The Stehling Family

The Kids on Canvas

2012-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am that the canvas I ordered came in today! I ordered this 16 x 20 canvas with the kids picture from Easter last year. I couldn't believe how easy it was to order. You upload a picture, it takes you through the selections such as size, width, etc. with any extra costs. Five...ten minutes max and you're done. I am amazed at how beautiful it turned out! Yes...the kids in the picture have something to do with it, too. ;)

My little camera does best in natural lighting which is why I did this outside. The picture just doesn't do it justice, though. It's way better than I ever expected.

Check out Easy Canvas Prints. I've added it to my "some of my faves" list.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

We had an absolutely WONDERFUL Christmas holiday, but it all went by way too fast! We were able to see most of everyone at some point or another during the holidays, and loved every minute of it! We love, love, family gatherings!

These first pictures are of the Rod Christmas. All family gatherings are now held in the barn to accommodate all the people, and it's perfect!

The kids corner

Santa came!!

The beautifully decorated barn!

Christmas at Meme and Pa's house!

Not a great pic, but each kid got their own tent! So fun!

Christmas at Omie and Boss's house

Omie and Boss with the eight grandkids. It was discussed to add Jenni's belly so that #9 could be in the pic, but she wasn't up for it. ;) More pics of baby #9 coming this summer!

Clay chillin' with Boss.

And of course Santa came to our house and brought some fun things, too...

such as, Guns!

Pajamas!.... (hehe ;)

and LOTS more!

We left the morning of New Year's Eve to go to Harper to Oma's Christmas. We LOVE visiting the hill country and visiting our family up there.

We left early that morning.

The kids checking out the goats.

Kay and Clay

They love feeding the goats with Uncle Barry!

The Stehling crew minus a few kids...

We did get to see some of the Althaus family for dinner that evening which was a huge PLUS for us! Unfortunately, though, we weren't able to visit the old street and some special neighbors before heading back Sunday since Abbie had school the next day. That just gives us more of a reason to go back sooner rather than later!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-30T11:09:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent the day at great Grandma and Grandpa Rod's house with most of the family. Nolin was hunting in Harper and visiting with his grandmother, so it was just me and the kiddos. We had a great time visiting with everyone and the kids loved getting to play with cousins in the water, mud, hay bales, etc. We're looking forward to doing it all over again for Christmas! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of this day, but will definitely make up for it next time!

Happy Birthday to Cade!

2011-11-30T10:39:00.000-08:00

Cade turned the BIG 3 on Sept. 21! He is definitely his Daddy's boy from looks to personality, and I haven't decided yet if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I guess we soon shall see! What I do know is, he is sweet, smart, and he loves to make people laugh. He's also really good at saying, "I no mean to, Mommy." (If that tells you anything!) We celebrated his birthday twice, once while we were at the lake and the other time at Omie and Boss's house. Here are some pics of our celebrations!

Trick-or-Treating 2011

2011-11-30T10:19:00.001-08:00

What can I say...I'm a little late with this one. Of course we went trick-or-treating this year! Velma, the cowboy, and a little fireman had a terrific time going from house to house getting candy. We even went all out and visited Meme and Pa, and Uncle Curtis and Aunt Amanda out in the country! Then, it was up and down our street which filled up the buckets plenty. They had just as much fun handing out candy as they did getting it!

Meme and Pa with the kids

Abbie = Velma (from Scooby Doo) Clay = cowboy Cade = fireman

The kids with Aunt Amanda and Uncle Curtis

Lake LBJ

2011-11-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

We spent our Dorotik family vacation on Lake LBJ this year. I think I can speak for all when I say that we're ready to go back. We found a very relaxing and quiet place on the lake that is absolutely beautiful. We spent our time swimming, kayaking, paddle boating, watching movies, and going for a ride on a pontoon boat. This is a place we'd definitely like to revisit!

Poor Abbie having to paddle Uncle Curtis around.

My exercise for the day.

James and Clay

The kids taking a break

Abbie and Jack on the kayaks

Brooke and I were stuck on the floor.

The three munchkins!

Last, but not least, the room where a lot of time was spent!

Soccer 2011

2011-11-04T11:01:00.001-07:00

Clay played soccer this year. Well.... sort of. He followed the group on the field very well, as long as he didn't have to kick the ball. I'm proud that we made it through the entire season, though. This was a first for him and being around so many children in a more structured environment. He'll be starting kinder next year which he says he's ready for. (Momma is not so sure.) Anyway, here are a few pics to enjoy!

Kicking the ball back in.

Clay and James taking a break.

Corpus Christi Vacation

2011-11-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Nolin and I took the kids to Corpus for a weekend right before school started in August. We took them to the USS Lexington, Texas State Aquarium, and Mustang Island State Park. They loved going to the beach the best, and unfortunately we didn't get to spend much time there. Next year it'll be all about the beach!

Outside the Aquarium

On the Lexington

Cade at the beach

Happy Birthday, Dear Abbie!

2011-11-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Abbie turned 7 on July 28th. She wanted a "baking" party, so we had the cousins come and bake cupcakes for her birthday. They all had a great time mixing the batter, and then decorating their own cupcakes to take home!

Abbie posing for her pic!

All the cousins minus Sydney

Summertime 2011

2011-07-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

We've had a fun, and relaxing summer so far. Here are a few pics of what we've been up to!

