Fall fun!!

We have had a slow start to the fall in Texas...warm and humid make it a little harder to get into the sport of fall! 

We had had many fun events to make up for the lack of fall weather! We went to visit Aunt Ash and her gang. We got to visit a pumpkin patch, play in the water on the trampoline, play at the park and go to an indoor jump place. 

Hazel sprorting her temporary cast, after a visit to Urgent Care. Hazel fell off the monkey bars at Timmaron Park when we met some new friends to play and the first time Hazel decided to try out the (very high) monkey bars, she fell and braced herself with her left arm and broke it. Luckily it was a slight, buckle brake and she only had to wear a removable cast for 3 weeks. 

The Monster Mash at Timber Creek was a lot of fun! Hazel and Thea are inceprable and loved playing games, eating treats and dancing. Eli was so cute in his ninja costume and loved the festival as well. 

What a treat to get to be with Eli for his special events at pre-school, like his Fall Festival. The kids rotated through games and had a great fall party! 

We got to see our sweet, Averi Grace play Vivienne in Legally Blonde Jr., the musical! We barely made it to Plano, due to raid closures, but we got there! The cousins had so much fun playing and her play was very good! We were impressed with the singing voices and acting. 

Halloween in Canoe Bend is always a lot of fun! We went to the Kable's Halloween block party before trick or treating and the kids loved all the festivities! 

First day of school 2015-2016

Hazel is off to 2nd Grade and Eli is off to pre-school!

Hazel was thrilled that her best friend, Thea is in her class this year! She is lucky and has a lot of friends from last year in her class. 

       Mr. Barnhouse's  2nd grade class. 

Mickey overload...but cute! I think she will enjoy having a male teacher, even if it takes momma a little while to get used to the idea. ☺️

Eli is in the Monkey Pre-K class with Ms. Alicia and Ms. Catherine on Monday and Wednesday

My first day, teaching at KidsEdge! I am very thankful for the opportunity to work at such a Christ centered pre-school, at the church we love! The best part of it all is, I'll get to see my sweet boy throughout the day. He is excited that his mommy will be working at his pre-school.

The Monkey Class

Colorado vacation!

Our family made the long drive and ventured to Colorado for a week! We stropped in Amarillo and broke up our trip in two days. We happened to stay in downtown Amarillo, where a Car show was taking place. It was a fun surprise to watch the cool cars and we even ate a fabulous Italian restaurant near our hotel.

We were definitely on a "Rocky Mountian High" the whole week! (The kids loved listening to "Rocky Mountain High" by John Denver on the road.)

The kids surprised us and did really well on the long drive. Movies, books, candy and lots of $1 store prizes!! Hazel played with her silly puddy more than any of the other supplies I brought her! Jesse and I kept laughing at how well Hazel did...playing with that silly putty.

Eli was so excited when we made it to Colorado!

Our first stop...we hiked up to Helen Hunt falls and had a picnic. It was beautiful! It was surreal to be back in Colorado Springs, and it was so fun to show the kids where we lived and all of our old stomping grounds! I couldn't believe I hadn't been back to Colorado in 10 years!

The kids had fun tasting the spring water In Manitou Springs, walking around, playing at the playground and visiting the Cliff House. 

Our first night out at Edelweiss Resaurant...Jesse had a good time introducing all of us to authentic German food.

Beer Garden

The Garden of the Gods, our favorite place that holds sweet memories for Jesse and I. We went to Colorado Springs with Ash and Brian 14 years ago, and took this same photo...

The Broadmoor was just as beautiful and scenic as I remember! It was the perfect temperature outside for a stroll. The weather while in Colorado was just wonderful!!!

The Cog railway was a really cool way to see the beauty of Pike's Peak. The kids loved seeing snow, marmots and big horn sheep on the way! It was 22 degrees and freezing at the summit! We really liked our first train ride as a family.

The Paint Mines Interpretive Park was so incredible! The kids liked climbing on all of the colorful rocks.

