The Reed Family

Having fun....

2012-01-23T05:47:00.000-08:00

We are on the go this month and enjoying every second! One of our favorite babysitters was in town for the end of the holiday so we went to eat with her and sweet family. G LOVES Kendall (I do, too!) She is so sweet with him!

We made our first trip (and not our last!) to Menchie's. Love me some sweet kisses!
We played hide and go seek - look who I found in the tree!

Someone got a haircut and stayed VERY still. I was pretty impressed since he never stays still for long!

We also made a trip out to Humble to celebrate Graham's 2nd birthday! Here is the sweet birthday boy - is he cute or what??

Hot dogs with AJ!

My sweet friends. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...I am so BLESSED to be close with my friends from high school. I love laughing with them, having our kids play together, and catching up like we've never been apart. I love you Lori, Amanda, and Ivonne!

What's up, 2012!

2012-01-09T06:04:00.000-08:00

We are having fun so far in 2012! Santa brought Keaton a trampoline so we went to jump on it this weekend. I even jumped for a bit with the boys - I had a blast! They were cracking up!

We also started another year of Dinner Club - this weekend was at the Odell's where we ate some yummy spaghetti and watched the Texans win! The Sauceda sisters were all about taking a picture; the boys...not so much.

We also spent our last day of the break with the Onhaizers at the zoo! The train ride was a hit!

Best buds - Braxton and Griffin

Our attempts for a monkey picture.....

HAPPY 2012!

2011 Christmas Card

2012-01-01T12:12:00.001-08:00

My sweet friend, Rebecca Read, did our Christmas cards this year. Love them!

BACK

FRONT

The End of 2011

2012-01-01T11:51:00.001-08:00

The Reed family enjoyed 2011 - especially with this busy little guy!

Blessed.

Hans and I were able to have a nice dinner out this NYE. We had a great time and ate a great deal of food :)

We came home and lit up the fire pit that Hans made while we watched some fireworks from the backyard.

But first, my mom and I went to the Aggie bowl game. We had so much fun, and I am glad we were able to spend this time together. I love watching Mom get just as excited as I do about the best school EVER.

I love this picture.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is seeing all my dear friends from way back when! This past Friday, I was able to head to Humble and spend time with a wonderful group of girls. Here is a picture of Rani, me, and Heather. Beautiful girls!

And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't function without Ivonne and Lori. They make me LAUGH - such amazing friends.

Since the Egans were in town from Indiana, we had them and the Armstrongs over for pizza and fun with the kids. I love telling old stories and still cracking up with these folks. BFF - for sure.

2011 has brought many new memories, and we look forward to the blessings 2012 has in store!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Museum Trip!

2011-12-29T12:31:00.000-08:00

Since we are on a dinosaur kick (see his new dinos eating breakfast with him), we took a trip to the museum! It was a fun morning for Griffin and our neighbors who came with us. I did spend quite a bit of time repeating these phrases: "pay attention," "don't touch that," and "be careful." Such is the life of a VERY BUSY little boy.

Most of my pictures are of the back of his head. Kid DOES NOT stop moving. EVER.

How about these tired faces?? Think they wore themselves right out.

The Butterfly Exhibit was my favorite. You walked in and were surrounded by butterflies. Of course, we had to try and catch some.

My busy boy and his butterfly guide to help identify the different ones.

A little play area inside the butterfly experience.

Animals!

The flying dinosaur - I just asked G what this one is called. I can't even repeat or spell what he said. I know that he is right though. Smart little dude.

Reading up on his dinosaur knowledge :)

Whoa. T-Rex.

Happy Holidays from Gabby and Michael!

Happy Holidays from Dino G!

Christmas 2011 (Part II)

2011-12-26T14:29:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pictures of our fun holiday at Mom's. I think we ate for most of our time there :) Here we are enjoying Mom's gumbo and other goodies!

Griffin and Kiki also made Jesus a birthday cake!

And here is our Christmas morning....trying out his new tent...

....crusing in his new ride....

...opening his presents in the bed of his truck....

....checking out his new books....

....getting the goodies out of his stocking....

....opening some cars....

MIGUEL CAMINO (the last race car from Cars 2)

His loot - thanks, Santa!

....and eating some more....

We had an amazing Christmas! I am so lucky for the awesome family I have. The boys had a blast, and I loved being with everyone. Merry Christmas from the Reeds!

Christmas 2011 (Part I)

2011-12-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011 was probably my most favorite holiday so far. Griffin really understood what it was all about, and he had so much fun with his cousins. Of course, my mom worked so hard to make it memorable for all of us.

Here are the best pictures we could get of the four grandsons.

My favorite people.

And the unwrapping begins...

Mom was SO excited about her new purse. So fancy!

And even MORE excited that we are going to watch the Aggies play on New Years Eve!

Griffin loves his new shirt - all his favorite Cars characters!

New hats from Mi-Maw!

Gage was so excited about his new camera!

It was a dinosaur Christmas for Griffin! My brother bought him a ton. We now have a dinosaur village upstairs in the playroom. He is becoming quite the dinosaur expert (thanks, Dino Dan!).

More to come...Christmas Eve was just the beginning!

Pajama Playdate 2011

2011-12-21T11:47:00.001-08:00

Griffin and I had our friends over to celebrate Christmas! Look - even Santa came! I'd post the video, but I feel pretty bad about how traumatized G was! He kept asking for his Daddy...little did he know Daddy was closer than he thought :)

The goodies - Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, sausage balls, mini kolaches, and mini quiches. We also had a little coffee station for the mommies :)
Preztel Santa hats for the kids to take home!

Watching Smurfs!

Coloring Santa and reindeer pictures!

Prepping for Santa's visit!

Much needed coffee!

His new PJs - thanks, Mi-Maw!

We had a great time with our friends! Thanks for coming and making it so fun each year. Note to mommy: we are still not ready for Santa.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sweet Gracie...

2011-12-21T11:35:00.000-08:00

My very best friend recently asked if I would be her sweet baby girl's godmother. After some tears, I of course said yes. We had her baptism this week, and I am more than honored that this sweet girl is in my life. Here are the godparents and Gracie! The godfather is another dear friend, Joe P. Love how close all my high school friends still are (see Christmas sweater post) :) We are a lucky bunch!

Jenn and Scott's sweet family and the godparents :)

She is SO sweet and precious!

Thank you, Jenny, for making me a part of Gracie's life. And thank you for always being such a huge part of mine. Who knew that two 6th graders would now be BFFs so many years later?? Love you and sweet Gracie girl!

Christmas Sweaters!

2011-12-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

We had our annual sweater parties this past weekend. I always have so much fun because I get to see my dearest friends. No doubt there will always be laughs and fun when we are all together! We went to Lori and Scott's and had a blast! Love my Lori Kay!

And my Ivie....
Armstrong Christmas Sweater party - always a good time! Nice 'stache, Dwayne!

Looking good in our pretty sweater and vest!

Tuddy the elf's gigantic shoes and Dwayne's Wal-Mart Uggs!

Such a fun group!

Thanks for the fun parties, guys! Had a BLAST!

December Birthdays!

2011-12-11T13:09:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Hans's birthday with our great friends and family this weekend. Hans cooked on his new smoker (YUM), and we took the kids on a spin through local neighborhoods to look at all the lights. They had a BLAST!

Here Griffin took the camera and snapped a picture of Kristin and Reed! :)

Braxton had a great time too!

Chad got hugs from all the boys!

Look at all the lights!

Best buds.

Thanks to Uncle Tanner who let us borrow his trailer for a fun ride!

Happy birthday, Hansie!

Griffin wanted Daddy to have a Mater cake - so here it is :)

We also celebrated Baby Ryan's 2nd birthday (I'm not sure I can stop calling him that!). Kristin needs to be a party planner. She had games for the kids to play - including "Pin the Bowtie on Mickey Mouse."

Kiki and Griffin had fun decorating their bowties!

Happy birthday, Hans and Ryan!

Boots!

2011-12-04T08:47:00.001-08:00

These beauties deserve their own post. I'm so in love! I've been wanting some boots and asked for them for Christmas! Well, on our annual girls' trip to Fredericksburg, I found these! So happy - that was easy shopping for Hans! :)

The Perfect Tree

2011-11-27T17:33:00.000-08:00

Here is the end result of our fun day at the Christmas tree farm! There are a few things I want to add, but I am so happy overall! Merry Christmas from the Reeds!