Splashway with the Stehling's

Playdate with the Richards

Lots and Lots of swimming!

A visit to the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Sugar Land and The Glazery!

Splashway, again, with the Dorotik's!

Having fun in the corn!

More pictures coming soon!

Clay turns 4!

2011-05-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Clay turned 4 on May 16th. We had his party a day early with some family and friends. He had yet another John Deere themed birthday party and had a wonderful time. His favorite part was the bouncy house, of course! He is part monkey after all, so it's just fitting that that was his favorite.

Aside from the party, our sweet birthday boy will have one more year at home with me before starting KINDERGARTEN. Yep...I can't believe he's almost there, but he's been ready. Almost daily he says he wants to go to "Abbie's school". He is well on his way to learning the alphabet, loves to play on starfall, knows all his colors, and will be writing his name before next year.

I have tons of party pics, but will only post a few! Enjoy!

Abbie's in the Spotlight!!

2011-05-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

Abbie has been a very busy little girl lately! Her dance recital was last weekend where she was in two dances. Her ballet dance was to Winter Wonderland and her tap was to Ghostbusters. She did a terrific job in both and we are so proud of her!! Yesterday morning she had a school program called Dancing with the Myatt Stars. She was in a dance to Waltz Across Texas and again, made me so proud!

Since this blog is about Abbie, I wanted to update everyone on what she's up to these days. In addition to dancing, her other after school activities include tumbling class once a week and baseball. This year was her second year for tball and next year she'll move up to the pitching machine. She is looking forward to that! Most days of the week we're busy running her around, especially during the baseball season, but luckily we are now done. Dancing is over, she had her last baseball game this past Monday, and summer is right around the corner. Ahhh....finally a break! Summer will bring more activities for her, but for now, we're resting and enjoying being home.

I have included the videos of her three recent performances, so enjoy!

Ballet to Winter Wonderland

Tap to Ghostbusters

Waltz Across Texas - Dancing with the Myatt Stars

Easter at Meme and Pa's

2011-04-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Birthday, Uncle Craig!!

2011-04-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

Craig's birthday falls on Easter this year so we celebrated a day early! Here's a pic of the birthday boy with all 34 of his candles.

2011 Weekend in Fredericksburg

2011-04-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

We headed up to Fredericksburg for another fun weekend at the ranch. Kyra chose this again for her birthday and I think I can speak for all that we are sooo glad she did! It's gives us all a chance to get away and see family that we haven't seen in a while. The kids enjoy "treasure hunting", going on hikes, playing around the cabin, and this year they enjoyed shooting a gun for the first time.

Nolin and I took the kids to see Oma Stehling for a short while before leaving on Sunday. The kids always enjoy feeding the goats so we never leave without doing that. They also were able to go on walk in the pasture with Uncle Barry. Any sort of adventure for them is fun. You never know what they'll come back with.

All in all it was a great weekend and Clay is already asking to go back to "the cabin"!

Jasper Enjoys Springtime!

2011-04-05T08:57:00.001-07:00

I'm posting this for Mr. Bill and Ms. Wincey, our wonderful neighbors from Kerrville. Jasper was nearly half theirs before we moved so I know they'll appreciate a post about him!

Since the beginning of spring, our cat, Jasper, has been bringing "toys" to play with into our backyard. We all just happened to be out the day he brought this one to show us. The mouse did get away in the end and slipped between the boards of the fence.

T-Ball 2011 = Dolphins!!

2011-04-05T08:44:00.001-07:00

Abbie is on the Dolphins this year for t-ball. She has been doing a great job and really enjoying it! Her batting and catching has improved from last year, but she still needs to work on running. It's quite a funny sight to watch her run bases. She's takes after me and is SLOW!

Ice Day 2011!

2011-02-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I am VERY disappointed that we didn't get any snow. After being couped up for days, I was hoping we would at least have some snow to play in. We did go outside for a few minutes this morning, but very quickly returned to the fireplace and hot chocolate. Even without the snow, it has been nice just having a day off from the normal routine. Here are a few pics of our morning....

Checking out the backyard....

(Clay has been attached to this gun for the past couple of days.)

Our poor, poor garden

It's a sad day when my broccoli plants look like this.

Taking a walk....

Back to the fireplace, hot chocolate in the tummies, and Little Bear on TV. Life is good!

(Even for Jasper!)

Christmas 2010

2011-01-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

Time flew by me again! We ABSOLUTELY had a great holiday, and I can honestly say that I'm already missing it. Between spending time with family and friends, and the many hunting trips, the past three weeks are already a blur.

This week, I hit the ground running and have totally and completely begun to clean house! (Hosting Bunco has been my motivation!) Next week, I will begin potty training Cade. I have been waiting until after the holidays to do this and now I have no excuse but to get started. Clay was just potty trained a little over a year ago and he didn't take to it too easily, so you can understand the delay. I think Cade will be much easier, though. For the past month, he has been taking off his wet (and dirty) diapers and putting himself on the potty. Sometimes he actually "goes" on the potty, too. I'll let you know in the near future how that goes!

In the meantime, here are a few pictures of the crazy 2010 Christmas holidays!

New pajamas!

Cade's checking things out!

Clay and Abbie opening gifts at Meme and Pa's

This is only a small part of the craziness!

