Thanksgiving in Austin

We got to spend Thanksgiving in Austin this year!  We were there the Thanksgiving after Kate was born (2009) and haven't been back since.  You know.  Been having babies and all.  So, I was excited to get to go this year!

We started the day off with our tradition of doing the Turkey Trot.  

 It was in a new location that wasn't so well planned, so parking was NUTS.  But, we finally got a spot and headed off!

 Crossing Town Lake (or whatever it's called these days - lady bird?)

 We stopped for a family picture before we split off.   David & I ran the 5 mile race while my parents and the rest of the fam did the 1 mile walk.  Big thanks for taking the kids!!

Sidenote: running 5 miles after not running since I last ran (the White Rock Relay last year) was maybe not the best idea.


We had dinner at my parents with all of my family, my brothers family, my parents, my aunt & uncle & all my cousins, and grandmother!  It was so great to see my cousins.  Hadn't spent time with them since we've all had kids!  Not that we got to have any kind of adult conversation, but oh well.

 These 2 are quite a pair!  They just love on each other and have so much fun!

Thanksgiving Feast

The big girls had a Thanksgiving feast at their school, and one of my sweet friends let Natalie come nap at her house so we could enjoy a lunch with them!  

They sat the parents down, then had the kids come in all wearing cute little hats...

 ...and ready to show us their placemats.

 Just as a side note: a friend of mine who has grown kids told me she has saved all these placemats from throughout the years and uses them to set her table currently at Thanksgiving.  She said her kids love looking back over them!  Such a fun idea!  Hard to imagine these little girls as adults looking at these placemats someday!

 Delivering a "Thankful" gift to their teachers

We love the girls' "school".  They are so very happy to go, and I am so very happy to have a few hours to breathe a couple days a week!

So, so, so proud!

David was recently interviewed for an article in the paper.  We (mostly me!) were so excited to see it come out, but also for them to feature one of his houses on the front page of the business section!  

There were 3 local builders interviewed about their opinions of how the building business is growing/not growing, etc.  So proud of David and the hard work he's done to create a reputation & a business that is worth being interviewed!  

My Birthday Weekend

We started off my birthday, with my parents & I taking the kids to Canton.  Well, we won't do that again!  It was just way too crowded and hard with that many kids. Oh well, live and learn!

That night, David planned a night out for us - dinner, a movie, and staying away for the night!  It was so refreshing to be out without kids & to get to sleep in the next morning!  Such a great gift from both him & my parents for keeping the kids!

On Saturday, my brother and his family joined the party at our house.  They were coming for Natalie's dedication the next day, but we celebrated that night with them by heading out to Pasados!

and cupcakes back at our house!

So weird to be 31.  You know, turning 30 seemed about right - I was pregnant with my 3rd kid.  Seemed like I should be 30.  Turning 31 means I'm "in my 30s".  Just weird.  I'm counting on it being my prime.  ;-)

Happy 5 Months, Natalie

 This month Natalie:

--sits independently, but still leans forward on her hands a lot.

--found her feet

--growls lots

--clothes sz 3-6, size 2 diapers

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

The girls had a field trip to a Pumpkin Patch!  I had a friend watch Natalie so I could enjoy the day with them, and we had such a good time!  

Kate waving from the bus

 When we go there, they had story time.  Funny small town story - my sister-in-law Angela had just gotten engaged shortly before this, and that is her future Mother-in-Law!  I didn't even know that it was their family's house that the pumpkin patch was at!

There were lots of fun activities.  It was really great being there with the girls' teachers there too, so I could do things with each of them - first up - hayrides!

Hannah wasn't so sure

A haymaze

Some photo-ops

Again...Hannah less than thrilled.  Seemed like a theme that day :-) 

Kate's class - The chipmunks!

And some livestock

Hannah walked up to the cows saying, "Oh! Hi, Toby!" Which is my parents chocolate lab!  Too cute!

After all that fun, they were ready for lunch!  Hannah looked so big sitting at the table eating her lunch like this!

Such a fun day with my big girls!