Noynaert News

Disney Cruise

2011-04-20T21:41:00.008-05:00

I have been wanting to post about our Disney trip for quite some time, but with almost 1500 pictures to go through I thought I wouldn't be able to do it! I finally realized that there is absolutely NO way I could write about everything we did while we were on the cruise and at Disney World!!!

This trip was a dream for me, something that I had on my bucket list and thought would never even be possible! What could be better than doing Disney with my family, especially when the kids are at an age when they thought EVERYTHING was magical!

Here are some of the highlights of our cruise. Unfortunately, they are not in any type of order!

Ally's favorite thing was meeting the characters, which started the day we arrived on the boat! We stood in many lines and waited many hours (or what seemed like hours) to meet each and every one of them! Carter tolerated it for the most part, but I think his favorite part of the cruise was being in the ocean and going to the beach!

My favorite picture from the trip!!!
Carter dressed as a pirate for the Pirate Party!

Carter signed up to participate in the potato car races and LOVED it...and he almost won!

The "Pirates in the Caribbean" party was really neat. We missed part of it because the kids were exhausted that day!
Look who found Peter Pan while he was chasing Captain Hook!
We rented bikes at Castaway Cay and had a blast! It was one of the highlights for sure! Carter was so happy to get to ride a bike, and the island was BEAUTIFUL!!!
Dance party on Castaway Cay...
The characters changed outfits many times throughout the trip, and they even made appearances on the beach!

The big kids got to go jet skiing! It was my first time...and my last with Sam as the driver! The water was stunning, and we even got to "pet" a starfish the guide caught!

One of the stops was Atlantis in the Bahamas. It was an awesome place, although it was very chilly that day so no one wanted to swim.
The crew (minus Mom) arriving in Florida very early in the morning! We left College Station at 2:30 am!

Here we are all decked out for the safety drill!

There are a million more pictures that document how much fun we had, but I will stop here! The kids were great, and everyone else enjoyed their first cruise! I can't wait until we do it again!

Rodeo Day

2011-04-08T14:46:00.003-05:00

The kids' school has a Rodeo Day every year right before Spring Break. They loved all the activities and crafts, but the best part for them was that they got to dress up and wear their boots!!

Ally's favorite thing to do was ride the horses!

Carter loved the "fishing" the best!

T-Ball

2011-04-07T18:32:00.002-05:00

Carter started playing t-ball a couple of weeks ago, which he absolutely LOVES!! He has only had one game so far, but he had the opportunity to play several positions. He said he liked batting and playing pitcher the best. Look for more updates soon!

Carter Turns 5!!!

2011-04-05T15:48:00.003-05:00

I still cannot believe that Carter turned 5 on December 11! Where has the time gone?!?! As you can see, we celebrated the big birthday in Superhero style! It was a ton of fun!! This isn't a great picture, but the cake was fabulous! My friend, Ashley Schlinke, made it with all of Carter's favorite superheros...Batman, Superman and Spiderman!

Carter had tons of friends at his party (he is a social butterfly), and one very special Uncle Bubba.

What a special boy and special day!

End of 2010 Highlights

2011-04-04T21:33:00.005-05:00

Here are some of the big (and small) events that helped us round out 2010 (in no particular order). Keep checking back for more highlights! Ally had her first dance recital at the George Bush Library at the beginning of December. She LOVED it, and we are already counting down until the big recital on May 14!

The kids' preschool has an annual fundraiser called "Dinner (or Breakfast) with Santa". It is a fun event filled with crafts, food and Santa!

Three generations!

Carter played flag football in October and November for the first time. He seemed to like it, although some of the games were a little warm!

We have been on MANY bike rides since the weather cooled off! You can't tell from this picture, but Ally is behind me in her "bike seat" sound asleep!

New Pictures!!

2011-04-04T14:48:00.008-05:00

After having SEVERAL people mention that I needed to update the blog, I decided to actually do it today! Here are some pictures we had made before Christmas by our wonderful photographer, Sarah Giles. She is so talented, especially with the kiddos. These are my favorite pictures, although there are many more great ones! I'm sure these will be a welcome to relief to those of you who actually still read this thing (no more stitches!).

Stitches (warning: graphic pictures)

2010-11-10T20:48:00.002-06:00

Ally fell off the couch on Monday night and ended up busting her chin open. It was crazy how it happened, and we still aren't sure how she hit her chin in the just the right place to cause such damage! After lots of blood and a few tears (she was VERY brave), we decided to take her in to get stitches. Not exactly how I planned on spending my Monday night, but the doctor said it was a good thing we came in when we did. I think the wound grew on our way to the hospital!

Here is a picture after she actually got the stitches. It was pretty traumatic on her (and me), but I will admit that I stayed strong and didn't cry! It took 2 nurses, the doctor, me and Sam to hold her down to get the numbing shots and stitches in the chin! However, I honestly think she did better than I would have done if it had been me!!

Ally enjoyed the one-on-one time with her parents...and the ipad! She happily played it for the almost 2 hours we waited!
OUCH!!!!
This is a picture right after we got back to the room (about 15 minutes after getting to the ER). She was tired and a little anxious about all the fuss being made about her chin!
At least now we can say that the first set of stitches is out of the way! I'm honestly surprised it took this long for one of them to get them!

A BIG thank you goes out to my mom for coming over to watch Carter while we took Ally to the ER! She is THE BEST!!!!!

October 2010

2010-11-10T14:40:00.004-06:00

I can't believe that October has come and gone and it is now November! We had a very busy month...

Carter and Ally were Peter Pan

and Tinkerbell for Halloween!

We played outside a lot because the weather was finally cool enough to enjoy the outdoors!

We had trunk-or-treat at the kids' school! Gaga was nice enough to loan her car and decorate it for the morning!

We played outside at our friend's lake house.

Aunt Rebecca had a fun Halloween party at her house - here are all the cousins (except Caleb) dressed up for Halloween!

Granddad came home for a couple of days to visit.

We visited the local pumpkin patch and took pictures!

We are looking forward to some big events in the next couple of weeks...Thanksgiving, Carter's 5th birthday and a trip to Disney World over Christmas!

Surfside 2010

2010-09-20T15:02:00.002-05:00

Our Sunday School class rented a beach house in Surfside in early August, so I loaded up the kids and took them down there with 3 other families for the first part of the week (the second part of the week/weekend was for adults only). They loved every minute of it!

This was the first of many sharks that were caught throughout the week!

Sam wasn't able to attend for the first part of the week, which means that I got to drive all the way back to College Station, pass the kids off to his parents, pick him up and head back down to Surfside! It was a fun week/weekend and something that we will definitely plan on doing next summer!

Our Trip to Fort Worth

2010-09-16T14:33:00.003-05:00

At the end of June we made a quick trip up to Fort Worth to visit some friends, eat some yummy food and enjoy the big city!

Our first adventure was to the newly remodeled children's museum. It was closed the entire time we lived up there, so I was excited when our old neighbors recommended we go there for a play date! It was huge and had lots of neat things for the kids to do!

We were able to hang out with Carter's best friend - Carter L.! He still talks about him often and asks when we are going to go visit him again!

Sam has raved about a new restaurant called the "Love Shack" that opened recently, so we decided to try it out. The kids loved playing with the chalk and dancing on the stage, and I thought the food was really good!
Unfortunately my camera ran out of batteries so these are all the pictures I have from our trip. It also rained most of the time we were there so we weren't able to do the zoo or train like we had planned. We meant to get back up there all summer but could just never find the time! Hopefully we will be able to go up there for a quick weekend getaway next month!