Boss and Omie with the eight grandkiddos

In order: Kay, Clay, Savannah, Molly, Kyra, Abbie, Cade, and Sydney

Letters to Santa

2010-11-27T08:10:00.000-08:00

Santa Claus.....that's a name that Clay steers clear of. He's afraid of Santa, always has been, and absolutely nothing we say will change his mind. We've talked for a while now about what he wants Santa to bring him and he has had two things in mind....his own powerwing and a kiddie camera. I thought this morning would be a great time to sit and write letters to Santa (so he fully understands what Santa is all about), but all of a sudden, he doesn't want anything! Maybe he thinks he has to SEE Santa....I don't know. I did manage to get the letter written for him and he was willing to take it to the mailbox. Abbie did hers as well even though she already did another at school. (She said at school they wouldn't let her write but two things "and that's all!") So...I allowed for her to write another with whatever she wants. She needed more ideas after the second item and since I think Santa has finished his shopping, I gave her a few ideas of what she needed. Next year, Cade will be participating in the letter writing since he didn't care much about it this year. :)

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-27T07:40:00.000-08:00

As always, the holidays are filled with lots of family time and fun spent with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Those are some of my favorite memories as a child and my children will definitly have the same! Our first Thanksgiving started out at Meme and Pa's house on Sunday, the 21st. We celebrated early since Chad was going to be gone on Thanksgiving and his birthday (which is today). The kids played and played, maybe spent 15 minutes eating, and back to playing they went. Thanksgiving Day was a full day of family time, as well. We went to Omie and Boss' house that morning. The kids got a couple of hours playing with their cousins before lunch. After lunch we took off to Wharton to visit with the Dorotik's at Aunt Vicki and Uncle Steve's beautiful new house. We returned to Omie and Boss' house later that afternoon where we stayed for the remainder of the day until Cade couldn't take it anymore. I did finally take a few pics that evening after the kiddos all had their baths that I'll share. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

Myatt's Veteran's Day Program 2010

2010-11-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

Abbie participated in the Veteran's Day program at her school. The children had to "try out" to be in the choir, and a few had speaking parts. Abbie did great singing the songs and saying her poem. We are so proud of her!

Mini Derby Doll

2010-11-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of Abbie "performing" at the football game with the mini clinic dancers.

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

We took the kids this morning to the pumpkin patch to take some pictures. The kids had a lot of fun looking at ALL the decorations. Abbie and Clay did great taking pictures (after Clay stopped making his funny faces), but Cade wasn't sure what was going on. There was just too much going on around him to concentrate on the camera. All in all it was a very nice setup and I did get plenty of pics!

Happy Birthday to Cade and Nolin

2010-09-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Cade turned two on Tuesday, the 21st. We celebrated yesterday on the 26th which was Nolin's 32nd birthday. Nolin didn't want any celebrations for him...just Cade, but we try anyway, right?! We just had family over for an early dinner and cake. The kiddos spend most of the time playing outside in the (finally) nice weather. Here are a few pics of Cade's "big day"!

ps...Happy Birthday to Drew, too, who of course couldn't make it. They're still in Michigan. :)

Labor Day Weekend ~ Lake Travis!

2010-09-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Meme and Pa took us to Lake Travis for Labor Day weekend. They rented a house around Spicewood, right on the lake, and it's an understatement to say we had a wonderful time. It was downright awesome and I'm pretty sure no one was ready to leave! We spent a lot of time in the pool, and down at the lake on the paddle boat and Uncle Chad's kayak. The kids just loved playing in the water the entire weekend. Sunday morning, we spent our time on a pontoon boat finding the best places to swim. The house had a "movie room" (you'll see it in the pictures) and a lot of movies were watched that weekend, as well! It's amazing what you can squeeze into a short amount of time!

Splashway!!!

2010-07-30T14:23:00.000-07:00

Thursday, Summer and I took the kids (minus Cade) to Splashway. It was much more crowded than I thought it would be, but we had a great time anyway.

Abbie's 6th Party!!

2010-07-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

We had a small party here Friday evening with some of Abbie's girlfriends. It was the cheaper version of a Sweet and Sassy party. I had my sister-in-laws here to help do hair, nails, and makeup on the girls while they played "girl style" listening to Hannah Montana. We set up the Barbie house and some toys to play "house". What a great "Rock Star" party as Abbie called it, and thanks to ALL the help!

4th of July coming late!

2010-07-25T12:16:00.000-07:00

We celebrated on July 3rd at Meme and Pa's house. Here are a few pictures of our fun evening!

Memorial Weekend

2010-06-08T19:03:00.000-07:00

We had a busy Memorial weekend and loved every minute of it! We spent Saturday at Keva and Greg's house in Katy. They took us to the neighborhood pool for a couple of hours, then we spent the rest of the afternoon resting, taking Kyra to the dreaded doctors office, and the guys took off to the shooting range. They fed us (because we wouldn't leave until they did) before we headed home.

Sunday, we spend a lot of the day on the river. We tried taking the kids fishing, but that lasted all of five minutes before they needed food and naps. Later that afternoon, we went back out for a boat ride and met up with Meme, Pa, Uncle Chad, Uncle Curtis, Uncle Craig, Jack and James to play in the water. That evening we all went back to Meme and Pa's house for some yummy steaks Uncle Chad made.

