Best Birthday Party Ever

Happy Birthday Sophia! This birthday party was last weekend, and I felt like adding it to the previous October post would not due it justice. It was by far the best birthday party I have ever attended. Sophia's party deserved a post all for it's own. Here's why:

Sophia with her mom Monica and Dad Mario. Great people. We have actually known them for years. The first time I met Monica she was ironing her clothes for sorority rush back when I was a freshmen. She does not look any different than she did back when I first met her. If I did not love her so much I would hate her for that!

So....you know a party is going to be great when you drive up and the line for the pony ride loops around the petting zoo. Precious children all around. Pretty much chaos. Perfect atmosphere for a 3 year old's big day.
Here Annalee is checking out the goats. Goats seem to be an October theme for our family. Blake at this point was scoping out which goat he wanted to let Annalee hold. Unfortunately I am a one woman camera or I would have snapped his face too...but hey, Annalee is the kid. She wins.
I know this girl and can read her mind. At this point she is thinking, "I'm not sure if I am ready to hold a goat."

I love the kid's digital camera in the corner of this picture.
Here's the kid since I accidentally cut him off before. He looks serious.

This is Sophia and her sister Olivia. I love watching these two. Monica does an amazing job of dressing them a like but not identical. I'm taking lots of notes.
Let me just say...we waited in that pony riding line and it was "Space Mountain line" worth it. A nice party guest offered to take pictures for us because right when we got to the front of the line Caroline had to be held and needed her pacifier held in place. Two hand job. It was urgent for her and obviously the guy could see the look of panic on my face when I was afraid I was going to miss out on capturing the Pony ride moment. Thanks nice party guest man!
I can't get enough of these pictures. I go from being obsessed with Annalee's face to being mesmerized by Blake's. How CUTE do they look with that pony!
Here is Blake pointing out me and Caroline.
I'm waving hysterically at this point.



She was so happy till...she had to pass off the pony to the next kid in line. Dropped her weight on to the ground and through a big fit. She loved that pony.
On to the next activity...pumpkin painting.


One of the best things about being a little girl is pigtails.
Annalee took this activity very seriously and her pumpkin turned out amazing. I am a little bias.
Finished product.
Well...I just thought it was finished. Thank goodness for Tide Stain Sticks. She marked up her dress a bit too.
Blake would tell you that one of his favorite parts of the party was the food. 5 corndogs and 2 cupcakes later he told me that he was going on a run later that evening so that he could still look at himself in the mirror tomorrow.
This is what a Texas hay ride looks like. We all loaded up our kids in to a trailer behind a four wheeler.
How do you not love that?
Family shot of the Fuentes family.
Here Mario puts Sophia up on the table right in front of the cake. She looked like a princess up there.

Happy Birthday SOPHIA!!


Believe it or not...the activities did not end. Pinata time.

Thank you Sophia for turning three. Thank you Fuentes family for including us in the celebration!

Precious Moments, Angels and Aggie Football.

It has been such a fun October! Caroline has woken up to the world and loves to smile and watch her big sister dance all around! Despite the occasional slaps and pokes...Annalee is really sweet to her. Since neither Blake nor I had a sister, I love watching their sisterhood develop. In my nightly prayers for them I always pray for their current and future relationship. They are so close in age, which I know will bring challenges but at the same time, a life long play mate. Lucky girls!

I feel like a very fortunate mother because Annalee usually naps 2-3 hours (at least) a day. During this time I have started making it a point to spend at least some of it alone with Caroline. Sometimes she is awake and other times I just hold her while she sleeps. It is nice to have this precious time for just the two of us. The rest of the time...I have made her no promises...Annalee is the cute squeaky wheel and Caroline is destined to the bouncy chair or swing!

Last week during our time together she looked so peaceful, sweet and beautiful to me. Could not help but grab the camera and turn our time together in to a 2 month old photo shoot!

Annalee is up from her nap! She welcomes Caroline with a nice, sweet, strong cheek grab! Better keep saying those prayers!

Sweet sisters...I promise childhood will be fun sharing it together!!

Ok Caroline. Back in the bumbo!

In mid October we all headed to College Station for the Greek Week Reunion and football game. Also...Caroline got to meet her namesake, her maternal Grandmother. It was a bit crazy...since we hosted the Pi Phi tailgate party as well as my best friend Terri (who attended kidless...so fun to be with her).

Here is Dad teaching Annalee to "gig'em". She did not get it at all. I guess gig'em is a pretty strange concept. Her sweet Aunt Sydney gave her her cheer outfit. CUTE.
Here are two of my pledge sisters, Katie and Terri...loved seeing both of them. I got to meet Katie's kind and handsome husband who was experiencing A&M for the first time! I hope you liked it Daniel!
Here Caroline and I are visiting with Ms. Betty Westbrook Trant. She was one of our advisors..and believe it or not...still works with the chapter. She is one of my mentors. This women is in AMAZING shape. I hope I have half the energy that she does when I am her age.
This is my Dad in his A&M golf cart. Cute. I still can't believe he lives on campus! Here is is before the game with his game face is on. Unfortunately the team forgot to wear theirs!
Lots of father, daughter moments during game weekend...Annalee LOVED the football game.

