Mansions and Beaches

 Continuing on with the adventuring.  The next day we went to one of the historic old mansions in Galveston.  It was pretty fabulous.  It's crazy to think how much money these people had way back went.  Indoor plumbing was unheard of and they had these beautiful bathrooms.   I'm not sure I could live in such a fancy place.  After our tour of the mansion we went to the beach.  

I think I forgot how much I love it there.  We'll be going back very soon.  Audrey couldn't stop telling me how much she loved the water and the sand.  Yesterday she told me that when she grows up she wants to live right next to the beach.  Beach Bum.  A few minutes later she started singing the foolish man built his house upon the sand.  It must have clicked because she came running back asking if her house was going to wash away if she lived by the beach.  Maybe so little one, maybe so.  

After spending the day at the beach we ate some delicious sea food, at least everyone but me.  I had a really good burger.  Even Audrey turned to the dark side.  I think she's a fish lover.  Paul's pretty happy about it. 

The next day we spent the day at the Rodeo.  It was amazing.  I may never miss the rodeo again...it was that awesome.  Audrey loved the livestock show and I loved watching the Bull riding, Muttin Busting, Barrel Racing, and listening to Brad Paisley.

It was one of the best reunions we've had.  Let's do it again soon!   

Paul's Family

Goodness it's been a long month.  I disappeared for a good reason so you all have to put up with my back posts.  Last month Paul's parents and siblings came to visit and we had a little reunion.  It was so good to have them all here.  We went on a lot of adventures and did a lot of things that they couldn't do back at home.  

We stayed up at night playing games with Grant, Nicole, and Karl.  We ate yummy food and we might have squeezed in a few desserts here and there.  

Our first stop was to the Fire Museum in Downtown.  It's a very small, very old building. The fire fighters there were all volunteers and they worked very long hours.  I love old places and old things so this was totally right up my alley. 

Audrey loved the kids play place and being with her cousins.  The only bad part of this day was my allergies.  The pollen was so bad that I couldn't leave the car when we went to the park later in the afternoon.  Netflix was a life saver.  

We also took some family photos and ate some yummy pizza.  I decided that letting the dough proof overnight makes the best pizza I have ever had.  Yum!   

Fly on the Wall

I took this photography course online about documenting families.  For the first time I was inspired to take a step back and take pictures of her being herself and doing what she loves. I love being the fly on the wall, She has such a big imagination.  It always surprising me how she can make something from nothing.  

Her material blocks will turn into a multi layered cake when she stacks them and then she'll use her little figurines and necklaces to decorate her cake.  She can turn her playroom into the most lavish party by using her toys as decorations.  She makes castles in the back yard with dirt, sticks, and rocks.  Most of all as I mentioned before she loves her animal friends.  Pooh Bear is her favorite today. He said the funniest things and they went on an adventure to search for treasures together.  She told him how much she loved him, sang him a song and put him down for a nap and then they had a tea party.

I love being a Mom.  I never want these moments to disappear.  

Favorite Things

Audrey's favorite thing in the morning is to bite her toast into different shapes and then have me guess what shape it is.  This morning it was a shoe, and yesterday it was a train.  We're getting pretty elaborate over here. Her favorite thing to eat is pancakes.  She asks for them every meal.  I've got to draw the line somewhere.  In her eyes I probably would be the worlds greatest Mom if we had breakfast everyday all day.  

She's obsessed with being 4.  The other day I told her that at her next birthday she would be 5 and she started crying.  She does not want to be 5.  Somehow it's a little less glamorous than 4.  I totally get it though.  When 5 rolls around you have to take a little more responsibility...meaning school starts. She doesn't seem excited about that either.  

She says she wants to stay home with me and play forever and ever.  That sound pretty good to me.  She is my other half.  

