The Weakly Family

Is it Really August Already???

What in the world!?! I definitely set a new personal record for the time I waited wasted between posts. I've gotten so behind on this blog that I almost gave up. It's been a big weight on my shoulders and is always in the back of my mind. I love going back and reading about what we were doing two years ago, and I know if I don't keep this up I'll regret it. So, as much as I'm dreading sitting at my computer on Typepad all day, everyday, for hours, I mean days… I'm going to try my best to catch up. (I must add, I'm having to use John's computer because mine crashed and is in the hands of the Best Buy Geek Squad AND Typepad is almost impossible to work with now, so I'm using an unfamiliar computer AND a new blogging program. Just wanted to get that out there in case I give up again.) Ok... where were we...

Waaaay back on Valentine’s Day, we had a big surprise for the girls when we picked them up from school:

I had a Yorkie, Hanna, when I was in college. John bought her for me before we were engaged and she was my baby. She went everywhere with me! She died unexpectedly when Kenedy was five weeks old and it has taken me this long to decide we were ready for another one... or two. I have so many pictures of her and had told the girls so many stories about her that they have always wanted one. So, we thought they were ready and they promised that they would feed them, bathe them, clean up after them, etc. Well, six months later, I can say that they lied. They play with them, and that’s it. But that's ok. They're too cute!

Kenedy killed a buck at the ranch this year. She actually killed one last year, too, but it ran off and we didn't find it until much later, so we have no photo proof. (We do have the horns, though!) Evidentally PawPaw is an excellent hunting guide!

Kenedy and Mop

Snow in Spring Branch!

It’s Rodeo Time Again!

The Girls’ School Bike-a-Thon

Hudson is always right in the middle of all the girls!

Kenedy was one of the High Scoring Girls and won a helmet!

Next up is our ski trip to Taos, NM! Once again I’m going to procrastinate a bit and wait until my next post! I know I have several hundred photos to sort through for that one…

A Perfect Princess Party

My baby girl will be turning SIX this week!  WOW!  Is that right?   Six???  Ouch!  I'm getting old.  Anyways, Hadyn celebrated her birthday this past Sunday with a sweet little princess party!  It was PERFECT!  The cold, nasty February weather disappeared for this amazing little girl once again (for the sixth year in a row), and we enjoyed an outdoor Princess Tea Party with 80 degree sunny weather!  She deserves it!  She's such a sweetheart!  This party was the first one we've ever had that was just for school friends.  It was a big decision since we're so fortunate to have many cousins and close friends living nearby, but she has always wanted a princess party, and we just felt it might be the last chance.  Here is the invite she handed out.

This was the RSVP card where they indicated which princess they wanted to be.  I was impressed that everyone actually completed the card and mailed them back to us.  We've never had good luck with RSVP's, but we provided the envelope and stamp, so I guess that did the trick!

I even found the perforation cutting wheel for my paper cutter so that they could tear the bottom half off easily.  (No, I don't have too much time on my hands, I'm just OCD.)  I was pretty proud of these invites!

When the girls arrived, they got changed into their dresses and shoes and then gathered outside for makeup, manicures, and a princess updo!

I was in charge of the princess updo's, and they all turned out super cute, if I must say so myself.  ;)

They decorated cute little jewelry boxes and colored princess pictures at the craft table.

Hey, who can resist a Little Tykes playset!?!

After the princess transformations, Cinderella performed the Coronation.  Hadyn was crowned by Cinderella first and then Hadyn crowned all of the princesses to form her Royal Court.

They learned a Princess Dance and how to wave and curtsey.

Cinderella even had her glass slippers on!

Then the princesses were taken to the Royal Tea Party!  It was absolutely magical!

They had muffins, cinnamon sticks, mini sandwiches, hot tea (aka cold apple juice), cupcakes and personalized cookies from Lisa's Cakery!  Yummm.

It got unusually quiet, like pindrop quiet, while they were chowing down on those cupcakes!

Then Princess Hadyn was showered with gifts from her Royal Court!

What a perfect party!  It was just wonderful!  We were amazed at how well-behaved all the girls were.  And they really seemed to enjoy every second of the party!  It was awesome!  Thanks to Aunt Kristi, Momo and Mema for helping out during the party and to Cinderella, who stole the show!

Happy Birthday, My Sweet Hadyn!

Our Christmas Morning

Wowee!!!  Our kids must've been really good this year...  or maybe Santa just wasn't paying very close attention.  ;)  My oldest three were certain that they would be able to sneak in the living room in the middle of the night to catch a glimpse of Santa and they're goodies, so (being the "party pooper" parents that we are) we moved them into our room after they went to sleep.  Garrison promised he would be a good boy and wait in his crib until Mommy and Daddy were ready for him to see what Santa brought him.