Monday it was back on the water for yet another boat ride. We took it down to the sand bar to load it up. The plan wasn't necessarily to get wet, but with kids....yeah right! It was hot and there was water.....enough said!

Here are some pics of our Saturday in Katy....

I don't have pictures of our fun times on the river. I'll have to get those from Meme and post them soon!!

Fun Times!

2010-06-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

Gayle and I have been great friends since high school, but hardly ever get to see each other anymore. Just recently we had our girls weekend in Fredericksburg (that ended up in San Antonio), and we were able to get our families together for a play date! I didn't get any pics of our weekend away, but I did get plenty of the kids having a great time together. Beware.....since this was such a rare occasion, I really got plenty of pics!

Clay turns 3!!!!

2010-06-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

Where does time go?! Clay turned three on May 16th. We celebrated his birthday with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins on the 15th. It was a quick, but fun celebration that took place indoors because of the rain. Here are a few pictures of the big day! I'm going to add a couple of the latest pictures of him that I've gotten around the house.

Abbie plays T-ball

2010-04-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

Always take the video camera!!!! The first two or three games we were taking pictures and videoing when she went up to bat. Last night I figured it would be the same old thing, they barely hit the ball and run. Yeah, right! Abbie's first time to bat, she hit the ball (on a pitch, not the tee) to the outfield! It rolled almost to the fence....it may have made it, but I was too busy jumping, clapping and yelling to remember. Talk about one proud momma! She did great. When I went in to kiss her goodnight I called her "slugger." Of course afterwards I had to explain what that meant and she said, "you can call me slugger after I hit it over the fence." She's one ambitious little 5 year old!

Weekend at the "Cow Place"

2010-04-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

Okay....so I didn't get pictures of cows, but we all know what they look like, right?! Last weekend we drove to Fredericksburg to spend time with the Stehling's at "the ranch", or "the cow place" as Kyra calls it. This is Nolin's grandfathers place outside of Willow City, TX which is absolutely beautiful. Kyra wanted for her birthday (which was back in February) to go to the "cow place". Since you really need the weather to be nice, last weekend was the weekend. We had a wonderful time hiking, taking pictures in the bluebonnets, and visiting with family that we haven't seen in a year. We used to see these people all the time when we lived in Kerrville and it was so nice getting to see and spend time with them again. We also were able to drive to Harper to see Oma Stehling before we left Sunday. The kids really enjoyed feeding the goats and playing outside on the rocks. (Who needs a swingset when you've got rocks!) She took us to see the garden and was sure to give us all something from it.

Our first stop Friday, I failed to mention, was a visit with our old neighbors Mr. Bill and Mrs. Wincey. Wincey used to keep Abbie sometimes when she was a baby and we always make a point to see them when we're around the Kerrville area. I always blog about going up that way, and never mention getting to see them. It's been a year, too, since our last visit and we had a nice time. Many other neighbors that we haven't seen since the move came over for a quick visit, too. I'll make sure to get plenty of pictures with them all next time!

Weekend at the Ranch

Weekend at the Ranch - part 2 (lots of bluebonnet pics)

Our visit with Oma

Easter 2010!!

2010-04-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

Alrightie! I guess I'm way behind on blogging....again. We had a terrific Easter holiday which, for us, is two weekends in a row. Palm Sunday weekend we spent time with most of the Stehling family (excluding Drew, Jenni, and Savannah who are in Michigan.....we'll forgive you this year!), and spent a couple of hours at Great Grandma and Grandpa Rods house hunting eggs. Easter weekend we began on Good Friday at Meme and Pa's house, and ended the funfilled holiday with the rest of the Dorotik family. Cade was old enough this year to egg hunt, however, he only would pick up something if you pointed to it. Clay thought he could get his candy faster if he left his basket on the ground and run back and forth each time. He'd run to get candy, then run back to his basket, then candy, then basket. That was a hoot! Abbie, well...she's a pro now. Her basket was overflowing every time! Oh, so much fun, and yet so tiring for the kids. In between our two fun weekends was a long sick week for all three. They all had stomach issues (I won't go into details), but recouped and are doing well now. I'll put in slideshows of the many events, so sorry for all the pictures! Enjoy!

Omie and Boss's Easter

Meme and Pa's Easter

Rod's Easter

Spring Break in Corpus!!

2010-03-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Meme treated us girls and the kids to a few days away for Spring Break. We took the kids to the USS Lexington and the aquarium while we were there. The kids loved it all and even though they were super tired the last day, they didn't want to leave! Thanks, Meme!!

Clay playing with Aunt Amanda

I was seriously scared for our safety. These birds were CRAZY! (btw...they love Cheetos!)

Cade just turned 18 months this past weekend. What a cutie!

The boys playing in the sand. A tad bit too cool for swimsuits this day.

My tired baby. We were ready to go home.

Abbie and Jack

Clay was determined to dump sand on Aunt Amanda!

She loves pictures! Can you tell?!

Our attempt at a Christmas card picture for Meme.

Wacky Wednesday and the Elegant Party

2010-02-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

Abbie's class has been learning the letter "W" this week so they had Wacky Wednesday for fun. Here she is dressed wacky. Her orange shirt was inside out, different color shoes, crazy pigtails and bows.....all except the rolled up pants which was an idea we got right as she was walking out the door. She had on red and green striped reindeer socks, so we rolled up her pants so they could be seen.

