Texas here we come!

This post will have a lot of details so read on if you dare. BUT this move has been one of the biggest events in our family and its been life changing for us. There are so many words behind the above picture. It was taken early in the morning when everything in the neighborhood was super quiet. There was a very calm and peaceful feeling. We'd taken our final walk through of the house, cried in each room remembering all the special memories in each. I bawled in both my babies rooms. I put a lot of tears and sweat and love into their nurseries and it hurt knowing someone would come in, paint over them and not think twice about the sweet little babes brought home to them. A home is a beautiful thing. It doesn't matter the size or design, only the love that belonged there. And we loved each other in this home! I won't lie that I was afraid of the unknown. I'd never seen our new home. I didn't know if I would adapt or feel "at home". Would my children feel safe? Would others feel welcome there? Would we all feel comfortable and cozy? As Patrick and the kids were outside, I stood in the kitchen and just cried and cried. Happy and sad tears. I will always be grateful for our first home. We said goodbye to grandparents, neighbors and best friends that morning. As I stood on the sidewalk hugging one of my soul mate friends, I felt like a child again afraid that if I let go, I'd never find another friend. We finished packing the car...it was a tight squeeze! With the truck leaving a few days earlier we were left with stuff that we just had to get rid of because we underestimated what would fit in our car. My mom got in the car with the kids and Patrick and I just stood outside for a minute hugging and crying. (There was a lot of crying!) It was so touching to me to see my sweet husband so humbled. This move was just as hard for him as it was for me. It hit him how hard it'd be for him to be away from his family. We were so lucky to have them down the road. He was afraid too. Did he make the right choice? Was moving his family the right thing to do? Would we be ok? The feelings we felt for each other that morning were indescribable and very very special. I'm grateful to have him. He is my friend, my partner and my companion. We jumped in the car, plugged in our new address and pulled out.

I'm also so grateful to have had my mom with us! She is such a positive and laid back woman. She told us how proud she was of us and comforted us at the right moments. She kept everyone calm, especially the kids! The 18 hour drive really wasn't that bad. We stopped every hour or less because Maddox had to potty. We took our time and enjoyed the scenery. She is a genius! She brought balloons and they entertained the kids for hours. We got there on Friday but our stuff didn't arrive until Tuesday night! My mom stayed up with me until 1:30 in the morning getting my kitchen put away so I'd at least have one room put together before she had to leave. Since we didn't have anything to do the first few days we played!

We went to parks, celebrated Claire's birthday, celebrated my mom's birthday at the beach, shopped and had lots of fun! I am so so so grateful she was there with me in the beginning! It made a huge difference! I appreciate her example of being a patient, calm, loving and selfless homemaker. I want to be like her when I grow up.

The kids have been wonderful in this whole process. They did amazing on the trip. The first few days were a little hard on Maddox. He kept wandering around the house and night when we were trying to sleep saying, "I don't like this place. I want to go to our old home." It crushed us at first but he warmed up very fast and has been a huge comfort to us when we are sad. He talks about his cousins and friends and grandparents constantly but always ends it with something positive like, "I sure do miss Kade but maybe he can come here sometime." Claire loves the stairs and sleeps like a champ. Kids sure are a great example! They keep teaching me to start each day with a new attitude. 

We've had a lot of fun here already. Been to the beach, Sea World, Marble Falls to visit grandma and grandpa chicken, San Antonio, The Woodlands, Maddox started preschool, ward activities, lots and lots of parks and walks in this gorgeous area, crossfitting, bought some new furniture, finally had a date and started our annual tradition of November Harry Potter marathon. We love our new home and we look forward to all the memories to come! We are being blessed beyond measure and learning a lot about ourselves. I'm so grateful for my Heavenly Father. I'm grateful he so plainly laid this plan out for us and made it obvious we needed to do this. I still ask daily, Why? And I always get answers, sometimes simple but still meaningful and important. Lots of adventures to come!

And now for a picture overload...a few of our adventures so far.

Claire Bear Birthday!

 My sweet birthday girl.

This year with Claire has gone by faster than any other year in my life! My sweet girl grew up so fast! She is more and more beautiful every single day. She has quite the personality too. She already says lots of words.

Mimi (mommy), daddy, bubby(brother), No, baby, uh oh, was that, poof(poopy), pipy(pretty) ba ba, more and please in sign.

