Already a Year???

When I saw this sign go up at our country volunteer fire department, I thought...Already a YEAR??? On the weekend we moved from Houston this was one of the first things that registered in my mind...How nice, the volunteer fire department has a fish fry. The fish fry was the first thing we did within our new little country community.
The other thing that made the realization of being here a year more evident in my mind was planting our second veggie garden, Gordon.
The K-man was thrilled to plant Gordon again! He specifically asked for us to plant cherry tomatoes. Last year he loved to pick them right from the plant and eat them for a snack while playing outside!

I have also noticed a few bluebonnets starting to poke their little heads out- yes, another reminder of the year gone by. As we drove up here to move in with tears in my eyes, I remember thinking, It can't be too bad here...the wild flowers our beautiful in the field outside my kitchen window.

So, How has moving from Houston (with a huge secure group of friends) to a very small community (knowing nobody) changed me and my family?

1. Our lives have slowed down

2. We spend more time outside then inside

3. We plan our meals better- no quick run to the store for a stick of butter or diapers.

4. We rely on each other more then those around us

5. We find joy in the simpler things such as phone call or a letter

6. We value the time with family and close friends when we see them much more

7. I know how to use a fly swatter (horse yucky brings flies-bet you didn't know that!)

8. I actually know how to plant a garden and when is the best time for planting certain things

8. I have become less concerned about EVERYTHING- nobody cares here. I fit right in here with my pink cap and dirty kids-Ha!

9. The K-man is asking for a Paint (that is a kind of horse-)

10. The K-Man wears wrangler jeans or carhartt overalls 75% of the time (my adorable husband-about 98% of the time!)

11. It is a true joy to go shopping in the city, however it is usually a full day event.

12. My relationship with God is different. What I need from him has changed a bit- I couldn't explain it even if I wanted to.

Overall, I don't feel myself feeling as lonely as often. I don't sit around wondering what everyone in H-Town is doing and what I'm missing out on. The K-man doesn't talk about his pretend friends as much and Little Bit doesn't cry when being dropped off at MDO or bible class-all signs we are better and more secure here now. My adorable husband is so in his element. Over the year he is more confident and more social then I have ever seen him-

Hmmm. What does the next year hold for us in our small country town??? Who knows...but I'm sure it will be a Fun Adventure!

Spring has Sprung!

Spring has sprung at out home! On the way back from work yesterday I went a bit crazy in the sunshine and visited a local green house and garden center. The K-Man gets as excited as I do about planting flowers in our garden!
Don't these colors just make you giddy! The joys of SPRING!!!
Helper #1.

Who would have thought that the Gator would have come in so handy!

Helper #2.

Little Bit is still in training...he has the tendency to get the flowers and walk off with them!

However, he is showing some promise in the field of excitement over spring planting!

We will be planting Gordon , our veggie garden, this weekend!

Have you started your spring planting?

Do you just love spring?

Camping and Dinos and Birthday and Easter...Oh MY!

Did we have fun on our first camping trip for 2008?? You Bet!
We started our four night camping adventure at the Cleburne State Park. We are slowly working our way through the Texas State Parks! The first night there our electricity went out in Poppy (our pop-up camper) and... well, I wrapped the boys up in three layers of clothes and threatened my adorable husband-Ha! Ok, I enjoy the whole experience of camping, BUT heat is a MUST during chilly nights! We did survive the night and My Dad (my parents and sister met us there) helped my adorable husband solve our problem and I was able to love camping again!
While camping we did what all true campers do...walk on trails collect cool rocks and leaves,
and climb trees!

Cleburne is a really wonderful state park with a lot to do including fishing (I forgot to include a picture of the K-Man fishing!)
Then it was off to Dino Valley...
to celebrate this K-man's 4th Birthday!!! He is CRAZY about Dinos and this state park definitely lent itself to a great dino birthday party!