The kindergarten's Elegant Party was today. They have been learning about manners this week, and also learned how to dance. Today they all dressed up and got to show the parents how "elegant" they all were. The girls had their makeup done and all got a ring. The boys all got a tie to wear if they didn't already have one. Here are a few pictures of the kiddos acting very grown up!

Happy Birthday Meme and Omie!

2010-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Meme and Omie's birthday's this past weekend. Friday evening we went to Meme and Pa's house to celebrate her birthday. I didn't get pictures there on my camera, unfortunately, but we did get pics with her new camera. Saturday Keva, Greg, and the girls came to visit and celebrate Omie's birthday. We had them all over for fajitas and dessert. It was a busy, fun-filled weekend with all! This weekend we'll travel to Katy to play at Chuck E Cheese for Kyra's birthday! YAY!!!!!

Here are pics from Saturday....

Message from Cade

2010-02-11T09:49:00.000-08:00

Mommy calls me a little stinker and says I'm part monkey. I really don't know why.....

This is me not wanting to come in from playing outside. I really like playing outside.

Christmas '09

2010-01-04T11:35:00.000-08:00

Where has time gone!? '09 is over and 2010 is here! I think December literally flew by me. I'm not sure what I did with my time, but blogging was definitely not part of it. We had a GREAT Christmas! The kids enjoyed seeing their cousins and getting so many neat gifts. This blog is going to include every Christmas gathering we were able to attend so sorry for all the info all at once!

We began on the 19th at Great Grandma and Grandpa Rod's Christmas. Santa was able to make it...yay!!

Meme and Pa's Christmas was on the 23rd.

Omie and Boss' on the 24th.

Santa came on the 25th!!!!!

Later on Christmas Day we left for Fredericksburg. We took the kids to town that evening for pictures with the Christmas lights. We've done this for the past four years, so it's becoming our own little family tradition. Nolin's Aunt Betsy and Uncle Craig let us stay in their fabulous "Fredericksburg home" and we can't thank them enough for that. It was wonderful! Oma Stehling's Christmas was on the 26th, and we had a great time spending time with her and the rest of the Stehling family.

Holly Jolly Jubilee

2009-12-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

The Kansas City Southern brought their Holiday Express to town Sunday afternoon and we really wanted to get a picture of the kids with Santa. We went about 4:30 right after it started, got out in the rain, walked around the train, and decided to go home for a while. The line to see Santa was at least a 45 minute wait and we weren't about to do that. After feeding the kids we went back.....we figured full bellies would be happier to wait in a line than running on empty. The line at 6:15 still wasn't as short as I expected...we waited about 30 minutes....but it wasn't bad at all. Even though the weather put a damper on the Jubilee, (which looked really fun) it was nice to get out and see Santa for the first time this month. Clay and Cade didn't like Santa so much, but Clay and Abbie liked playing in the puddles and mud.

Nolin and the kids

I'm sure the end of the line could hear these two.
This is where we got on the train and where Santa is taking pictures.

Abbie's Thanksgiving Feast

2009-12-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

(I'm playing catch-up so this one is coming a little late. )

Myatt's kindergarten had their Thanksgiving feast the week of Thanksgiving. Parents were asked to bring specific foods for the feast and we helped to set the tables and fill plates before the students were brought in to eat. It is unbelievable how many people they were able to squeeze in the cafeteria since every kindergarten class was there. The picture of the tables was only half of the cafeteria and I believe the other side has longer tables. There are over 300 kinder students at Myatt and there were lots of parents there helping. The kids were dressed as pilgrims or indians and had a great time.

Abbie's indian name was "Sparkling Wave"

Her baby's name was "Running Water"

This isn't even half of the tables....

The Snowmen

2009-12-08T06:27:00.001-08:00

When it snows in El Campo it's worth posting about twice, right!? I was so pumped Friday about the snow, I got a post in before we were able to make it outside and build a snowman. After the kids took a nap, we took them out and built THREE snowmen. We took a walk down to Omie and Boss' house and built our first one there. The second two were built at our house right before a much needed hot chocolate break.

Abbie couldn't take the cold anymore.

Our two snowmen

Clay thought it was funny to throw snowballs at the snowman.

Cade just having fun outside.

Clay started making snow angels first. We're not sure how he knew to do this, but I think Caillou (one of his favorite cartoons) had something to do with it!

Abbie's first of many snow angels.

The first snowman we built at Omie and Boss' house.

It's Snowing!

2009-12-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures of the snow this morning. We couldn't stay out long..... maybe we'll get back out this afternoon. It got a little too cold for the kids. (I really couldn't take it any longer either!) The snow started at 7:00 this morning and hasn't stopped yet.

Kids and Bows!

2009-11-17T08:18:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry to say that I don't have any updated pictures of the kids. I'll get to that soon! There hasn't been much to post about lately which can be a good thing! Abbie is still enjoying, VERY MUCH, her first year of school. She absolutely loves it and is doing very well. She's knows most of her kindergarten sight words and can read short stories she gets from school. She has learned so much already and Christmas is still a month away. Clay is talking more and more each day. I guess I should say we're understanding him more and more each day. He has always talked a lot, he just started out in his own little language. Some think he knew Chinese. :)) Cade is not only walking and running, he has recently figured out how to get on the couch and the kitchen chairs on his own. The day I found him running and playing on the couch, I spent about 45 minutes teaching him that he can't do that. He would sit down when he knew I was watching him, but the moment I walked out of the room, he stood up and ran back and forth again. What a little stinker! We're still battling with him on the kitchen chairs. We'll find him standing on a chair and there's no telling how long he's been up there!

