Life!

Oh my goodness...I can't believe that it has been over 3 months since I last posted on our blog!!! Where has the time gone???!!!

Okay so for all who we haven't seen, talked to, or kept in touch with through emails and on Facebook...here's a run down of our lives from Sept. up to this point.

The girls have LOVED their dance and gymnastics classes...they start up again in Jan. Here's a picture of them before their performance and performing at the Round Rock Family Christmas Night:



Haley all ready for the Christmas night program



Emily all ready for her Christmas night gymnastics routine




Haley is the 5th (counting from left to right)...doing their turns!




Emily doing the bridge! (she's on the far right)

Let's see....we have also been busy with church. We participated in a Celebrity Dinner...that's where people come dressed up as celebrities and did various performances....it was TONS of fun! We also had a Fall Fest at church...the girls came home with way tooooo much candy...as usual! The ladies of the church got to participate in a progressive dinner for our Nov. Women's service and that was so fun. Then we celebrated Thanksgiving with friends and family.

We have finally arrived in December. I can't believe how fast this year has just gone by. We are going to spend the rest of our month on vacation and enjoying some much needed family time. I'll keep you posted on our adventures!


Have the best day ever!
Jessica

Picture Collage

So I have a cousin who has just started up her own photography business. I took several pictures of the girls the other day when we were at the park. My sweet, sweet cousin took one of the girls pictures and did this to it.....





Don't you just LOVE IT!!! I'm sooooo going to have to put this up in their room!!!



Check out her website: www.emotionalaccord.com

Have a super blessed day everyone!!!

New Adventures

So our house has enjoyed this Labor Day holiday and we have had a very relaxing day together which ended with a nice walk around the neighborhood. We have really taken advantage of a down day like today because starting tomorrow we get back to the school work and starting Saturday the girls have a new adventure to embark on. I'll give you a hint...it involves:




AND.....





DID YOU GUESS IT???

Starting this coming Saturday morning Haley will be participating in Kinderdance and Emily will be participating in Kindergym. They are both soooo excited!! So for the next 4 months we will be at the rec. center every Saturday morning for the girls classes. They can't wait!! We went and bought Haley some tap shoes last week. She already had the dance clothes. Emily also was blessed with some gymnastics clothes from a friend so she is all ready too!

I'll post pictures soon of them attending their classes. It's going to be an awesome time for them to get out, make new friends and try out new adventures!!


May you have a spectacular week!!!
Jessica

Ahhh...sweet Saturday!!

Yesterday was a FANTASTIC Saturday for our family! It was one of the last "free" Saturdays we will have for the next few months, so we took the time to really relax and enjoy it!!

First thing in the morning we took the girls out for breakfast burritos at Speedy's Tacos. It's become one of our favorite Saturday morning traditions!



Then Travis had to help one of the single women in our church move, so the girls and I went to the park to feed the ducks and play. It was such a beautiful day and the creek at the park was nice and low so I decided to let the girls go ahead and play in the water for a while. Of course...they LOVED IT!!!

















Then we met up with our dearest friends and went to the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (since the 1st Saturday of every month is FREE!!!). We ended our day with dinner and a movie with our dearest friends!! It was a WONDERFUL Saturday!!!

First Day!

Yesterday was our first day of homeschool! I've had the lesson plans and books ready for several weeks, but yesterday was our 1st day of school! Even though the girls are just in pre-k we have school everyday, just going to go ahead and prepare Haley to start Kindergarten next year! This year I've also been blessed with the opportunity to teach two kids from our church who are in the 7th and 2nd grade, so you can see we have quite an age span here. A 7th grader, 2nd grader and 2 preschoolers...it's a challenge to keep up with everyone, BUT we had a WONDERFUL 1st day! The preschoolers did a few pages in their workbooks and the older kids got to pick some subjects they were interested in and work on them (they are still waiting on all their books to arrive before we work harder everyday). It was just an easy relaxed 1st day of school and I know that this year is going to be so awesome!

I am so blessed that God has given me a husband who loves the decision we've made to homeschool and works so hard to provide for our family so I can stay home with our children.

I am looking forward to an awesome year at home with my babies, teaching them not only "school" work, but also life skills and more and more about God! It's going to be amazing!

Cow Day!!

Today is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A!!
WE LOVE CHICK-FIL-A...anyday, but Cow Appreciation Day just makes it so much more fun!!

The girls and I have dressed up for Cow Day before and had so much fun doing it that we decided we were gonna do it again today. I am babysitting right now another little girl, so we dressed her up too.