The biggest hit at the farm was the train - not the tree! We rode it twice and may have thrown a fit when we couldn't go for a third spin.
We found the perfect one!

Farmer Hans cutting it down! I am so glad he is rugged and outdoorsy - complete opposite of me! :)

And the train ride..... ....and the other train ride!

Our home is complete for the holidays! Three weeks until we are off again!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T14:00:00.001-08:00

We had a great time in Stephenville with the Reed clan. Granny took us to Dino World to see some dinosaurs and do a fossil dig!

Cousin Gavin made Griffin a huge fan of dinosaurs and the show Dino Dan. Thanks, Gav!

Riding the mule with Mommy!

Fun!

Still digging!

Turkey coma!Grubbin' with Gavin!

And look! I love dogs now! Griffin played with Paisley, River, and Yeller the whole time we were there and LOVED it. Maybe our fear has been conquered!

Kiki also came over during our week off, and we made turkeys!

And Griffin shared his new Cars stickers!

We hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving! We are giving thanks for all the joy in our life!

Taking it easy...

2011-11-20T18:58:00.001-08:00

We have had a nice family weekend - not doing much of anything. Here is a Pinterest project I finally was able to complete - art wall for G's masterpieces :) I hope to remember to change up his artwork every now and then!

We fed the ducks/fish and went for a long walk....
Listening to his tunes...

I also hung up some canvases my sister did for me. Look at that sweet boy!

We also called Santa to let him know we are getting ready for Xmas!

Looking forward to a week off from the rush!

Kiki is 4!

2011-11-14T05:58:00.000-08:00

G's sweet cousin, Kiki, turned 4! We celebrated with a jumping party, a trip to Chuy's, and a sleepover (bless my sweet sister!). The boys HAD A BLAST!

So happy AJ came to play!

Kiki's collection of monster trucks - he's going for the whole set of 80!

Possibly my favorite picture of all time - my sweet mom and her grandbaby :)

And the two SWEETEST boys! They LOVE each other. Kiki told my sister all week that all he wanted for his birthday was for Griffin to spend the night.

Grubbin' at Kiki's casa!

G ordering Kiki to drink the "coffee" he made him :)

A little pink milk and a movie!

My sister braved a trip to Target with these two little boys - by herself. Bless. Her.

Some of the great conversations that happened over the weekend:

Keaton: "Griffin, I've been waiting all day for you...give me a hug."

_____

Keaton: "Mom, I have a brother. You want to know his name? It's Griffin."

_____

After getting in a little tiff:

Keaton: "Hey Griffin, I didn't mean that earlier. I'm sorry."

Griffin: "That's okay, Kiki."

_____

Keaton: "Mommy, I picked up for you."

Jill: "Thank you, baby, I love you."

Griffin: "I love you too, Aunt Jill."

_____

Love these boys! Thanks to my sister for taking G for the night. To sweet Kiki - I'm so glad G has you! Happy birthday, buddy!

To Infinity and Beyond! (times 2!)

2011-11-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

We went to Griffin's Fall Festival this weekend and got to wear our costume again! And look....G's good buddy, Keller, was Buzz too!

A little conversation between the Buzzes and Scooby (Braxton)!

Good times with good buddies!

Dewberry Farms 2011

2011-11-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at Dewberry Farms! I love this place - so much to do with the kids. We went with Aunt Hilary, Uncle Matt, cousins Gavin and Gunner as well as Chad and BFF Braxton! Afterwards, we decided to try out the new Gringo's in our area - YUM!

I cracked up at them on this giant slide. They were going SO SLOW! They went up and down about 5 times!

And this "train" was a hit too! Here are Gunner and Griffin going for a ride!

Cousins!

Rope swing in the hay!

Jumping!

Another popular attraction - the pony ride!

Chad and Braxton!

They played so well together and had a blast!

Playing in the corn!

Such a great day with family and good friends! We plan on returning to the farm to chop down our first real Christmas tree! I love the holidays!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

Our little Buzz Lightyear had a great Halloween! His favorite thing was to hand out the candy!

Trick or Treating is hard work. Buzz needed to refuel!
Trick or Treat!

We also stopped by the local pumpkin patch on Halloween! My sweet li'l pumpkin!

Not sure why he picked the Sooner pumpkin...foreshadowing, perhaps??

A quick hug for Buzz!

Looking for pumpkins!

Happy Halloween to all of you!

Pumpkins and Check-Ups!

2011-10-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

We had our annual Pumpkin Carving Contest this weekend. I entered for the first time in a few years (since I'm usually chasing a busy toddler). And I'm proud to say I came in 3rd :)

An attempt at a family photo....

Oh look...Halley joined in :)

The winners!

All the entries...I loved the Texans, Mickey, and the Angry Bird!

Hans's brother (Tanner) had a baby girl on Friday so I made them King Ranch casserole to take over once they bring sweet Lexi home.

Griffin picked out a football to give her. I had to be close by because he wanted to see if she would catch it.

Uncle Hansie and his new niece! She was born on Tanner's birthday which is also their Dad's birthday. What a special blessing. I know Papa Charlie is celebrating in heaven.

Our little man had his 3 year check up this week. We went to a new pediatrician and LOVED her. She is from near my hometown AND an Aggie - double plus!

He weighed 34.5 lbs (78th percentile) and is 37 inches tall (40th percentile).

This big boy....or Buzz Lightyear...is looking forward to getting some candy on Halloween!

Party Time!

2011-10-22T14:52:00.001-07:00

We had a blast today at Griffin's 3rd birthday party! All his new toys are great - including his new racetrack from Mi-Maw!

And a monster truck from Kiki - score!

Cake!

The Lightning McQueen cake was perfect!

His party was at a local jump place, and they had a blast! They even got to chase around G's Dad!

The rock wall was a big hit for the big boys. Kiki, G, and Keller were amazed!

Go Uncle Tanner!

Jump! Jump!

Hey Kiki!

Chasing Keller - his buddy from school!

Sliding with Daddy!

We had so much fun today! It was a bit chaotic, and I love my friends for coming and being so patient :) We are all lucky to have such wonderful people come celebrate our sweet boy!

Look Who's 3!

2011-10-20T18:13:00.001-07:00

My sweet baby boy is THREE today! We picked him up early from school and took him to Toys R Us to pick out a gift (not sure this was the best idea considering he wanted a dinosaur, a shark, a train, a monster truck, and this car)!

Hans and I brought a cookie cake for G and his friends to share. Sweet Caden loved his cake :)
The birthday boy and his birthday crown!

His friends sang happy birthday to him! He loved it :)

The Toys R Us shopping spree did produce his very first big boy bike!

Lightning McQueen of course!

No worries...we did buy a helmet too, but he is not too brave yet to need it - soon though....

Daddy and G posing with their good buddies...oh wait, G spots another possible birthday gift!

We then hit G's favorite pizza spot for some good food and games!

And what's a birthday without a delicious piece of cake??

We had a great day with our big boy! Looking forward to his fun party this weekend.
Griffin Hardy Reed - you are a daily blessing to us, and we love you to the moon and back!

Boys/Girls Weekends!

2011-10-17T07:11:00.001-07:00

Look who smiled in his school picture?? It's a first, and I LOVE it.

Daddy and Griffin hit the road to Stephenville this weekend for some outdoor fun. Papa John and cousin Gunner killed a hog, so my boys used it as a photo op. I love G making sure it's really dead.
If you know my child and his fear of dogs, this event is MONUMENTAL! He loves River and Yeller. We are making strides in the dog department :)

Here is Griffin and his cousin Gavin sharing some yellow boots :)

A trip to the Ville is not complete without a spin on the John Deere.

Little daredevil...

My sister and I headed to the Woodlands for a quick getaway and had a blast! Here is the view from our hotel. I HIGHLY recommend this area for some fun - great restaurants and amazing shopping all in walking distance!

This picture sums up our weekend - wine and eating! We enjoyed Hubbell and Hudson's for lunch, Jasper's for dinner, and Black Walnut Cafe for brunch. We even threw in a little Footloose before we headed home. I had a blast, and I am so glad my sister and I were able to spend some time together. I am ready to go again!

Random Fall Fun!