On a side note, I wanted to add a link to my bow blog. One day in the future I hope to have a website up and running, but for now this is about all I can handle. For anyone interested in hair bows, headbands, crocheted baby hats, or bow boards (which would make a great Christmas gift, by the way!), send me an email and I'll get back with you on your order.
www.jeaninesbows.blogspot.com

Halloween '09

2009-11-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

We had family over for Halloween this year since it came on a Saturday. We started about 4:30 in the afternoon with the kids playing, and carving or painting pumpkins. I set up what was going to be a haunted house (the tent), only to find out that was WAY too much work. I put in a few decorations, and called it good! After dinner, we touched up on the costumes and took off down our street for some candy!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately we missed the big pumpkin patch in El Campo last weekend, so we took the kids after school yesterday to the Red Barn Nursery in Wharton. They had fun deciding what size pumpkin to choose and loved looking at all the pretty fall decorations. You will notice in Clay's hand that he had a small white pumpkin. He carried it around and wouldn't give it up. Nolin and I both tried showing him pumpkins slightly bigger (still a great size for him) with a little color to them, and he replied each time, "No...too big." That was the pumpkin he took home and it sat beside his plate during dinner. :) Enjoy the pics!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Galveston Vacation

2009-09-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

We went on a vacation with the rest of the Dorotik family to Galveston over the weekend, and had a wonderful time! When we got there Thursday, it was a little drizzly so we stayed at the hotel and put the kids down for naps. The weather was still cloudy on Friday, so we went to Moody Gardens and saw an Imax movie in 3D. Afterward, we went on a boat ride before going back to the hotel for much needed rest. The sun finally came out Saturday while we were at Schlitterbahn. I was totally impressed with Abbie wanting to go down the big slides! Uncle Chad was the first to take her, and after that she was hooked! (Normally she's a big scaredy cat with this stuff!) There were only a handful of "rides" to do at this time of year. Most of the park is shut down, but a small part of the park is enclosed and heated for the cooler months. Besides the slides, there was a lazy river, and a couple of kiddie pools to play at. With the small kids we had, this was really enough! They had fun! Sunday morning we went to the beach which we hadn't done all weekend due to the lack of pretty weather. We played there for a couple of hours before we had to pack up for home.

From Galveston Vacation

Cade's First Birthday

2009-09-21T18:28:00.001-07:00

Today is Cade's first birthday! We celebrated with family on Saturday and had a great time with everyone. The kids played inside, outside on the swing set, on Cade's new sandbox, and in the driveway. They were all over! After dinner, we sang "Happy Birthday" and he did not blow out his candle. Brother Clay did that for him. (Maybe that's why Clay thinks its his birthday.....) Anyway, then Cade dug in! It took him a while to really get a good taste and he seemed to like it. After a few short minutes and fewer bites, he was ready to go play again!

From Cade's First Birthday

Splish, Splash.....We're Definitely Takin' a Bath!

2009-09-13T08:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday evening Abbie and Clay had fun in the water. Of course their directions were that "only the boots can get wet." After Clays first "accidental" fall, the puddles became swimming holes, and that's when the fun really began! Cade wasn't allowed in the water (he wanted in REALLY bad too) so he stayed in his stroller and snacked while the other two swam. Since he's a walkin' now, he doesn't stay in one place for too long. He was out of the stoller in no time and making his way.......well, just about EVERYWHERE!

A Visit with the Chandlers

2009-09-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday afternoon Keva, Greg, and the girls came for a visit. The kids had a blast playing at Omie and Boss' house. We spent the afternoon playing outside with chalk, watching Abbie and Molly show us cheers, and swinging the kids. After dinner, we were able to Skype with Drew, Jenni, and Savannah since we all miss them so much! Enjoy the pics!

Kindergarten

2009-08-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Abbie's first day of Kindergarten went well. She's not as informative as I thought she would be. She gives me three things she likes about her day and three things she didn't like (thanks Aunt Summer!), and if I try for a fourth she reminds me she already gave three. According to Abbie, the second day was the same as the first except she liked acting like a dead bug in P.E. (By the way, most of her likes are about P.E.) I do know that she likes going down the slide at recess, and that she really likes P.E. class. We do get coloring or work papers that she brings home, but other than that I'm clueless to the rest of the day. I can tell that she is exhausted when I pick her up in the afternoon which may be the reason she's not so talkative. Last night she was in bed and asleep by 7:30...pretty early for her!

Abbie's First Day Pictures

2009-08-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't wait for her to get home to send these. I'll update you on the rest of the day later when she gets home. She was up at 6:30 feeling nervous and excited. I think I was just as nervous and excited as she was! We managed to get in a few pictures before we left!

