Daddy/Kid Camping Trip 2010

This is my annual opportunity to take over Lana's blog and tell about our Daddy/kid camping trip. This trip started with a few Dad's and our kids and has increased to 13 Dad's and 25 kids this year. The girls always look forward to this event. I have to say I do as well. I am in need of sleep when we return, but it is worth it. We left after our soccer game on Saturday and headed to Mineral Wells State Park. This was our first year to have our own tent. If you know me well, you know I am not handy. The joke for the first few hours was whether or not I was going to be able to get my tent up. Thankfully, with the help of a few good friends, I did it (and it stayed up all night long!!). We went hiking, fishing, and exploring around our campsite. The girls love being able to freely run around our campsite with their friends and just do something they don't get to do that often (be unsupervised, just kidding - be out in nature). We came together around dinner time. Chez Brenda (Brandon) made hot dogs (which Kylee said were the best she ever had) for the kids and fish tacos for the Dad's (I know, we were roughing it). We followed that up with S'More's. Kylee eats the full S'More while Katie just kept walking by the table and grabbing another Hershey's bar when she thought nobody was looking (thinking she had about 2 full bars before the night was over). After S'More's, we went to the amphitheatre to see a presentation of all the different sounds in the woods. One of the Park Rangers put on a presentation that lasted about 1.5-2 hours. We made it through about 45 minutes before the kids decided they were done. Kylee and her friends were busy chatting with each other, and Katie was fast asleep in my arms. We woke up the next morning to homemade donuts and bacon - who could ask for anything more. We then went fishing, which always ends up as swimming! We had a blast, and I look forward to this trip more and more every year.

My favorite part of the entire trip is just before we go to sleep and right when we wake up. I get the chance to cuddle with my two favorite little girls and talk about the day. It is like God allows me to hit the pause button on life and really appreciate the two blessings they are. I tend to get so busy that I don't often appreciate the time to just pause and enjoy my little girls. There is a line in the movie Enchanted, where the daughter says, "Dad, I am only 6," and the Dad responds, "Yeah, but you won't always be." As I look at my two little girls, I am so thankful for the opportunity to do things like this with them, to pause real life and just spend time focused on them. I get small moments to build a deeper bond with them. I also enjoy getting to watch them enjoy time with their friends and enjoy nature. I realize they won't always be 7 and 4, so I am thankful for these moments when we create bonds that will last well beyond 7 and 4. God is good for these moments, and I realize how much He loves me as I watch my two little girls play, eat, and sleep.

I love you both and thank God for you daily. God made you to do amazing things, and I am proud and thankful to be called your Daddy. I can't wait until next year.

Love, Daddy

Happy Mothers Day to My Mom!!

Happy Mothers Day to My Mom!! I have never devoted a blog post just to my mom but I know she reads my blog so I wanted to surprise her with this post. I have always told my mom she will have angel wings in heaven one day. She is truly the kindest, most selfless person I know. She still takes care of me, my dad, my sister, now my girls, my sisters kids, and visits the elderly regularly. It really is her gift. When we were kids my granny, her mom, lived with us and my mom took great care of her then my dads mom lived with them and she took great care of her. She really gave up her own needs to care for others and continues to. My mom drops everything when I need her. She always sees the good in others and doesn't remember wrongs. I think it is funny because my sister and I tell her remember how much we fought and were bad and she has no memory of that. I talk to my mom daily and sometimes many times. It has been the biggest blessing to have my parents close by. My mom really is the best and is living out the Proverbs 31:28-31, "Her children arise and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. " I am also amazed at all the times I call my mom and when I ask her what she is doing she has been reading the bible and praying for her prayer list. What a great example of how she is using her time. She also loves my girls so much and they love her so much. She spends lots of time with them and they love their special dates with my mom, esp trips to Target. She really is the best mom and I love her dearly and am thankful the Lord blessed me with letting her be my mom!! I LOVE YOU MOM!!!