2011-10-12T05:58:00.001-07:00

We have been enjoying our fall days - now if it would just cool off, that would be great! Griffin and I painted pumpkins. Griffin really painted himself :)

Still love these little legs....
The artist hard at work...

We then played hide and seek with Daddy. Hans and I crack up because G will hide then yell, "I'm right here, Dad. Come find me!"

I wonder where they are??

My aunt and uncle came in town so we got to spend time with them. Here is Bob hanging out with G and Kiki. Bob is my mom's youngest brother and one of G's namesakes. Griffin HARDY Reed - Mom's maiden name and Bob's last :) I love him and so do the boys. He is so good to my family and my mom.

G had some fun with cousin Gunar!

A fun wrestling match with 3 of the 4 grandsons! Love this so much!

I loved being with my family this past weekend and love all the fun activities ahead for this fall! We are also doing so well with the potty (I hope I didn't just jinx myself). Sweet boy gets up at night and asks to go potty! The other day, around 3 am, he was using the potty and said, "Mommy, are you just so proud of me?" MELT. MY. HEART.

Next up - this sweet pea's 3rd birthday! Lots of fun planned!

Caden!

2011-10-02T18:32:00.000-07:00

We went to our friend Caden's house today to do some Halloween preparation! Here are Griffin and Caden mesmerized by the neighbor's pumpkins.

And they ran and ran and ran.....
And held hands on the way to the park :)

Then Caden's sweet mommy helped us decorate some pumpkins - with Cars stickers, of course.

Caden likes to smile for the camera unlike his stubborn friend!

And a fun jumping game on the way home from the park! Sweet boys...

What a beautiful day - looking forward to more fall fun!

Football, shoes, and an addiction...

2011-09-25T19:48:00.000-07:00

Fall is here, and that means FOOTBALL! We went to watch the Cy Fair Bobcats play the Cy Creek Cougars. We won! Sweet Caden was there too! He is in G's class, and his mommy works with me. They were precious all night - cheering, dancing, and sharing popcorn!

Then G got some new shoes! Hans wanted him to have some Nikes so here he is sporting his new kicks! They are so cute - now with his little ankles socks to match, he looks JUST like his daddy!

I think I need a Pinterest intervention. The following pictures are things I made this weekend. My sister pinned these, and I was soon to follow. I didn't inlcude the broccoli or the parmesan cheese (used cheddar instead). YUM.

Hans bought a smoker a couple weeks ago, and it's awesome! Today, he smoked a chicken. It was so good! To add to our yummy meal, I made these potatoes (thanks to Pinterest). Easy. Delish. Yum.

Pinterest is NOT helping the healthy eating. These cookies might be the best I've ever made. Again, so easy!!

And my OCD. Pinterest is making it worse. I saw this amazing pantry there, and I wanted to try something similar. While I know mine is NOTHING compared to this one, I do love how organized all of our junk is. And, I can finally see the floor! It's pretty exciting, y'all! Thanks to Target and IKEA for the organizational materials :)

So between Pinterest, football, and cooking, we had a great weekend! And those of you out there on Pinterest, stop pinning cute, delicious, and adorable things! I'm out of control :)

HAPPY FALL!

Potty Training 101

2011-09-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

Before I talk about the fun that is potty training, here is a little glimpse into our lazy weekend! We spent some time with the Odells (Hansio's best friend and family) to do this season's picks for Fantasy Survivor. We're serious about this, people...there's a lot on the line - free babysitting, free dinners, etc...! Here is Baby Ryan (his forever nickname from G) trying to hitch a ride home with us. I also love Reed in the window!

Baby Ryan and his buddy watching a little Rio.

So let's talk potty training...OH WHAT FUN (insert sarcasm here and if your child was potty trained in less than 24 hours when they were 12 months old, congrats to you. This, however, has not been our case). G will be oh so pleased that I put this picture on here :)

Potty Training 101:

1. Buy wine and keep it on hand.

2. Stock up on your child's favorite snack (in our case, it's jelly beans).

3. Let your BFFs/sister with toddlers know you will call or text... A LOT.

4. When your child rocks the potty training at school but will not (for the love of GOD) pee pee at your house, repeat steps #1 and #3.

And the best (and serious) rule of all....

WAIT UNTIL YOUR CHILD IS READY. Do not force him, yell at him, or cry (too hard). It is YOUR child, and you will find out what works for him. G is a smart kid, and I know he will do this perfectly when he is ready.

(and as I type this....he is getting into a routine and doing so well.)

As tough as this new adventure has been, I have calmed down a bit and learned a lot from him. Look, he even went to HEB with Daddy in his big boy underwear! Small steps....small, itty bitty steps.

And to quote my lifesaver for the week (Lori Kay): "don't you love it when you cry before 7am?"

Yes, I do, LK, and I am so thankful you listened. Sweet G - we are in this together! Love you, sweet boy. I'm with you all the way.

Heroes and Friends

2011-09-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

We spent most of our weekend in Humble to celebrate AJ's birthday! Just as this weekend is about remembering 9/11, we remembered the sacrifice AJ's dad made for all of us while fighting for our freedom. AJ has some really amazing parents, and we were SO happy to be there to celebrate him and have some fun! An added plus...Kiki came too!

CAKE!

GIG' EM :)

GIG' EM right back at ya!

My amazing friend, Ivonne! A great hostess....

Water fun! (We laughed because these two were connected at the hip. If they separated, they were calling for each other. I love how close they are)

Someone loves his Mi-Maw!

PRESENTS!

And yet another "gig 'em!"
Man, we make smart boys in this family. Gig 'em, Kiki!

This morning while watching the memorials on TV, Griffin caught a glimpse of the American flag and started reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. We made him do it again, of course, to get it on video. Love the "amen" at the end.

Ten years ago this week, a family friend passed away so I was at my parents' the night of 9/11 to head to the funeral with them the next day. I spent that entire night sitting on their couch with my Dad in his blue recliner watching all the news coverage and talking with him about it. It's hard to imagine that in 10 years our world has changed so much as my Dad passed just 6 months later. But, despite the horrible events, I'm glad I was able to talk about it all with the wisest man I know. I miss you, Dad, and know you are taking good care of all of those we lost that day.

Never forget. And to Anthony and family, we love you and thank you for our freedom.

Almost 3!

2011-09-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

We are getting into our everyday routine! School is slowing down a bit, football is starting (gig 'em), and party planning is underway! Can you believe this little dude is going to be 3 in just one month??

Cheese! I'm 3! Or...wait....

I am 2 now....but 3 is around the corner!

There ya go!

Today is the Aggies' season opener! We got ready by throwing the football around and practicing our GIG EMs and WHOOPs!

Back to School....

2011-08-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

This little guy is settling in nicely to his sweet school; however, it's his mommy that's having a hard time. I can already feel a looooong year ahead! But what's most important is....how cute is this kid?? :)

He spent the weekend in Stephenville with his Daddy. They had a blast hanging out with cousin Gunner! Here he is already hitting the open road!
To prepare for back to school, I had LASIK! Why did I wait so long?? It's amazing how well I can see. What's not amazing are these hot goggles I had to wear for a week!

Goodbye to all of my little friends!!!

I'm so sad that this year will be the first that I will not have many familiar faces in the hallways. My last class to teach graduated and are moving on! Sweet Kendall and Chelsea (G's favorite babysitters) are off to A&M (whoop!) and Baylor. Good luck girls! We miss you already!

A little more playtime with G before they go....

Griffin and I made some sweet treats for his teachers for the first day back.

We made brownies with surprise Reese's cups inside! Then Hans reminded me they cannot have peanut butter at his school. Guess who had to eat them?? Dang it.

Best wishes for a great school to all of you! Here we go!

Celebrations and Reunions!

2011-08-06T18:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my sweet nephew Gage! He took some extra classes over the last few months and graduated early from high school. We are so proud of him! I told him I remember the day his dad (my bro) came to pick me up in 10th grade to tell me I was going to have a nephew! And...here we are 18 years later! We love you, Gagey!

My best friend Jennifer and her family came down from South Bend, Indiana so we decided to gather up old friends/teachers and have a reunion! Here is my 7th grade math teacher, Ms. Berlin (Ms. Kerr now!). I always joke with her that she must have been 12 when she taught us :)

Crazy Heather. She cracks me up :)

Our other BFF Amy came too from San Antonio. Love this lady!!!