Abbie-ism

2009-08-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight when I finally went in to tell Abbie goodnight and tuck her in, we got into a conversation about clouds. Now...when I say conversation, I really mean Abbie does most of the talking. That's how she operates. She was telling me how the dark clouds mean it's going to rain, and when the clouds are white...it won't. I simply said, "yes, you're right!", then she went on saying, "I know how the water gets in the clouds." Before I could ask her how she said, "it evaporates"...(very proud of herself). I asked her what the water evaporates from and she told me it comes from rivers and lakes. Then she began squeezing her hands like she had wet sponges and said, "they're like sponges when they can't hold any more water." Now at this point I thought she just had this conversation already with a grandparent, aunt, or uncle, (her memory is so good it's scary) so I asked how she knew all this. Her reply.....Caillou!! (channel 8 PBS 11:30) I really shouldn't be all that surprised since this came from the same little girl that (out of the blue) began counting to 5 in Spanish when she was barely two! And I bet you can guess who taught her that! Dora!! Now who said too much TV was bad!?

Boys are Brave!

2009-08-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

Abbie NEVER tried anything like this! Boys just have something in them that tells them to climb on or in anything they think they can. This is the second time today Cade (my 11 month old who can't even walk yet) climbed on this step stool. The first time I snatched him off quick before he fell. This time...well, lets just say I needed to post something new! The pictures are pretty bad because I was trying to lean away to take the pictures while I was reaching for him to keep him from falling. It seems like we just went through this stage with Clay. Oh wait! We did!!

Clay snuck in the picture at the last minute!

Now he's trying his balancing act!

Getting down? Sike!!!

New Blog

2009-08-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

I've decided to begin a new blog to post new hair bows or head bands. If you would like to keep an eye on what I've made, go to jeaninesbows.blogspot.com, or click on Jeanine's Bows under my Blog List down the left side of the screen. I just made a ladybug bow for my niece, Savannah. It turned out pretty darn cute!

Whew!

2009-08-06T14:32:00.001-07:00

I told y'all I really enjoyed this! I'm sure I'm posting this before most have seen my previous posting, so some of you may need to read about my new hobby before understanding this one. Anyway, I said that I'd have more bows made in the next couple of days, but...ta da!! Here they are!

By the way, I've had a request for baby headbands and they are ordered and on the way! I will be adding bows to them as well.

red/lime with strawberry 3 1/2 inches (sorry for the blur...)

From Bows

Camo...just in time for hunting season! 4 inches

From Bows

pink/white polka dot 4 inches

From Bows

red/lime/white with strawberry layered bow 5 inches (similar to the earlier one)

From Bows

And this is what the kids do in the meantime! They've only just begun.....

From Bows

My New Hobby

2009-08-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have always loved when Abbie gets new bows for her birthday, Christmas, etc. I've actually gotten most of the ones she has now, but a few have come as gifts, and what a great gift they are! A little while ago I decided to try making them just to see if I have a knack for bow making and really enjoy it! I will begin posting what I've got on my blog, and for any of you with daughters, grand-daughters, nieces, or just a special little girl in your life, please call or email if your interested in anything I've posted. I can also custom make any color, type, or size you would like. I have a few pictures to begin with, and in a day or two I'll have more. If you like any, please call me at 979-578-8751 or send an email to jeanine_faye@yahoo.com. You can also leave a comment on the blog with contact information and I can contact you.

Baseball bows

From Bows

pink/brown bows

From Bows

Turqoise/white polka dot bows

From Bows

Basketball bows

From Bows

Football bows

From Bows

Red/lime/white with strawberry (Abbie's wearing this one today!)

From Bows

Red/white polka dot layered basic bows

From Bows

Abbie's 5th Birthday

2009-07-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Abbie's 5th birthday Saturday at the Aquatic Center in El Campo. Yes...I said her 5th! It just doesn't seem right, but she will be in kindergarten this year! The kids had a wonderful time swimming in the kiddie pool, going down the slide, riding in the whirlpool, and walking across the floats. Pat Rawlinson made the most beautiful Cinderella cake for her, as you will see in the pictures. Abbie just loved it! Everyone enjoyed pizza and cake for lunch before returning to the pool for more swimming. She got some of the cutest gifts from her family and friends, and loved them all!

Happy Birthday, Abbie Jean!!!

From Abbie's 5th Birthday

Combines, Tractors, and Trucks!

2009-07-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

If you could ask Clay what his favorite things are he'd say tractors and trucks. I'm sure after this summer though, that combines will be in his vocabulary, too. Every time we're on the road...and I mean EVERY time, he doesn't let a tractor or truck go by without saying in his most excited voice, "Abbie!....Tractor!", or "Abbie!....Truck!" If Abbie's not there, then it's "Mama....Tractor!" So, we took the kids to the field Friday evening while the guys were still cutting maize. Abbie and Clay went two rounds on the tractor with Uncle Craig, and Abbie even got to drive for a little while!

Vacation Bible School

2009-07-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

Abbie went to Vacation Bible School last week with her cousins, Kyra, Molly, and Kay. She had a terrific time learning songs and making crafts. The best part of the week is the last day which is the "fun day". They had moonwalks, pony rides, a small ferris wheel, and snow cones. I took the boys the last day, and Clay had a great time, too! Next year he'll be old enough to attend VBS the whole week with the girls! How time flies!!

Baby Biscuits...Oh, My!

2009-07-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Cade really enjoyed making a mess with his biter biscuit the other day. I don't think he actually EATS any of it, but he does like to chew on them. I think we'll undress before having these next time! I have been giving him baby puffs, too, which he likes to put in his mouth, chew on them, then spit them out before having another. So far, he does not like anything chunky going down. We've been taking it slow, but the smallest chunk of anything makes him gag. I should try to snap a picture of him trying to eat chunky food, but in the meantime, here are a few of his mess. Enjoy! Happy 4th of July to everyone!

