Happy 5th Birthday Dear Sweet Girl

Happy 5th Birthday Katherine! We love you so very much. You are such an amazing person. You are so caring, smart, silly, imaginative, creative, sassy, loving, sensitive, cuddly, beautiful, an amazing big sister, and so many other things.

We were so blessed when God brought you to us. I count those blessings every day still. You are the light of our eyes, you are our princess, our tom boy, our artist, our fancy girl, our wiggle butt, our ice cream buddy, our story teller, you are the world to us. I am remember and cherish every moment we have spent together from the time when you in my belly to now, getting ready for Kindergarten.

I love our times snuggling together, swimming, making sand castles, practicing our letters & numbers, bike and wagon rides, vacations, and seeing your smile as I pick you up from school. I love watching you be a great big sister, giving Colin lots of kisses, holding his hand in the parking lot, snuggling with him during movie time and sharing your popcorn, and protecting him.

Happy 5th Birthday, my dear sweet girl. We love you so much!

Katherine had her birthday party this weekend. She had friends over from school and we had a water activity party. We had a slip-n-slide, pool, water balloons, water guns, and fun sprinkler. Of course the them was a Princess Party. The kids had a great time playing in the water, eating pizza, ice cream, cake, opening presents, and playing in the playroom. Friday night, I spent an hour filling up 150 water balloons, the kids went through them in 8 minutes.

Usually on Katherine's birthday, I take the day off work and we have a special day. But this year, her summer camp is having a field trip today to the movies to see Cars 2. We were going to have a beach day, but she said we go to the beach all the time, she wanted to go to the movies with her friends. It hurt just a little to know that I have been replaced on our special day, but it's her birthday and I want her to have fun. THEN this morning while we were getting ready to go to school, she started crying saying that she wanted to have our beach day instead of going to the movies and that she doesn't want me to leave her on her birthday. Unfortunately I have meetings today that I can't cancel, but I told her she can pick whatever she wants to do on Saturday, that will be her special day. It was nice to hear this morning that I have NOT been replaced.

Water guns, Katherine's orders to get the "younger" kids

Water Balloons, what every Texas summer birthday needs.

Look at Katherine trying to grab all the water balloons at once.

On the hunt to throw them at Daddy.

The girls chit chatting in the pool

Katherine and Colin racing down the slip-n-slide

The birthday girl in her princess hat.

She blew them all out!

Opening presents.. what parties are made for!

Katherine in her Rapunzel hair with Aunt Lara and Kannon

Lunch the next day in Galveston, being a cheese ball..

Happy 5th Birthday

Day at Grandma & Grandpa's & Father's Day

Saturday we got up early and went to Matt's parents' house. Matt helped his dad clean out his garage while Matt's mom, me, and the kids went to the park and played in the pool. The kids loved playing in the pool for an hour, go inside and play for an hour and have snacks, then back into the pool, then back inside for snacks and some air conditioning. They played and played for hours on end, while we watched daddy have fun cleaning out grandpa's garage.
Uncle Brian, Aunt Robin, and Morgan came over and Matt's parents grilled chicken and steaks.. Yummy! After we ate, the kids played even more. Morgan started reading stories and out went Colin. He was so tired for all the sun, water, and toys.. He couldn't make it past story time. Then very soon to follow was Katherine and Uncle Brian. Guess everyone had a fun day.
Sunday we gave Matt his Father's Day cards and present. I was very proud of Katherine, she learned how to spell and write out Dad all on her own! Katherine wanted us all to go grocery shopping together as a family. So we all loaded up and went to the store. After lunch, we went to our neighborhood water park/splash pad. It's such a great place to spend a hot day.. It's only two streets over from our house and it's free (well not really, we pay our neighborhood association fees each year). The kids had fun in the splash pad, swimming, going down the waterslides, and playing with some of their classmates that were also there. When we got there, I let Katherine know that this year she is tall enough for the big slides IF she wanted to ride them.. She quickly said "No, I don't want to mom, don't make me". But Colin on the other hand cried when I told him no because he is not tall enough and he is not allowed to ride with someone on those. My heart child is going to be my dare devil.. He is going to give me so many heart attacks in life. But Colin had plenty of fun in the splash area and the toddler slides! After the splash pad & pool, we went home and had ice cream sandwiches and a movie.

