Decorating the tree

The weekend after Thanksgiving we decorated our little tree and this was the tree the kids got to help us decorate.

Not sure what everyone's doing.

She's decided she can help out by trying to pull the lights off the tree, sorry Mackenzie they are attached to the tree.

Posing for the camera

Brother and sister putting on ornaments

The kids loved being able to help put ornaments on the tree. I think Mackenzie's favorite part was posing for the camera.

Playing in Mama's Room

My kids love playing in my room, so we are often all in there listening to music and playing around. I was able to get a few pictures this day while the kids played.

He was acting like an inchworm and crawling along the floor.

That tongue is her new favorite friend. She shows it often.

Schroeder loves playing peek-a-boo, so he loves to hide behind the curtains and have us wonder where he could be hiding.

I wish I knew what he is thinking when I snapped the picture.

Halloween Fun

The Zoo

We decided to go to Zoo Boo at the Houston Zoo the morning of Halloween. The weather said it would be cool in the morning, so our kids didn't wear their costumes to the zoo, but the animals didn't mind. In fact, it appeared several times that the animals were posing just for us. Wasn't that so nice and considerate of them.

Too cute, my boy is too cute for words, of course I'm pretty biased!

Fall Festival

Our church didn't have a trunk-or-treat this year, but we managed to find one near us that had a fall festival of sorts on Halloween, so we decided our kids would get dressed up and we do that instead of going door to door for candy. They had all kinds of inflatable bouncing things that were too big for Schroeder to do, but they did have a trunk-or-treat, a small petting zoo and some fun games to play. We had a great time.

His first score for the day.

My pirate, arggh

He got bandaged in the Kooky clinic.

Have sword, will use. Give me my candy!

sitting pretty, loving this picture

The Zoo with a Buddy

Valerie and I are friends and lucky for us we each have a boy and even luckier than that they like to play together. It had been raining forever and ever around here. The days it didn't rain the outside was so muddy that we couldn't go out to play. We have a membership to the zoo and I had been wanting to take the kids but the weather wouldn't allow it. Finally we had two days of nice weather and Valerie and I made the zoo the play date. The boys had fun. They got to run around on a gorgeous day looking at animals. Mackenzie was content just to hang out in the stroller. It was a great day!

Checking out elephants

Going solo

The baby elephant

Watching this giraffe and trying to figure out what it was doing was a hoot. It spread its' legs, went down, stood up again, spread its' legs further and bent over again all to get some greens on the ground. I have never seen a girafe do that for any reason.


Hmm, do I like flamingos?
Just hanging out!

Our pumpkin

Saying cheese over and over again after noticing my camera.

This is as close as Schroeder got to helping dady take out the pumpkin guts.

Playing in the kitchen while the boys worked.

Schroeder decorated his own pumpkin.

Pumpkin Patch

I read about a pumpkin patch that was near our neighborhood so when my dad came to visit we decided to go check it out.  They have only been open on the weekends in October.  When we got it was very muddy and not quite what the adults expected.  They did let us in free because it was the first weekend it hadn't rained and they were not ready.  Schroeder got so excited at getting to see the ponies that it was worth going.  We got to pet some chicks and rabbits, pick out a pumpkin, and Schroeder was able to have a pony ride (that quite terrified him).  All in all it was a great morning to be outside.

Holding hands on the way to the pumpkin patch

Hanging out in daddy's warm sweatshirt

The tears are starting to stop.

Which one do I choose?

I found the perfect pumpkin!

My kids loved the ponies.

Moments I Treasure

Moments in Time

I treasure...

the moments when the little boy touches his little sister's face and she reaches out to touch his as well.

I smile...

at the moments when the big brother plays peekaboo with his beloved little sister.

My eyes moisten...

in the moments that brother and sister get mad because they cannot hold hands in the backseat of the car.

I adore...

seeing the moments when the daddy gets to play with both daughter and son and everyone is laughing.

I know love...

in the moments after I open the door to a child's room and that child puts on a smile reserved just for me.

I am thankful...

for as many moments I am allowed to be a mommy to two beautiful, cherished children and a wife to one amazing man who loves me unconditionally.

pancakes and love

"I am sooo cute!"

When Schroeder and Mackenzie play together, I never know if it will be all smiles and giggles or crying and tears. Schroeder loves to play with his little sister but he's still working on being gentle with her. This time it was all smiles.

"I got you brother."