We then went to the Egans for a get-together to spend time with Gracie and the boys. Someone enjoyed his popsicle.

Jack and Sawyer Egan; Cameron Born (with Carly running around); Alyssa and Hayden Podhorsky; and sweet G. The parents of all these children (with the exception of Hansio) are from Humble. Man, do we have some stories to tell them - one day. Maybe.

Scotty and his baby girl.

At our reunion at Mr. Weir's house (he was our choir teacher from 6th-12th grade), we decided to gather around the piano. We sang this song at our 8th grade pop show (and cried) because we had to leave Mr. Weir (who then surprised us to say he was coming with us to high school!). We then sang it again at the end of our last pop show in 12th grade (and cried again) when we were leaving for college. We were being silly here, but....I think we still have it!

Wrapping it up...

2011-07-27T19:11:00.001-07:00

Well, folks...my summer has come to an end. I'm so blue. I have had A BLAST with this cute face each day, and I am BLESSED to have had some quality time with him. Here we are making some homemade donuts! YUM. (so easy and fun - go google biscuit donuts and you're in business!)

I asked my sister if I could have Kiki for a day, and we had so much fun! Here are some amazing photos by Kiki via the iPhone. Haha!

Then we took the sweet peas to Noah's Ark pool. Never been? GO!!!!! So great for little ones. Here's Kiki, G, Gabby, and Caden.

Kiki sliding!

Ugh. THIS SWEET BOY. Can't get enough. This is our second time to go, and last time, he was NOT going down this slide. Well, this time, I went with him once to show him how fun it was, and he never stopped. FOR TWO HOURS, he went up and down this slide. I'm proud of my little buddy.

Quick shout-out to Gabby too - she is our neighbor and is usually with us on our outings. She is so helpful and sweet plus G has a little crush on her. I joke that I need to pay her for babysitting because she really looks out for Griffin.

Ethan and his sweet mommy and sister joined our lunch crew!

I love Keaton's "thumbs up" in all his pictures :)

Best buddies/cousins.

To my sweet G - your summer fun is not ending because Mommy has to work. There will be more pools, treats, and fun to come! You melt my heart with your sweet kisses and hugs, and I treasure our time together. And to all our friends and family, thanks for playing with us!

Downtown Aquarium!

2011-07-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

Phew! We are all tuckered out after a fun trip to the Downtown Aquarium.

My soggy little man!

We found Dorie too!

After one unsuccessful attempt on the carousel, he DID NOT want to get off. I think we rode it about 6 times :)

The sleepy white tiger!

Loved all the fish swimming around us!

We had a great time! It was hot, but we will go back for sure! Anything to see the smiles on this sweet boy's face! (sorry for the blurry photos - I only had my phone!)

More Summer FUN!

2011-07-22T11:37:00.001-07:00

We are soaking up all we can of our summer. We have gone to the library with Caden (who will now be in my class at school - yahoo!).

We have made cupcake waffles - funfetti of course!

Then we shared them with Harrison.

Then my BFF Braxton came over and tried a waffle too!

Next up - homeade playdoh! Don't worry, Mommy kept an eye on me the whole time!

The final result of my hard work!

One of our favorite summer activities - visiting Daddy at work and eating lunch with him!

Daddy's work has giant fish and ducks to feed!

Oh this is for the ducks??

Just when summer is taking off - it's almost over!! We still have more plans in the works before we go back to school. To be honest, I'm bummed. I love my job but hating leaving him. Everyday he tells me I'm his buddy which makes me happy, sad, and guilty all at once. But, I have treasured every second I have been with him. I love my bubba!

Girls Weekend (and Daddy FUN!)

2011-07-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

Kristin, Jill, Kelly, and I headed out to New Braunfels for a fun Girls Weekend! We spent some time in the river, enjoyed our precious condo, and saw Pat Green in concert. We all were in need of a getaway, and I am so glad I went with these girls. I'm pretty sure much of the time was spent laughing (and dancing...and singing karaoke). Can't wait to make this an annual event!

Kelly and Jill

Me and Kristin

And here's what happened when all the kids and the Daddies got together. DANCE PARTY!!!

Summer visitors!

2011-07-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Aunt Hilary and Uncle Matt came to visit - they brought along cousins Gunner and Gavin. We were excited to see them and visit with Jake too!

YUM - marshmallows!

Mommy made tacos for everyone! We thought it was delicious!
Then, just like last year (see here) we were able to see Mommy's friends Matt and Lindsey Hopkins and Dean Thomas too! Dean walked in holding Mater, so I liked him instantly :)

These boys have grown SO much in one year! It was bittersweet since Lindsey's parents are moving out of our old neighborhood in Atascocita. Not to worry, we will meet again for another fun playdate!

Summer is BUSY as you can see. But, one thing is for sure -it needs to SLOOOOW down!

The Circus!

2011-07-10T17:33:00.001-07:00

We survived the craziness of the circus so why not reward ourselves with some ice cream??

A certain someone was NOT a fan of the loud noises, so we had to move back a few rows to take it all in. After a little bit, he LOVED it all (especially the cotton candy and popcorn) :)

My new hat!

It was a little big.... :)

The motocycles were an instant favorite!

Thanks to my Mi-Maw for taking me to the circus! I'm still talking about it now!

Summer birthdays!

2011-07-10T16:29:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to my buddies Braxton and Drake! First up was B's bday, and it was fun -- Cars bounce house, pizza, popsicles, and a pinata!

Next up - Drake's shindig at the Houston Zoo! Here is my Daddy with an elephant named Hans (How happy does he look that Mommy made him take this pic?? She thought it was HILARIOUS!).G, Chloe Jane, and Hans :)

Mommy, me, and the elephants!

G and AJ!

G and a monkey deep in thought...

Giraffes! (or Melman from Madagascar - as G called them)

We had a great time at both birthday parties! Happy Birthday to my friends!

Michigan 2011

2011-07-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

We had an amazing time in Michigan. Our good friends, Kelly and Zach, were married in Northport on Saturday. What a gorgeous place! We spent time in Northport, Suttons Bay, Leelanau, and Traverse City.

We enjoyed a beautful and exciting fireworks show in Northport on the 4th. I loved relaxing on a blanket with a glass of wine :)

Sunset at Peterson's Park with Mrs. Freed!

Traverse City Beach for the 4th and the Cherry Festival!

Silly girls after the wedding - bonfire on the beach!

We tried and tried for a fun jumping pic....

I love these.....

Cy Fair teachers reunion - so much fun!

Beautiful centerpieces....

Such a sweet reception site - Willowbrook Mill.

Arriving in style!

Hans had to try a cherry right off the tree!

View from the church - beautiful!

We ate our weight in sandwiches while there! Here is my favorite from The Cheese Shop. Check out the pretzel bread! YUM.

Hanging out in Fish Town

Kelly and Zach - thanks for a wonderful vacation.

We are so happy for you and love you to pieces!

And our little man was in good hands while we were gone...check out his singing skills!
Thanks to my Mom, my sister, and my wonderful friend Kelly for taking care of our sweet boy!

NKOTBSB and a movie!

2011-06-27T18:44:00.000-07:00

Griffin and I BOTH had a great weekend! Here is he is making the moves on Gabby at the drive-in. Guess he already knows how he's going to woo the ladies on his future dates. Oh joy.

Cars 2 at Showboat Drive-In

Griffin may have been pumped about Mater and McQueen, but Mommy and Aunt Jill were so excited to see NKOTBSB. I bought tickets for my sister's birthday, but she was the one who ended up surprising me! She started walking us to the floor seats, and I panicked. We couldn't go down there without legit floor tickets, but she told me to not to worry - SURPRISE - she had some. Here are our pics from 4th row!!!!

I'll be loving you forever....

Uh uh oh, she's my cover girl.....

Hey Nick Carter...

And then, just as precious as he was back in my teens....Joey Joe McIntyre. Please don't go, girl....

I mean, really. I love him.

Yo, Donnie.

NKOTBSB

Funny but true story....I remember so vividly seeing a picture of Joey Joe and his wife after they had their first child. His name was Griffin Thomas. I had never heard the name before and really liked it. Then, it came up again when I got pregnant and found out I was having a boy. So....I guess you could say my child is named after his. Hans doesn't like me to share that with many people - ha! I tried to share it with Joe on Saturday, but he didn't seem to hear me :) What a fun weekend. Thanks to my sister for the greatest surprise. It felt like 7th grade all over again.