Chalk Talk 2010

2010-09-15T20:12:00.005-05:00

Now that school is finally back in session I have a little time to actually to do things like update my blog!

In July I had the opportunity to attend Chalk Talk, a night of friends and football (what could be better)! It was so much fun that I am already looking forward to next year!

Hanging out with Dat Nguyen!

WHOOP!!

Football business

Practicing my moves

The locker room

It was hard to wait for football season to begin after that night - but now it is here and all is well! Gig'em!!!

Ally is 3!!!

2010-09-14T12:40:00.003-05:00

I seriously cannot believe that my BABY is three!!! Ally was so excited to turn three and celebrate her birthday that we had to start counting down weeks in advance!

Ally was able to celebrate her birthday with her classmates on the third day of school. She requested pink and purple cupcakes and she loved sharing them with her friends! My camera wasn't working very well that day so most of the pictures came out blurry.

Ally wanted to have a princess birthday party at Powersports (where she took gymnastics). She loved it!!!

It was such a great day!! We are so happy that the Lord blessed us with such a loving little girl!!!

The First Day of School

2010-08-31T15:26:00.003-05:00

Today was the first day of school for the kids, and they both had a GREAT day!

Ally is in the two year-old class that meets three days a week. She has several friends in her class that were with her last year, and I think it helped make the transition a little easier for her. She loves school, but for some reason has been a little clingy and apprehensive the last couple of days.

Carter began his last year of preschool before he begins Kindergarten! I cannot believe that this time next year my baby boy will be going to school every day all day! Where has the time gone? He will be going four days a week this year, which is a big jump from the two days a week he went last year.

Ally has two terrific teachers this year! Ms. Whitney, shown here, and Ms. Lauren pictured below! I know she will grow to love them!

Carter also has two fabulous teachers! This is Ms. Fran, who is a very special teacher to me! She was one of my 5th grade teachers, and the first teacher I had when we moved to College Station!! She is wonderful, and I am so happy that Carter is going to be one of her students!

Carter also has another teacher, Ms. Nancy. She was out today to be with her husband, who had some medical issues. I know that these ladies will do a great job preparing Carter for Kindergarten!

I will admit that there were several days this summer that I couldn't wait for school to start back up, but as the date approached (and lots of our friends started Kindergarten) I couldn't help but feel a little sad...sad that my babies are not babies anymore! Somehow, in the midst of all the craziness, they grew up on me. I wish I could somehow stop the clock and freeze time, but instead I am going to thank God for all of our blessings and enjoy every minute...because before long they will be moving into the dorm for their freshman year of college...at A&M! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-21T15:26:00.001-05:00

Sweet Cousins

2010-07-20T14:40:00.002-05:00

I love that the kids are so close in age to their cousins, Kaylie and Connor. Ally loves dressing up and playing princess with Kaylie, while Carter loves to play cars and tractors with Connor!

Road Trip

2010-07-20T14:15:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago my mom and I decided to take the kids on a road trip to Brenham to visit the Bluebell factory and eat at the airport. It was lots of fun and a great way to spend a hot summer morning! The kids thought the best part of the Bluebell tour was eating the ice cream...and I agree!!
After eating our delicious ice cream, we decided to eat at the airport even though none of us were hungry. It was a really cute place, where the waitresses even wear poodle skirts!

Carter and Ally really enjoyed watching the planes (and helicopter) land and take off!

It was so much fun that we can't wait to do it again soon!

The Celebration Continues...

2010-07-06T20:58:00.004-05:00

After we got home from the reunion, someone had the great idea of going to get fireworks to shoot off at my mom's house. The only things the kids (mostly Carter) was interested in was getting the snaps that you throw on the ground and make noise. I think they went through 6 boxes in less than 30 minutes!

Ally was so girly when she threw her snaps that most of them didn't even make a noise when she dropped them!

I thought the pink smoke bomb was really neat, but the kids just kept saying that it was stinky!

The kids think that if they are at Gaga's house they need ice cream...so we took a little break and enjoyed the treat!

Carter thought the fireworks were really neat and wanted in on the action right away. Ally, on the other hand, had to be held and covered her ears most of the time!

The next day, July 4, we went to church and had a picnic. After naps we went over to a family friend's house for swimming and ribs!! This was Carter (and Ally's) first time to jump off a diving board!

It was late, but we decided to take the kids to the firework show up on campus. It was their first time to see "big" fireworks and the anticipation was more than they could handle!

It was a great weekend with lots of family time (one of my favorite things!). Happy Fourth of July (a little late!).

Sam's Family Reunion

2010-07-06T14:05:00.003-05:00

Every year Sam's family has a reunion on the weekend closest to July 4th at his grandmother's lake house, and it is usually VERY hot! Thankfully, this year the rain kept things on the cooler side and made it much more tolerable! It is always good to see everyone and catch up with his aunts, uncles and cousins in such a relaxed setting!

As you can tell from the pictures, the kids finally caught my love of fishing! I think they fished almost the entire time we were there, and they have already asked when we can go fishing again!

A Slippin' & A Slidin'

2010-06-21T20:33:00.003-05:00

We decided to get the slip & slide out this afternoon...and it was a HIT! I think the kids wore themselves out by running halfway across the yard to slide on it!

I like this picture because Ally is in the background cheering for Carter!

Wedding Pictures

2010-06-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

Justin and Heather's photographer just put their pictures on her website: www.leestreetphotography.com. Click galleries, then H & J. She did a fabulous job capturing the memories from their special day!

Survivor!!

2010-06-14T14:22:00.003-05:00

2010 didn't start off very well for our family. After what was supposed to be a routine doctor's visit for my mom, she was diagnosed with anal cancer. Needless to say we were all shocked. However, she handled the diagnosis, chemo and radiation with a positive attitude...never complaining (even at the worst of it), never asking "why me"...just doing what she had to do to get through this detour in the road. I am proud to say that she is now a cancer survivor!!!

Dear Mom,

I admired you before this, but even more now. Thank you for showing me what perseverance is all about. Your attitude, tenacity, strength and courage are something that we can all learn from. I am proud of you in more ways than one.

Love,
Courtney

End of the Year Program/Party

2010-06-13T17:16:00.002-05:00

Ally's school had an end of the year program on the last day of school, and her class sang two songs: "This Little Light of Mine" and "If You're Happy and You Know It". It was fun to watch her and all her friends perform in front of such a large group of people!

Ally carrying her "light" as she walks into the program.

Carter's class had a water day for his last day of school. They played in water, shaving cream and bubbles. They also ate an ocean snack and made sand art! He loved his teacher, Mrs. Altendorff, and is going to be sad when he realizes that he is not going to be in the same class next year!

Blubonnet Pictures

2010-06-09T15:00:00.016-05:00

We recently had some bluebonnets pictures taken with our wonderful photographer, Sarah Giles. You would never know that one child was getting over the stomach bug and the other one would wake up that night with it! Here are a few of my favorites...

Mom & Son Date

2010-06-09T13:56:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago the local Children's Museum had a mother/son date night at the speedway. After much debate, we decided to go ahead and brave the elements and check it out. Carter thought the 20 minutes we were there (in the pouring rain) was fun, which is all that mattered. Instead of eating hot dogs at the track, we decided to go get pizza inside a nice, dry restaurant! We enjoyed spending time with Kim and Mason and getting to know them a little better! Maybe next year won't be so rainy and we will actually get to stay a little longer!

