Thanksgiving '09

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! It was a terrific start to this year's holiday season. This year was our year to be with my family. My mom's side of the family gets together every year for Thanksgiving. She is the youngest of three sister and they take turns hosting. My mom hosted this year so we didn't have to travel far. All but my cousin Kevin's family made it. It's really the only time of the year we get to see each other, so it's a precious time together. The food was great, of course, but the fellowship was even better. My cousin Tracy has three girls, the youngest being 8 and the oldest 15. The girls were fantastic with my kids. Titus was caught hugging on Megan in response to her kindness. My mom had pumpkins for the kids to decorate along with cranberries and raisins to make necklaces, bracelets, halos, heart shaped decorations, and just anything else the kids could come up with.

On Friday we all went out at various time to get some shopping done. In addition, my sister and I pull the turkey wishbone every year. Whomever gets the bigger piece wins the wishbone ornament for the year. I actually won this year.

On Saturday I took the kids to the Blue Santa parade in downtown Austin. The kids love parades, but the main reason I took them was to help them learn new ways to give back during this season of gift giving. On Friday we found lots of toys on sale and stocked up for the parade. They had a GREAT time running out with their presents and giving to Blue Santa. It was awesome to keep pointing out the during the rest of the parade all of the trucks full and overflowing with toys. Oh, and right before the parade we did get to run over to Aaron's parents house to see Ma and Pa (Albert's parents) for a quick visit before they had to travel back home.

Then, Sunday night after Aaron got home from installing Christmas lights for people we had time to put up our Christmas tree as a family. It truly was a family FIRST. Skylyn was just a couple of weeks old last year, but this year she was very involved in the action. Aaris acted like an old pro. She wanted to organize the whole event, and was great about jumping in and helping out with everything. It truly was the most enjoyable time. Looking forward to a memorable and merry Christmas this year.

School Thanksgiving Feast

Aaris had a Thanksgiving Feast at her school on Tuesday, Nov. 24. The kids all had a great time because they all worked at making the feast. I went up to the school that morning to help them all cut their fruit for their fruit salad themselves. They also helped to make the pumpkin muffins and cranberry sauce in class that day. That week the kids had all made both an Indian costume (or as Aaris tells me..."They are now called Native Americans") and Pilgrim costume. Aaris chose to wear her Indian costume. She had worked hard on the pattern on her head-dress. The tables at the feast were decorated with handmade hand-print place mats that each kid had decorated themselves. It was so much fun to see Aaris interact with all of her classmates. I am so thankful that God blessed Aaris with health, talent, and most of all faith. And I thank God for blessing us with Aaris.

Inks Lake Camping - Recent Trips Part IV

The first week in October Aaron, Aaris, Titus and myself headed off to Inks Lake for another exciting camping trip. We had so much fun in the Spring, we just had to try it again. We left on Friday after work. After some trouble getting camp fuel, we made it to the campsite. The kids overflowed with excitement. While Aaron started the tent set-up I started the campfire for dinner. Titus mainly helped Aaron with the tent which was too cute to watch. Aaris mainly helped me with dinner, but they both switched out several times. We enjoyed roasted hot dogs for dinner and roasted marshmallows for dessert. The next morning was beautiful and after helping me start the campfire Aaron and the kids went hiking and exploring while I cooked bacon and eggs. The day before Titus had helped me make blueberry muffins to bring to round out our meal. Oh, it was so good. We then found the canoes and took a fun trip around part of the lake that went up into some cliffs. It was beautiful. We even got to watch some people jump off the cliffs into the water. After playing on a playground surrounded by girl scouts we headed back to camp to cook lunch. Then, the rains stared to set in. By the time lunch was cooked we found ourselves having to eat inside the tent to stay dry. With our tummys full we all settled in for a nap. After a nap comforted by the sound of rain on the tent, we decided to call our friends who live in Burnet and see if we could sleep at their place for the night. A number of our clothes and sleeping bags had gotten wet from windows that dripped a bit. And, with the rain, it would be hard to start a fire, which would mean no dinner. Our dear friends, Clay and Karen Hallmark, were the most gracious of hosts. They openly shared their gorgeous house with us and added to our meager meals to produce feasts. We left Sunday morning from their place to return home to unpack and pick up Skylyn from my parents. It was a shorter, and wetter camping experience than we expected, but it was still great and full of wonderful memories.