All the girls had their cow shirts, little black tails (made out of felt), signs that said: "Eat Mor Chikin", and I put all their hair up in pig tails with little red ribbons. Emily wanted to wear the cowbell, so she got an extra red ribbon and wore the cowbell with her outfit. They were so cute and LOVED the free food!! There were tons of people there all dressed up in the cow attire too. OH YEAH, we will soooo be participating in COW DAY next year! If you have a Chick-Fil-A near you, I highly recommend participating in Cow Appreciation Day, it's lots of fun and you get free food!! :)





Have a "Cow-Tastic" Day!!

8 years!!

Today's the day folks!! 8 years ago I married my best friend!!

Here we are on June 8, 2002!


The past 8 years have been remarkable. We've grown up together, grown closer to God together, grown closer to each other and have two awesome little girls! God is so good and I am so thankful that I have such a great and loving husband!

I am looking forward to many more wonderful and remarkable years together!!











Have a great day everyone!!
Jessica

Camping Days!

This past week we decided that since we were going to have a 3-day weekend that we would take the girls camping. Our kids have never gone camping before so the whole week, they were just sooooo excited about going. I think I heard about 100 times a day..."is today the day we go camping Mommy?" and "is it Sunday yet so we can go camping?"

FINALLY Sunday came and after church we came home...loaded up the car and went out to Tejas Park at Lake Georgetown. This park is really cool. They have 12 "tent only" camping sites and each site has a lantern stand, picnic table, fire pit and an area to set up your tent as well as TONS of trees. Anyway, we get to Tejas Park, go pick out the site we want and start to unload. The girls loved the big tree we had at our site. It had two big branches that came down to the ground and they used the branches as swings. We got the tent all set up and then took the girls on a hike of the area.

They found butterflies, capterpillars, grasshoppers, scorpions (yes we even had scorpions...but they were off in the woods...not near our tent) and all kinds of bugs that you would expect to find outside. Right there at the park is the tip of the lake with a crystal clear swimming hole. The water was perfect! Not too hot, not too cold...it was no more than about 5 feet deep all the way across so we got the girls in their swimsuits and took off for the swimming hole. After an hour or two we decided it was dinner time. The girls got to roast hot dogs over an open fire, which of course they also throughly enjoyed. And of course who could forget the experience of smores on an open fire. We all LOVED that part!

After a night of tent sleeping, which wasn't bad at all, since we had such a nice breeze and it was a cool night. We took the kiddos fishing...we didn't catch anything, but we did manage to drown a few worms. One more trip to the swimming hole then it was time to come home. All in all we had a FANTASTIC camping trip and the girls LOVED every minute of it. From hiking in the dark with our flashlights and lanterns, to cooking over an open fire, to just swinging on the tree branches. This is a family activity that we are DEFINETELY going to be doing again!

Hope you all had a great long weekend too!
Jessica

Crank It Up!!

We recently got back from a trip in Lubbock where we went to a Transformation Conference at Church on the Rock. This was good stuff people...if you haven't already done Transformation...GET YOUR HANDS ON IT....it's really, really gonna change your life!!

Anyway, at this conference I got the privilege to work with the COTR sound/media team. They were a TOTALLY awesome group to work with! Anyway, back on topic...the sound guy, Robby, is always on the look out for new bands, bands not so widely known etc etc. Robby introduced us to the Parachute Band....THEY ROCK GUYS!! If you look it up on youtube, google etc...there are 2 Parachute Bands...one was the original band...the newer band is younger with a more "rock" type style, but very very good!!

Their lyrics are so pure and so true...just what I want to hear and CRANK IT UP! Take a listen to their song, Come to the River! It's such a catchy song with GREAT lyrics. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did. Travis and I will be putting these songs on our playlist...how about you???









Have a fantastic day in the river!!
Jessica

New Adventures

Don't you love when you take on new adventures in life??!! I've always wanted to decorate cakes...not just throw some icing on them...I'm talking really decorate some cakes. The other day I found the Wilton Course handbooks ON CLEARANCE!! Clearance...my absolute FAVORITE!! Anyway, I took some time and read through the books, started practicing and tonight made my first offical cake using real decorating methods!

My niece turns four on Mother's Day...so her party is gonna be tomorrow. She asked for a Strawberry Shortcake party and I just so happened to have a Strawberry Shortcake pan from when I was little, so I volunteered to make the cake. It took a long time, but here's the final product!





I hope to make many more cakes in the future and get better and better!!
Jessica

Mom's Life!

Okay so by now you all know about our weight loss journey...it's still going great!! It's getting to where I'm only seeing a pound a week, compared to the 5,6 and 7 lbs a week I was seeing, but hey 1lb is better than gaining...right!!!

Well, I was sent the following cartoon and it's soooooo true! Hope you enjoy it!!

A mom's life....new method to work out!








Have a happy day!!
Jessica

Still Going!

