Trip to Dallas Aquarium

November 27, 2009

The day after Thanksgiving we took a trip to the Dallas Aquarium. We have heard good things about it from a lot of people. We were not disappointed. The kids had a blast and we did too!

It is hard to get two toddlers to look at the camera at the same time!

Ethan and Eliana looking at some bird (I think!)

Sharks were swimming in the sides and top of the tunnel..very cool!

Ethan looking at a giant sea turtle

Our Thanksgiving

November 26th, 2009

I thought since it is almost Christmas that I would get some pictures from our Thanksgiving up! Isn't that just like me?!? We spent Thanksgiving at my Uncle Gary & Aunt Patty's house. Of course, there were lots of food and a Cowboys game (which they won thankfully!), and family (which is the most important thing!) The kids had fun playing in the leaves in Gary and Patty's huge backyard and Ethan had a blast playing with all of the matchbox cars they have collected since having two grandsons.

I had to include this pic taken that day

Ethan in mom's tennis shoes

Eliana eating her Thanksgiving dinner
Eliana playing in the leaves

Ethan and Papaw (Dad wasn't ready for this picture ;-)!)

Eliana wearing Cliff's ball cap with my cousin Amy in the background

14 months

Eliana is now 14 months old and is quite the busy girl! She keeps us on our toes for sure and is certain she can do anything her big brother can do. This can be scary at times, especially when we are at the playground! She has no fear and would go head first down the slides if we let her. Her cute little smile and bright blue eyes wins over everyone and her curly hair is adorable (albeit a bit unruly!). We went to Waco this past weekend and my dad could not get over her hair. He says I had the exact same hair when I was that age. She is a smart little girl. Her vocabulary is growing leaps and bounds.

Here are some pics of her and her big brother at nearby White Rock Lake. We like to go out there and go for walks and play.

I love this one!

CARES Festival

Four years ago, a couple of weeks after moving to Dallas, Josh and I attended the Cares Fall Festival. We came to Dallas just the two of us and now four years later we are a family of four. Time has gone by quickly and I am have this strange feeling it is not going to slow down anytime soon. We have been blessed and even when God seemed silent He has had His hand on us. I am thankful for where I am today and would not trade it for anything.

A rare family photo

Eliana wanted to play too
He finally just went and placed it through the hole!

Yum Cheetos!

Halloween

We had a fun filled Halloween. We attended our church's Harvest Festival in the morning and then took the kids from our apartment complex trick or treating. Ethan and Eliana were not into the trick or treat thing too much. Ethan did not want to put his candy down once he had a handful and Eliana is just too young to understand. They both had a fun day and enjoyed the massive amount of candy they got to eat!

Our room decorated for the kids Ethan and his balloon belt
The Upper E kids


Ethan showing Mommy his loot

Eliana enjoying a rice krispie treat

Mommy and her two kiddos at the Harvest Festival

Ethan fishing at the Harvest Fest

Eliana playing at the Harvest Festival

More pumpkins

Towards the end of October we went to a Pumpkin patch about 30 miles away with a college friend and her daughter, Marijana. Marijana is a week older than Eliana and they always have fun together. It was a muddy mess and cooler than we thought when we got there, but the kids had fun taking pictures by the wooden cut outs and with all the pumpkins. Ethan wanted to carry his new book around so you see Ethan and his book in every picture. I thought only my son would carry his book around the pumpkin patch. Here are a few pics.

Eliana and Marijana with the pumpkins

A great shot of Ethan laughing

Eliana and Marijana

Ethan took a break to read (I love this pic)

Classic Ethan shot (tongue out)

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins

October 19, 2009

This past Monday we went to the Dallas Arboretum to see the pumpkin patch they put on each year. Lindsey (my sister-in-law), Russell and Sydney (my nephew and niece), Mandy and Brett (Lindsey's sister and nephew), Nelda (Lindsey and Mandy's momma), and Vicki (Mandy's mother-in-law) drove to Dallas from Waco to join us for the day. We had such a great time and it was great to be able to spend time with my sister-in-law and nephew and niece. Ethan was not too happy when at the beginning, but warmed up as time went on and had a blast! Eliana had a great time too and was all over the place. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

Ethan and Russell (one of the few I got of Ethan with some pumpkins)

Eliana trying to sit on the same pumpkin as Brett

Ethan in one of the little houses

HSU Homecoming

10 Years (really 10 years!)...Gosh it is hard to believe. It seems like forever ago and like yesterday in so many ways. This past weekend we ventured out to Abilene for my college Homecoming and to spend time with our good friends, Christy and Lon. Christy is like a sister to me and I love the time I get to spend with her. We both agreed it would have been perfect if Desha was able to join us, but alas she lives in Colorado and the trip was a bit too far! We had a great weekend and I was able to visit with some friends I had not seen in a long time. On Saturday morning I went to the AIO breakfast and was able to see some of my sorority sisters. It was such a good thing to see them and meet their husbands and children. AIO was such an integral part of my college experience and many of these women were like family to me. The few Alumni that were there came over to Christy's that night and we spent hours talking and reminiscing about old times. Our husbands thought we were crazy and couldn't help but laugh at us. Thanks guys! Overall, it was a great weekend and the kids had a blast. Ethan and Eliana loved Christy and Lon and their cat Joe. Ethan either wanted to be petting Joe or looking through the window at Joe the majority of the time we were at the house. This weekend meant so much to me and I am SO thankful for this time with good girlfriends.

Kirsten (and Noah), Joyce, Me (& Eliana), Christy, and Jennifer

The Alumni with the current AIO members
Eliana and Noah (my friend Kirsten's son)

Ethan and Eliana on the HSU campus

Eliana and Daddy on a stop on the trip to Abilene (love this picture!!)