apple Flaky." What can be wrong with something named that?

Our State Fair is a Great State Fair

I took last Friday off to head over to the Big D for our annual Dean-Cook family trip to the Texas State Fair. Man is there anything like that? As Texans, it is one of the things we wear as a badge of honor. The weather was so amazing, but it was rather packed. Caroline had a great time, while Coop held out pretty good. He was still recovering from an ear infection and a bad reaction to the meds (see 7 month old post). We stuffed ourselves full of fried delicacies of all shapes and sizes- the real reason for the Fair-Am I right??

Fletchers- a Texas tradition

Sticky cotton candy hands at the car show

Nana and Papa bought the kiddos puzzles

Can you tell that his is getting sick? So pathetic! He was such a trooper!

Fried Peaches and Cream- tasted like a peach fried pie

Is this not the classic sun-in-your-eyes Big Tex picture??

Caroline participated as a butterfly ballerina in the Backyard Circus

Love Coop's face

The best family picture we could eek out that day

I cannot say how much I love this picture!