All I want for Christmas is.......

A treasure box full of cool finds!

A girly dress! 

A baby with eyes I can open and shut! 

A "Rody" for my own personal rodeo!

A domestic "Heidi Homemaker" item...all asked for and wanted! 

A new swimsuit I wasn't even sure I needed!

A textbook on statistical reasoning!

A crazy Christmas shirt!

Luau Birthday Party

Happy 5th Birthday Avery and Happy 36th Birthday Shane!!! 

You can't tell by the picture, but Avery is very excited to greet his guests with a candy lei and a hula skirt!

Avery wanted both a cupcake and a piece of cake.  The chocolate cake ended up all over his face, as is evident by the picture, and he is enjoying the last piece of his cupcake...a hibiscus leaf.   I guess on your 5th birthday, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Cake time.

When you live in San Antonio, Texas and order a medium pinata, an extra large pinata is what you are going to get!  Now that's bang for your buck.

Both birthday boys took their turns at the pinata.

The best part of a pinata is what lies inside!

Binging

Hooray! Shane has completed yet another test in his 25 years of schooling, and his studying days have come to a halt for the time being. He has one more major test and then he is done with testing for a while....maybe...I guess there is always fellowship (sigh).  Anyway, we live our lives like college students and when the studying and testing is done it's time to binge. Luckily, "what" we are binging, has changed since undergrad/graduate days. These days it's relaxing, having fun with the kiddos and other adults. At some point I know life will seem less manic, but for now I will enjoy our next week of overindulging the family unit. Because come September 19th Shane is leaving for Washington D.C. for a month long rotation, and the kiddos and I will patiently wait for our next chance to gorge on family fun.

We love vacation...but for different reasons.

Vacation means different things to different people.  It's amazing how a group of people going to the same place and doing the same things all remember and relish different parts of the same experience.  For Shane, vacation meant a break from reality, a full dose of what life could be like after this thing called "residency" is over.  And when it was over, it was the laughing, the living, and the eating he most remembered.  For myself, vacation meant a break from the repetitious zoo-like routine that has become my life.  What I will most remember is the change of scenery (Colorado is truly breath taking), the adult conversations, and the chance to engage in adult activities daily.  Avery, my nature lover, enjoyed every moment, every site, every experience as only a sensing learner can.  It's not surprising that his memories involve the description of sites, sounds, and smells.  Amelia is a sensitive soul, with an intuitive gift that seems truly amazing for a child of only 3 years of age.  She grasps how people feel and shows a great understanding of social situations and understands how to appropriately apply social skills.  Therefore, she LOVED every social gathering,  loved hanging out with aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, those her age and those older; she loved the attention and gladly rewarded all with a beaming smile.

  

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

My birthday, August 6, fell on a very special day for two very special people.  On this day, and the reason for our recent vacation, Ashley and Taylor (Shane's brother) were married.  Naturally, I assumed my birthday would slip by with little notice, as it was not my day, however the opposite was true.  I had one of the best birthdays I can remember!  To be exact I blew out candles 4 different times, 3 on my actual birthday.

Celebration #1 - At home

My kiddos used teamwork to take this picture, not bad.

Celebration #2 - Painting our toes at the brides condo for the big day...what a wonderful surprise!

Celebration #3 - Blowing out candles at the Dieckman condo....carrot cake...yummy!

Celebration #4 - Blowing out candles at the reception....a sweet and tearful surprise.

Thanks to all for making my birthday so special!!!!