Poor Hudson woke up Christmas morning with a 103 degree fever.  So, everyone had to wait in our bedroom until his Tylenol kicked in.  I figured the girls would be upset, but they were so understanding and just laid in bed with him watching cartoons.

The Goods

You can see Hudson sweating from the fever here.  Poor baby!  :(  But, he was still having a blast!

He LOVES his new recliner!  Perfect for watching his favorite Caillou reruns!

Me opening my gorgeous Old Gringo boots from the girls!  And I never cheat and brush my hair or put on makeup, as if you couldn't tell.  ;)

And Hudson bought me some new crockpot cookbooks!

I think Kenedy liked the Spy Laptop that Hadyn bought her!

Hudson was his usual self before too long and was enjoying the music on the girls' Teacup Piggies apartment!

He also got a new cowboy hat and hasn't taken it off since.

The living room was trashed!  In a good way.

After some biscuits and gravy (our Christmas breakfast tradition), we found a note from Santa that Hudson must've missed in his stocking.

I always asked Santa for a pony, and he finally delivered!  Clyde is adorable and the kids are in love with him already!  It's really been too cold to enjoy him much so far, but I know this spring, he'll be saddled up all the time!

Aside from Hudson ending up at the Urgent Care later that afternoon with a croup diagnosis (Yuck!), we had a wonderful day!  My favorite thing about Christmas this year was that I had one extra stocking hung on the mantle!  Six stockings and our sweet little family is complete! We couldn't be happier!!!

We're Still Alive!

And we are extremely behind on blogging!  (I say, "we" because I'm not taking full responsibility.  I'm just not.)  I left off at our Disney trip, which seems like a year ago!  I've slacked through Thanksgiving and Christmas posts, and I'm still not up for it, so I'm just going to post random pics to catch up.  I'm sure they're self-explanatory anyway!  Christmas is my favorite time of year and we squeeze as many festive activities as we can handle into every minute of December.  (I can handle a few more than the hubs... and probably the kids for that matter, but they're good sports about it!)  So, in order of occurrence, here are our last several weeks of photos!

We welcomed a new baby cousin, Blake Estelle!  She is absolutely adorable!

Random Silliness

Guitar Hero Tournaments!

Snow in Spring Branch (Artificial, but fun!)

Hudson and Brayson

Sounds and Lights of Christmas in San Marcos

Alex and Avery

LOVE This!

Big Sisters are the Best!

Hudson's First Dentist Appt (He loved it!)

North Pole Village in Canyon Lake

Me and My Boys

Wimberley Trail of Lights

Hudson was cracking me up with his cap almost over his eyes!

Startzville Christmas Parade

Hudson got hot in the sun and enjoyed the band from the back of the car!  Crazy kid!

School Christmas Parties

Johnson City Carriage Ride (One of our Favorite Things!)

This is the most amazing display of lights!  These trees are enormous and wrapped to the tips!  Ironically, this is our Electric Company!

Garrison thought it was boring.

Marble Falls Lights at the Park

Hill Country Lights Drive-Through

Uh oh, we lost a couple!

A Cowboy Christmas at Enchanted Springs Ranch

This is Hudson!

Miss Avery (Alex wasn't feeling well and stayed home with her Daddy.)

Helping the Gun Fighters

Movie Night

We'll go to great lengths to keep them entertained!

Momo and Mop (John's parents) took us to see the Rockettes in Austin!  It was AMAZING!!!

Cousin Stephanie, Kenedy, Momo, Brady, Mop, Hadyn, Me, Mema and PawPaw (John was escorted from the building for taking this picture.  Just kidding, but he did get a time-out in the corner.)

Grocery Shopping on Christmas Eve (N.E.V.E.R...A.G.A.I.N ! ! !)

Christmas Eve Gifts

Pajamas!  Surprise, Surprise!

Making Cookies for Our Dear Friend, Santa

Beautiful cookie!  Oh, sorry, that's mine...

Hudson discovered just the right amount of sprinkles:  99% of the jar.

Hadyn got a kick out of our Christmas Cookie Totem Pole.  Yes, we meant to do that.

Cookies, Milk, and Sweet Notes for Santa

We had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas all through the month!  I wish it could last longer!  It's so magical and the kids are always so happy and excited!  But it is definitely something we look forward to every year, so that's good!  Well, stay tuned for our "Christmas Day" post!  Santa left us with a big surprise this year!!!