Fall leaves

Today we walked down our street and took in some absolutely beautiful scenery. We played outside and hiked our property for about two hours. A cold front was blowing in while we were out there and boy was it windy and blustery! It was a perfect day for fall leaves! (We also picked pecans off our trees.)

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Thanksgiving projects... some of them

These are a few of the crafts we did this week while studying about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving!

Indian feather hats
Mayflower boats
Paper turkeys
Hand print turkeys

We had such a fun week learning and preparing to celebrate!

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Weekend in Austin

Jimmy and I spent last weekend having a lovely little getaway to Austin! It was a blast just the two of us eating at hole in the walls and walking around the campus... BUT, the highlight was taking in my first UT game!! It was sooo much fun!!!! I was so fascinated with all the tradition and songs and cheers. I loved watching Jimmy fall right back in step with all this and cheer on his longhorns! He graduated in 1998 and had only been back to one game since. I was thrilled to be his date at this one!

He also took me in the business school and showed me where several of his classes were! Since we didn't meet til long after college, it was neat to see where his life was at way back then and experience a small part of it!

I am so grateful for such a special time away with my sweet husband and very grateful for our sweet friends who took exceptional care of all our little ones while we were away!

Love you JZ!! Thank you so much for setting up this entire weekend for us... You are so wonderful and I love you so much!!

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Asleep in the fridge

He was playing in the fridge while I was cooking and got really quiet... I looked in and this is what I found. This has to be one of my most unusual and adorable things I ever seen one of children do! :) Rivs is a very hot natured child... it can be freezing and he still kicks all his covers off and gets very frustrated (in his sleep) when you try to put them back on. I guess he sat down in the fridge and pulled the door close to him and it felt so good he was out! :) This is one moment I will never forget!

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Thankful for

It is likely an obvious list but I feel that it needs to be written.... Never a moment when you can be too grateful..

1. My husband, who always sees the very best in me, no matter what. Who always encourages me to keep going when I want to quit. Who believes in my goals and hopes and dreams. Who loves watching my lip- synching... No matter how cheesy (his current favorite, Rollin In The Deep, Adele). Who makes me laugh til I cry. Who can stay calm through ANYTHING and who has been my rock through a tough year of waiting on news about our Serene.

We are the perfect match.... I love every second we spend together... Especially the ones with him begging me to do another round of "Rollin In The Deep"!!! :)

2. Anna, my serious, smart child who knows how to love deeply and finds joy in small everyday things. She wants to try anything new, hates watching more than 30 minutes of TV a day and loves to play with her little brothers and sister. This, my first child, is a joy beyond words to me. She is blossoming into such an amazing little lady and is a front toothless beauty!

3. Serene, full of joy and kindess, this little caretaker is our family nurse! She makes and gives cards to all those she knows.... An encourager at heart! She never meets a stranger and will engage anyone we meet in a lengthy conversation about life with 2 brothers, a big sister and another baby sister on the way! Wanna know anything, just ask.... She will tell you!

4. Ben, where to begin. The MOST intnese child I have ever seen. Incredibly athleticly skilled even at 2 1/2 years old. A champion wrestler, golfer and baseball player. Wanna see a future tour swing, watch this guy hit the golf ball... Amazing! He loves to play games, "sing" songs with animal sounds, do puzzles, read books and watch shows. He ADORES his big sister Anna, loves to follow Serene around and finds no greater joy than wrestling his brother in a choke hold! (yikes) He gives the biggest hugs and kisses. He is a total 100% Daddys boy. He sticks to Jimmy like glue, copies EVERYTHING daddy does and admires his dad intensely. He throws the most massive trantrums and gets the most excited you have ever seen over a tiny lizzard.... Like I said.. This guy is intense!!!

5. Rivers, OH MY GOODNESS, ever since this guy learned to walk 6 months ago I haven't stopped.... He is on the go every second he is not sleeping. He can climb anything and does. He loves dirt, sand, grass, mud... What can I say, he is one with nature... I mean his name is Rivers! He has a hysteric laugh and is fully entertained by his 3 older siblings. He doesn't ever need mommy.... Unless he is being wrestled into the Ben choke hold and suddenly he is transformed back to a needy infant who needs mommy to hold him... I cherish those fewer and further between moments of that sweet head on my shoulder and those sweet words of "mama mama"! He loves to run, hit anything with a stick and eats enough for 3 people!

6. Patience, I don't know her yet... Not really but oh how I love her. The first little girl in 4 years. The need for pink has come again. We can't wait to all love on her and cherish our new family member. For now though I am enjoying my own world with her... Her little kicks, and movements remind me what a real a special person she already is!

I am thankful for the joy my family brings. I love each one of them dearly and I am so grateful God put each one of them in my life!! What immense blessings!

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MRI results day

After waiting a LONG week we headed back to Childrens on Friday for Serenes annual appointment and to hear the results of her MRI.

I am not a doctor so I wont go into great detail but last year (2010) on the MRI they saw a bend in her optic nerve.... Something that was not there on the MRI the year before (2009). The doctor explained that this bend/curving is the first sign they always see when a tumor is beginning its formation. It is a long process (over a few years) so not much you can do but wait it out and go back the next year for another MRI and hope and pray the bend/curve stayed the same and didn't get worse.

When we went back on Friday the doctor was shocked to tell us that not only had things not gotten any worse, they hadn't stayed the same.... They were better! BETTER! Her optic nerve shows no signs of the bend/curve it showed last year.

Inexplicable? To some,maybe, not for us. We prayed and God granted our request!

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Dad and his golfing buddy

Jimmy and Ben were hitting golf balls in the backyard and Ben suddenly discovered that he and Jimmy both have these backpack carriers on their bags.... So, he wanted he and Daddy to both put on their bags and walk all over the backyard together! They did and it was so cute! I love that Ben and his daddy love each other so much. I love that Ben wants to do everything exactly like Jimmy and most of all I love that Jimmy is such a wonderful Daddy to copy!!

Love these two!

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MRI day

Serene did so good at her MRI. She took the IV needle like a grown up and didn't even flinch. She is such an amazingly sweet child and brought joy to everyone she came in contact with at the hospital.

We expect good results on Friday!!!!

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Cousin Ella!!!!!

We got to meet our sweet Niece/Cousin Ella! What a joy that precious child is. She is so beautiful and as sweet as can be. I never knew I could feel a deep love for another child besides my own... But, I do! I love that sweet baby girl so very much!

Love you Ella!!

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Trunkfest!

We had so much fun on October 31 handing out candy at our church festival! The girls were huge helpers and our friends the McDonalds even joined us to hand out candy... Soo fun! Thanks for your help Brock and Brady! Let's do it again next year.

BTW, we had a UT cheerleader, Angelina Ballerina, Ben dressed as my dad (my dad wears a suit and tie almost everyday) and a farmer!!

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Last pumpkin patch visit... with Pop and Nana

Our last visit to the pumpkin patch was extra fun with Pop and Nana along! All eight of us did the corn maze in the dark with our flashlights... It was so much fun!

Can't wait for next year!

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