A Moment In Time...

This is the most meaningful picture I have ever taken.  I did not have my camera with me,  so I just grabbed my phone and took it.  This summer while in Bulgaria, the children and I went to visit my grandparents.  Maggie had ran to the street to get another look at a really large and unfriendly white dog, and I was trying to catch up and stop her.  My grandpa was just coming back from the store and in spite of them not speaking the same language, she followed him and his voice safely back to the house.  I am overwhelmed every time I see this picture.  There is something so beautiful and peaceful about this place, and the wonderful people in it whom I love so much, and my children with them... it means the world to me...

Esther's Sixth Birthday

This girl finally had her birthday party.  And since she was so patient, it was one to remember.  She is the smartest, sweetest, most thoughtful, most beautiful, and most loved six year old I have ever known. :)  I hope every mother can say the same for their six year old daughter. 

The Third Child

So far the two older children have been great about always asking if they can eat this or that.  I don't think that I ever taught them that, it just happened. However, number three, aka Maggie, did not get the message.  Today, I offered her one cookie only, but after she was finished with it, she helped herself to another, and another, and another, until she ended up with five cookies.  Needless to say, that is way too many cookies for a two year old.  The interesting thing is that I never saw her get the cookie, just a small piece of it in her hand when she had almost eaten it.  Sneaky little thing!  Now I know to keep the cookies away from her.

Half Marathon

On Saturday 10-19-13, I ran the Huntsville, TX half marathon with two very fast and wonderful friends, Mandy and Marie.  They inspired me to run again and to stretch myself this far.  It was a tough terrain, many hills which we don't have in Houston, but doable.  It felt great crossing the finish line, and I set a personal record, which unfortunately is not worth mentioning.  Richard and the girls were there to cheer me on.  Samuel had a football game at the same time, so we left him with friends to do that.  In hindsight, I wish we had him there too.  It was a great day with beautiful weather!

General Conference Weekend

Aren't they precious...

Maggie Helping Herself

Lately Maggie does not like sitting in her highchair and drinking her milk.  She goes to Samuel or Esther and wants to eat whatever they are eating.  She also takes over it, if she likes it.  Here she is eating the left over strawberries after the other two have left for school.

Changes

The changes that children bring to one's life are often unexpected.  I used to have no interest in watching sports.  Now, I'll watch a baseball or a football game just so I can see what kind of tip I can give Samuel when he plays.  And yes, I am an intense mom in every way, and I am OK with that.  I do have one redeeming characteristic which is that I can be flexible.  I will change course when necessary.  Just like I never liked trucks, country music, or cowboy boots.  Now, I drive a truck, listen to country music all the time, and my kids and I own cowboy boots.  (For Richard, that goes without saying since he is a born and bread Texan.)  I love watching Samuel play sports just as much as I love hearing him play the piano.  Here is our little star quarterback:

 

Sunday Silliness

A Kolache, or endearingly called by all children as a "Piggy in a Blanket"