I've been thinking about homeschooling for the last year.  I've been worried about how young she is going to be at the start of the school year.  Well this year they officially announced all day kindergarten in our area.  I'm pretty sure they could teach kindergartners all they need to know with an hour a day, but now we've got glorified babysitting going on. The announcement sealed my decision.  We are homeschooling.  There's a huge community of home schoolers here that I'm really excited about, and 3 families that home school in my ward at church.  We'll see how it goes this year and then we'll make a more permanent decision.  Who knows, we might love it so much that we stick with it.  

Random

 I don't know what it is with 4 year old little boys and girls and putting things on their heads.  Her favorite thing to put on is her pants, although I have seen underwear there too.  She's probably right.  Underwear can transform you into a superhero and pants can transform you into a dog or a bunny, whatever you prefer.  Who you want to be for the day has everything to do with your head gear.  

Who will you be today?

Today we were dogs playing with our friend little lamb.  Little lamb is one of the favorites.  I just know I'm going to be one of those crazy Moms that has stuffed animals coming out of her ears. If you've been there you totally know what I'm talking about.  Once it starts, they just explode and there's no controlling it.  Especially when they are all apart of the family.  "Little Lamb isn't a toy Mom, she's my animal friend", that's when you know you're in trouble. It's not all bad though, animals friends can be a great source of comfort and because of them I have the greatest sleeper in the world.

I mentioned Audrey's crazy faces in my previous post...there are a few coming your way.  Ha ha.  She must be my daughter.

Random, but...I need to say it out loud. 

I don't know what it is, recently I have felt this overwhelming peace.  For years now I have felt with regards to infertility that I was never doing enough.  I wanted 6 kids, God had commanded me to have kids, and I needed to do everything in my control to make that happen.  Call it pride, call it stubbornness, call it impatience, call it a lack of faith.  I've heard them all. 

The good part, I'm finally to the point where I feel like I've done enough and it feels good to be on the other side.  If you feel this way, just know that you will have your journey too, but peace will come.  When it does it will fill all the empty places and you will find even more gratitude and hope than you had before.    

Don't get me wrong, I still have a long way to go.  I'm grateful that Heavenly Father in his infinite mercy gave me this little girl. For better or for worse she magnifies all of my faults and the good parts of me.  I have never grown so much as when I became a Mom.  She continually pushes me to be a better me.  I will consider myself blessed if all I ever have is her. I love you baby girl!

Rice Box

 First off, a huge thank you to Melissa.  My good friend/Texas sister bought Audrey this rice box when she was two.  It went mostly unnoticed for a year or so.  Recently we have been in the rice box more than we haven't.  She loves this thing.  

If you don't have one, you should get one.  You're child will be entertained for hours, and all you will have to do afterward is vacuum.  Whoever owns this idea should receive a medal.  

I also decided to try a selfie with my camera.  It was awkward holding such a large item far enough away to get a picture.  That said, I don't often get to be in a picture with Audrey so it was well worth the awkwardness.  

I love playing with this little girl.  I love how every time I suggest that she looks at the camera or smile, she will look just a couple inches off of where the lens is and give me a big smile.  It makes me laugh every time.  I think she does it on purpose.  Her crazy faces are my favorite.  Someday I'll have to do a gallery wall in her room of her many faces.  

Cousin Sleepover

We had a princess party sleepover with cousin Jane.  I'm really happy that these two get along.  I'm also really happy that we live close and that they really like playing with each other. 

It means a lot to me simply because Audrey doesn't have a sibling yet.  When I was in elementary school I remember complaining a lot to my parents about my lack of friends.  My Mom used to tell me that it was okay, because I would always have family. Friends would come and go, but my siblings would always be there. I like that I can say the same thing to Audrey about Jane.  They may have disagreements every now and then, but Jane will always be there.  

When we suggested a princess party to the girls they were pretty excited.  I don't think I disappointed.  There were many times throughout the night that they were jumping up and down because they were so excited.  We made dinner together, painted toes and fingers, did hair, put together princess puzzles, watched princess shows, and then we went to bed.  

They started out in the same room but after about a half hour I realized that that was a bad idea.  To avoid a large amount of melt downs the next day we separated them and they went straight to sleep. Two sleeping princesses.