I have to admit...I was VERY proud to see those Pi Phi letters in front of my parent's house on campus. Thanks to all Pi Phi's who came by the house. I loved seeing and meeting everyone.

Me and Caroline Lawrence with Norma Lawrence! It was so special of Grandmother Norma to make the trip. I pray Caroline inherits her wit, beauty, faith in Jesus, and fun personality... right along with her name!

So far having two kids has not felt like double the work...but double the fun! I have to admit, somedays I feel like I change diaper after diaper after diaper...and at the end of most days I feel like a diaper. But, overall they are so much fun to watch, to hold, to love. I can feel the time fly by...there are so many moments during the day when I wish time and space would freeze. For those many moments...I am so grateful.

Pumpkin Pickin

I must start out the post with a sincere apology. This post contains A TON of pictures from today. I have a couple of excuses. I have these two friends who happen to be incredibly talented sisters. They both blog. So...if you don't follow them...click off my blog and read the following two: www.lovingwings.blogspot.com and www.keelymariescott.com. You won't be sorry.

So these two girls are AMAZING photographers. I have a photo crush on both of them. Unfortunately their future children will have a much cooler, prettier and more creative baby books than mine. Sorry Annalee. Sorry Caroline. So...here is my try at doing better at photography. If Keely and Kelsey read this...I only want compliments. I am far too delicate right now for any constructive criticism. And...I already know that I went too crazy with the edit buttons!

So...the pumpkin patch at Sweetberry Farms. I love this place. This is our second year to go with our family in Round Rock. Maybe next year will be different. The parents are STILL having more fun than the kids. I have been told that someday this will reverse at places like The Pumpkin Patch.

This is what Caroline did almost the whole time. Sister...I promise next year will be better.

At first Annalee hated the pumpkins. She left the patch with a slight move to moderate dislike. I think she was confused as to why her parents wanted her to hug them so bad and why her mother expected her to smile when she was plopped on such large, orange, hard, produce. Again...I am banking on next year's pumpkin photos! Watch out!

Someday she is going to ask why her tights clashed with her top. I won't have an answer.
But I LOVE HER!!! That will be my answer.
Here I am plopping her in to the large pile of pumkins.
Here she is giving the smile a big ole college try. Cute.
Here she is with her precious cousin Graham...he felt the EXACT same way she did about the pumpkins. Must be an age thing.
Me and my sister in law Shea are obsessed with these two holding hands and kissing. Someday we know this obsession will have to end. But for now...we both knock over anyone in our way who blocks this cute shot!
I can't believe no one is crying in this photo. Blake will tell you...you can usually bet on at least one female in our house crying at any given time. I admit...I have been known to shed a few...but with ALWAYS a valid excuse.
We got a lot of these. I liked them all. After Annalee asks about the tights...Caroline is going to ask about the giant bug on her chest.
It can't be covered up. GIANT BUG GO AWAY!

Annalee was born in Key West. So....we assume that she loves boats...especially when they are in the middle of a pumpkin patch. I don't really know why they had boats at the pumpkin patch, but they did and she drove them. And loved it.

Here she is coming off a sharp turn through the fence.
Shut up Keely and Kelsey....I know this color is weird. Nothing I did reversed it. Photo ruined forever.

The goats had better luck than the pumpkins for sure. Graham and Annalee loved them....but NO WHERE NEAR as much as their father's. Must be a gender thing.




I wish you could have seen these men's faces.
The goats were kinda crazy...


Look how proud Blake is...she can do no wrong when it comes to hanging out with goats.
She is attempting to kiss the goat in this photo. She kisses everything without question. Except for me and Blake. We have to BEG for a kiss like this goat got.
Moments like this with my daughters made days like this perfect.


Caroline's BIG moment. She road with us on the hay ride...in fact...sat right behind the tractor's exhaust pipe. I don't think any real harm was done.


I'm real proud of her in this photo because she did not make a peep during the whole hay ride...what a trooper.

Annalee sat with her aunt and uncle...and LOVED being the only little girl in their laps.

I made Brad hold Caroline. I think he loved it...but then the ride got a little bumpy and he decided he wanted to end the day on a good note...so he passed her back. I can't blame him. He is such a sweet dad and Uncle...as all of the pictures show!
Graham sat with us some and kissed on that baby. He loves babies! We love him.

I love this picture. I am going to give Graham a copy of it some day.
Blake had to have a shot of this pig. He wants to make one next year at my parent's farm. We'll see. Might just pull the picture out and look at it again instead.
As you have probably noticed...Caroline is in between sizes and if you are a girl you know how difficult this can be. Soon...it won't be a problem for her...and then later it will be a problem again. Life is a circle.
How cute is that family! Thanks for celebrating Fall with us Shea, Brad and Graham!!!
At the patch there is this huge garden of flowers...provided some kodak moments.
I almost knocked Blake over for this shot...thankfully he had a good hold on Caroline.

She is going through a "looking like my Dad" stage. I love when my daughters are in that stage!!

HAPPY FALL!!!!!