Cruisin'

2010-06-08T20:50:00.001-05:00

Soccer Season

2010-06-08T14:11:00.003-05:00

Carter loved participating in the Hot Shots soccer program this year! To wrap up the season, the players held a short scrimmage and got a trophy!

Last Baseball Game

2010-06-08T13:57:00.004-05:00

It was one of the windiest days I've ever witnessed in College Station, but that didn't stop us from meeting some friends and tailgating before the last baseball game at Olson Field! The kids thought it was a blast, which means that we will be doing a lot more of it next baseball season (and maybe even football season!). Carter LOVES baseball, so I'm hoping that one day I'll be sitting in the stands watching him play for the Aggies!

Wedding Bells

2010-06-01T21:11:00.005-05:00

It is official...my baby brother is married!!! We are so happy that he found such a great woman to spend the rest of his life with!

It was a fun weekend, full of rehearsals, dinners, dancing and swimming! The kids thought the best part was the swimming pool at the hotel, which we visited each day. They stayed up very late for them each night, but considering everything going on, they both did a fantastic job of keeping it together all weekend! We now know for certain that dance is in our future, because all Ally did at the reception was bust a move! I'd like to say she gets her skills from her mama, but we all know that she has already surpassed me in the dancing department!

One of the best things about the weekend was catching up with family we don't see very often and old friends that have moved far away! I even learned that someone reads my blog somewhat frequently (hi, Aunt Dee Dee!).

I'm sad to say that I didn't get all the pictures I wanted (ex. there are none of the bride and groom on their wedding day), but it was a busy weekend and I was too busy taking care of the kids and having fun!

Justin and Heather, we love you and are so incredibly happy for you!

Maroon & White Game

2010-04-21T13:45:00.002-05:00

The Aggie football team had their annual autograph session and spring game on Saturday! Carter thought it was fun to get the players to sign his ball, and Ally even warmed up and got some autographs at the end of the session!

Sam and I think the kids are going to grow up and be die-hard Aggies or totally rebel!! At least we have many more years to brainwash them before it is time for college!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-20T10:12:00.004-05:00

Easter

2010-04-20T09:58:00.003-05:00

I know this post is a little late (that what happens when every member of the family has had the stomach bug in the last two weeks), so here is a quick re-cap of our activities...

The kids loved decorating their eggs, but for some reason the Easter Bunny forgot to hide them on Easter morning! He remembered the plastic eggs but forgot all about the other ones. Luckily, the kids didn't even realize it!

The best picture of the kids dressed for church on Easter morning. Why is it that they REFUSE to take a picture together???
Hunting for eggs at Gaga's house was much more fun that hunting eggs inside out house!
I'm not sure who was more into the egg hunting this year...Ally or Carter. Of course, Carter was still not 100% from the stomach bug, and little did we know Ally would be the next one to get it (at midnight, if I remember correctly). Ally enjoyed searching for eggs so much that Carter hid them for her several times while we were at Gaga and Granddad's house! What a terrific day!

Palm Sunday

2010-03-29T14:39:00.003-05:00

We had such a great day yesterday! The kids got to sing in church at the 11:00 service, which they both thought was great! They also got to wave palm branches after they sang their song in honor of Palm Sunday. The pictures didn't turn out very well because someone was always standing in my way! This is actually a picture of them practicing the song before the service started.

The church had a lunch after the service, followed by an Easter egg hunt (or Easter egg dash). Carter had fun running and filling up his basket as fast as he could, while Ally needed a little more coaching! She finally got the hang of it and kept saying, "This is really, really fun!!!"
Our day ended with "Disney Movie Night", which is our new Sunday family tradition. We also made homemade pizza rolls to top off the day!

One of My Favorite Things...

2010-03-26T20:40:00.004-05:00

is Fightin' Texas Aggie Baseball! There is no better way to spend a beautiful spring afternoon/evening than at the baseball field! WHOOP!!!

Carter got to spend some time on the field with the players again tonight. Everyone was impressed that he knew all the words to the War Hymn (that's because he requests it every night when he goes to bed). I have been told that he is teaching it to his friends in class, even the t-sips!!

He hung out with the second baseman tonight!

He was so proud when he walked off the field!

Of course, you can't go to an Aggie baseball game without getting something to eat!

We have decided that we need to include "baseball treats" into our monthly budget!

The "Aggie Princess" swinging in her gymnastics pose.

When the sun goes down at Olsen Field, the bats come out! I am personally not a fan of them (remember "The Great Outdoors" when the bat lands on John Candy's face - it traumatized me at a very young age), and my daughter has inherited my fear of them! She was screaming the other night and wanted to leave because she is "really, really, really scared of bats!!!" Here we are walking to the car while she carefully observes the sky above her!
I'm glad my kids share my love of Aggie baseball!

Two More Pictures...

2010-03-23T10:32:00.002-05:00

This is how Carter has been dressing lately while we are at home - Cowboy Carter!

My sad attempt at taking a good picture of the kids before we left for Houston!

Houston Livestock Show

2010-03-23T10:07:00.005-05:00

All my family (the four of us, mom & dad, Justin & Heather) took a road trip to Houston for the Houston Livestock Show. I don't know who had more fun - the adults or the kids!!!

The pictures are out of order, but I don't have time to mess with it right now!

The last thing we did while we were there was take the kids on the big slide. They had been waiting all day to ride it, and after standing in line for 20 minutes, they finally got their chance! Daddy rode with Ally, Carter rode with Aunt Heather and Justin rode by himself. I thought Ally would be scared once she got up to the top of the stairs, but the first things she said when she got off was "AGAIN!"
Sam took Ally to play a game so that she could win a prize like Carter. She ended up with a monkey and frog, which she still carries around every day!

Justin let the kids play a game with him, and Carter ended up winning a prize!

You can't go to the Livestock Show without eating some very unhealthy food! Justin and Heather got a "tanker" of lemonade, and I think Ally ended up drinking most of it!

Gaga and Grandad let the kids make their own ropes. Carter thought this was one of the coolest things he has ever done! It does not surprise me to walk around the house and find things tied up with his rope!

Carter liked feeding the animals, as long as they weren't trying to attack him!
Another picture of making the rope!

Could it be the Easter Bunny???

Both kiddos loved watching the chicks hatch out of the eggs! I think they would have stayed there all day if we had let them!

Ally wasn't too sure about the animals...she only liked them if they were smaller than her!

It was such a fun day, and I cannot wait until we go back next year!!!

Ally's Rodeo Day

2010-03-23T09:58:00.003-05:00

Ally's school had a Rodeo day two weeks ago, which she absolutely LOVED!!

Ally loved roasting her marshmallows!
Digging for gold and other buried treasures.

Rodeo Day was a huge success, and it was a great way to kick-start our Spring Break!

Catching Up - Valentine's Day

2010-03-23T09:40:00.005-05:00

The kids really enjoyed Valentine's Day this year! They both picked out cards to give their friends...
and Carter even signed his name on each one of his!

We made cookies and other treats, which Ally liked helping with the most!

Ally's class decorated cookies for their party!
Carter's class had a special snack, followed by Valentine centers!

Two Wheelin'

2010-03-22T14:44:00.002-05:00

Carter had been asking to take off his training wheels for a few weeks, but we didn't think he was ready. Well, two weeks ago we went to the park and saw a friend from his class...who had a bike with no training wheels. It took him about ten minutes to get the hang of it, and he hasn't looked back since then! As soon as Daddy got home that night we took the training wheels off his bike and went for a ride! There's no stopping him now!

More SnOw DaY Pictures!