So do you all remember when I talked about losing weight and going at it with a new mindset...the mindset of an Olympian? Well, I just wanted to let you all know that I am still at it. Yes, there are times when I just really and truly want to quit and there are also times when I just totally skip working out, but I am still going and reaching my little goals one step at a time.

When I decided that this year I was going to start this journey and STICK WITH IT I weighed as much as I did when I was pregnant with my 1st baby girl...and she turned 4 this year! Yes, 3 and 4 yrs ago I could say that I was heavy because I was pregnant, but really after 3 yrs (after our 2nd was born) I am still carrying around all that weight...what is wrong with this picture???? That realization FINALLY struck me like a TON of bricks and I decided that now was the time for a change. I AM NOT going to be looking at myself this same time next year saying "man, if I had just finished I would be in better shape by now"...and repeating that awful cycle year in and year out. I AM DONE WITH THAT!!!
In 2010 I will be a new creation....just like it is written in God's Word...I am a new creation with a healthier and more fit body in 2010! If you too are embarking on this journey for a healthier more fit body....not a superficial worldly looking body, but a healthier more fit you...then I want to just encourage you and say...YOU CAN DO IT!! Yes, there are days you want to quit, yes there are days when you will splurge and even days when you won't even exercise, but keep going...YOU WILL GET THERE!!

I am proud to say that after 3 months of exercising (no, it hasn't been a solid 3 straight months...I have slacked off here and there)...I have lost....drumroll please......

20 lbs!!! That's right folks!! I am now 20 lbs lighter than I was when I started this journey in Jan. It feels really good!!I am about 2 lbs shy of hitting my next BIG goal and that is busting through this one number that has been alluding me for the past 4 years....I know that once I finally break through that hurdle I will NEVER go back over that number EVER again!!

I pray that if you too are embarking on this journey that you will KEEP GOING! You can do it and I believe in you!!

Love and Prayers!
Jessica

Family Days!!

I just love family days and I especially love family days when the weather is so beautiful like today was!!!

With nothing on the church calendar for today and no other plans we decided to take the girls to Mt. Bonnell in Austin. It's a place where you can just climb the stairs and look at the view of Lake Austin, or walk along the trails and see different views of the houses and the lake and they have lots of picnic tables there too. So we thought....let's do it!! The girls had soooooo much fun!! Haley said she loved hiking! One day we are going to take them to some REAL mountains to hike, but this satisfies them for now!! :) After our hiking trip, we came back to Round Rock and took the kids to the park where they got to play on the playground and play in the sand and we also wore them out at the tennis courts!! Travis and I had fun playing tennis and the kids played for a few minutes then they became the ball chasers...they had fun doing that too!! Anyway, I hope you and yours have many fantastic family days!!!

Here's a glimpse of ours:

Breakfast

This morning the girls and I were in the kitchen disussing what to eat for breakfast. Of course there was the usual choices of cereal and toast, but since I know how much my girls LOVE eggs I thought I would see if they were in the mood for some. Let me tell you...when I said the word eggs, they were soooooo excited! We don't make eggs often in our house, so for them that was a HUGE change from the "norm".

Well as most parents know, when your kids are little all they want to do is help, so I took advantage of their excitement and willingness to help this morning and let them help cook the eggs and toast and then help set the table. It was a good breakfast and I know the girls loved helping....they LOVE to help in the kitchen :)





And here's breakfast on Emily's plate!! It was YUMMY!!!


Hope you have an "egg"tastic day!! :)

A first time for everything!!

So this past weekend the girls and I went to Abilene to celebrate my sister's 16th birthday with her. Wouldn't you know it....this is the one week the weather would turn really cold AGAIN and the snow and sleet would start falling. Well with all the weather they were having in Abilene, we weren't able to get a cake ordered in time for the party, so mom and I decided that we would just make a birthday cake. Thursday night we went to the store and got all our supplies and set out to make this birthday cake. Now we had made cakes before...you know the ones you make and then turn around and eat, so you aren't focusing so much on gotta decorate, make it look like a birthday cake from the store etc, etc. But this time we were going with a sheet cake and decorating it like one in the stores...well that was our mission anyway. So we make the cake then set out to ice and decoarte it. Scout had decided that she wanted a jungle/safari themed party, so when I started icing the cake I went for both a jungle and a desert theme on the cake...add some greenery, some plastic animals and BABOOM...you come out with this:




Now I haven't take a cake decorating class or have the steadiest hand, but for my first cake like this...I think it looks pretty good! What do you think??

Cake anyone??

Have a super fantastic day!!

SuperBowl 2010

So SuperBowl 44 is now behind us!! What a great game!! Way to go Saints! How awesome that a team that has NEVER one was able to pull out a win on the biggest game day in football!! It was super fun watching the game with friends, and as much as I love watching football...you know the SuperBowl is just as much about the commericals as it is about the actual game......so, my favorite commercial this year was from Doritos!! It's sure to put a smile on your face....ENJOY!!