Summer's Here!

2011-06-16T11:00:00.001-07:00

Summer has finally arrived, and boy do we need it! We are starting with some swim lessons from sweet Ashlynn. She was so great with him! Here he is about to JUMP!

Looking for rings....
Kicking those sweet little legs....

Splashing the water....

We also went to see the Thompson family. G loved playing with AJ since they both love tractors, motorcycles, trucks, airplanes, and cars.

Our "free time" is spent with our little neighbor Gabby. They have so much fun together.

We also made Dad his father's day present. It's for his shop - the boxes can hold his nails, screws, and whatever else is important to have in a shop. His initials are on the boxes. Plus, if he looks inside now, he may find some gift cards to his favorite places :)

Someone LOVED painting these for his Daddy.

I pray summer goes slowly. We are looking forward to trips to Stephenville, a weekend with Kiki and Mi-Maw (while Mommy and Daddy go on a vacay!), more swim lessons, and.....CARS 2! One more week, and we are READY! KA-CHOW!

Mommy in the Mud!

2011-05-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Kristin and I "raced" in the Original Mud Run on Saturday. You won't ever catch me doing a marathon of any kind, but this was different....and fun! While our husbands went on their annual camping trip, we challenged ourselves to this 6.2 obstacle course. Going in, we were so nervous! The first 1.8 miles is just running...then the obstacles hit. Crawling through mud, jumping in muddy water, sliding down muddy hills, climbing high onto walls/nets, walking on logs and ropes - all part of this crazy course! My only regret is that this doesn't happen more than once a year in Houston - we want to do it again!!!!

Here we are after the race getting hosed off by firefighters!

My muddy partner! Next year, we want a bigger team! If we can do it, anyone can! You'll laugh more than anything.

Kristin - thanks for signing up with me! I am SO proud of us - bruises and soreness included! We did each obstacle (well, except for that crazy rope monkey bar thing...) without hesitation. WE ROCK!

My new friend...

2011-05-22T19:25:00.000-07:00

My friend from college came to visit us this weekend. We decided to stop talking about it and JUST DO IT! Julianna and I have known each other from the very first moment I walked on A&M's campus. We were in the same group/cabin at fish camp, same rush group, then we became lifelong friends through Pi Phi :) We have made many good (and quite funny) memories so we had to have our boys meet for the first time....

Griffin and Owen played SO well together. I never heard "mine" or witnessed any throwing or fighting. In fact, Griffin keeps asking for Owen, Scott, and Julianna.

Thanks for coming over Moorad family! We are not waiting this long again - Griffin just won't have it, and his mommy won't either! :)

Our weekend (through the iPhone)!

2011-05-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

We had a fun weekend (again!)! I had my phone out here and there so enjoy some pics!

He loves going in our closet to wear our shoes (both mom's and dad's!). I love how he put on Hans's socks too. He is getting so big.

We then hit Addison's 2nd birthday. Brave boy loved the slide - he even went down by himself!

What's a weekend without Braxton??

G and I walked down to the park on Sunday. Daddy picked us up so we got to ride in the back of his truck. I mean, is this one cute kid or what? I just can't stand it. Dear God, please don't ever lose those cheeks.

YEE HAW!

Kiki and Jason came over so I hitched a ride with Kiki on the 4 wheeler. Let's just say it didn't really go anywhere, but we sure thought it was funny.

I LOVE my time with this precious boy. He is so fun to talk to and comes up with the craziest stuff to say. Lately, he will say, "Mommy, you are pretty. Pretty like a princess." Not sure where he got it or if he's trying to talk himself out of trouble, but I'll take it!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

The reason why being a mommy is so amazing.......

Where it started...with this amazing woman! LOVE YOU, MOM!
Our sweet boys!

Our other sweet boys.... :)

Oh and the food...fajitas, ritas, and more!

What a great day! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Mi-Maw's Birthday!

2011-05-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

We met my family in Kings Harbor this weekend for my Mom's birthday. Here is my sweet one bringing some pink roses to his Mi-Maw! He picked them out just for her!

The gigantic straw my brother concocted. He also taught him to shoot ice through it. Joy.

Keaton, Gunar, and Griffin. How they got them so still, I'd like to know.

G and his Uncle Doug :)

After dinner, we played in the water. G wasn't sure at first so Doug brushed him through it a few times.

And soon.....we had this.

Such fun with my family! Happy birthday to my amazing and beautiful Mom! We love you!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T18:38:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter!

We have had such a fun weekend. We tried our luck at dyeing eggs - a whole bunch of messy fun! Daddy picked out a car theme for G's eggs - imagine that.

Then the Easter bunny stopped by my house and brought me all my favorites - a new movie, M&Ms (which are a huge part of the potty-training process. Good call, Easter bunny), a train, and a Toy Story t-shirt!

We had a practice egg hunt before we headed to Mi-Maw's.

Here he is all ready to go to Mi-Maw's house!!

More chocolate - thanks Mi-Maw :)

And new baseball gloves for G and Kiki!

Then, Kiki took G on a nice Sunday drive.

G got behind the wheel and pretty much turned in circles. FUN!

My sweet nephews Gage (18) and Gunar (14). Gage is about to graduate high school. What?!?!

Mi-Maw and her 4 boys :)

And the hunt is on!

So much fun!

HAPPY EASTER from the Reeds!

My Best Friend

2011-04-18T07:36:00.001-07:00

I use my blog as my scrapbook, so I had to include this special memory of Griffin Hardy Reed. He has gotten pretty good at manipulating us out of going to bed (needs milk, wants to do one more puzzle, read one more book, watch a little Lightning McQueen, etc...). So last night, he asked me to rock him before going night-night. Here is our conversation:

Me: I love you.

G: I love you too.

Me: No, I love you more.

G: No, Mommy. I love YOU more....(pause)....you're my best friend (all while patting me on the back and giving me a big hug).

So, what did I do (besides cry for a sec)?? I held him a little longer and thanked God (and my Dad and Mi-Maw Hardy) for this most precious gift. Griffin is a daily reminder that God is good. We are beyond blessed for this sweet baby boy.

And you know what? He's my best friend too.

Woody, Buzz, and More...

2011-04-17T07:58:00.001-07:00

Someone needed a little rest after a big day! Here is sweet man chillin' at Natachees near downtown. We stopped for some dinner after the big show....

TOY STORY ON ICE!

Sharing some popcorn with Kiki...

Woody and Bullseye (a mini-Bullseye came home with us!)...

During the first act, G wasn't too sure - too loud and I think he was afraid that some of his favorite characters would come meet him personally. After he realized they had to stay on the ice, he loved it - dancing and clapping for the rest of the show.

I am glad we had another big event to remember because he is STILL talking about Sea World. Not kidding...about every hour of every day he says, "Mommy, you remember when I went to Sea World?" Since yesterday, he keeps saying, "Mommy, you remember when I saw Woody and Buzz?" He also keeps saying, "I had fun today." Too sweet.

And no worries, we are returning to Sea World this summer.

A little review of our day.....

Crawfish Boil 2011

2011-04-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

Our annual crawfish boil was so much fun! I love having all my favorite people come over with their families and enjoy a beautiful day and some great food! Once again, Hans did a great job - his crawfish are better than any restaurant. YUM!

Griffin had a GREAT time with his cousin and friends. He went full speed ahead for HOURS. Here he is into the night with Kiki and Gabby. The wagon provided much entertainment!

Kiki loved the new playset! Checking out the bugs before their demise :) Good times in the fort!

YUM! Good job, Daddy!

Thanks to everyone for coming over! We are blessed with our friends, family, and awesome co-workers!

March Madness!

2011-04-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

We have had a fun and busy March. I enjoyed celebrating my birthday with my great friends! We enjoyed burgers at the Love Shack in Cypress. Go soon if you haven't already! Plus, it's great for kids. They have a huge sand pit and other fun things to keep them occupied!