2010-02-25T14:49:00.004-06:00

The Noynaert snowman! Playing at Uncle Bubba and Aunt Heather's house! The Butler/Platz snowman!Snowball fight!!!!

Ally was the first one to give in and go inside!

SnOw DaY 2010

2010-02-25T14:24:00.004-06:00

They said it was coming, but I didn't believe them. They've said it a hundred times before, but this time was different. I picked the kids up from school early on Tuesday, and after fighting them for two hours to take a nap, I finally gave in and let them go outside to this!!!

Can you believe it? Snow in College Station...in February?

To say that the kids LOVED it would be an understatement!!! I couldn't get them to come inside, even though their little hands and feet were freezing!

All the kids (me included) wanted to make a snowman...

and I think he turned out to be a pretty good "Frosty", even if he only lived for one short day!

After a trip to Uncle Bubba and Aunt Heather's house, and two hours of playing in the snow, they gave in and came inside! It couldn't have been a more perfect day!

Aggie Baseball - Opening Day

2010-02-19T21:15:00.003-06:00

When we walked through the gates of the baseball game tonight, a lady stopped us and asked if the kids wanted to go on the field and sing "The National Anthem" with the players. Carter was hesitant at first, but once he found out his little sister was going to do it I don't think it left him with much choice! They LOVED it, and we were very proud parents!

Here they are waiting for the players to finish warming up!
Ally liked waving to her daddy in the stands!
Ally got placed with the third baseman. I really didn't think she would stay out there by herself since she isn't a fan of strange men, but she proved me wrong! She kept calling him "that boy", and we even had to say prayers for "that boy" when she went to bed!
Carter got to run all the way out to center field! I'm pretty sure this sealed his dream of becoming a baseball player!
After the song was over Ally just stood on the field like a statue. Sam captured this picture of the player looking at her and wondering if she was going to leave! The lady had to come and remove her from the third base so the game could start!

I can't wait for the rest of baseball season! WHOOP!

Brainwashing At An Early Age

2010-02-07T21:48:00.004-06:00

We decided to be spontaneous and take the kids to the Lady Aggie Basketball game last Wednesday night. We found out about a promotion for free tickets while we were at children's choir, went home to pick up Sam and headed to the stadium. There is a kid's court before the women's games that we braved for a few minutes, and needless to say, the kids LOVED it...and didn't want to leave! Ally actually squealed with delight every time we touched one of the basketballs. Maybe it's a sign that she will be a basketball player when she gets older!

Have you ever seen a basketball player wear rain boots?

Popcorn, nachos and hot dogs for dinner...a special treat!

Ally was entranced by the dance team during halftime!
Gig'em Aggies!

I'm glad we decided to go...cheap tickets, small crowd, brainwashing and Aggie victory!

We Are In SERIOUS Trouble!

2010-02-07T21:26:00.004-06:00

This weekend Ally attended a birthday party for a friend who is turning five. The friend's little sister (who is two, also) was there, but Ally didn't really want anything to do with her. She wanted to do everything the "big" girls were doing, which meant picking out a dress, getting her fingernails painted, wearing make-up and getting her hair done! It was such a fun day, and I'm so glad that we were able to help celebrate such a special birthday!

Ally (aka Tinkerbell) waiting patiently for her turn to get her nails done!

She picked out blue fingernail polish...

glittery green eye-shadow...

and pink hair with silver glitter (she wanted green hair, but we were going to the A&M basketball game vs. Baylor so I told her she had to pick a different color!)!

She thought she looked beautiful...and that is all that mattered!
All the girls did a fashion show at the end, but Ally wasn't too sure about her first runway experience. She ran out to me as soon as it finished and sat in my lap until it was time for cake!

She had the best time at the party, which only solidified her aspirations of becoming a real princess when she grows up! She is dressed as a princess (complete with glass slippers, crown and wand) while we are home, but knows she has to turn back into Ally when we go somewhere. I'm not complaining, though, because I dreamed that I would have a little princess one day and now I have one!

Beautiful Weather

2010-02-03T14:04:00.002-06:00

Last week the weather was beautiful (too bad we can't say the same about this week!), so we spent a lot time outside! The kids enjoyed playing at the park, riding bikes, jumping on the trampoline and playing in the sandbox! We are all ready for spring to come...and stay!

2010 So Far...A Quick Recap

2010-01-19T14:28:00.004-06:00

2010 has been a great year so far for the Noynaert family! It started on New Year's Eve with great friends and good food (and no, we didn't stay up until midnight!).

Sam and I made a very quick trip to Fort Worth on January 2nd to visit friends and see Jack Ingram in concert at Billy Bob's! It was a great trip, although it was too short and we had lots of other people/things we wanted to see and do!

We had great seats at the concert! I didn't know a lot of his music, but he put on a great show!

A friend of mine convinced me to take the kids bowling with her last week...and it was quite an experience! Between the two of us, we had 4 kids under 4! Carter loved it and asks to go back all the time, while Ally thought it was fun the first few times and then got distracted!

Sam took the kids to an Aggie basketball game one Saturday afternoon while I was in Houston at the Bridal Fair (with my future sister-in-law!). He told me he had to wake the kids up from their naps to go, and he couldn't even bribe them with popcorn to help improve their moods!

Both kids started gymnastics this month and they LOVE it! Right now they are going at different times during the week, but hopefully we can get them going at the same time sooner than later!

Carter loves to pose with a "Gig'em" these days! We haven't been brainwashing him or anything!
We have finally gotten back into our routine and for that I am thankful. The kids are enjoying school, gymnastics, children's choir, play dates, etc., and are keeping us busy! We love every moment, and we are looking forward to many more fun times this year: my brother's wedding, a trip to Italy (unless we gain our senses back by then), a Disney cruise (with a possible stop at Disney World) and many more events! Happy 2010!!!

Catching Up - December

2010-01-04T21:36:00.003-06:00

Our family stayed busy during the month of December! I have tons of pictures, so instead of writing about each event, I have decided to just summarize the rest of our month and make a slide show!

Carter:
Carter had lots of birthday parties to attend in December, including his own! He also had a small Christmas party on the last day of school with his classmates, sang in church on Christmas Eve and LOVED waking up to find that Santa had come! Santa brought him a John Deere Gator, which he rode for about 10 days straight. He would load up the back with boxes and trash and drive it to the "burn pile" at Gaga's house! All of his new toys have done a good job keeping him entertained!

Ally:
Ally had a Christmas party for her class, but unfortunately she was unable to attend because they had it on a day she doesn't go to school (and we already had other plans). Her class did end up singing in her school's Christmas Program, and she did a great job playing her bells and singing "Jingle Bells." She also sung in church on Christmas Eve. Ally really didn't feel well during the holidays, and after two trips to the doctor and three prescriptions, she is finally feeling better! Ally loved opening presents. Her favorite things were her kitchen and all her new princess clothes (which she rarely takes off!).

We stayed at my mom's on Christmas Eve, but our stay was extended when we discovered our heat was out at our house. Sam finally got it working again (a few days later), but we didn't mind spending the extra time out there. Between birthday parties and Christmas parities, we were ready for a little relaxation! We couldn't have asked for a better way to spend our Christmas, but now I am ready to get back into a routine and return to "normal!"

Monster Truck Birthday!

2009-12-15T21:10:00.006-06:00

Carter celebrated his 4th birthday with a monster truck/gymnastics party! The kids had free rein of the equipment, which was a huge hit! Here a few pictures from the day...enjoy!

Happy Birthday Carter-Roo!