From Cade

Keeping cool!!

2009-06-25T11:46:00.000-07:00

I really hope our thermometer is broken, because it's saying the temp is getting up to 107 degrees nearly every day this week! IF we go outside, and that's a big IF, then the kids are in the pools. Yesterday I sat and sprayed the kids with the water hose to keep them cool while they were swimming. I mainly did it for Cade since he doesn't go under the water, but Abbie and Clay really liked it too.

From Summer '09

Yes! That's Cade standing! He thinks he's a big boy now!!

From Summer '09

A Quick Visit

2009-06-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

Okay... so I'm a little behind on things! This beautiful little fawn came for a visit about three weeks ago. She wondered up to the mailbox, then decided to come a little closer to the house. We periodically see deer near our house in the empty lots across the road. I'm sure she just wondered a little too far from where she was supposed to be. She stayed for a while and wobbled off when I made too much noise in the garage.

From Fawn

Building of the Chandler patio

2009-06-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

We went to Keva and Gregs yesterday to help with building their patio. You will see from the pictures that the kids and I really didn't have much to do with it. The moms kept the kids busy at the Cinco Ranch pools while the men worked outside in 100 degree weather. It was a tiring day for everyone, though, and we can't wait to visit again! (after the patio is completed!)

Dance Recital 2009

2009-05-31T13:38:00.000-07:00

Abbie had her first dance recital last night! The recital theme was, The Wonderful World of Disney. She was in two dances, a tap and a ballet. The tap was to Cruella Deville in 101 Dalmations, and the ballet was to Little Wonders in Meet the Robinsons. She did terrific!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the river with Mema, Pa, and the rest of the Dorotiks. The kids had a blast playing in the river, and afterwards we went back to the house for hot dogs and smores.

Trip to Kerrville

2009-05-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

We went to Kerrville last weekend and had so much fun visiting with everyone. We made special visits to Mr. Bill and Mrs. Wincey's house (our old neighbors), and Omas house. We also couldn't leave without a trip to the park to feed the ducks.

Clay's 2nd Birthday!!

2009-05-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

We invited family over Saturday to celebrate Clay's second birthday. He had a John Deere theme party, and I went all out! The kids had fun in the water outside, and Clay had a blast getting pushed down the slip-n-slide. Boss got a work out doing that! We ended the party with everyone getting a turn at the pinata!

Playdate at Savannah's

2009-05-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

Jenni and Savannah are in from Michigan, so this morning we went to visit. The kids had a wonderful time and Clay made sure to tell Savannah "hi" and "bye" with a hug! Fifteen minutes after we left, Abbie was really missing her Savannah! Two more days is too long to wait!

Dancing Abbie

2009-05-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Abbie took her dancing pictures on Wednesday, and then we came home to take some of our own. Her very first recital is May 30 and we're getting very excited!

Monday Update

2009-04-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

So...today I realized I've got some cute pictures of the kids I needed to share. I'm always taking random pictues of them that just stay on the camera. I know...how dare I! Well, I've decided to share what I've got, plus some I've taken today (of course)! Cade is growing up so fast! He is sitting up on his own and really trying to crawl. He's got the army crawl down, but getting around on his hands and knees is still not happening. Clay and Abbie are beginning to really enjoy playing with him because he can get to where they are.

Another thing I've just got to share with everyone....we have recently become fans of Skype. It has come in handy since Drew and Jenni moved to Michigan. We "video call" Jenni and Savannah and can see and talk to them on the computer. I'm not sure why we didn't do this when we lived in Kerrville, but glad we've got it today. What a great way to keep in touch with loved ones!

From Collages

Easter Sunday

2009-04-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter Sunday at Great Grandma and Grandpa Rod's house. The kids had so much fun with the bunnies, riding the donkey, hunting eggs, and flying kites. We were exhausted at the end of the day, but it was completely worth it! It always is!!

Easter with the Dorotiks

2009-04-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

Oh, my! What fun we've had this year! Abbie is a pro at egg hunting, but Clay........not so much. He leaves his basket and thinks it's fun to run around the yard with the kids. (Or not...you'll see!) The kids got lots of new clothes and goodies, too. Thanks, Meme and Pa!

Easter with the Stehlings

2009-04-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Easter with the Stehling's this past weekend. We really missed having Drew, Jenni, and Savannah there, but we're excited about seeing them in May. The kids got a lot of egg hunting practice in over the weekend at different places.

Up to Date...

2009-04-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Let me update everyone on our family of five.

Nolin and I got married in the summer of '02. We bought a house in Kerrville, in March, prior to the wedding because he got a job there. I got a job teaching second grade that summer, also, and loved it! Abbie came along in the summer of '04. I kept teaching and Clay was born May 16, 2007. Nolin's job moved us in February '08 back to our hometown of El Campo where we live today. Cade was born September 21, 2008 which, yes, means I have two 16 months apart. Not near as bad as it sounds! I now stay home with my three children and wouldn't have it any other way. Abbie will be in kindergarten this fall and we're all ready for that. Clay is beginning to talk, and Cade is trying to crawl. They grow so fast! I only hope the next time I update you it's not when Clay is going to school! :)