The one were we check if this thing is still on?

I've kinda missed you blog. And kinda not. I dropped you for Facebook but that thing is a drag these days. I miss the voice I had here. I don't miss the inability of blogger to communicate with apple. Or my inability to figure it out. I loved this space and I'm sad I missed 5 years. My sweet oldest just celebrated her 10th birthday. We've lived 5 years here in Austin. I guess it's time to remember and try again. Anybody here? Does anybody blog anymore?
 I don't know, but for today this is here and now. And Highs and Ludlows

Make New Friends

Gianna is a Girl Scout!

It's was our first meeting where we practiced the Girl Scout Law and Promise and got sworn in the be official Daisy's!

So proud of my Daisy!

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Tiny Dancers x 2!

There is something about seeing a little girl in a ballet outfit that makes my heart rejoice. I was just reading a friends blog who is going through infertility (praying for you) and it made me remember how this was one of the things that I prayed for- little girls in dance outfits. Thank you Lord for answered prayers.

 

 

 

 

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Firsts

Embracing my new life mantra- it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful, I've uploaded our first day of school pictures six weeks late!

Here is my precious first born with full wiggle excitement unleashed and barely bridled, stopped and posed for a picture that seemed to take an eternity in all her passion for school.

It's been 6 weeks and that girl still RUNS to school each morning. Afternoons are a different story...

Sweet sisters excited for pre-school

Ah that smile- love it!

First day cutie!

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Summa time

Please say you read that title with the Fresh Prince of Bel Air inflection. Oh good. And you're welcome for now having that song in your head for the day.

We have been enjoying exploring Austin! It's been a cooler summer this year and that alone has made it great.

We've feed goats.

And picked strawberries and blackberries.

Posed at mandatory photo ops.

Made blackberry jam! Lots of popsicles. And had a good time hanging out together in the kitchen.

We've explored museums.

 

And posed at more mandatory photo ops! I cannot pay these girls to looks the camera! This museum was the Texas Heritage museum on the UT campus. Fun dinosaur bones and geodes.

 

What have you been up to?

 

 

 

 

 

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Galveston

If you've been around here for a while you know that we love Galveston. My parents have a house there and we love to go visit. We headed down right after school was out to enjoy our barefoot fun.

 

It's definitely more of a drive from Austin, but oh so much fun! There is just something magnificent about standing next to such a large body of water. It makes me sing, "Oh the deep deep love of Jesus," EVERYTIME!

 

Going to Galveston for so long makes eating out so hard- you have to pick from all your favorites! We tried out Joe's Crab Shack for the first time as a family- totally worth it after a long drive in the car. Restaurants with playgrounds- Brilliant!

 

We HAD to eat here too! John and I love it! Here's the trick- go early- order appetizers and the Volcano and split it. Mostly ice cream for dinner, Is a hit every time!

 

And of course, we made a trip to La Kings! Tradition I tell you. It was only for that. (And the amazing ice cream of course!) We also got to eat at my absolute favorite place in Galveston- The Sunflower Cafe. Pecan pancakes are the way to go.

Galveston is a lot about the food for me! But so very much is tied up here. John and I would take a Memorial/ Anniversary trips right after my school got out every year. And then my folks got the house and we would use it for an escape from Mothers and Fathers Day when we were going through infertility. It was a place of refuge, and such a happy happy place to go a sit beside the ocean and dream.

It's with a sad heart that my folks are selling their sweet little beach house. I know they have so many dreams tied here too. But changes and moves, and just life sometimes make escaping hard.

I'll be back Galveston. I'll walk on your beaches, and dream my dreams. And smile cause now I have 6 more little feet to wash off.

 

The Last...

The last day of school was just a bit ago, but I'm finally recovered from a nasty bug that the girls all passed around to each other and to the parents. Illness the gift hat keeps on giving...

Y'all, please note, that I have never said, "Gianna, put your hands on your hips and put your leg out like Angelina Jolie. " Nope, she invented that all by herself! Love it!

A smile with eyes! And a touch of sickness. She had a touch of fever so no real last day for her.

Same with this one. Fever- no last day of school fun. Just extra time to hang with Momma. Right before a whole summer of hanging out with momma! hurray...?

 

And I couldn't resist posting these two up here of our "official pre-school graduate." She was all smiles. The first of many graduations!

Gianna was most excited about graduation. But she really light up when she saw her PINK flowers from her daddy!