2009-12-11T15:01:00.003-06:00

I can't believe my baby boy turned 4 today. Seriously, where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday that I woke up not feeling well, knowing that there was no way that I would be having a baby a month early while Sam and my mom were out of town. However, God had other plans, and a few hours later he arrived happy and healthy! Although that day was one of the scariest of my life, the blessing it brought me is unmeasurable!

Happy 4th Birthday, Carter! I can't wait to see what God has in store for you this year! We love you!

Gingerbread Houses

2009-12-04T15:08:00.003-06:00

There's nothing better than spending a cold (snowy) day in your pajamas making gingerbread houses with your Gaga!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-12-03T14:46:00.002-06:00

I love this time of year for many reasons: the sights, the smells, the lights, etc....but mostly for the joy that it brings. I feel that this is the first year that the kids (mostly Carter) really understand what is going on, and it is been fun practicing some of my kindergarten skills on them!

Yesterday we made red playdough and got out the Christmas cookie cutters!

The kids have a "Little People" Nativity that I got out a few days for them to play with during Advent, and Ally has been obsessed with it since I opened it! She began by just carrying Baby Jesus around with her ALL THE TIME (he even sleeps with her), and now it has progressed into Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus! There is a baby bottle from one of her baby dolls that she uses to feed Baby Jesus, and it has to sit right next to the manger! Here is a picture of them on her mimi (her very special blanket) watching a movie with her! If she isn't holding them, and they aren't resting on her mimi, then she is carrying them around in a tupperware bowl!
We let the kiddos watch "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" last night in their Christmas pajamas!

I had the opportunity to help Carter's class make bird feeders for their playground! It was cold outside, but they had fun making several different types of feeders and finding places to hang them!

After Carter finished his feeders, he found this bike and rode of it the rest of the outside time (about 35 minutes) with some of the other boys in the class. Now I know why he says "playing outside" is his favorite thing about school!!!

Dear Santa...

2009-12-02T15:24:00.003-06:00

The kids wrote their letters to Santa yesterday, and they did a great job dictating what they wanted me to write and decorating them! Carter wants an Army helmet, batman costume and marshmallow gun! Ally asked for a princess dress (with high heels and crown) and Cinderella baby doll!

First Day of Advent

2009-11-29T22:07:00.003-06:00

Carter and Ally had the opportunity to sing in a special church service, "Hanging of the Greens," with their children's choir today to kick off the Christmas Season. The both did really well, but unfortunately we didn't get any good pictures.

Catching Up - November

2009-11-29T21:22:00.008-06:00

Here are the highlights of our busy month!

HOT SHOTS SOCCER:

Carter has been participating in a preschool soccer program since September. It is a noncompetitive group, and he loved getting out on the field and learning some new soccer "tricks" every week!

Some days were easier that others to keep Ally entertained during the hour Carter played - this picture is one of those times! I finally convinced her that running to the soccer goal in the background was lots of fun, but she caught on pretty fast and it only lasted two or three times!

JUNIOR LEAGUE CHARITY BALL:

Sam and I decided that we would attend Ball for the first time in my four years of Junior League! Finding a dress was a little stressful, but I finally found one two days before the big day and I LOVED it! It was so fun to get dressed up for a night on the town with friends!

CORPUS CHRISTI:

We made a quick trip down to Corpus to celebrate Sam's grandmother's 80th birthday. It was a whirlwind trip, but I'm glad we did it. The kids loved seeing the beach and the ocean!

It is hard to tell in the picture, but Ally has a really big goose egg on her head! She tripped and fell in the bathroom five minutes after we checked into the hotel!

The best part of the trip - according to the kids - eating ice cream sandwiches in the hotel room instead of going to bed!

Great-Grandmommy Angeline with Carter and Ally.

We made a fast-paced visit to the aquarium. The kids were impressed with the sharks and big fish!

Three generations of Noynaert men!

We stayed right next to the USS Lexington, which Carter thought was VERY cool! We didn't take him on it this trip, but we promised him we would take him next time!

THANKSGIVING:

We had a great Thanksgiving! We spent the day at my mom's house playing outside and relaxing, and then we got to watch the Aggies play T.U. at Kyle Field! We are very thankful for all our blessings!

Catching Up - October

2009-11-24T15:16:00.010-06:00

Well, it's official...I'm a blogging slacker! Sam quietly mentioned that I hadn't updated the blog in a long time, which he informed me that he checks every morning when he gets to work (who knew!!)! This one is for you, Sam...and the other two or three people that check in.

We had the chance to take the kids to Dewberry Farm near Katy, TX right before Halloween, and they LOVED it! Carter still talks about it all the time, and he asks a couple of times a week when we can go back to "Blueberry Farm!" Here are some pictures from our fun day!

Halloween: this was the first year that Carter was really into trick-or-treating. He has developed the biggest sweet tooth lately, which meant that he thought it was really neat that every time you went to a house they would usually give you a handful of candy! Ally liked it, too, but she had a hard time keeping up with the "big" kids, and by the end of the night she just wanted to be carried! We started the night by going to a Halloween party at a friend's house...then off to our old neighborhood to load up on the sweets!

I'm sure that we did lots more fun and exciting things during the month, but it is all just a blur to me now (this is what I get for not updating more often!).

Picture Preview

2009-11-10T21:16:00.002-06:00

We had some family pictures taken about 3 weeks ago, and the photographer just put a few on her blog. I can't wait to see how the rest of them turned out!

http://butterflychaserphotography.blogspot.com/2009/11/carter-and-ally.html

Class Parties

2009-10-29T14:04:00.004-05:00

Both kids had their Halloween parties at school today, and I was lucky that they were at different times so I could attend both of them!

Here they are anxiously waiting for us to leave!

Carter had lots of orange snacks at his party: cheese, cantaloupe, carrots and jack-o-lantern cookies!

He changed out of his costume because he got hot while they were playing outside on the playground.

There are three of four moms who organize each party his class will have this year. This was the first party of the year, and the moms did a fantastic job of creating centers for the kids!
Carter had a blast at his party, although when I picked him up he still said his favorite thing that he did today was play outside! He is such a boy!!!

When I got to Ally's school they were still eating lunch. Unfortunately, she saw me in the hall so I went in while she was still eating. She didn't eat much after I arrived!

After lunch all the kids put on their costumes so they could go trick-or-treating in the halls! She learned how to say "trick-or-treat" very quickly when she realized she would get candy!

After trick-or-treating the kids decorated cookies! She was trying very hard not to get messy!

I had so much fun getting to participate in their parties with them today, and I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be so involved in their preschool years!

Backyard Football

2009-10-27T20:42:00.003-05:00

This is what happens when Daddy is in charge...bike helmets, shinguards and two soaking wet kids!

Quick Trip

2009-10-26T14:23:00.005-05:00

We made a quick trip up to Fort Worth this weekend to visit friends and attend "Boo at the Zoo." Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries halfway through the zoo (which was right when we drove into Fort Worth!).
Carter had so much seeing his best friend Carter L.! I really thought that when we moved he would kinda forget about him, but he still talks about him nonstop and even called him on his birthday! Those two boys have so much fun together, and I'm so glad we had the opportunity to get them together several times while we were there!

Ally was excited to hang out with Carter L. ,too! We still can't get her to smile without making her "cheesy" face!

We met up with another family, but I really didn't get any good pictures of all the kids together.

The kids had so much fun looking at the animals, playing the games and getting their treats! It was a perfect night...just chilly enough for them to have to wear their pajamas under their costumes and not crowded at all!

Carter loved playing the games, and I think he played almost all of them this year! He is getting so big!

