Summer Randoms

So, what did we do this summer? Lots of things! But here are some of the most memorable.

Said goodbye to good friends...

Played on the Kemah Boardwalk with family...

Helped daddy "mow" the yard...

Played catch in the back yard....

Attended Sports Camp...

Graduated from Firegator Camp...

Snuggled up with sister...

Cooled off at the splash pad...

Took a day trip to Austin and met back up with the good friends we said goodbye to a couple months earlier...


Stopped for cupcakes at Hey Cupcake, thanks to a recommendation from Melissa...

Played at the Austin Children's Museum...

Enjoyed a Bombers baseball game...

Turned the back yard into our own little waterpark...

Met Nana's new dog, Mattie...

Swam in Nana's pool...

Lost Pines Summer Vacation

WARNING: This is a very image heavy post! :)

We had a nice little family getaway this summer to Lost Pines. We always, always have a great time when we go there. This makes our 3rd visit!

Here are some highlights from our trip:

Ainsley got her toenails painted at the Wild Hare Youth Spa.

Collin got some time to relax with Daddy.

We found a really neat-looking moth. It's hard to tell from this picture, but the wings looked similar to dog ears. Ainsley was in love with this thing!

We journeyed through the Butterfly Meadow and Hummingbird Garden and strolled all along the resort property, which are things we hadn't done until this visit.

We took a horse-drawn wagon ride around the resort, courtesy of two Percheron Draft Horses named Julius and Caesar. The couple that heads this operation up is so very interesting, full of information and as friendly as can be.

Collin snapped our picture while we waited for the ride.

We went to a little presentation called "Don't Mess With Texas Animals" that was really interesting. They had a few different live animals as well as many different pelts on display. Collin is smiling, but still looks a little unsure in this picture of him and the baby gator.

This was a first for us. The kids got to sit on T-Bone and RibEye, two Texas Longhorn steers that are actually saddle trained and ridden. They are cared for by the same couple that does the horse-drawn wagon rides.

Pony rides! This we had to pay extra for, but for the excitement it gave the kids, it was worth every penny!

Relaxing on Riversong Lawn, waiting for the nightly movie. So much fun. They provide popcorn and beach towels, and everyone just sprawls out and has a great time.

All throughout the day there are planned activities, some for the whole family and some designed more for the kiddos. The Camp Hyatt counselors are amazing. They have such energy and are great with the kids. This time they did one called "Worm Digging." They sprinkled plates with crushed oreos and gummy worms, and then sprayed whipped cream all over the top. They were to "dig" for the worms with only their mouths. I thought this would be Ainsley's kind of thing, but she had a full-blown dramatic crying session instead. To my total surprise, Collin was totally into it!!

Collin's favorite thing about Lost Pines is the water slide.

The lazy river! This has to be at the top of our list of favorite things to do there.

Making sand angels on the beach...

A little late night dancing by the pool...

And what better way to end any fun vacation, than to meet up with some wonderful friends!!!

The End :)

Happy 6th Birthday Collin!

Collin's birthday was actually back in May, but because I've been having so many issues with Blogger, I'm just now getting to make this post!

This year we celebrated Collin's birthday about 4 different times. First was at Nana's house. She made him a cake that looked like a dirt track with a motorcycle. We did a mini birthday party with his cousins since they wouldn't be able to make it up for his party.

Nana's birthday gift to Collin - a guitar!

Birthday morning: a DS from Mommy and Daddy!

The evening of his birthday, Mimi and Bebaw took us all to Chuck E Cheese, which of course was Collin's choice. He doesn't think there is any greater place than this.

We had Collin's big birthday party at Powersports, a gym in College Station. The kids just love this place and it's great for parties. They get to run, jump and get all that energy out.

Collin chose a Monster Jam theme for his party this year. I found a lady on ebay (I think) who made the neatest invitations that look like an actual event ticket, except with all of the birthday information on it. Jennifer Galvan made the monster truck cake. It turned out so cool!

Happy 4th Birthday Ainsley!

*Blogger has been acting really buggy for me lately, and I have a few old posts that I need to finally get up!*

My sweet Ainsley turned FOUR in July. That just doesn't seem right.

We took her to get her toenails painted on her birthday, and she was in absolute heaven. Definitely a girly-girl who loves being pampered.

This year, like last year, we gave her a swim party. It has just been too darn hot to have an outdoor party without a big pool to jump into and cool off. She chose to have a Jasmine party. I was unsure at first, and tried suggesting maybe having a different princess theme, but this child is strong-willed and will not be moved! It's not easy finding things with the Aladdin theme on them, but in the end it all turned out really cute.

At one point before we left to go set up for the party, I wondered if we would even be having a party that day. It had been a really busy morning already, and we were rushing to get through lunch. I was trying to quickly clean up in the kitchen, and I heard a loud gut-wrenching thud. Ainsley had fallen out of her chair onto our tile floor and landed directly on the left side of her head. It scared us all half to death. In the end, she only had a little redness and bruising at the top of her left cheekbone, thank goodness!!!

This gorgeous cake was made by Jennifer Galvan. Her kiddos go to the same school as Collin. And yes, it tasted just as amazing as it looked. However, I don't think my picture really does it the justice it deserves!

Excited to blow out the candles...


We decided it would be a whole lot easier on everyone to wait and open gifts at home. It was just so hot and everyone would rather be in the pool than sitting in the heat watching gift after gift be opened. It was a good decision.

Ainsley had been asking for a Jasmine dress for her birthday. If anyone asked what she wanted, that was her response. I guess in Ainsley's mind, Jasmine is a princess, so she should wear a dress. But the images you typically see of Jasmine are of her in a pair of poofy "genie" pants and a halter top. Luckily, my mother had just gone on a Disney vacation with my sister and her family. I asked her to please bring back a Jasmine costume for Ainsley's birthday. She could NOT have been happier to see it!!!

A look at the past 4 years...