Airborne

If you know me, you know I REALLY do not like flying. I also don't like my kids flying, especially with out me (which is unfortunately about the only way it would happen). Well, back in October we were heading to Abilene to celebrate Aaron's 15 year reunion from ACU at their homecoming. To save myself from a 4 hour trip with three kids I decided to give in and fly with Albert. Albert is Aaron's father who has his own plane and has been a pilot since Aaron was little. It has been at least 6 - 7 years since I've flown in his little plane with him. Well, unfortunately I had a lot of physical sickness and problems that weekend and ended up staying home. Aaron therefore took my spot on the plane and flew with Aaris, Titus, his mom and dad. Aaron took some great pictures. Then, Halloween came. I again was given the opportunity to fly with Albert and Vicki to Grapevine with all three kids instead of waiting for Aaron to get out of work and then drive through dinner time with three kids. The weather was fantastic that day. Even then I was in complete fear and hating every second for about the first 20 minutes. Albert let me sit up front with him and was so sweet talking to me and calming me down. I then relaxed and got to enjoy Aaris wanting to touch the clouds and Titus enjoying wearing the headsets. This was also Skylyn's first time to fly ever. She did great with Vicki in the back as long as she kept eating (no big surprise). I also got to take some pictures. So, now that my kids are becoming seasoned fliers I thought I should post about it.

Bugging Around

Aaris has been full of ideas lately and she decided a couple of months ago that Skylyn's birthday party was going to be a bug party. Well, I thought why not. Saved me the trouble of figuring out what to do. We made some ladybug invitations, ladybug table confetti, a ladybug cake and ladybug cupcakes. My parents, Aaorn's parents, Aaron's cousin Janae, and Aaron's Mema where able to join us. Also some very handsome boys Skylyn's age (and their families) came for the celebration: Tristan Collins, David Poppe, and Julien Scroggs (second cousin). We all enjoyed a dinner of chili cheese hotdogs and chips. Then, it was time for the cake. As with our other kids, we didn't give Skylyn any sweets until her first birthday. Skylyn was very tentative about trying the cake. Then, once she did, she gagged and spit it out. She did seem to like the Oreo on top for about one bite. Oh well, she got into opening the presents and enjoyed interacting with everyone. It was a fun night of celebration.

Skylyn's One Year Check-up

This morning Skylyn had her one year check-up. It was not the funnest of times. As mentioned in the last blog, she is always hungry, so after waiting 30 minutes for the doctor she was not happy to have her snack taken away in order for the doctor to examine her. Then, while waiting for the nurse to bring her two vaccine shots, she ran out of snacks and was upset. Next came the two shots which made her wail. Well, since she weighed so small and she's always eating, the doctor decided, just to be safe, we would have some blood work done and bowl tests done to make sure her digestive system is working correctly. That meant going to the lab. Just as Skylyn got calmed down and a whole banana eaten she had to have blood drawn. They did it just like an adult with the rubber band around her upper arm and everything. They took a lot of blood. She was so tired from all the screaming and crying that when we got home she just took a bottle and feel to sleep.

Here are her stats:

weight: 16 lbs 8 oz (below -5%)

height: 27 1/4 inches (5%)

head circumference: 44 1/4

Skylyn is 1

Skylyn after birth

Skylyn 1 month old
Skylyn 2 months old

Skylyn 3 months old

Skylyn 4 months old

Skylyn 5 months old

Skylyn 6 months old

Skylyn 7 months old

Skylyn 8 months old

Skylyn 9 months old

Skylyn 10 months old

Skylyn 11 months old

Skylyn 12 months old

Today my baby turned 1 year old! Wow! This past year has flown by. Staying busy with two other kids and moving made time fly. We have been through a lot in one year, but that little girl has just brought the greatest joy to our lives. She is full of smiles and loves to hand them out to everyone. God has made me a rich woman in so many ways, but the riches of motherhood are beyond explanation! My life is three times greater than I ever imagined it could be.

Here are some things about Skylyn:
-She LOVES to eat. I spend most of my day feeding her. She isn't walking yet do to the fact that she never has time. She always wants to eat. Seriously, she eats more than my other two kids combined.
-She loves playing peek-a-boo and doing the hand signals for the songs Patty-Cake and The Wheels on The Bus
-If you ask her she will give you a high-five, kiss, or hug
-She signs the words more, milk, all done, and she has tried I Love You and bath
-She stands up by herself with no assistance and has taken one or two steps by herself.

- She likes to climb
-She is a strong little thing. She sits straight up from laying flat on her back.
-She loves to smile