Ally actually ate a hotdog (she never eats!) while watching the singing show.
The kids got so much candy that night that I don't know what to do with it all! Carter has become a "candy monster" so I have to hide it from him or else all he wants to do is eat it!

We have had a very busy month, and as Halloween get closer, the busier it gets! It is so fun to see the excitement in their eyes now that they are old enough (especially Carter) to understand what's going on! Look for more posts later this week!

Happy Birthday to...

2009-10-20T14:45:00.003-05:00

the best uncle in the whole world! We love you, Uncle Bubba, and we hope you are having a fabulous day!

Love,
Carter & Ally

Happy October!

2009-10-05T14:46:00.002-05:00

Thank you Uncle Bubba and Aunt Heather for the cool pumpkins! We love them and we love you!

Love,

Carter and Ally

Disney Playhouse Live

2009-10-05T14:38:00.002-05:00

Sweet Praises

2009-10-04T14:38:00.005-05:00

Carter and Ally joined the children's choir at our church, and after only 3 weeks of practice they had their first performance today during Children's Sunday! Carter did a great job singing, and he seemed to really enjoy it. Ally, on the other hand, just stood up there looking terrified! The first time she snuck her "mimi" (blanket) up there with her! The second service was a little better for her, but she still didn't utter a word! Although I was a proud mommy, I didn't get any great pictures.

Patience

2009-09-30T13:51:00.006-05:00

To say that my patience has been tested this month would be an understatement. I am trying my best to make lemonade out of my lemons, but it is a daily challenge!

Remember when I said that we bought an older, smaller house so that I could still stay home while Sam finishes his PhD? After much prayer, we decided that our current house would help us accomplish those goals for two short years as long as we did a little remodeling. We hired a contractor and were told that it would take about 10 days to do the painting, replacing the doors, putting in new counter tops, etc....and tomorrow it will be one month! I finally had Sam call the contractor today and ask him when they think they might finish, and basically his reply was,"I'm not sure." You see, he can't get in contact with the painter and thinks he may be spending a little time in jail. They have touch-ups to do on their "first" job, and we they were supposed to start painting the kitchen cabinets and kitchen yesterday. Our garage is full of their stuff, and our front porch isn't much better! I'm so frustrated, and at this point, I just want this finished!!! UGH!

This Monday started off with a phone call from Sam at 6:45 am saying his truck was not starting (he was at the gym). An entire morning, and $1000 later, we got it fixed. UGH!

For some reason, Carter has decided that this is the week he is going to give up his nap! He has already come downstairs once, and I have him sitting on this bed reading and doing puzzles for 30 minutes. We'll see how long this lasts. So much for getting anything done today! UGH!

I have been at the doctor twice in the last week due to a sinus infection. Of course, every time I go in there they think I have the flu (I probably will after having to go in there two times), but so far we think it is just a really bad sinus infection or allergies (which I've never had). I told Sam I was allergic to this house, but he still doesn't seem to think that is a good reason to move! I never go to the doctor, so having to go twice in a week, get a shot, and having to take lots of medicine is wearing me out! UGH!

Now, I know that we are extremely blessed. Don't get me wrong, I thank God every day for what we have been given and I know it could be worse! I think he is just testing my patience right now! Sometimes I wonder if He thinks I'm doing a good job.

"Everyone much be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger." (James 1:19)

Now for some quick pictures...and the reason most people read this!

Ally all dressed up for church with her "pretty"smile.

Carter and Ally on the night we went to see "Disney Playhouse Live." We had a blast, and I'm still waiting on my friend to send me some more pictures.

"Cheese!"

Ally's 2nd Birthday

2009-09-28T20:45:00.008-05:00

I finally figured out how to load pictures onto my blog again! For some reason it hasn't been working, and I finally had the time to sit down and figure out why! It is still being slow, though...anyone know how to fix it??? I've lost a lot of the little computer skills I had while I was teaching, and now I find myself a little overwhelmed when there is a problem that I don't know how to fix instantly!

We celebrated Ally's 2nd birthday with an M&M party! This girl LOVES M&Ms!!! We were so blessed to have our families and close friends with us to celebrate, especially on the same day as the first Aggie game!

Yummy M&M cake!

Ally getting ready for her party! Notice how she had to wear her tutu and "princess" shoes!

She loved playing in the bounce house with all her friends, but I think she had the most fun playing with Bubbba!
I'm not sure who had more fun at the party! Carter was worn out by the time it was over!

I still cannot believe that my "baby" is two!!

Ally wearing her favorite present! I think she was worn this dress and her "high heels" every day!

Gig'em Aggies

2009-09-19T15:22:00.004-05:00

The kids had their first experience at The Chicken today. We were craving hamburgers and decided to go up there and witness the game day action. Luckily, we got a table on the porch and they never even had to go inside!

A Scary Day

2009-09-15T14:04:00.002-05:00

My mom, Ally and I were driving to Kroger's yesterday when my brother called my cell phone (my mom left hers at the house) and said that he had been in an accident and needed us to come and get him. About that time a fire truck pulled out in front of us and I told my mom to follow it. This is what we saw when we pulled up. Needless to say, we were very worried about Justin. Thankfully, God was with him (there is just no other way to explain it) and he walked away without a scratch!!!

Justin was going straight on George Bush when a car pulled out in front of him at the intersection by Olsen Field. He slowed down, just in time for another car to run the light, turn the corner and swipe his truck. It spun his truck around, he hit the curb and rolled into the fence. He is very lucky the pole didn't go through the driver's side window, and even more lucky that he didn't have a passenger with him!!! Like I said, God was him and we are so very, very thankful!! We love you, Bubba!

Chocolate Mess

2009-09-13T20:20:00.002-05:00

This is what happened when a certain Uncle Bubba gave this little girl a piece of chocolate when her mommy wasn't looking!!!

Happy Birthday Ally!

2009-09-04T13:43:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe that my baby girl turned two today! Seriously, where has the time gone???

I love this girl to pieces, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for her in the future!

Male Bonding

2009-09-03T22:02:00.004-05:00

Sam has been waiting patiently every year for me to give him the okay to take Carter dove hunting with him. Even though I wasn't thrilled about the idea, I caved and let him go. Carter stayed in the truck with Daisy, and although Sam only got one bird (because they got there late), they both had a lot of fun doing "manly" things. Ally wanted to go, too, but I convinced her that hunting was only for boys so she "got" to stay home with me! We had fun eating frito pie and making cookies while the boys were gone.

Too Cool For Words

2009-09-02T14:00:00.002-05:00

School Days

2009-09-01T13:56:00.003-05:00

Today was the the first day of school for Carter and Ally! They will both be attending school on Tuesdays and Thursdays this year, which means that I will have a little time to do fun things like go to the grocery store, gym and mall by myself (exciting, right?)! It is hard to believe that both my "babies" are in school - can someone please freeze time for me?

Carter is going to the same preschool that Sam went to when he was younger. It is an amazing school, and I know that he will grow to love it as much as I do! He was so excited (and ready) to be back at school this morning!

Ally is going to school for the first time this year. The teacher said she did great on her first day, and only cried for about 5 minutes when she realized I left and wasn't coming right back. Although she is the oldest child in the class, I know she is going to love going (especially because her big brother goes to school, too!).

Splash Pad

2009-08-29T08:00:00.002-05:00

Carter's class met for a play date yesterday at a local splash pad. The kids had so much fun playing in the water that we ended up staying for over 2 hours! What a fun way to keep cool in the hot August sun!