Going for the gold!!

Are you a fan of the Olympics? I wouldn't say I am a "fan," but if they are on and there is nothing better to watch I do find myself watching one or two events. Well....with the Winter Olympics coming up (and not having cable) all I see on TV is a BUNCH of commercials announcing the winter games and seeing all of these commericials made me think about the athletes. They train long hours and work really hard just to make the team, then they have to work even harder to prepare to go to competition. Could you imagine....from the moment you wake up (which would be extremely early), till pretty much the moment you went to bed all you were doing was preparing for this upcoming competition??? That's a lot of work!

Yesterday was a long day for us....we took Travis' brother to the airport, went to the library, came home and cleaned and started dinner and then had to get ready for church...and to top it all off it was cold and rainy ALL DAY!! I was so busy yesterday that I seriously considered NOT exercising. After about an hour of debating with myself why I should even exercise I thought about those Olympians. Those people who work and work and train and train so hard so they can win the competition and get the gold! I decided that I really should start thinking like an Olympian when it comes to exercising....I'm gonna have to work and work if I am going to get my gold (back down to a healthy weight). I know I can do...it's just gonna take some work. Well, yesterday I did finally decided to go ahead and exercise...even though I didn't really feel like it and I must say I was shocked!!

You see...I play the Biggest Loser game for the Wii and every week (just like the show), the game does a weigh-in and elimination. Now I check my weight every day I get on my Wii balance board and to me it just seems like it is staying the same. I mean for the past couple days it has been about the same...I may see a 1/2 lb difference or so, but then it seems like the next day I am right back up by a 1/2 lb. or so. Anyway...I didn't think I was losing any weight and just knew that I was going to be up for elimination. My turn came to step up on the scales and after lots of numbers ticking on that screen, it showed my final weight....I had lost 7 lbs!!! I couldn't believe it!! 7 lbs!!! It was amazing! I went back and looked at my graph for the past week and I saw it...one pound here...one pound there...and suddenly I was down 7 lbs. Then I thought back to those Olympians...they all started somewhere and through much training, practice, hard work and patience made it to the Olympics!

So I have decided that the next time I get frustrated working out, or just don't think the numbers on the scale are changing much that I will keep the mindset of an Olympian....train, practice, work hard and have patience and very soon I will see the benefits and one day get my gold too!!! I am not going to settle for a bronze or even a silver...I am GOING FOR THE GOLD!!!




Have a great day!!
Jessica

Weight Loss Journeys

So, I have decided that I am going to continue on my excercising journey. I started back in Sept. of 2009 and did really well, till the holidays. I actually didn't really splurge during the holidays this year, but I just quit excercising everyday like I should. Well two months later I began to notice it. Thanks to my willpower in avoiding all those holiday goodies, I only gained 3 lbs. back during those 2 months. That to me was AMAZING!!

I have started exercising everyday using some workout DVD's I already had, using the Biggest Loser for the Wii and using my Wii Fit. It has made a HUGE difference. In 2 weeks I have lost 8 lbs!! I was shocked when I saw that....now I am not anywhere near where I want to be, but I am beginning to see some progress!!! OH HAPPY DAY!!!


I'll keep you all posted on my journey and at the end I plan on posting some pictures and also posting my starting and ending weight. I encourage all of you who are losing weight to keep going....YOU CAN DO IT!!

My goal is to be at a healthy weight and be fit for my 30th birthday in August! I no longer want to go another year being at an unhealthy weight and then look back at myself again next year saying...oh maybe I will do it by this time next year! Nope, change is at hand NOW!!

Getting fit and having fun!!
Jessica

Happy Birthday to Emily!!!

So today is now Emily's birthday!! She is 3!!! Yep, for those who were unaware and just now doing the math, our girls are VERY CLOSE in age! They are 1 yr and 3 days apart!!

Today has been such a fun day, we spent the day playing games, watching movies and just hanging out enjoying her birthday. When I stop and think back on it, it really is hard to believe that 3 years ago we just welcomed her into this world. I mean sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday that we were bringing her home from the hospital. I really can't believe that 3 years has passed so quickly. Emily is so different from her sister, and I love it! She enjoys girlie things, but is much rougher and tougher than Haley is. She loves to dance, run, jump, play and play some more. She is growing like a weed and is developing such a beautiful personality and I know that she is going to be a very beautiful, loving young lady. She loves her friends, her family, her sister, animals and God!! I am looking forward to watching her grow into the beautiful woman God has called her to be and making so many wonderful memories in this journey of life with her!!

In 3 years she has grown up so much, I just can't believe it!!

She has gone from this:






















To this:

















Happy Birthday my sweet baby girl!! I love you princess!!
Mommy :)