She is crawling, standing, climbing stairs, climbing chairs and stools, getting on and off couch but not walking!

Her favorite thing to do is play with her brother, tear apart toilet paper and follow mommy around everywhere.

She LOVES her bankie(blanket) and loves to be read to.

She was 20lbs on her 1 year check up.

We celebrated her birthday a couple of days before we moved so that we could be with family. Patrick's first day of work in Houston was on her birthday. While he was at work Grandma Eich and I took Claire to get her ears pierced! She did so good and only cried for a minute. She looks adorable!

 "Claire Bear" themed. Lots of festive rainbow colors, candy and a cloud and rainbow cake! Mommy made her pretty dress.

In a Child's eyes...

Funniest Maddox story yet...

Our conversation about superheros somehow got turned into a conversation about Santa.

Maddox suddenly remembered who he was, what he did and wanted to know when he was coming to our house again to bring toys?!

He went through a list of his toys and asked about every single one, "Was this from Santa?"

After about 5 minutes of this I got up to go do my hair in my bathroom.

Maddox followed me in there, started snooping around and held something up and asked,

"What is this?"....they were...personal items. (sorry TMI)

I grabbed them and said, "Those are daddys! Don't touch."

Maddox replied, "Ooooh, Santa brought those for him. Shhh.... I won't tell."

LOL!!!

Then he starts asking a million questions about "bobby the elf" (our shelf elf). 

He runs to the door and says "I gotta see if Santa is here yet!!!"

I tried to explain that he wouldn't be to our house for awhile...that Christmas was a long time away.

He looked confused so he ran away yelling something about a book.

A few minutes later he reappears with a Santa book, sits down and starts to look through it.

"Mom! I know why Santa isn't coming, he is stuck in this book!!!"

I didn't say anything, I could only laugh.

Then he gets to the last page, sees Santa flying away in his sled and he says, 

" Oh finally, he is on his way!"

He jumps up and runs back to the door to check. 

Boy do I love a child's imagination. He just made my day by being so stinkin cute! Love that boy!!

my 2 lovies

 Playing Catch up is OBVIOUSLY my favorite thing to do. Not!

I blame my lamo blogging skills on the fact that I have 2 adorable kiddos.

This chunky chunky girl is too cute for words. I had to show off her cute swimsuits...she is rockin them with her amazingly yummy thighs. But evidently gets camera shy while in a suit! This girl.....I just love her to pieces. She is trying really hard to crawl. She started an inch worm move and is rolling all around the room. She is very vocal and does a  humming song thing all day long, its pretty funny. She is getting so big, they grow up way too fast!

 This stud on a bike is just that....A stud. And loves anything boy. He is all into riding bikes and throwing balls and tormenting me and his sister all day. He does it out of love though, he is just a tease like his daddy. Claire eats it up. She would let him wrestle her and squish on her all day long. I'm thinking about preschool this year....What?! I can't believe I am going to be sending a kid to school, where did the time go?

We've been busy having fun. 

I am almost done with classes for my Foot Zoning. I've been busy with clients which is good.

I also started Crossfit! Holy Smokes...It is the most intense workouts of my life BUT it'll be really good for me, I can already feel a difference. I love the people and the atmosphere. Can't wait until I can rock a bikini...ok jk I won't ever really wear one but It'll be nice to say I could.... haha.

Patrick is busy busy at work. He started his Management training program so it demands a lot of his time but he is working his butt off to support us. I am so proud of him and appreciate him.

It does get hard and lonely sometimes and I miss having help with dinner and the bedtime routine but I know it will pay off soon. When he is home he is loving on his kids....that man LOVES his kids. 

We had to say goodbye to our snowbird neighbors. Can't wait to see them in the fall. They have adopted our kids as their own grand kids and spoil them so bad! My street is always a little more sad and quiet in the summertime without them.

Life is really busy right now with 2 little ones but I wouldn't have it any other way! They keep me on my toes and my arms full. 

Maddox told me the other day that I am the best mom in space....He knows how to make me feel special. :)

Happy April!

Superhero update

I often have the feeling that in order to accomplish all my tasks as a mother, wife, friend, sister, daughter, neighbor, church member, etc that I would indeed have to be a 

Superhero.