The Children's Museum

2009-08-29T07:50:00.003-05:00

When we moved back to College Station one of the first things we did was get a pass to the Children's Museum in Bryan. The kids love going there to play, and Carter even got to do a short camp there at the beginning of August. Here are some pictures from the last time we went!

Bye-Bye Crib

2009-08-23T20:04:00.002-05:00

Tonight is Ally's first night in her big girl bed! I can't believe my baby girl is growing up so fast!

SPOILED

2009-07-30T20:25:00.001-05:00

This is what happens when Ally hangs out with Gaga and Mommy for the day!

Just Because

2009-07-28T21:26:00.000-05:00

A Safe Place

2009-07-20T20:46:00.003-05:00

We had some severe weather tonight in the Brazos Valley, and it is no secret that Daisy does NOT like thunder. I started getting worried when I couldn't find her...little did I know she would be in the cat box!!! Seriously, couldn't she have found a better place to hide???

A quick Carter funny: "Mommy, do you think the rain tickles the trees when it falls on them?"

Quick Trip

2009-07-19T20:59:00.003-05:00

After hearing many friends rave about the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop (and after much debate), we decided to have an adventure and take the kids for the weekend. I was a little apprehensive about going, but once we got there all my fears subsided! It was simply amazing! The resort was completely family friendly, and the kids had a blast swimming, playing on the beach, floating down the lazy river, making s'mores, watching them put shoes on a horse, watching "Wall-E" outside on the lawn, walking along the river, etc. It wasn't even bad sharing a room with them - they brought in a crib for Ally and we took Carter's special "Cars" bed that Santa brought him! We stayed up late Friday night so they could watch part of "Wall-E" and eat popcorn on the grass but it didn't phase them at all - Ally just took a little nap on me while floating the lazy river Saturday morning, and then they both took good naps that afternoon! Some of the restaurants even had a kid sized buffet complete with all their favorite foods! My wonderful husband even surprised me with an hour-long foot message! I can't wait to take them again next summer!

RAIN!!!

2009-07-19T20:49:00.007-05:00

Swimming Lessons

2009-07-13T20:29:00.005-05:00

Carter had his first swimming lesson today! The first half of the lesson was successful, and the instructor even got him to go under water! The second half was a little more traumatic (for me and him!). She wanted him to float on his back, and he wanted nothing (and I mean NOTHING) to do with that!!! I'm glad that there wasn't anyone else in the pool at the time because he was letting everyone know that he was not a happy camper! I'm hoping that tomorrow goes a little better!

I got the kids some life vests after going over to a friend's house a couple of weeks ago (she had them for her kiddos), and they have been the best $15 investment I have made all summer! Carter has so much more confidence in the water, and just last week I even got him to swim in the big pool! Ally, on the other hand, is a little fish! She loves the water, loves to float, loves to blow bubbles and loves her Cinderella pool toy I got her at Wal-Mart! I don't know how we would pass the afternoons this summer without the pool!

Carter is ready for his first lesson - shark goggles and all!

Carter going under the water - I think this is the first time he has put his entire head in the water!

Ally and Mommy had fun at swimming lessons, too!

"Mr. Workman" Goes To Work

2009-07-12T21:53:00.004-05:00

Carter really enjoyed helping Daddy and Grampa Chris put our "playground" back together this weekend!

Random Pictures

2009-07-06T20:42:00.004-05:00

I finally charged my camera battery and was able to upload the pictures from it onto my computer! Enjoy!

Carter and Ally sleeping on the couch the day the movers were packing us up! I cannot believe they fell asleep with someone packing things 3 feet away from them!

Carter and Ally enjoying cooling off on the slip & slide!

Cousin Kaylie splashing on the slip & slide!

Pudding anyone???

Sam built the kids this awesome sandbox two weeks ago. Even though it has been really hot outside it has been a huge hit, especially with a certain little boy! He has even added some shelves for all the tractors and digging tools!

Independence Day 2009

2009-07-05T14:53:00.004-05:00

Every year Sam's family has a reunion on the 4th of July at his grandmother's lake house near Conroe. Although it is hot, it is fun to get to see everyone (this is really the only time we see some of them) and let the kids run around. There is always a theme to each reunion, and this year it was "Scottish."
Once Carter got the hang of fishing, and was actually catching some, that is all he wanted to do! I love to go fishing, too, so I am happy that he has learned to enjoy it!
He liked catching them, but then he wanted nothing to do with them!!! Good thing Daddy and Grampa Chris were there to take them off the hook for us!

We finally convinced Ally to touch one of Carter's fish! However, she only did it once!

Carter participating in the "log throwing" contest.

After we went to the reunion, we put on our suits and headed over to a friend's house for some swimming (and eating!). Ally LOVES to swim, especially with her floatie!

Carter is a little more timid in the water than Ally, so he liked swimming in the hot tub.

We had a great day, and we are so blessed to have such great families and friends!

Mr. Workman

2009-07-02T20:03:00.002-05:00

After Carter woke up from his nap he was very persistent about "working" on the stairs, even though his baby sister was still asleep right down the hall! I kept asking him to get his swimming suit on so that we could get ready to go to the pool, but he kept telling me that his name was not Carter (he was known as "Mr. Workman") and he had a lot of work to do! This boy is definitely not lacking in the imagination department!

I Wanna Go Back!

2009-06-30T20:30:00.006-05:00

The week after we moved my mom, the kids and I drove 13.5 hours (yes, you read that correctly!) to Ruidoso, New Mexico. After a long week of moving and unpacking, it was nice to get away from the house and escape the mess. The kids did great in the car, especially on the way there. I ordered them some travel trays to strap onto their car seats, which they used to eat snacks, color and play with toys! The trip back was not as smooth, but they still did incredibly well...and I've even said that we can go back sometime soon (last time we drove out there I swore I would NEVER do it again!).

I love the mountains for many reasons, but I think one of the biggest is that they remind me of living in Ft. Collins, CO when I was younger. Of course, you can't beat the cooler temps, but there is just something so peaceful about them. It was so nice to get away, and I hope we can do it again with the rest of the family soon!

We met my college roommate (we lived together the entire time we were in college and didn't kill each other!) and her husband (who was Sam's roommate for a bit) for the weekend. It was so nice to see them, but it just made me miss them even more than I already do! We also got to see my favorite aunt and uncle and my mom's friend, Kathi. I can't wait to do it all over again, especially if the Texas summer stays as miserable as it is right now!

Ally and Carter posing in front of my parents' house. They loved playing in the yard, climbing on the rocks and collecting millions of pine cones!

Ally and "Aunt" Sarita. I love how they are just hanging out and have the same expression on their faces!

Carter loved playing baseball with "Uncle" Tucker. He has actually gotten really good at hitting the ball so I'm hoping a baseball scholarship is in his future!

The kids and I with our life jackets on waiting to ride the paddle boats. We thought it would be something fun to do with them, but don't let those cute little boats fool you! They are hard work, especially when the wind is blowing about 30 mph!!!

Our view from the boat - I love it!

We took the kids to ride the ponys in town. I actually thought that Ally would ride them and Carter wouldn't but it was the other way around. Ally was fine petting them, but wanted nothing to do with riding them! Carter, however, was a true cowboy!

Sarita and I at the park across from the pony rides. If I remember correctly, we are waiting on a reservation to eat dinner at my favorite restaurant. It has the best mexican food, which we ate several times!!!

Carter and Ally skipping rocks in "Rio Ruidoso." They thought it was really neat to be able to go all the way down to the river and play in the cold water!