Our next stop was Estes Park where we celebrated Eli's 4th birthday! He and Hazel loved staying in the RV and playing in the pretty river at Manor RV park.

A birthday donut for Eli at Krispie Kreme in Denver on our drive to Estes Park.

Eli and Hazel loved going to Fun City for his birthday. We went on the super slide and drove go carts! He and daddy won the race! We celebrated Eli's birthday with a Paw Patrol party. G and G's good friends, Pam and Dave came to celebrate too! They loved seeing Eli and Hazel and are such a sweet couple.

We visited the YMCA camp, had ice cream on the porch, made necklaces and played! 

It was in the 50's at night and we even had to use the heat! Jesse and Eli wanted to really experience camping and slept in a tent one night, but froze! Eli's favorite thing about our trip was staying in grandee and grandad's RV!

The kids loved playing in the chilly river and watching the Elk at the RV park. 

        Picnic and hike to Sprauge Lake

We got to celebrate grandee's birthday at Sweet Basilica and made a second trip around the racetrack! Eli really wanted grandad to drive the go carts with him.

Grandee and I sure got a kick out of watching Eli and Hazel in the go carts! 

We made some very special family memories and loved our time in such a beautiful place! I am so thankful we had the chance to expose the kids to the beautiful mountains and see all of God's creation up close!

Port Aransas!

We had a great time at our annual beach trip this year! It wasn't quite the same, with out Nanny there. She is not able to get around as easily and is more homebound, so she wasn't able to make the trip this year.
We went crabbing, and even got to see two dolphins upclose, the highlight of our trip! It was a momma and baby dolphin. It was such a neat thing to see them in nature. The kids and ran along the jetty, following them and snapping pictures.

The cousins had fun playing in the ocean, jumping waves, trying to surf and playing in the huge pools!

We collected shellfish and Grandma made their families favorite Shellfish, cream soup. The kids liked it too!

Summer so far!

Grandee Camp 2015

June 8th-10th  One of the highlights of the summer...Grandee camp with cousins! Hazel, Dawson, Kade and Sophie got to go in the RV for a two night getaway to Galveston! Hazel loved her first ever camping trip in the RV. They had so much fun, playing at the beach, doing crafts, crabbing with Grandad and collecting 37 hermit crabs at the beach!! We heard a lot of funny stories after they returned. What a huge blessing for our kids. Grandee and Grandad sure know how to make memoies with these sweet kids! Eli can't wait to join the fun next summer!

Eli, Caleb and Meredith had so much fun while the big kids were out of town! 

June 15-19  Pine Cove Camp in the City! Hazel's first camp experience. Their counselor's camp name was, Chocolate Covered Mooberry. She was in a cabin group with her friends, Audrey and Julianna. Hazel loved the songs, cheers, games and bible studies at camp.

She sure made Jesse's Father's Day when she told us that she accepted Christ at camp, the week prior. She nonshilantly shared the good news before bedtime when Jesse and I were putting her to bed on Sun. night. After her counselor asked the girls if they had ever prayed the salvation prayer, it compelled Hazel to pray the prayer in the front of her little bible. We are so thrilled that she too will have an eternal home with our Lord and Savior.

Hazel loved going to VBS at Grace Presbyterian for the first time. She came home with a bag of cute crafts! 

Sweet friends, Andrew and Eli having fun in the Sun! 

Eli did a 7 day swim lesson session with a great couple, Stacy and Barrett Ballay. Eli amazed Jesse and I and did so well at swim lessons! He was jumping off the diving board and swimming across the small pool by the end of the week!

Our first time trying out Bahama Bucks after swim lessons!

4th of July!

What a fun day...Parade, Sparklers, BBQ, and fire works with friends! 

This was our first time being in town, on the 4th, so we loved The Woodlands parade and fire works show at Augusta Pines golf course! It was 30 min. of non stop fireworks!! What a great night with the Stoker family!