For every Dino birthday party you HAVE to have a dino cake!
Oh, AND for every 4 year old birthday party you HAVE to get a Super Fast Red Bike!!
I hope you had a DINO-MITE 4th birthday! We love you SOOO much!
Love ya Buddy! Those at the party included Paw Paw, Gramzie, Auntie Lindsey, Poppa, Grammie, Jay, Diane, Haley, Macey and Emily!
While at Dino Valley we had to get a picture with the T-REX!


AND...look at all the tracks! K-Man could not believe how big the Dinos and their tracks were!
The camping trip was also a fun time because the Easter Bunny found us all the way out there!
What cute bunnies I have!
Here are "the girls" with "my boys" waiting for the GO!



Little Bit...keep looking!
The K-Man ran around looking for eggs and was ready to eat the candy!
Then the GRAND FINALE of the trip was a stop at DINO WORLD! Where there are 100 life size Dinos just waiting to be seen by little 4 year old boys who LOVE dinos!
DO you see the K-Man running up a head? He ran the entire time yelling, "follow me, I'm the leader, because I know all about dinosaurs!" Then he would jump up and down and shout the name of the next Dino he found until we caught up with him!

AHHHHHHH! Scary Dinosaurs!!!

Can you believe how real they look!?! They were all life size and amazing!
This is one of my favorite pictures of "my boys" including the big one!
Dino World wrapped up with a fossil dig and $$$ spent in the gift shop!!!!


This was such a wonderful trip, I just couldn't include the 502 pictures taken or every special detail that took place, but I want to share my sweet boys 4th birthday with you and encourage you to take advantage of the "world " around you! Life is such an adventure-spend it with those you love!

Just in case you were wondering...

Just in case you were wondering...

1. The green thing the boys ride is a Miniature Green Gator. One of the perks for living in the boonies!

2. St. Patties Day was a blast! I think it was the best Patties Day I have ever had! The leprechaun will be back for sure next year. My brain is already turning!

3. We are leaving tomorrow for a 4 night camping EXTRAVAGANZA and I should have been packing all day BUT I decided to make these little "good mail" bags for my nieces. I guess it will be a late night!

3. This K-Man booger is turning 4! (on his head are pull-ups we found in the back of his closet (hee hee) Yes, I know I look too young to have a four year old-Ha! We are going to a surprise location to camp for his birthday! HINT: he LOVES dinos...

5. This Little Bit Booger is teething like a MAD MAN! he has more teeth then I do and he is still cutting them! He has been a bit of a BEAR the last couple of days and living on apple sauce and oatmeal!

6. There is something special in the blogging world! Holly is starting a Bodacious Bloggity Book Club! Check it out!!!!

7. Making things perfect will sneak up and steal your time!

8. AND finally...I will be gone for a several days for our camping trip but I will be back soon to catch up with the blogging word!

Though I have mentally done all the SPT's the last couple of weeks I haven't actually participated with a post. So, this week I am trying to turn over a new leaf!

This Week: Your feet will bring you to wear your heart is...

My feet always guide me back here...at home with my boys! My perspective on life has really changed since "The Move" almost a year ago. I have had the chance to truly focus on my family and our relationships because that was all I had...AND I have learned that having my boys is enough for me (with a sprinkle of girl time here and there!).

What a cute feet family I have-Ha!

Shhhh!

Shhhh! Tonight there is a bit of Leprechaun mischief going on!
The Little Leprechaun left the boys some Lucky Charms (their momma doesn't let them have sugared cereal in the mornings!) along with GREEN milk-yummy!! That is only for the morning...the stinker has also changed our water into Green Kool-aide (their momma REALLY doesn't let them drink Kool-aide!!!) and has made Green parfaits (with sugar-free jello...finally, some common sense here!) for after supper!
She also left a GREEN scavenger hunt which at the end the boys will find

A POT OF...
GOLD!!!

(Hello...what else would a Leprechaun leave at the end of an adventure?)
With the Pot of Gold there are also other GREEN things to enjoy throughout the day.
This Little Leprechaun could get use to all this mischief!

What are you doing with the color green??

