Sister Bond and Sass

These sweet little turkey angels bond more and more everyday. They definitely have the love hate thing down. It's really incredible to watch them love on each other. H is all about teaching Hope new words and how to "do stuff". Hope wants nothing more than to do exactly what H is going or grab what she's doing and run away giggling.

Last night it went something like this...
Hope "wah, cry, wah, cry"
Mom "Haelyn Avery quit bugging your sister."
H "Mooooooommmmm, be serious."

PUMPKIN PATCH TIMES

We seriously have the best friends and small group ever. We love each other like family. 

Sometimes I can't imagine what we did before "the group" was formed. 

HALLOWEEN FUN

Halloween was celebrated with a cute costume parade at the girls school, and dinner at the Grant's before hitting the trick or treat scene. We had a great time visiting, taking pictures and watching our very slow girls trick or treat. We didn't encourage them to hurry too much...it limited the candy supply. :)

SICK IN THE LUNG...

It seems like life gets crazy when I go back to work after breaks. This last summer was a long long break since I didn't teach summer school like normal. I also, conveniently, got Pneumonia the second week of classes and haven't really felt like "caught up" since. I mean the head is above the water, but no neck or shoulders. I was super super sick for a week straight with high fever. I've NEVER been that sick in my life. After that week I had a horrible cough, would randomly run fever at the same time everyday for about 2 weeks, and lost 10 pounds. Mark finally made me go to the doctor. I reluctantly went and left the office with orders to do blood work and a chest x-ray. I just KNEW all would be fine. Well, it was but I also had Pneumonia in my left lung. Soooooo...that explained the cough, the fever, and the hard time taking a deep breath and talking. Keep in mind I just kept going and going and going as if all was fine after the week of fever. What in the world? That's crazy. People who have Pneumonia go to the hospital right? This is what I did with Pneumonia...

Played with this cutie pie when she was under the weather.

Gave babies baths.

Made sure little girls had pony tails and juice.

Took silly pictures.

Went to a Crossfit competition.

Made "snackies".

Went to a wedding in Midland.

Books and bed.

Hung out with my Frieda's.

Went to the Orthodontist.

WHAT A DUMMY!!!!

Good grief fellow stubborn people...listen to your bodies and just go to the doctor. I am very thankful my diligent hubby made me go to the doctor. I mean who wants to pay a hospital bill when you could just pay for an office visit and meds? Duh, not this DUMMY!

HOMECOMING CARNIVAL

This is one of my favorite things ACU does during Homecoming weekend. I love seeing old friends and meeting their kiddos.  I mean after all that's what "HOMECOMING" is for, right??!! 

This is the perfect place for this to happen. I'm impressed year after year. I didn't get pics of the fireworks, but they were amazing and the girls LOVED them!

H

She loves "her H". We had to sit in this section at the ACU football game!

NCTM

I cannot explain how much I love the work I get to do on a daily basis. I love teaching. I love my students. I love spending time with them, and investing in their lives. I am so proud when we take our teacher candidates to conferences or conventions. They know a lot and they are eager to learn more. We have an amazing teacher education program at ACU, if I must say so myself, that works really really hard to prepare future teachers. As a parent I am thankful there will be men and women like this to teach my children!

US OPEN: ROCKWALL, TX

This was the only thing I could think of so that we could be packed up and checked out of the room before the race! Pile all of my possessions, children included, onto the luggage cart.
They had fun, and never even knew it wasn't a game!

BROTHERS!!

Some of our favorite people!

Just the two of us. This NEVER happens!

With his girls and niece. 

After the race we had a little cousins reunion. 

COUSINS!

TRI TIMES

So these nuts (Mark, Stephen, Hollie, and Ben) all decided to train and do a Sprint Tri in Plano! HG and I were the lovely spectators, along with the kiddos. 

It was a cold and rainy weekend, but we had fun. We always have fun. Always.

FINISHERS!!!

One of his biggest fans! 

The best little spectators around!!

We were just a little proud of HB!!

They loved their matching throw aways so much that they decided NOT to throw them away!

Shopping!

Frieda's for LIFE

I LOVE YOU BUNCHES

"I will get married tomorrow..."

We had a wonderful time at Mrs. Garen Brown's wedding in Midland. Garen has been our sweet friend for a really long time! Mark and I met Gare in college and have lots of fun memories shared with her. She's one of the most generous and kind hearted people God ever created. We were so so happy to watch her commit herself to marriage. She looked beautiful and full of joy!

Mark and the girls enjoyed dancing!! The girls enjoyed wedding cake and fruit!! Haelyn told Mark, "I will get married tomorrow Daddy". I'm pretty sure she's been locked away since. ;)

Thank you for inviting us to be a part of your special day Garen and Barrett! Best of wishes and lots of prayers your way!

"Uncle Ry Ry's strong", said HBug.

A couple of weeks ago we went to watch Uncle Ry Ry compete in the Barbell Challenge Crossfit competition in Ft. Worth. It was awesome. He was awesome. We are all so proud of him. Ry has great focus in his life with the way he cares for his body, and works like a horse both in the office and in the gym. He does all of these things with his eyes and heart focused on his purpose from the Lord. I wish I had taken a pic of his wrists so you could see the verse he writes on his tape. He writes Romans 5:3-4. "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope".

I am one proud sister.

ACU vs. McMurry

Mark and HBug enjoyed a Daddy-Daughter date to the ACU game. H really liked the band. She said, "I don't know why we can't sing with them, they have horns and drums and music". She has been saying the funniest stuff lately. Another day, another post!

Cheeeeeeeeessssseeeee!!!

H asked to have her picture taken after church so we grabbed the camera and obliged. Hopey, on the other hand, had no interest in the photo op! Love these girls!!

Back At 'Em

We are officially back in the swing of school and work. I had lots of meetings this week and the girls went to their new classes. It's very strange that we don't take either of them to the nursery side of RBS. Both of these cuties are on the "big kid" side.

This is what they do in the mornings while I finish getting dressed.

ACU Famous!!

This pic of baby Haelyn that my Mom took has been used a few times for various brochures. It reminds me of H being a baby, but also reminds me how much she has grown.

Sweet sweet future Wildcat!!!

Daddy Date

Mark took the girls to the park on Saturday to play and feed the ducks while I got my hair did. I also got to take a "quick" trip to Hobby Lobby sans kids!!! These girls love their Daddy time and he loves his daughter time. Too sweet!!!