In other news, we are still here trying to get unpacked and decide how we are going to remodel the house. I have had a hard time because this house is much smaller than our house in Fort Worth, and even our first house in College Station, but I know that we are truly blessed. Not only does Sam have this incredibly opportunity to go back to school, I still get to stay home with the kiddos. Who knows what the future holds for our family, but right now I think life is pretty good!

M-O-V-I-N-G

2009-05-31T20:47:00.005-05:00

Well, tomorrow is the big day. The big truck will be here, the boxes will come out and all of our stuff that makes our home will be packed and hauled to College Station. It seems like we just did this, even if it was 13 months ago. I finally get adjusted to life in the big city and we decide to move back to Aggieland.

Sam was offered a job in November to teach a class at A&M and finish his PhD. At the time we thought he was going to have to start in January, so the answer to the opportunity was "thanks, but no thanks." You see, Sam loves his job here. He adjusted to being in the office easily, and has grown to love being "on-call" when there is an emergency. Although moving here was quite an adjustment, especially for me, we grew (although it was very slowly) to love Fort Worth. We love our house, our "big backyard" as Carter calls it, our neighbors (there are three families within 6 houses that have kids the exact age as ours), our new friends, the shopping, the zoo, etc. However, we always said that if there was an opportunity to move back to College Station and have Sam be home every night that we would do it! So, back to the story...we found out that Sam could wait and start the A&M job in August, so that was a little more optimistic. It still was not an easy decision, but definitely an opportunity that we could not pass up. I am sad to leave our new big city, but I am also looking forward to getting back to small town life in College Station!

I am excited to be around our families again. To be in Aggieland. To be around my best friends. To reestablish old friendships. To be HOME.

It should take Sam two years to finish his degree, and we aren't sure what the future will hold from there. I am trying not to worry about it, to not be sad that we might end up moving again. I know God has a plan for us, even if it is not the exact plan that I have for my family. All I can do is trust in Him and know that everything will be alright.

The next few days...and months...are going to be hard. It wasn't easy moving with two young kids the first time, and I'm pretty sure that it won't be easy this time. Sam will continue working in Fort Worth (he'll be home on the weekends) until August 1, which means that I will need lots of patience as I try to put together a new home and try to keep two busy kiddos entertained! Whew...I am tired just thinking about it! It will also be hard for Sam to leave the company and the co-workers he loves so much, to begin a new job as a lecturer and a student, but I know he will do awesome at both!

Thankfully, my Mom is here to help. If it wasn't for her, I'm pretty sure that I would have lost my mind by now. Thanks, Mom. You're the best.

We visited the zoo for the last time today, which we will miss terribly!!! Our sweet neighbors also hosted a small dinner in our honor, where we ate pizza, played outside and roasted marshmallows! What a way to unwind before the beginning of a very stressful week!

Ally loves flamingos - they just might be her favorite thing to visit at the zoo!

Carter and Ally love playing in the stagecoach in the Texas section of the zoo. I actually took my camera today and caught a good picture of them!

I'm not sure if Carter actually listens to the voice on the other end of the phones at the zoo, but at least it looks like he is actually learning something!

Our wonderful neighbors. We will miss them so much, and I am hoping to get them to College Station sooner than later!

Aggies in Fort Worth

2009-05-28T14:36:00.004-05:00

The Aggie baseball team is playing in the regional tournament here this weekend and somehow we managed to get tickets to all the games! Not only am I excited that my favorite team will be here showcasing their talent for everyone to see, but there is also a chance I might run into this man at a game...

Pat Green!!! Why would I run in to him, you ask? Well, Sam took Carter to a TCU game last week for fun, and guess who he hung out with - Pat Green and his kids!!! Sam said they talked for a little bit while the kids played on the big hill (a TCU thing) and then ended up taking their sons to the bathroom at the same time! For those of you who don't know, I used to be obsessed with Pat Green, mostly during my college days. Did you know that he lives less than 2 miles from us??? I started to turn into a stalker when we first moved here, but then decided that wasn't a very good example to be setting for my young children! I have only seen him around town once - as I was pulling out of my parking space at Tom Thumb and he was walking in. I seriously thought about going in and following him, but I had just been to work out and didn't have any make-up on! Great timing, right? Anyway, wish me (and the Aggies) luck this weekend!!

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T20:30:00.003-05:00

Thank you to those of you who have served our country, those of you who are currently serving and those of you who will serve in the future. We are humbled by your selflessness to defend and protect our family. God Bless America!

Reading Buddies

2009-05-25T15:28:00.000-05:00

The Future Bride & Groom

2009-05-24T20:43:00.003-05:00

Dear Heather,

We are so excited that you will be joining our family (officially) next Spring! Thank you for loving my brother and making him so happy!

Love,
Courtney

Wedding Bells

2009-05-21T21:41:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to my brother and Heather, his FIANCE!!! They got engaged last night and I couldn't be more excited! More details and pictures coming soon!

Summer is Here!

2009-05-20T15:19:00.003-05:00

Ms. Sarah and Ms. Ashley (Carter's teachers)
Carter N. & Carter L.
Singing the "Seed" song

Do you notice anyone that isn't in the class in this picture? Ally wanted to be right in the middle of everything!
Ally looks so grown up in this picture!

Carter had his last day of school today, which they concluded with a party after lunch. The kids sang a few songs, ate cake, but mostly ran around like wild animals! I really enjoyed watching Carter interact with all of his school friends, and it amazes me how much he has grown up and matured over the year. I still can't believe that both kiddos will be in school next year...where did my babies go???

Future Aggies

2009-05-20T15:17:00.002-05:00

Playmates

2009-05-14T14:41:00.002-05:00

Over the last several weeks Carter and Ally have really started playing together. Ally loves Carter and mimics EVERYTHING he does! Carter will even ask to wake Ally up in the morning because she usually sleeps a little later than he does. It is fun to watch them interact with each other, and I hope that they continue to remain friends for the rest of their lives!

Two of a Kind

2009-05-14T14:30:00.006-05:00

Carter N. + Carter L. = Best Friends!!!

Water Table or Swimming Pool?

2009-05-12T13:17:00.002-05:00

Look what my children decided to do while I was cleaning the kitchen after lunch! I think it is going to be a long summer!!

Pit Stop

2009-05-11T16:16:00.003-05:00

You know it has been a long drive (from College Station to Fort Worth) when I pull into Dairy Queen and let the kids split a chocolate sundae in the car!!!

The Dragons

2009-05-11T16:04:00.005-05:00

Carter had his last soccer game about a month ago (I know, bad blogger!) and has already asked when he can play again! After the game the team had a party at Rosa's, where he ate nachos and received his first trophy! Although we were a little worried at the beginning of the season, it turned out to be a great experience for him and I can't wait to do it again!

Carter's #1 fan and future player!

Coach Sean and Carter at the party.

Carter and his best friend Carter L.! They had so much fun together!

I'm Back!

2009-05-11T15:54:00.002-05:00

The kids are about to wake up from their naps, but I just wanted everyone to know to be on the lookout for new posts in the next few days!

Silly Girl

2009-04-13T21:51:00.002-05:00

I was putting away some laundry today while Carter was at school when I noticed that it was oddly quiet in the house. Fearing the worst, I started searching for Ally and this is where I found her! She was sitting in her grocery cart with her notebook that the Easter Bunny brought her. Notice the things scattered on the floor? That is the plastic food the Easter Bunny put in her basket (what was he thinking???) that she so nicely scattered ALL over the house! Life would definitely be boring without this silly girl!