New Braunfels Trip - Part 2 - Gruene & Natural Bridge Caverns

So after a beautiful day swimming, riding boats & choo choo trains, going down the watersides, and playing on the playground, we went to the hotel and cleaned up and headed to the historic town of Gruene (pronounced Green). The town was founded in the 1840's on the river and is home to one of the oldest dance halls in Texas (Gruene Hall), the Gristmill River Restaurant (an old cotton gin founded in 1878 that sits no the river), historic shops, bed & breakfasts, and a few bars.

We ate dinner on one of the many big patios of the Gristmill. The food was great and the company even better, the margaritas weren't too bad either. Uncle Russell even spoiled the kids with a hot fudge sundae at the end of dinner. After dinner, we looked around some of the historic shops, then had a nice time at The Grapevine. It was a nice wine "bar", I use the term "bar" lightly because it's a wine tasting room, but the outside is picnic tables under the trees. Matt, Russell, an Lara got wine while I got a wine-a-rita (margarita made with wine instead of tequila.) Katherine even made a friend and play with her in the wine garden.

Here are some pics from that night.. keep reading below to find out about us exploring the cave!

Cousins

Yummy

Colin dancing outside of Gruene Hall to the live music

Uncle Russell, Kannon, and Katherine at the Wine Garden

Kids love hotel beds WAY more than their own.

Sunday morning we got up and had breakfast, the went to Natural Bridge Caverns. We played outside on the dinosaur exhibit, then did the Illuminations Tour. The tour went 1/3 mile down into the cavern going through two very large underground chambers. When you first get in, they turn off all the lights in the cave so you can experience the total darkness. They then bring up certain lights at a time, highlighting rare formations and showing the dramatic setting of a cave. At the end of the tour, we sat in one of the caverns and they did total darkness again, for about 5-8 minutes. Katherine did a great job, Colin got anxious halfway through, he kept turning to me saying "lights on, lights on!". Kannon stole the show from the tour guide, while she was explaining about the different formation, he was blowing bubbles loudly with his mouth, the rest of the tour thought it was too cute. At the end, we got to take a group photo of all of us in the cave.

After the tour, it was time to get back on the road and head for home. It was a great trip even though it was short, we got to do a lot in a day & half. I am so glad everyone else got to go with us this year. As soon as we got back Katherine & Colin asked when are we going back.. A sign of a great trip!. Katherine said her favorite part was swimming with Turner, Colin said his was the boat and choo-choo. Everyday this week Colin has told me…" Mamma, I go boat, choo-choo again, I go boat choo-choo again"! I told him soon, maybe we can go back before the summer is over.

Colin kicked Kannon out of his carrier.. silly Colin!

New Braunfels Trip - Part 1 - Landa Park

We had such a great trip to New Braunfels this weekend, so great that I am splitting it into 2 post. We had such a fun filled two days, everyone really enjoyed themselves. It was a much needed trip. We had good luck with the weather, it was a little hot, but not as hot as it has been. I have so many pictures, will not be able to post all 112 of them :) What can I say, I like taking pictures, so here are just SOME highlights!

Saturday morning we left the house at 6:30am with the kids in tow and the car packed for Landa Park. It is a beautiful city park on the river with spring fed swimming pools, water slides, picnic areas, playgrounds, train ride, and paddle boats. My brother and his family were able to join us and so was Matt's friend and his son who is close to Katherine's age. It was great to spend quality time all together.

Katherine loved swimming in both pools and going down the smallest slide, she had no desire to go down the bigger blue slide. On the other hand, Colin loved the blue slide, the two of us went down it about 12 times. Each time we got off, he would look at me with a big grin and say "AGAIN"! Colin liked the choo-choo and both kids loved the paddle boat.

On the beginning of the road trip, Buc-ees is a large gas station\store, Katherine just had to have her picture with Buc-ee!Wee.. down the water slide we go!Matt and Colin ready to go swimming!Katherine playing in the pool fed with water from the Comal River, which stays a constant 72 degrees.Uncle Russell and Colin having their picnic lunch by the water. Colin is saying "CHEEESSEEEAnother slide, smaller, but just as fun!Ready for the choo-choo ride. The train goes all through the park and along the river Kannon's first train ride!Katherine HAD to sit next to Turner!

What a beautiful day, beautiful park, and wonderful family time!Colin is oh so ready for his boat ride!Colin decided he needed to be the captain, not just a passenger!Katherine enjoying her ride while daddy and Tim paddled them around.View from the paddle boats

Next post will cover our evening in historic Gruene, TX and our trip to Natural Bridge Caverns.