Go Aggies!

Even though Cory and I didn't go to A&M, for some reason we are always going to College Station for games instead of Huntsville. I mean, it's more exciting, I guess, but it's also misleading :) Anyway, the A&M men's basketball team has been doing really well, so Cory wanted to go check out a game. We invited the Hrobars, and we all headed up there on a Saturday afternoon. The game was pretty fun, and the kids did better than I expected with sitting and watching the game. The huge basket of popcorn at halftime helped, for sure. Dana and I have no idea about all the little songs and chants they do at the games, so I always a little like I did at a Catholic church, but we just pretended not to notice that everyone around us was singing the same song. After the game, we went to eat at the Chicken Oil Company. We took a picture of the kids at their table, and I immediately got a vision of them sitting at this same table in 8 or 10 years when we go up to visit one of them. Surely, at least one has to be an Aggie? :) We shall see! Whoop?

The Little Hunter

Kacy has been wanting to go hunting with Cory again forever, but it's always hard to do that because it's cold and super early in the morning. Finally, there was a day that we thought would work. It was going to be a little chilly, but not too terribly bad. She was so excited! We got all her clothes all ready the night before, and she could hardly wait.
They had a great morning! It was the first time that Cory had limited out all season, so she was clearly a good luck charm for him. She was so proud! I am so glad they had a successful hunt. She said it was pretty cold, but Cory said she didn't complain much. I love that they can have that time together.

Kacy's 1st Lost Tooth

Kacy has literally been waiting to lose her first tooth for two years. More specifically since the day that Adilyn lost her first tooth. She would always ask me to feel for wiggly teeth, and she would pretend that they were wiggly. This little guy had been wiggly for quite some time, and it finally came out one day at school! She ran off the bus more excited than I had seen her in a really long time. The tooth fairy gave her $5 for her first one, but she reminded her that it's only $1 for every tooth after that.

New Year's Resolutions

I like to ask the girls what their resolutions are each year. I always have to remind them that it's a little different than a goal. A lot of times, they just want to say something that is a goal. I tried to tell them that they need to think of something to make themselves healthier and a better person. So, here is what they said, they still didn't quite get it. But, I think it's cute :)

Kacy: I want to ride my bike better and more. Maybe even ride to a park sometimes. I want to try to learn how to play games with my sisters without fighting and getting mad when I lose. I want to practice my reading and writing.

Adilyn - I want to work on cheerleading to get better. I want to get better at language arts. I want to try to stop fighting with my sisters.

Brooke - I want to say I love you more. I want to try to talk louder in Mrs. Stefanie's class.

I am on board with all of those - especially the not fighting as much! Bring it on, 2016!

I always try to make some resolutions myself:
Drink more water.
Exercise at least 4 times a week for 30 minutes or more.
Complete a sprint triathlon.

Last Day of Winter Break Fun

The kids were off on Monday, and Shane and Dana had to work, so we got to hang out with the boys all day. The kids are entering a weird place in their friendships where they are having a hard time trying to figure out how to play. A lot of the games they used to play are getting a little "baby-ish" for the boys, so it takes them a bit to figure things out. We ended up having a lot of fun, and luckily, it was a beautiful day, so we all played outside. I played with my new camera and snapped some pics of them playing on the bikes and long boards. I sure love all these kiddos!

Pierced Ears!

I had always told the girls that they could get their ears pierced when they were 8. Well, when Adilyn turned 8, she didn't seem too excited or too ready for that, so I didn't remind her. She recently decided she was ready, so I told her we could do it after the New Year. She had heard that you could get it done and the doctor's office, and that they would use some numbing cream so it wouldn't hurt so much. I told her there was no way I was doing that! If you are getting your ears pierced, you are doing it the old-fashioned way. We decided to go to Sweet and Sassy because they do both ears at one time. Kacy was really upset about not being able to do it, which I totally understand. I bribed her with a treat, and I told her that she could get hers done at 7. Of course, Adilyn freaked out, and I said, "You better believe that Brooke will probably have hers done at 6." :) Part of being the oldest that sucks. Ha! Ha! She made it through the piercing really well, but she whined and complained about the cleaning and twisting them. We are finally over all the whining, for the most part, and she loves them!

