Dewberry Farms 2010

Our first trip to Dewberry Farms! It was so much fun! We joined our very dear friends, the K family at the patch. Mind you it was the hottest day on record for October since 1996 (thank you mother nature), but we insisted on taking a family picture as if it was chilly outside... see Gracelee's pink cheeks below. LoL!!

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Anyway, this place is really neat! They have a pumpkin patch in the fall and a Christmas Tree farm in the winter. While riding out to the fields to pick your pumpkin ( or "pumin" as Gracelee calls them), they show you all of the little trees that are starting to grow! So cute! We are going to try and go back, not to pick a tree (even though they said they can grow hypoallergenic trees now), but to see some Christmas magic!

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Gracelee had a good time for about an hour of our trip and then decided she was done. Next year we might go a little bit earlier in the morning so she can experience the bouncy pillow and the REALLY BIG slide. She did get to pet a bunny, do the little slide, pet a goat, pick a pumpkin, and ride in a covered wagon, though! We really had a great time with the K family! Maybe in December we can wear jeans and not seriously regret it 5 seconds after stepping out of the car.

Greek Festival fun!

So we went to the Greek Festival last Saturday...

It is one of Houston's fine jewels, and we go every year!

The food is amazing and they have a children's area that Gracelee was ALL about!

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We met up with Mark, Justin's best man, and his fiance, Andi. It was a good time with really good friends that we haven't seen in a while!

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Gracelee had a blast!

This is her waiting in line for her turn... and then let the fun BEGIN!!!!

Counting...

We have not practiced this yet...

She just started doing it, and now it's a game...

It makes us grin and giggle!!!

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Gracelee,

You continue to amaze us, baby!!!

We LOVE you!!!

Love, Momma and Daddy

Playing at the park

Is there anything better than weather that allows you to play outside?

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Monkey even got to go down the slide a couple of times!

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I seriously could not love anything more....

High School Football games!

It was Justin, Brian, and my homecoming game yesterday!

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It is so hard to believe that I graduated 11 and 1/2 years ago!

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With Brian working at SFA and TJ attending, we can still have Bulldog pride!

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The games are extra special now because Gracelee L-O-V-E-S the half time show!

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Yet another girly thing I am glad she likes!

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Before we attended the games, though, I had to bling her out! Check out this shirt I made for her! I love it... but not nearly as much as I love her!

(Think she was tired of posing??? LoL!! This is "Cheese.")

Happy 18 Months my Lovely Daughter!

Septemeber 30th, 2010

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My little Angel is 18 months old...

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Where does the time go????

Thank the Good Lord for this wEaThEr!!!!!!!

Can I get an AMEN for the phenomenal weather we are having!

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I love the FALL!!!!

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I love the Park!!!!

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I LOVE my daughter!

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I LOVE my hubby!

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The cooler weather makes you feel so good! My mood is definitely improved!!!!

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Than you God! We are truly blessed!!

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Ummmm... can we say Sassy pants????

The Real Deal

Ever since I was knee high to a grass hopper, I have wanted a daughter.

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Some one that I knew would look up to me, want to play house and cook with me, and some one that would let me play with her hair!

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Gracelee does all of those things! She cuddles and kisses me, when I am sad she says, "Momma, K?" in the sweetest little voice, when I am cleaning she grabs a blanket to help me wipe things down, she likes to stir the pot when we are cooking and do the cookie cutters, and she lets me do her hair every morning!

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Now albeit she takes it out very soon after I drop her off, but it makes me so happy to play and twist and braid, and she sits ever so patiently until I am finished! Then we smile at the pretty baby in the mirror!!

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My life is so much more complete with her in it! I love her more than she will ever know!

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She is my DREAM come true... she is the absolute REAL DEAL!!!!

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Now, check out these teeth! : )

Gracelee's School Days Cuteness

Up/ Down

Two of her favorite words...

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Up

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Down...

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And the stairs is a perfect place to practice them!!!

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This was at Grandpa's house, where stairs are all the rage!

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Let's just say there was a LOT of "Up! Momma, up! Up!"

and then......

"DOWN!!!! Weeeeeeeeee!"