Do you know what my boys ride that is GREEN?

Did you know?

1. Did you know that I love Half Price Books! It is like being a kid in a candy store when I walk in! I live about 45 minutes away from one and while my Mom was visiting we went (without the boys) and lost ourselves in the shelves of books and music. I actually was able to purchase some Dino books for K-man's B-day and the You've Got Mail soundtrack that I misplaced about a year ago!

2.Did you know that I love Frank Sinatra, Nora Jones, and Micheal Buble'. My adorable husband has been organizing our music lately and has a done a fab job getting my favorites where I can listen to them at a push of a button.



3. Did you know the K-Man is strong. In the words of K-Man himself: "Look how strong I am! I eat potatoes!"

4. Did you know that one of my new (baby step) goals for myself is to change my thought of "cleaning the house" to "making the house sanitary for my family". I have noticed that I change the sheets, mop the floor, clean the tubs/toilets, and do laundry more consistently when my focus is keeping the house sanitary helping my boys to be more healthy and strong VS. just a "clean/good for company look". The change of phrase has really helped me to focus.

5. Did you know that my boys love good mail too! Thank you Gramie and Poppa for the coloring books and Aggie Build-A-Bear shirts. The shirts have been place on Max and Buster! Thank you Ashlyn and Layton for the Fun Neon Glow Glasses! Hours of Night FUN!

6. Did you know that good mail is fun when it comes from your Auntie Lindsey and Uncle Corey! Thanks Lindsey for the eye shadow pencil too!

7. Did you know that we are taking Poppy for our first camping trip of the season. Yes, a 4 night stay in two different state parks! I am working on one of my 100 goals! I still remember our Maiden Voyage .

8. Did you know that in about 2 weeks we will be planting Gordon the garden! Veggies here we come!

9. Did you know that Little Bit is taking a nap and the K-Man is sleeping- WHOO HOO

10. Did you know... You fill in the blank!

Gotta Play the Grocery Game!

I took the opportunity and followed Kelly's advice to check out the Grocery Game Here . It was well worth it!!!! I am SO not a coupon girl, but I like the idea of NOT shopping at (CRAZY, NOT FRIENDLY, DIRTY, Have to load your own groceries with crying kids, AND no offer to help out!) Walmart, AND of course saving a buck!

Here is my low down...I only bought things this week that I wanted to stock up on now to save in the long run:

General Mills Cereal- Normally 3.39; Today for me .47
52 Load 2X Tide- Normally 16.19; Today for me 8.99
Folgers Coffee- Normally 10.59; Today for me 4.99
(270 cups)
Natural Valley Bars- Normally 3.19; Today for me 1.31

Can we say WHOOP! I stocked up on these items at these prices (As you can see in the picture-Ha!) so my future grocery trips will be MUCH cheaper! The coffee will last us a year or so and the Tide will lasts MONTHS!! Total Saving today....59.87!!! I saved as much as I spent (on items that we REALLY use)!

What are your strategies for saving grocery money?

Have you tried this game?

Good Mail with a Twist

My family is AGAIN another recipient of a Random Act of Kindness!

The first RAK is posted about Here .

While I was in Savannah, Georgia I sent several postcards including one to "my boys". I told them how much I love them and missed them along with that I couldn't wait to here what they had been up to with their Daddy... Well, yesterday we got a PINK envelope in the mail with THE postcard in it!!! As the story goes...After the K-man had gotten the postcard in the mail he had carried it around all over. Well, somewhere along the way he had dropped it and The Williamsons had mailed it back to him!!! Too KIND! We have planned to have the K-Man draw them a picture and thank them for their kindness. Doesn't that story just make you smile!

Also in the mail were these ADORABLE personalized note cards form Holly . Oh my, Holly, I jumped up and down for a while after opening my good mail! Thank you Holly!
The K-man was also jumping up and down when he received good mail from Holly's sweet little joy- Annelise! Thank you Annelise!

Could the mailbox have been anymore exciting then it was today!

Is you mailbox exciting for you to?