day 57 - st. mark's

Here's G with Miss Gina. G loves her and she loves him.

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She is what made St. Mark's such a special place for our little man.

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Thanks Gina!

day 56 - happy birthday

This is my all time favorite picture of my mom. Well, except for the one of her as a little girl with crooked bangs...but, I don't have that one!

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She's 60 today.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!

day 55 - balloons!

We had an impromptu birthday celebration for a friend today.

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G delivered the balloons.

day 54 - cheese makes everything taste better!

Yes. That's right. Cheese makes everything taste better.

Don't like broccoli? Add a little cheese.

Don't like tortilla chips? Add a little cheese.

Don't like larvae? Add a little cheese.

Yes, right again. I said larvae. Here's M (remember, I told you she's quirky) chowing down on some cheddar cheese flavored "larvets." They're the real deal. We bought them at a vending machine in the Butterfly Museum. Gross!

day 53 - one lucky girl

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I'm talking about me. I have two really wonderful parents who love and do so many great things for their family.

It occurs to me that I just don't say thank you often enough. So...thanks Mama and Daddy for being so great to all of us and for loving us so well.

day 52 - how does your garden grow?

One book at a time.

This atrocious (but kind of cute) wall display represents my inner-teacher coming out. M earns one flower petal for each book she reads. M took the challenge to the next level by imposing a rule on herself...she can only earn a petal for a chapter book.

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Since reading her first chapter book a little over a month ago (see day 10), she's read 27 more!! She is hooked on the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osbourne. What a great addiction. There are 43 titles in the series...her goal is to read them all by the end of the summer.

day 51 - eighty five

That's how old my Granny Carrie is today.

She's a truly amazing woman. Proof: we made plans to visit her and my Papa first thing this morning so we could say happy birthday. She called to bump our plans back an hour or so because she volunteers in the community food pantry through her church.

I hope when I'm 85 (that's only 50 years from now) that I'm still reaching out and serving others.

Also...she and my Papa have been married SIXTY FIVE years! How lucky am I? What a legacy of love and commitment.

note: sorry about all the "old" pictures this week...have I mentioned yet that this is really hard!?

day 50 - the big red barn

We went to the farm today to stay at my parent's barn-dominium for the night.

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While we were there, we invited my cousin and her sweet girls over to play with M & G and their cousins. We had such a great time.

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I think my Granny is going to smile when she sees this picture of all her great-granddaughters.

day 49 - one of those days...

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Yep. Today was one of those days.

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G was insane...M was insane...I was insane...Chad is out of town.

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I had a hard time finding anything to be thankful for in all of this insanity. Then I saw this picture and it made me smile. It is one of my all time favorites. Such a favorite that I have had it made into a magnet. It is front and center on our fridge.

day 48 - hell has (apparently) frozen over

That's right. The National League has won the All Star game. (note for you non-baseball fans: this is the first time the NL won this match-up in 13 years!) And...to completely make Chad's night, Brian McCann (catcher for the Atlanta Braves) was named MVP.

At least that's what Chad tells me. I was at a cooking class with Monica Pope and a few other good friends.

day 47 - we (heart) baseball

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Well, one of us (hearts) baseball. The rest of us really just like the celebration of baseball...the food that goes along with the game.

This was dinner tonight. In honor of the home run derby but most of all for my dear husband and his love for the game.

day 46 - yes, please

This is the truck we followed for several miles on our way home from San Antonio. My mouth watered just imagining all the Texas Hill Country peaches that must have been stored inside.

We've been making Granny Hesters' Famous Homemade Peach Ice Cream a lot lately. So delicious!! Here's the recipe should you want to make some for yourself.

Granny Hesters' Famouse Peach Ice Cream
12 medium sized fully ripe peaches (about 3 lbs.) peeled and pitted
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 T lemon juice
1 1/2 quarts heavy whipping cream (do not whip)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Puree peaches in blender or food processor. Stir sugar and lemon juice into pureed peaches.
In separate bowl stir cream, salt and extracts until completely blended.
Stir cream mixture into peach mixture.
Fill freezer container 2/3's full with mixture.
Follow freezer manufacturer's instructions.
Allow to stand up to one hour at room temperature to ripen.
Divide into containers and freeze.

day 45 - marriage

We had the privelege of witnessing Rob and Mallory marry today in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

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Their ceremony was such a beautiful reminder of what a Christ centered marriage should be...full of grace.

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Their reception was such a beautiful reminder of what a Christ filled life should be...full of joy.

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Thanks Rob and Mallory for allowing us to share in your special day.

day 44 - exit 661

Should you find yourself traveling I-10 between Houston and San Antonio, I highly suggest you take ext 661 and try Joel's BBQ in Flatonia. Seriously good BBQ. We love it.

day 43 - sanitation engineer

This is what happens when G decides to practice being a garbage man. This picture was taken half-way through the game. The pile was HUGE by the time he finished. Ironically, he was so proud of himself...he had cleaned the toyroom.

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It took forever to clean up...G kept saying, "Mommy, I'm exhausting." All I could think was, "G, You have no idea..."

note: this is HARD!

Wow. This is really hard and I'm only on day 42!

Not to mention the fact that M & G (and Chad to some extent) are getting really tired of me having my camera in their face all of the time.

I feel like my experiment is working though...I've really slowed down. In doing so, I've had the opportunity to appreciate so many small moments that might have otherwise slipped by unnoticed.

day 42 - it's 8:13 a.m., do you know where your son is?

Mine is still in bed sleeping!!!

This is a first...I'm not exaggerating, G has never slept this late in all his 4 years.

day 41 - "fruit" of our labor

We baked cookies today. The first batch was a total bust. The second turned out quite nicely...double chocolate chunk...mmm!

life lesson learned by mom: M was most appalled when I suggested at the grocery store that perhaps we should consider buying pre-made cookie dough. "What!? Mommy, making them is what makes them so special!"

day 40 - sweet

We went to the zoo today. This was such a sweet moment. G ran after M and said, "Hey M. Wait for me." (Which is even cuter because he can't quite yet pronounce his r's.) Then he grabbed her hand and they walked together. Love.

day 39 - cutting corners

Here's the same corner at our favorite bike riding park taken 2 ways. Normally I would expect G to be the dare-devil taking the corner on one wheel, but this is his first time to ride his big boy bike.

day 38 - "takin' a relax"

This is one of G's favorite things to do...he'll lie down just about anywhere when the mood strikes and "take a relax." Today he convinced Chad to take a relax with him at Discovery Green downtown.

day 37 - super hero support

We were playing with friends today and M decided she wanted to be a superhero with the boys. Her twist on this traditional game...she was the operator at the "super hero call center." She took incoming calls and dispatched superheroes. Where does she come up with these things?

day 37 - she is quirky...

...and I love it!

Yesterday at a birthday party, M glued sequins to her forhead. She thought it was hilarious.

Today, we harvested this giant squash from her kindergarten classroom's garden plot. She decided to put glasses on "her" and name her Sally. Again, she thinks it is hilarious.

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She cracks herself up even if no one else laughs with her. I pray that she never loses that confidence.

day 36 - uh-oh

"Uh-oh Mommy. It's raining. Guess that means we have to watch a movie and eat popcorn."

That's what we do on rainy days here...watch movies and eat popcorn. Looks like we might be doing a lot of that over the next few days.

day 35 - what's up doc?

I love that my kids (and their friends) love carrots.

Here they are enjoying a crunchy treat after playing in our pool (see day 7).