Sink Fun!

At 17 months 26 days, the little girl is still in love with the water!

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It doesn't matter where it comes from... just that she gets to play in it!!

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I love the little sly grin she gives as she is playing!

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(and her little piggy toes!!!)

"Daddy's under my spell"

Thank you Old Navy for some of the cutest Halloween shirts I have ever seen!!!

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And, thank you Darling Daughter for letting me do your hair!! It has been my dream since I was a little girl... and you, my baby, are my DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big Hugs!!!

Church Today...

Ummm... yeah...

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She lights up our lives...

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Lights up every room she enters...

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Captivates us with her smile...

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Makes our hearts jump out of chests when she laughs...

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She is our EVERYTHING!!!

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Lord,

Today was an amazing day! Church had a wonderful message... and while we were getting ready, the precious baby with which you blessed our family, took my breath away!

Yes, I say that A LOT, but honestly, God, YOU did AWESOME work!

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She is increasingly beautiful and amazingly smart, and...

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and....

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My love for her is immeasurable... I didn't think it was possible for you to forgive my mistakes from the past and grant me with such a blessing. There are not enough words to express my gratitude, my humbleness, my ever increasing belief in you. She teaches me something new about myself everyday...

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and I think I am teaching her?!?!?! not so much...

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She teaches me UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

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TRUTH

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GRACE

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PATIENCE

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GRATITUDE

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I cannot even begin to thank you enough...

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And I will say, I LOVE YOU and thank you... She is the joy of joys for me!

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Love,

Me

Happy Birthday, Grammy!

Happy birthday to my mother-in-love... Yes, the correct term is "law" but my soon- to- be- sister- in- love calls it mother- in-love, and I am stealing it!

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It makes perfect sense!!!

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Not everyone is as blessed as I am... my mother-in-love is so very kind and generous! She cares for her family so much... she exudes the spirit of grace and giving...

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The women in my family are strong, capable, loving, and giving! Lessie is a great example of all of these amazing qualities for our daughter! I would love for Gracelee to keep her spirit and spark, and her good nature and lovingness... to look at the women in her life and decide it is wonderful to be strong- willed and determined! These days a girl needs to have that on her side! A good self-esteem and DETERMINATION!!!

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Lessie a.k.a Grammy,

Thank you for having these qualities! For being the person you are... for caring for us, for leading us, for LOVING us, and for showing Gracelee that hard work, determination, and a caring loving spirit get you far in life. For leading by Christ's example and for being so generous EVERYDAY!!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday!

"School" fun!

I wish we had swim time at work!

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Maybe I am really wishing for naptime! LoL!!

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Thank you, Mrs. Laurie, for the cutie pie picture! They make my day!

Good Morning!

Too cute!!!

School Daze...

What have we been up to... work. School. Work. School. Got sick. School. Work.

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Sound like fun?

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Life is so great in the summer. Gracelee is so cute and smart and sweet!

I love spending that quality time with her! Summer has never been more fun!!! And then... I have to go back.

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It is not like when we were kids and the anticipation of going back to school made you pack, unpack, re- pack your back pack a thousand times because you loved school so much that you wanted to be super organized and loved looking at all your cool supplies...

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only me??? I know... self proclaimed dork!

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No. Now when school is about to start, I get a sinking feeling in my stomach. I get super stressed out, crabby, emotional... if you have to do it, then you KNOW the feeling! It isn't about wishing your time or life away... it is about wanting to FREEZE time! Freeze the moments that we get to spend with our loved ones! I love my life and everyone that is in it... I want to be SUPER selfish and have them ALL the time, EVERY minute of EVERY day!

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It is not natural to leave your babies... any momma can tell you that! Any mom can tell you, whether you work out of the house or have the unbelievable privilege to get to stay home, IT IS HARD WORK!!!

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All I want to do is teach her and mold her... I want to show her everything! I want to experience life with her... and I feel like I miss it...

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Anyway, back to the blogging world.

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Here are her back-to- school day pictures (she is pretty cute!):

First Day

I love her more than life itself! Every minute I get to spend with her and her daddy, I relish, and cherish, and I want to bottle up that time and those feelings forever!