Boosterthon Fun Run

The day finally came for the Boosterthon Fun Run. Kylee was so excited esp. since last year she missed it because of strep throat. This is actually a fundraiser I enjoy because the kids get good exercise while having fun. The goal is for the kids to run 30 laps but they can run up to 35 laps and it is capped there. They had fun prized incentives each day leading up to the run for how many pledges you got. Kylee got up early Wednesday morning excited for the run. She ate a healthy breakfast. Katie and I got ready and went up to school to watch the run. It is usually outside but unfortunately the sprinkler soaked the field the night before and it turned into a mud pit so they had to move the run inside. It was still a blast and the kids loved it. Kylee smiled from the moment I saw her until the race was over. She had a bright red face but a huge smile. She had fun. They run for about 30 minutes or so and Kylee did great. She ran the 35 laps and then 2 more that really don't count:) You can check out her shirt below and see how they mark it off, the two smiley faces are the two extra laps she ran. They only walked a couple time when they made them walk around or do the congo line or a short break. It was so fun. The music was blaring and parents and teachers were cheering them on. The parents got to walk the final victory lap around with their child.

Lemondrops and Lollipops Tea Party

Katie and I enjoyed some Mommy/Daughter time at our church Lemondrops and Lollipops Tea Party. She was so excited and kept calling it the Princess Tea Party. She picked out her dress and crown. She wanted to bring all our crowns and pass them out to everyone but I convinced her we didn't have enough to share with everyone:) This was the first year Kylee couldn't come and she was really sad about it but she got some fun time with daddy playing games (ie checkers). The tea was adorable, set up with hot pink and bright yellow. There was a cute candy bar that Katie couldn't wait to visit. She also got 3 cookies and watermelon. She also loved the lemonade. We sat with friends and heard a sweet talk and the manners talk which Katie spent all day Monday asking me is she was having good manners. Maybe it really sunk in:) It was adorable and my favorite thing was having Katie sit in my lap and stealing kisses during the manner talk.

First Soccer Game of the Year!

The girls had their first soccer games of the year and it was Katie's first game ever. Charley is coaching her team and she is so excited about that. Katie is playing on a team with her cousin Hudson and Bobby is coaching with Charley. Her team is the Chivas (goats) Katie is thrilled to have extra time with Hudson. Katie is a whole year younger than Kylee was the first time she played and we can really tell. Katie is a cutie out on the soccer field but could really care less about getting into the game and kicking the ball. She did a few times and we were very proud of her. By the end of the game she was done with a capital D. She was walking with her head down behind the pack and Charley said she kept asking if it was over and if she could go sit down. I was proud she made it through the whole game. She says she is ready for the next game and really wants to play. Charley said the goal he has for Katie is for her to at least be into the game and go after the ball. So that is our plan. Kylee moved up to the next age level this year which meant playing on a bigger field, playing with a goalie, and an all girl team. She was excited about all three. Her team is the Shooting Stars and she is playing with sweet girls. She got to play goalie the first time and she did good. She really stopped the ball most the times and just 2 got by. When it was time to play the field I thought she did really well for her first big game. She was trying to get the ball every time and ran alot. She is on a team with two of her sweet friends from church-Savannah and Maylyn. I think Kylee too loves just being out playing with friends and spending time with them. Both the girls love the snack they get at the end of the game! Soccer makes our weekends very busy but we are having fun!

Kylee's Birthday Party

We had a great time celebrating Kylee's 7th birthday. I still can't believe it has been 7 years since I looked in her big blue eyes for the first time! We woke up early on the 9th to donuts and family gifts. Kylee wanted to open gifts first. Katie got her flip flops and diving rings all of which was Katie's choice for Kylee and then she got her ipod. She had said this was all she wanted so she was so excited about it. It was pink and super cute (cool as she would say). Then we blew out candles on donuts and she even received her first of many phone calls of the day. Then off to school where we met her for lunch and she took cookies to her class to share. When school was out we had an early dinner with my parents where they gave her her gifts and then we went to Flips for Fun for the gymnastics party. This year she invited all the girls from her class plus a couple more school friends and her church friends and all but 2 that we invited were able to make it. She had a blast! They danced, flipped, swung, laughed, yelled, scavenger hunted, jumped, and the list could go on. Then we had cookie cake (Kylee's favorite) and opened gifts. It was so fun. Kylee had a great 7th birthday and we had fun watching her enjoy this special day all about her!