Way to go Tornadoes!

Ryan is playing in the U10 Big Country Soccer Association this spring. He is playing on the tornadoes and having a great time!

We're Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo! How about You, You, You?

Most of my favorite childhood memories involve my Grandma. My Grandma Belcher is the greatest! She had this really cool Lincoln Continental car with all the cool extras that we enjoy now like automatic windows and locks. My sister Amy and I thought it was very cool through Grandma made us wear our seat belts every time we got in the car. Oh, how times have changed!

Grandma always sang the "Going to the Zoo" song and she and I have been known to break into song at the mere mention of the Zoo. I sing the "We're going to the Zoo" song every time I go there. Ryan just laughs at me and sings along. Here is a link to a recording of the song I found on YouTube. Click here

I love being able to share my favorite memories with my children. I love to reminisce about how simple life was then. I was always in such a hurry to grow-up when I was younger and I often think that I didn't truly slow down and just enjoy being a kid. I work hard now to bring out my inner child. I am definitely a big kid at heart. The Abilene Zoo has undergone major renovations these last few years and they are all fantastic. The zoo entrance has been moved and major attractions have been added. The newest feature that we got to see Saturday was the new crocodile enclosure and the flamingos also have a new spiffy home. The crocodile has been at the zoo as long as I can remember and he always lived in this TINY enclosure which didn't seem to bother him because I NEVER saw him move.


The crocodile "not moving" in his new enclosure


Ryan and Emerson pause for a photo op of the new enclosure


A very cool dude!


Ryan poses next to the new flamingo and bird exhibit


Here is Ryan on his 3rd birthday at the old bird exhibit


Emerson enjoys a snack in the creepy crawler center


Our favorite part of the Abilene Zoo is being able to feed and touch the giraffes




Ryan on his 3rd birthday




Emerson's first time to feed the giraffes all by herself. She loved it!


Rachael and Emerson check out the white tiger


The very manly lion

San Antonio Zoo in July--What Were We Thinking?

My mom and I had this great idea to take the kids to the San Antonio Zoo on Monday, July 6th. We had the awesome privilege of keeping Cameron for the day and it seemed like such a good plan--get up early, go to the zoo, come home, rest. Seems simple right? Ha Ha!

San Antonio was blessed with a good amount of rain the night before which left the whole town hot and muggy from about 11 on. Of course, it took us way too long to get out of the house after working around nap times for both of the babies. We got to the zoo about noon and took the kids on the train first. We picked out our seats and waited for the train to leave the depot. There was NO breeze and everyone started to get hot very quickly. Everyone really enjoyed the train ride and the breeze was very welcome. None of us knew that there was a golf course right there in the midst of the zoo and our favorite museum, The Whitte.















































We rented a stroller for Emerson since we didn't have Cameron's and headed to the restaurant in the middle of the zoo. Everyone was hot, thirsty, and hungry. Emerson was starting to melt down, but I really thought that lunch and juice would perk her right up. WRONG!

She cried the entire time we were there and refused to eat anything and would only drink Diet Coke with lots of ice. She loves any drink with ice and as hot as she was, I gave in. Cameron kept looking at her like she had lost it. Ryan tried everything he could to help and make her smile. Even the manager came and checked on us. It was embarrassing. Emerson is NORMALLY very mild manned and super sweet, but being that hot did not agree with her.

We didn't want the zoo trip to be a total loss, so we took Ryan up to feed the lorry's. He did this a couple of months before this and just loved it. I guess he takes after his mom who is a total bird lover! I know that all of you are thinking back to my personal zoo days before Ryan.




My mom stayed with the babies and let Emerson run around a little while Cameron took in the sights from the stroller. Emerson enjoyed the freedom and started to return to her normal self. Cameron decided it was her turn to eat and had another bottle before we back up and went home.





I am thankful that there wasn't a picture of us leaving the zoo. All 5 of us were covered in sweat and absolutely exhausted. All in all, I would say that this was definitely a trip to remember.

Kason's Birthday Party

Saturday, June 6th we were invited to Kason's 5th birthday party. I have no idea how that little boy can be 5. Where has the time gone? I know that his mom would agree with me. Kason is the sweetest little boy I know. He is always super happy and loves seeing Ryan and Emerson. Emerson reminds me a lot of Kason, especially when she climbs on the chair, the kitchen table, or the coffee table. When Kason was little you could blink and he would be sitting on the kitchen table with the biggest smile on his face. I remember once I was watching the boys and I had to get onto him for something. I had to look the other way because I couldn't stop smiling. He was looking back at me with the silliest, most innocent face. The birthday party was at Mendy's brother's amazing home just south of Abilene. I don't think I have been to a more beautiful home (an we only saw the outside).



The boys swam for over 3 hours and Emerson was in the pool most of that time too. The big kids jumped from every surface imaginable. Mendy and I were the only adults brave (crazy) enough to get in the water. The water was FREEZING when we got it, but we quickly adjusted.


Ryan & Emerson


Ryan with the Miami Vice pose


Birthday boy Kason James


Big Brother Kallan Jack


Emerson was a trooper especially considering that we left the house at 9:30 that morning for the garage sale at Brittney's house. I love this picture. Her eyes steal my heart every day.



Emerson loved being in the pool with Mendy and her mom Kay. Mendy is my best friend and she & I met back at Mac Direct (along with her husband Cody). Mendy also was so kind to keep Emerson for me so that I could go back to work last spring immediately after they moved back to Abilene from Oklahoma City.



Emerson really wants to be a big kid. She saw the grown ups with bottles of water and had to have one too. It was so nice that she could sign to everyone what she wanted. She took a break from the water and enjoyed watching the kids from a lawn chair.



I would love to say that I had the pleasure of watching Kason open all of his presents, but I have a 17 month old. I took a couple of quick pictures and returned to my side job of chasing Emerson through the backyard.

Memorial Day at Aunt K's House

We were invited to invade Aunt K and Uncle Bo's house for Memorial Day weekend. We drove up Saturday morning an spend the majority of the day at the outlets in San Marcos. Miriam could hardly wait for us to get there and I think she called about 15 times before we got to San Antonio. She is so adorable and wanted a play by play of Emerson's activities in the car. I was happy to oblige. Miriam is a joy to be around and she is hysterical!

Sunday morning we went to Community Bible Church in San Antonio and all the kids had a good time. Emerson settled right into her class and was playing up a storm when I picked her up. We had a wonderful lunch on the patio at La Hacienda de Los Barrios. This is Ryan's favorite San Antonio restaurant because they have awesome tortilla soup and an outdoor playground. I even took Emerson over for a few minutes to play.







That afternoon Katie and I took Cameron, Emerson, and Ryan back to their house. We put the babies down for naps and got ready for the party that evening.





Katie and Bo had invited over a few friends from church/work. Ryan was the official greeter at the party and opened the gate for every car that came in.



Bo grilled up beef and bison hamburgers for everyone and mom cooked corn on the cob. The food was terrific as always.









We had a great time visiting with everyone, but one little girl stole the show. Ainslee (who is two weeks older than Emerson) was there with her parents of course. It took the two girls a little while to get the hang of each other, but after dinner they were an unstoppable force. They played and played and played the entire evening. The big kids had a lot of fun too and were all happy to join in with the little ones.









I finally put Emerson in her pajamas and she was still on a roll. You can just see in her face how much fun she was having.