Jennifer, Kelly S., Kelly O. - love these girls! We have also been busy with birthday parties. Once we go to one, Griffin talks about it for weeks. This weekend, we went to Ellie's birthday at The Little Gym. His whole class was there so he had a blast! One of my former students was the coach for the party. G got some extra attention :) We then found some Cars stickers left over from his birthday party. How cute is this smile? Oh and he loves his new pumpkin shirt from Kiki. Yes, it's April, but that's just how we roll :) And our latest project - his new playset. If you want one for your kiddos, go to Sam's!! Reasonable price, and they even put it together for you. Or, you can have a handy husband who will try it himself! So far, we are on day 3, and it's not finished. Pretty proud of the hubs for working so hard. Here is G loving his new picnic table! Daddy and Uncle Tanner took a break from working on the playset to go to an air show. G loved the planes - when they were not taking off :) He prefers them quiet and still. We did have a rocky end to March as Hans had to have emergency surgery a couple of weeks ago. Pretty scary for a second, but he is doing very well now. Blessed to have some guardian angels looking out for us. And I am so blessed to have such a hard-working, strong husband.

We can't wait to continue our Spring fun and start preparing for summer!

Kiki's Visit!

2011-03-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

My sister and hubby were away for the weekend, so we had Keaton (aka Kiki). I was nervous to take on two very active boys, but now that Kiki is gone, I miss him :(

They did have one little fight where Kiki told G, "You are not making my happy anymore." To which G replied, "No, YOU are not making ME happy anymore." It went on for about 2 minutes, and we taped it to show my sister. We were cracking up! Other than that moment, they were great! Kolaches and donut holes for breakfast! Thanks, Uncle Hans!

We took them to Clay's Restaurant Saturday night where they got to feed the animals, jump in a bouncehouse, eat cotton candy, and play in the sandbox. They had fun! I love this place - adults can kick back, and the kids run wild!

Our neighbor, Gabby, played along with us all weekend. She was so sweet to them. I think some crushes developed.

We also had a picnic at Carol Fox Park off Senate/290. Love this area! Doesn't Hans look like he loves it too??

More food - cinnamon rolls for breakfast!

AND...we got to make funfetti cookies and ice them with different colors. More icing consumed than cookies. Check out Kiki sneaking a lick....

Feeding the ducks too!

More fun at the park - sand everywhere!

PICNIC!

Sweet Kiki - I know you missed your Mommy and Daddy, but we are so happy you came to spend some time with us. Griffin keeps asking for you too! You are a blessing in our life, and I love how close you boys are. Thanks for coming to play!

A Bunch Of Fun!

2011-03-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

We kept up the Spring Break festitvities with some good friends and good fun!

First - look at the cutest face in town?? He is so sweet - I am loving this stage right now. Oh, he has his moments, but he is really loving. He will come right up to you and say, "Mommy, are you my buddy?" I melt.

We then met up with buddies Caden and Isabella at A Bunch of Fun indoor playground. Here is G and Isabella playing in the kitchen (fireman hat on - backwards - too).
Then they had story/music time. Once he heard the lady start Brown Bear, he was entranced. This book is his favorite!

Then the Odells came over while our Daddies went to see Kiss. We made a fort!

We love spending time with our friends over the break. Thanks for playing, everyone!!

Rodeo Houston 2011

2011-03-20T12:03:00.001-07:00

Our Spring Break fun continued with a trip to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo! We met up with cousins Gage and Keaton, Mi-Maw, Aunt Jill, and the Onhaizers. Good times!

Then my little boy told me he wanted to ride a horse! I was shocked! You see...he usually isn't a fan of animals. BUT....he did it! Of course, I had to hold his hand, but he did so well!
Since then, he will say out of the blue, "Mommy, I rode a horse?" Then he will tell you the horse's name was Star. Something he will remember - that's for sure!

Cotton candy with Braxton!

YEE-HAW!

Bye Star!

We had a great time! Love seeing how happy this munchkin can get! Such a sweet boy!

Sea World 2011

2011-03-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

We made it home safely from our FUN weekend to San Antonio. To be honest, I am a little sad it's over! Griffin has talked about dolphins, penguins, and whales for a week and told EVERYONE he was going to Sea World. And...he did SO great! He was never fussy or afraid - he just lit up the whole time. I highly recommend this age for going to Sea World. I also HIGHLY recommend the Hyatt Hill Country Resort if you have small children. WOW.

They do s'mores nightly - here is the first night!

Yummy breakfast!
3D Sesame Street Show at Sea World!
See my legs in that second tunnel? We climbed up very high - I have a brave little boy!

Hi Dada!

Shamu Show - "Believe!" Here he is blowing a kiss to Shamu after she waved to us :)

Feeding the ducks!

PENGUINS!

A hug for Mommy while looking at the penguins!

Feeding the dolphins!!! A favorite!

S'mores on the second night! Griffin was distracted by the raccoon in the tree; Hans is tired of photos.

One of my favorite parts - movies on the hotel lawn! Popcorn too!

Breakfast on the 2nd morning - a bear waffle for my munchkin!

We then left the Hyatt (with plans to return soon!) and headed to the Alamo/Riverwalk.

Chillin' at the Alamo. He stole a rock - is that illegal?? Oh well, free souvenir!

Chasing the birds at the Alamo!

And we ended the trip perfectly - a quick stay with my BFF, Amy, and her sweet family. Will is about 2 months older than Griffin. They both share a love of cars, trains, and puzzles.

Racing cars with Connor. G loved all their toys! And, Mommy and Connor played some Wii. I got schooled by a 5 year old! I call a rematch!!!!

My very best friend and all our sweet boys! I love her and treasure our friendship.

I loved every second of our family vacation. I can't wait for the next and for the rest of our Spring Break 2011 plans. Thank you God for my many blessings - a long weekend to remember forever!

New Friends and Best Friends!

2011-03-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

We spend a lot of time with these folks! I have worked with Chad for quite some time, and Braxton and Grifin are three months apart. Even better, I LOVE HIS WIFE! We have become great friends - I am lucky to have her along in this crazy ride of motherhood!

So...they invited us to their friend's house (Thanks, Combs Family!) one Friday for a delicious dinner and crazy playdate for the kids!

We had a great time and look forward to more fun times together!

Here's one of my favorite faces - BRAXTON! He is also in Griffin's class at school so they are together ALL. THE. TIME.

Watching a little movie with my new buddy Ayden and B!

Thanks to all of you for a fun night! We look forward to many more playdates (especially if they involve some wine for the mommies)!

Spring has sprung!

2011-02-27T16:29:00.001-08:00

Sheesh...what a weekend! We ended with Sarah's birthday party! What fun we had - Kristin always does such a good job and is so creative. See the Aerial mermaid in the pic? She made it! Love it.

But one of the best parts is that Kiki came too! And one of the cutest things ever happened - when we had all the kids gather for a photo, Kiki and G (without any prompting) stood together and put their arms around each other. LOVE it. They are so cute and sweet.

Mac n' cheese for dinner! PERFECT.

They had a bounce house - score!

FOOTBALL!

Hi, Mama.

Chillin' with my Dada.

___________________________

I have to document something precious that Griffin did this week. One morning while getting ready for school, he ran to his room to get his clothes for the day. He then came to sit down in my bathroom while I got ready. Suddenly, he screams, "I DID IT!" I look down and this sweet munchkin had put his shoes and socks on. By himself. On the right feet. The look on his little face made me tear up - he was so proud. Love this smart boy.

____________________________

We are loving this spring weather and hope it sticks around for a bit! Two weeks until Spring Break! Sea World, the rodeo, and Kiki spends the night - we're pumped!

L.O.V.E.

2011-02-20T08:05:00.001-08:00

We have had a busy week celebrating Valentine's and my sister's birthday! (It's her 40th - go big or go home!) We took her out to dinner at Pappas. Anytime Kiki and Griffin are together, they are so happy. I love how close they are, and we can't wait for their many adventures together.

HOW CUTE IS THIS PIC?? L.O.V.E.

Stop. I can't handle the cuteness.

G's cousin Gunar took him to see the fish at the restaurant. He counted all the fish and told Gunar what colors they are. Smart boy.

Then, Uncle Doug took him too. Doug told G he was going to go "fishing" and get him a fish for his pocket. He pretended to put one in G's pocket, so when we got home, he kept digging in his pocket asking where his fish is :) Maybe someone needs his first pet??

Jason, Kiki, G, and Doug

The best red velvet cake. EVER. L.O.V.E.

Jason can't resist "chunking the deuce." For some reason, when we take pics, the peace sign comes out. We're crazy like that.