My teacher (in foot zone school) did something funny last month during our class. He wanted us to realize how Awesome we truly are.

He put on a superhero cape and pranced around saying all the awesome things about himself.   Long story short, he then told us that if we needed to borrow his cape in order to recognize our awesomeness that he would gladly lend it out. He is a total goof ball BUT I love him. He has become a good friend and has opened my eyes a bit more.

It is soooo easy to forget that I have a "superhero" cape. My heavenly father has given me many different things, tools and people in my life to remind me of my superhero powers and that I do Rock!

I had a funny thing happen today that I wanted to remember. I had a conversation with my 3 year and it went a little something like this...

M: Mom!........ Can you turn on the Wii?

Me: Not right now bud, I'm in the shower but I'll help you when I get out.

M: Mom........Can you open this?

Me: No bud.....I.am.in.the.shower.

M: Hey mom, Claire barfed, you need to get a wipe.

Me: Son, I cannot, I'm in the shower, if its bothering you go get a wipe.

M: (Seconds later) Mom!!! I found the spicy floss thing, can you open it for me?

Me: (silence...........)

M: Mommy, mommy, mommy!!!!!

Me: What?!!!!!

M: I REALLY need the Wii

Me: (Fill in any bad word you want to because I'm pretty sure I said them all in my head)

Maddox! I know you think I am a superhero and that I can do everything and anything you want at any given time! BUT for right now, for 5 minutes, I AM NO SUPERHERO, I am a normal human being who needs a normal person shower and for the love of pete, I cannot help you do anything while I am in the shower! PLEASE BE PATIENT!

silence.....

I'm thinking.... Holy crap, it worked! Put it into words a little boy understands...superheros and normal people...and it works! He got the hint! Not to mention, I yelled.

I took another minute to finish my shower, turned off the water, opened the shower door and...BAM! There he was, the little terd waiting for me right at the door, being quiet, being patient, just waiting for me to finish my human shower. He scared the crap out of me!

M: Mom, this is the spicy floss thing, can you open it noooooow?!

Me: Well I was kinda hoping to get dressed first but that would be asking waaay too much so why not, hand it over.

Some days I feel like I can tackle anything, take on the world, fight villans, build the coolest lego tower, change a million diapers with a smile, make breakfast, lunch and dinner AND do the dishes after each one.

Other days.....I just want a shower....to myself in the silence.

Its days like these when I need to remember most to put on my superhero cape, prance around and tell myself out loud that I am Awesome. And that I do Rock.

Super Kmom signing out.

Holiday Picture Overload...sorry I'm catching up.

OCTOBER

 My little Jake the Pirate...he was obsessed with the show at the time. Not bad for a homemade costume I must say.

 As you can tell Claire wasn't thrilled with her outfit. The tutu was bugging her. Sorry Sweetie, mommy couldn't not make a cute costume for you.... only 17 more Halloween's to go with me. :)

Maddox....your daddy loves you. He loves to do anything and everything with you. You are best buds.

Had so much fun carving pumpkins...and even more fun eating the delicious seeds the next day.

November

 Lookin cute for Thanksgiving!

 A typical morning...not sure why Patrick and Claire don't look happy. They all love to snuggle a bit before daddy goes to work. Maddox always says, " Why you wearing your church clothes dad? You gonna go make monies dad?"

 I didn't take many Thanksgiving day pictures so I'll add in a few funnies.

December

 Why yes mom...I do need a matching bow for my new Christmas jammies, thanks!

 This. Kid. Was. In. Heaven

 " Wook mom....white snow on my goves Gandma Snowflake game me!"

 We love story time with Grandma Eich.

So I'm super cool and did our own Christmas cards this year...and I just emailed them! Haha...super cool. ;)

Not too bad for using a tripod....

Um...Hello! I have two very good looking boys! 

 Temple lights with our best friends! Cousin Kade!!!!

  "Daddy, I don't need to get buckled, I wanna sit on your lap." Looking at neighborhood lights.

FEBUARY

 "Mom...you made my head sticky!"

#Ihaveabigmouththoselipmarkslookscary

 Yup...I have a girl....and I sew. Enough said.

 We sure love the holidays! They are so crazy busy though...we hardly have time to breath. We had so much fun decorating our house, setting up Bobby our elf, making our own traditions and visiting lots of family! Holidays are so fun with kids!!!!