Saylor's 5th Birthday

Saylor turned FIVE earlier this month! We decided to celebrate on the smaller scale this year and invited five of Saylor's oldest girlfriends over for a pajama party. And Gray was invited too, of course. :)

It was definitely the most low maintenance of Saylor's five birthday parties to date. And, I'm happy to say, the one she had the most fun at (from her very own lips, folks).

The party involved cupcake decorating, games, eating pizza, watching the Wizzard of Oz, and opening presents. And of course, pajamas and sleeping bags!

 Playing Simon Says

 Slipper party favors

 I am so thankful for these girls (and their families) and the friends they have been to mine (and our family) over the years. I hope they will remain friends for a long, long time!

We have a tradition of decorating our kids rooms on the night before their birthday. This was the first year that Saylor totally expected it. She asked what color her balloons were going to be and if we were going to make the "colorful strings" (streamers) go back and forth all over her door. Because she was onto us, Matt insisted we take it up a notch and actually decorate her bed.

 Yeah, she definitely woke up a couple times during this process. :)

Our sweet girl on the last night of being a four year old.

 
We spent Say's actual birthday opening her family presents and going to church. We went to the Galleria after church because it was so cold and we hadn't seen the huge Christmas tree this year. We let the kids play and ate lunch.

 The only thing Saylor REALLY wanted to do on her actual bday was eat a snow cone. Considering it was in the 30's I wasn't sure we could make this happen, but we did find an open place on only our second stop.

 This picture melts my heart. In some ways I can't believe she is five and in others it feels like she's six or seven. At five Saylor is: smart, inquisitive, full of energy, generous, silly, kind, and carefree. She loves things related to dancing, princesses, looking girly, coloring, painting, and reading. She loves riding her scooter and playing t-ball. She loves to play with friends and her little brother. She has really matured sooooo much in the last year. She loves school and learning. She still hates rest time and often complains that she "doesn't like to be alone." She is a slow mover when it is time to go somewhere or do something structured. She gives the best hugs, especially first thing in the morning when she is still a little bit sleepy. She is super social (MUCH more so than me or Matt) and asks every morning "what are we doing today? And then what? And then what?" She literally will talk to anyone and has never met a stranger. We love her to pieces.

 Celebrating Saylor and Mommy's birthday later in the week at Benihana

 I had to include this one: working on thank you notes. Her face explains how she and I both felt!

We had a wonderful year with our sweet Saylor and I am so excited to see what her five year old year holds! God has blessed us so abundantly by entrusting this little girl into our lives!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! We rode the DART today to Heritage Square in downtown Plano. We had a picnic lunch and played on the playground. Riding the Dart was an adventure for the kiddos, and it was a beautiful day. Nothing fancy, just enjoying being together.
 

I am so thankful for these three people in my life. God has been so good to us and as I reflect back there is so much to be thankful for in 2013.

Our first full year in our new house.

Matt continuing his work with Food For Good at Pepsi, with a growing program and team. We are both still somewhat in awe that he gets to do something he cares about for a living.

My ever changing work schedule allowing me to grow professionally and personally. I spent the first 8 months of 2013 working 2 full days per week alongside some amazing children and their parents. I was deeply touched by some of them. Grateful to walk alongside them in their battles for their children, and get to play a small part in their stories. Grateful once again for my career that has allowed me to connect with people across the lifespan in a meaningful way.

And then grateful to be home with my own kids the last four months of the year. To be the one to pick them up after school. To be fully there and fully present for them (and Matt, and everything "at home"). For so much peace in that decision, and more peace being home full time than I have had in the past five years since I quit working full time. Grateful for the gift of time, knowing that next year my little girl will be gone to kindergarten all day, and that my little guy is changing so much every day. Somehow in these last four months I have been able to relish our days together with more joy and less stress and angst (NOT that we don't still have our moments! Being a full time mom home with two small children is definitely not for the faint of heart).

So much growth and maturity in our sweet Saylor. An amazing little school, teachers, and weekly routine that have challenged her and helped bring out the best in her. The sweetest little boy one could ever ask for, who literally melts my heart multiple times a day. Watching them learn and change and seeing the world through their eyes. Watching them love each other. Being challenged to be a better person by them daily. Praying for God's help to be a good mom every day! Praying for their hearts to have great faith in God and to show love to others in all they do, even in their own ways now.

Celebrating ten years of marriage to a man I love so, so much. Knowing that we have now been together for more of our lives than we have not. Standing firm in that milestone, and in God's promise that He is the one who brought us together and He walks with us each day of marriage. Celebrating with a trip to the Canadian Rockies (best trip we have ever taken)!

Thankful for our church, our small group. Walking with friends and family through highs and lows. Thankful for the chance to be part of a women's bible study that I honestly wasn't sure I would like, but being humbled that I have in fact loved it.

Beyond thankful for our health. Thankful for our families and for the time we have had to be with them at different points over the year. Knowing that many are walking through uncertain or difficult things, or have lost someone they love. Knowing that this could change for us at any time, but knowing that God does not change and thankful for that.

I'm excited to see what's in store in 2014. So far it's a pretty good year: our precious niece, Addison, was born TODAY, January 1, 2014! What an amazing New Years gift! We are so thrilled for Will and Nicole and dying to meet her soon!

Christmas December 2013

We celebrated Christmas in Houston this year and split time between both families. We were able to stay for almost a week and enjoyed getting to see everyone!