G Funk and his godmother on her birthday!!

G also had a great Valentine's Day. This week's favorite movie is Ice Age. He loved it so much that we go him Ice Age 2 for Valentine's. Here he is chillin' on Dada while watching.

Yum. I made lemon tarts for Valentine's Day. Someone loved them.

All you need is LOVE. Precious boy.

Say what??!! Straws for Valentine's?? Thanks Mommy!

And Spiderman? Too good to be true.

What else is in there??
More toys. More candy. Anything for the sweetest boy. I L.O.V.E him!

NOLA

2011-02-13T19:25:00.001-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the BEST SISTER in the WHOLE WORLD!

We celebrated my sister's 40th (say what?? she's one HOT mama!) with a surprise trip to New Orleans! Jason called me around Christmas to start planning so I've kept a secret from her for a LONG time. Hans and I flew and got there before everyone else. When she arrived, we hid in the hotel lobby until we made our surprise entrance. The plan was to walk up to her casually, but I got a little excited and started running and jumping! The look on her face was priceless (there may have been tears too...). We had a BLAST eating, drinking some daiquiris and bloody marys, laughing, dancing, singing, and celebrating my awesome sister!

A second surprise - our awesome Uncle Bob and Aunt Melissa came for the fun too!

Bridget and me

A third surprise - our cousin Stacy and her husband Hab were in town too for his half marathon.

Sweet G spent his weekend with Mi-Maw. The park, eating, and watching his new favorite movie, Ice Age, were all on the agenda. Then, we came home and saw the Biebs on the Grammys. I would like to introduce Biebs, Jr. This boy loves his music and his guitar. Get it, G!

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

A "Snow" Weekend...

2011-02-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

We are thankful for the "snow" scare that gave us a 3-day weekend!

We ended our fun with the Super Bowl! Here are the little ones enjoying some popcorn while watching a movie. Who needs football anyway??

Yum. Hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, and Cheetos - my fave!
Before the big Super Bowl party, we had to hit the park. We went from an Artic blast to Spring-like weather in just two days. We took advantage by running the bases.

Mommy and Daddy also had a night out with their buds seeing Cory Morrow. Love these ladies!

While we were "snowed" in on Friday, we decided to make some coconut macaroons. One word - YUM-O. Lil' G had a blast helping out his Mommy.

We decided to get creative and review our shapes. What better way to do so than make a complete mess? GOOD IDEA, MOMMY! We poured some flour on a cookie sheet and traced some squares, circles, diamonds, and rectangles. Mommy is still finding flour in the kitchen crevices.

Here are some cute videos of the G-man from this weekend. He cracks us up, and we have enjoyed just being with him all weekend. Forgive my singing in the second video - dude loves him some Train and "Hey Soul Sister." Love that kid.

Here's to some warmth and a feeling of Spring in the air!

A little conversation...

2011-01-26T08:18:00.000-08:00

Every night before bed, we say our prayers while we rock for a bit. The prayers then usually turn into a little conversation. Here is what we talked about last night:

Me: God bless Mi-Maw. And who else?
G: Jill and Kiki and Buster (Mi-Maw's new cat)
Me: and Dada and Jason?
G: Mommy, are you a big girl?
Me: Yes.
G: Mommy, are you Kim?
Me: Yes.
G: Mommy Hardy Reed

I was cracking up. I told this to my mom and sister who said I needed to make sure I document this kind of cuteness - so here you go. He now can say his whole name - Griffin Hardy Reed. So, now I'm Mommy Hardy Reed.

It's so cute. I just can't stand it.

Celebrations!

2011-01-23T16:47:00.000-08:00

We have had a very busy weekend celebrating many exciting events with our friends and family. I was able to spend some time with some dear friends/sorority sisters this weekend as we celebrated Rou's baby shower for sweet Chandler. Some of us were able to meet at Benjy's on Friday for some wine then again for the shower on Saturday. I loved seeing them, and I am so happy for Rou! (and see Mandy on the far right?? She is pregnant with her second set of twins!)

MY BIG SIS! I loved seeing Amy - we can always pick up right where we left off, and I can't wait until we can get our boys together. We had to show everyone how sweet a Pi Phi angel can be :)
We would also like to say CONGRATULATIONS to Tanner and Anna. Tanner, Hans's youngest brother, married Anna on Saturday, and we are so happy to have her join the family. Anna's son, Jake, is one of Griffin's most favorite people. In fact, G ran up to Jake, put his arm around him and said, "Mommy, Jake's my buddy." Too sweet.

Wedding cake, oh how I love thee...
Griffin had a blast with his cousin Gavin this weekend. He wasn't too happy to see him leave. They are about 2 1/2 months apart - presh.
The most powerful event of the weekend was seeing my friend Ivonne and her family dedicate their new home. Anthony, her husband, was injured in Iraq in 2007, and they have been living in Tampa receiving care since then. They are now home in Houston, and we are so happy to have them close. An organization called Homes for Our Troops built the home for them. I am so in awe of Ivonne and love that Griffin and AJ can now become close friends. The ceremony was moving as you can see by the number of people who came out to show their love for the Thompson family.

Here is Jack saluting Anthony - Jack is my dear friend Nancy's little boy. Just sweetness.

I loved seeing old friends/family this weekend. What sweet blessings...

Proud to be an AGGIE!

2011-01-09T07:57:00.001-08:00

Daddy and I went to root for the Aggies at the Cotton Bowl (well, it took Daddy a little bit before we got him to say GIG 'EM), and Griffin went to spend the night with Mi-Maw. My sister sent me these photos to let me know all was well.

Here is G and Kiki wrestling. Good times.

They are CRAZY. They also pulled every. single. wipe. out of the container. My sister found wipes all over the living room. Good times, once again.
No GUNS UP here! GIG EM!
(But look who is FINALLY wearing maroon)

Despite the loss, it was AMAZING to be there. So proud of our Ags this season.

The Onhaizers - our buddies! If weren't talking football, we were talking about Brax and G!

An awesome stadium! So glad we got to go!

We had a great time! Thanks to my mom for keeping our sweet G.

So far, 2011 is a BLAST!

Fun Finish to 2010!

2011-01-01T11:42:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed the remaining days of our holiday. We spent the day at the Houston Children's Museum with Drake and Aunt Lori. What a great time!

Griffin loved these little baby chicks. He wanted to kiss them. Sweetness.

Learning how to use the abacus. Smart boy. (Note the shirt change. Someone had WAY too much fun playing in the water exhibits. And me being SUCH the good mommy, did not have a back-up shirt. Here is where Aunt Lori saved the day. Thanks, Lori Kay!)

We also ventured out to Santa's Wonderland to see the lights. Jill, Jason, and Kiki went with us. We loved all the bright lights, and it was a nice way to end the holiday season.

And to include some tidbits on the munchkin for memory purposes:

On his 2 year check-up, he weighed 30.5 lbs(78 percentile) and is now 35 inches tall (75%).

This boy can TALK. Wow. We are amazed at all he says. I love our little conversations.

He can count to 14. :)

He knows his ABCs.

He loves "Hey Soul Sister" by Train, and "Baby" by Justin Bieber.

He is about to move into the Toddler 2 room at school. Hello potty training!

He loves any movie involving Cars, Nemo, Simba, Shrek, Woody and Buzz, and the Polar Express.

If he is outside, he's happy.

He loves garbage trucks, tractors, dump trucks, Fed Ex trucks, and school buses.

He's so darn cute. I just can't stand it.

Griffin - thank you for making my life so special. We love you to the moon and back!

In Conclusion...

2011-01-01T11:09:00.001-08:00

I am so sad to see 2010 go. Isn't that weird?? I got a little teary-eyed last night because it went by WAY too fast. Suddenly, my baby is a big boy (and he will tell you that!). I do love this talkative and curious stage he is in, but I just hate how fast it all goes. Plus, January and February are just not my favorite - it will be 9 years in February that we lost my Dad. One step closer to 10...one step away from my last time seeing him. Bleh.

So what now??

I will take a deep breath and move on with 2011, no matter how reluctant I am. I will enjoy every second with this little monkey. I will tell him everyday how loved he is. I will let my hubby know he is appreciated because he is such a great daddy, hubs, and friend. I will look for new opportunities for me with my career. I will be a better friend. I will try and be healthier. I will try and spend all my free time with my family. More than anything, I will learn more about my faith and continuously thank God for my many blessings and for allowing silly ol' me to be this sweet baby boy's mommy.