15 Memorable Moments of 2015

2015 was a fantastic year! We had so much fun and so many wonderful memories. Here are 15 moments that stand out in my mind from the year :)

1. Michigan
We had so much fun in Michigan! The wedding, taking the girls to all the fun places I went as a kid, and seeing family were all highlights for sure. The girls loved riding in the plane and having a minivan as our rental car.

2. Brooke starting PreK
I will never forget Brooke starting PreK and walking right in with her big backpack holding the teacher's hand. All the girls did it, of course, but there is something about the "baby" going to school that is a little different!

3. Austin "Girls" Trip
Our "girls" trip was such drama, and it turned into a "me and Dana" trip when ice trapped Sonja in Dallas. It was pretty disappointing that we couldn't have everyone together, but it was nice to have a relaxing weekend with no kids around. It always feels weird when there are no kids around!

4. Swim Team
Swim team was a new experience for us, and we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. It ended up being a great experience for everyone. Many stressful and frustrating moments combined with exciting finishes and great rewards! It was definitely a roller coaster ride. Overall, I am glad we tried it, and we will see how it goes this season!

5. Dance Recital with sisters
I loved having the girls in the same dance class. I'm not sure how much they loved it, but it was convenient for me, and I loved watching them do something together.

6. Bike Riders
Both girls learned to ride two-wheelers really well this year. Finally! They both tried so hard, and Adilyn got it last year, but still wasn't very confident. She got so much better this year. Kacy was so nervous, but finally got it once her training wheel broke. One more to go, and we will be a bike riding family!

7. Brooke is potty trained!
The last kid in diapers seemed to take forever! Santa brought her "magic panties" at Christmas last year, but they didn't quite work as quickly as I would have liked. She got the hang of the potty, and we stopped having to buy diapers for the first time in 8 years! We still have some accidents, but we are on the way out of those, too. 

8. First stitches
We have been quite lucky in with accidents (knock on wood)! During our Michigan trip, we had our first experience with stitches when Kacy busted her head open. It wasn't as bad as I expected, but I also wasn't in the room with her when she got stitched up. She handled it relatively well, considering.

9. Kacy's birthday in Galveston
Kacy's stormy birthday in Galveston was definitely one to remember. We tried to make it work, but the crazy wind and chilly rain just ruined our fun. The girls still talk about how the wind almost blew them over on our way to the bathrooms!

 10. SeaWorld
After our trip in June, we got season passes to SeaWorld, and we went quite a few times through the summer. I'm not crazy about the whales in captivity and all that, but we always had fun when we went. The girls loved the shows and the water slides. I will never forget the day we went when it was super busy. We decided to wait in line for the ride that we all liked, and then a lady passed out right when we were at the top and it took us forever to get to ride!

11. Volleyball sisters
Both girls played volleyball this fall, and I coached both teams. It was a lot of work and a lot of stress, but also a lot of fun! Both of the teams were filled with sweet girls and great parents. Kacy really improved through the season, and Adilyn did really great as well. I love seeing them enjoy playing sports!

12. Sleepovers
Kacy and Adilyn had their first sleepovers this year. I'm sure it's the first of many to come. I was nervous to see how the kids would do, but both times, the girls did fantastic and we had successful sleepovers.

 13. Camping
I absolutely love that we camp. I have no idea how many times we camped in 2015, but each time was different and fun! Mineral Wells, McKinney Falls, Frio, Galveston, Martin Dies, etc! There is nothing like spending a weekend away from the house with the kids in nature. I love that we can camp with friends and alone, and we can make all kinds of outdoor fun memories!

14. Adilyn - Honor Roll
Adilyn did really well in 2nd grade. She got all A's for the year, and I didn't realize how awesome that was until I went to the awards ceremony at the end of the year. There were so few 2nd graders that got all A's and B's, and even fewer that got all A's. We were so proud of her for working so hard!

 15.Austin for Pops's 65th
Dad had been talking about wanting to rent a house for the weekend of his 65th birthday forever, and we had so much fun! Kris rented a house in Austin, and it was beautiful. Everyone was there (except Tyler), and we had so much fun swimming and hanging out together.