Bring it on, 2011.

So far, in 2011, we ate lunch at Potbelly's. Definitely my new favorite sandwich. G ate all of his and then wondered where it went.

We went on a little hike.

We watched some kids ride their bikes and thought it was the coolest thing ever.

We made Dada slide with us - over and over.

I am feeling better now. I think I like 2011 a little more after a fun day with the family.

Dear God, thank you for my many blessings - especially for my family, dear friends, and health. I pray that we all have a prosperous and happy 2011.

Christmas 2010 (Part II)

2010-12-26T14:19:00.001-08:00

This picture sums up all the craziness of Christmas at Mi-Maw's! Silly boys!

Kiki got a jeep, and they loved driving around the cul-de-sac! They were HILARIOUS.

Mi-Maw bought G a wagon - let's go Kiki!

Before all the cruisin' around began - we ate those delicious cinnamon rolls. Good job, Mommy!

Santa brought someone his very own kitchen. He loves it and made us "coffee" the whole weekend! Dada wasn't so sure about this gift, but G loves it! That's what's important!

A Toy Story scooter too?? Thanks, Santa!

And a Spiderman four-wheeler? Santa, you are TOO much.

Sweet faces seeing all their goodies!

Christmas Eve -this picture cracks me up. Poor Mi-Maw just wanted ONE picture of her four grandsons. Here you go, Mi-Maw :)

And Mack too? Can you just feel the excitement??

Since I just couldn't take the long lines and put my little monkey through Santa torture, we brought Santa to us. He sure looks a lot like my brother, Doug :)
Santa would slowly sneak up on G while he was playing with his new toys. It took a little bit, but they soon became friends.My sad attempt to get him to sit near Santa at first.

Thanks, Santa, for coming to see us!

Buster and Griffin - new friends!

Since my Dad's cat passed away in March, my Mom has missed having a little friend around. SURPRISE, MI-MAW! Here is your new kitty, Buster. She was SO excited. And this is one sweet kitty cat.

We had an absolute amazing time this Christmas. What joy to see how much fun
the boys had. Thanks to my Mom for a great time and for always being such a great host to us. We are beyond blessed and so lucky to have one another...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas 2010 (Part I)

2010-12-26T14:05:00.001-08:00

We are enjoying our holiday! Our favorite movie this week has been POLAR EXPRESS. We even invited Braxton over to make s'mores and watch the "choo-choo train movie."

First, we had to wrestle in the front yard.

Then, after we watched it, Santa brought us our bells. We believe!
How cute are these little elves??

We also got to visit the Thompsons in their new house! We are so glad they are home. AJ and Griffin played with cars the whole time.

I even attempted the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls. Here is the mess I created. I didn't get a final pic of the rolls to post here, but trust me - DELICIOUS.

One of my favorite Christmas memories has always been traveling to Prestonwood Forest to see the lights. Each street has a theme - we loved the Disney one the most!

Gabby (our neighbor) came along with us and rode in the back of Dada's truck - so fun! We sang Christmas carols as we drove around the neighborhood.

More to come...this is just the beginning of our fun-filled Christmas!

Pajama Playdate!

2010-12-20T11:27:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

We are enjoying Day 1 of our break! Here is the tree looking pretty - still in the middle of wrapping. It's hard to to do with a curious toddler nearby.

13 sweet kiddos

6 pretty mamas

ONE FUN PLAYDATE!

Here is G and his buddy Harrison enjoying some fruit. I swear my child could eat fruit for every meal. I wish I had his love for all things fruit :)

After A LOT of playing, the sweet ones sat down for a little Polar Express.

Then, we headed to the playroom to share some stickers.

All this playing...someone needs a rest.

Wrestling with Baby Ryan and Reed...

I made Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding, Breakfast Bake with Eggs/Ham, and my mommy's Sausage Bread. Oh yes...we also had fruit. Gotta keep my main man happy :) (please forgive this set up - I did place them on my fun Xmas platters but didn't snap a photo - I promise it looked festive).

The kids left with sugar cookies and chocolate covered pretzels. The moms also enjoyed the peppermint coffee - tasted like Xmas :)

Little one is napping, and we are both still in our PJs. Love the holidays!

Thanks to all our amazing friends for coming to play! We loved spending our holiday with you!

Christmas Sweaters and Birthdays!

2010-12-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

The Annual Armstrong Christmas Sweater Party was a blast! I loved seeing my dear friends and their awesome sweater ensembles. Dwayne, Skaife, and Keith are just some of my absolute favorite people. We grew up together and went to college together. Everytime we are together, this is what happens :)

We then had Baby Ryan's first birthday! Look who enjoyed a cupcake :)

And Baby Ryan enjoyed his too!

Then it was Dada's birthday. Griffin personally loved the card best - it plays his favorite song "I Like to Move It, Move It." He opened and closed it many times :)

We gave Dada a book of pictures of him and G. Along side the pictures, I included the lyrics to "Anything Like Me" by Brad Paisley. It fits this boy and his daddy perfectly :)

You can see/hear the song here.

On to more parties and wrapping gifts...what a fun weekend!

So this is Christmas...

2010-12-05T18:44:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas celebrations have begun! We are getting into the holiday spirit and loving every second. This weekend, we watched the Parade of Lights in our area. We went with the Odells and loved seeing all the garbage trucks, firetrucks, and 18 wheelers covered in lights.

Mom, Jill, and I went on our annual girls' weekend to Fredericksburg. If you have never been, GO. And definitely go during the holidays! We shopped, ate, drank wine...pretty much the gist of it all. We loved our little cottage (we stay at a different B and B each year) and loved being together. Pretty sure we laughed more than anything...

They delivered breakfast to our cottage each morning. YUM.

Wine. YUM again.

Luckenbach is just around the corner so we stopped in for a Shiner and a little country music.

We have had fun decorating for the holidays. I still need to add all my treasures from the Burg - there are many. They have the cutest holiday decor :)

A little elf helped decorate the tree!

This little elf also got an early Christmas present - the learning tower. BEST. PURCHASE. EVER. Now, he can see everything I do in the kitchen - makes cooking so much easier! He also loves to color here and eat his snacks. Go get one. It's a must!

Our holidays are in full swing. I love this time of year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Giving Thanks...

2010-11-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

Right before we began our holiday, my Uncle Doug passed away. He is my Dad's older brother, and I wrote about him here. He passed away suddenly and while we know he had an amazing life full of adventure, we miss him. To me, he is another part of my Dad, and I hate that another physical part of him is gone. But, he made the long trip to see us this past summer, and I am beyond happy that he met Griffin. Uncle Doug, we love you very much. I know Dad was waiting for you, fishing pole in hand.

Once we returned from Louisiana, we then packed up and headed to Stephenville. It was COLD, but we had a blast. Grandma took us all on a safari - Griffin loved every second!

(I have NO idea what this is, but his face cracked me up.)

Now we are home and getting the house decorated for Christmas!

Please continue to give thanks everyday. Each day is a blessing!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Kiki's Birthday

2010-11-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

We jumped ourselves silly at Kiki's birthday!

Look at Mi-Maw at her four beautiful grandsons! Not everyone is looking, but we will take what we can get! Pop - aren't you so proud??

Melt my heart. Gunar - almost 14; Gage - almost 18

All four attempting a slide...

Let's go Kiki!

Sliding with Gunar. Griffin still says daily, "I go see Gunar race."

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Happy 3rd birthday, Kiki! Boy do we love you. Thanks for a fun party!

Sunday Funday!

2010-11-09T17:17:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun Sunday! The weather was gorgeous so we played and played and played....

Then, we took it inside for some dinner and a little movie night. Gabby and Michael came over to eat and watch Toy Story 3! Griffin LOOOOOVES Gabby and Michael - our neighbors. He asks for them every day! He is also fans of their parents, Louis and Becky. So cute!!

Waving at all the neighbors that walked by...

Uncle Shane made me a stool for my birthday! I can step on it to brush my teeth or wash my hands. Or....

I can use it as a chair! Love it, Uncle Shane!!

And this perfect Sunday wouldn't have been complete without Toy Story 3!

THANKS, MI-MAW!