More ICE.

Here's a few more pictures from our adventure at the Gaylord....

If you have never been, you should really go check it out... it's so neat!

Ice with Nona!

The weekend before Christmas Ben and I went to my parents house to celebrate with the Kilgore side of the family. Unfortunately Jason had to work, so he wasn't able to go with us. Just like last year, we went to the Gaylord to see ICE. This year Ben really took everything in and was trying to understand why it was so, "Cooooooooooooooold"!

(Again, I'm still having problems uploading here, I'll keep working on it!)

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Our Snow

As you all know, it snowed pretty hard here in South Texas... hard to believe, I know. Ben was really curious about the snow, but decided it was not for him. I guess he's going to be a warm weather guy like his daddy!

Blogging Gaps...

I've had so much trouble trying to upload pictures to my blog.  By the time I fight with the pictures, it seems useless to just put text on the blog.  I finally uploaded a blog editing software to my computer, so hopefully this will help me to accomplish more blogging!  Here's to hoping... more to come soon... upload willing!

A Lot of Laughs...

Despite all the sadness and craziness lately we have had SO many laughs with Benjamin. He cracks us up on a daily basis. Let me share a couple stories with you...

One Sunday night when Jason was gone playing softball I was giving Ben his bath. Well trying to anyway. He had a poopy diaper, so I went to flush the "evidence" and before I could get back to Ben he had gotten loose, dirty booty and all! He ran and grabbed his fire truck and was riding around the house. By the time I got my camera, this is what I found....

You'll be happy to know the fire truck has been FULLY sanitized since this incident, but holy mackerel it was funny. The worst part was that there was no one else home to share the laugh with!!

Now, this story is two parted. First of all, Ben and I were in HEB grocery shopping and he saw this "bear" and kept barking (he barks at anything that resembles a dog) and reaching for this "bear". I usually let him hold on to things just to get a little smile and a short time later he's ready to leave the item behind. The reason I keep saying "bear" is because this "bear" was a kid leash. Those things I used to think were so terrible when I saw people using them. Ben didn't care. He sweetly kept hugging the bear and wouldn't let it go. When we got to the check out, there was no taking this animal from him. He wasn't throwing a fit, but he just looked so concerned and sad that the bear was leaving him. I asked him to let the lady scan the bear and told him he would get it right back. So he gently handed it to the cashier and then put his arms out wanting it back. He held it in his lap the whole drive home and carried it around the house in the box until I could free it from captivity (the box).

That afternoon, I let Ben try the bear on and he LOVED having the bear on his back. So we let him run around outside in it (on Jason's watch). It has been raining so much lately and the wind blew his kiddie pool over and allowed it to be filled with rain. I was working on something on the computer when Jason called across the house, "Come look at YOUR son!" I grabbed the camera and ran! This is what I found....

Life is so funny... so full of laughter... I love it!

Lessons in Loss

The last few months have been, well, crazy. It's been up and down and down again, but somehow it's been a blessing all the same.

As many of you know I have been working hard to help plan a benefit for Paul Horn (my sister-in-law's father). He has been battling prostate cancer and in turn endured major surgeries and rehabilitation to "re-learn" how to walk. I'm not an emotions person, I guess it's in my DNA. However, that doesn't mean I don't care or have emotions, it just means I don't show them frequently. I feel so blessed to be able to help in such a small way by organizing the benefit; it's how I know how to give. When I worked, I planned events so I felt called to put my dusty talents to use. One small detail I forgot to pay attention to was that when I worked, that was what I did. My life didn't revolve around a small person who kept a very tight schedule. So let's just say it's been challenging to get the work done during my one to two hour break from Ben that we loving call "nap time"! :o) I'm praying the event is successful and am thankful for the help friends have shown to the Horn family.


In the midst of that, our friend Angie lost her beautiful sister to breast cancer shortly after giving birth to her miracle baby, Chloe. I have been so touched by their story and display of faith, peace and perseverance. If you have the time, read their story (from the beginning) at www.bandssullivan.blogspot.com. Sara's life has been used by Him to reach so many. I am grateful for their ability to share such a trying and challenging story with such strength.


Last Thursday (my dad's birthday) my dear, dear friends Amy and Brian Crisp lost Brian's dad to cancer. Jim was so young. There really aren't words. It's just terrible. I hurt for my dear friends and their family. I just pray they find peace in their time of loss and pain. Amy and Brian's sweet baby boy, Evan, was born in June. It's obvious God's timing was perfect in his delivery. Jim was able to meet and fall in love with baby Evan and again, for that, I'm grateful.


I'm sorry for the terribly depressing post. This is just where life is right now. I'm so grateful for the ability to be able to find the happiness amongst the sorrow and hope for brighter days.

Gig 'Em Aggies!

We were lucky enough to get invited to the Aggie game this past weekend by Amy and Brian. We had not been back to campus since I graduated four years ago. I had been told College Station had changed, but man I had no idea. I took lots of pictures of things that haven't changed a bit since long before I went to school there, but hey... those are the things that make it Aggieland, right? Anyway, the Aggies b.t.h.o. UAB 56-19. Whoop!!

We had a great time, thanks so much Crisp Family!

Once Jason and I were engaged I always thought it was neat I'd share my last name with Evans Library

The beloved century tree... I had NEVER been under it until this past weekend! (For you non-Aggies, whoever you go under it with you are suppose to spend your life with.) :o)Brittany and Chris' tickets are just a few rows below Amy and Brian's and they hadn't seen each other yet!

Minute Maid a Month Ago

Finally, I'm up and going on pictures again. I got a wonderful new camera that takes huge pictures, so I now have an extra step in posting. I promise to try to do better!!

The last weekend in August we went to Aiden and Grant's 2nd birthday party at Minute Maid park We went last year, so it's amazing to see how much Ben has changed. Let's just say it was a lot easier to get those "special" pictures when he couldn't get away from us!! This year he had a great time, so that's all that matters.

Ben headed into the dugout

The best we could do at a Mommy and Ben shot

Daddy and Ben walking the bases... Ben loved first base.
We had a hard time getting him to go to second.

Minute Maid ad anyone?

Completely exhausted from all the playing

Thanks Brock and Rochelle for having us out to celebrate your boys' day! We really enjoyed it!!
Check out how much Benjamin has changed here and here!

Keep Trying...

I have made NUMEROUS attempts to update my blog and for some reason I have failed over and over again. These are just a few pictures that we took during our trip to Kentucky last month. Life has been...overwhelming..... lately so that combined with the computer not cooperating, my blogging has been non-existent!

Ben and I drove to my parents house and then rode with them to Kentucky for my grandmother's 80th birthday and to visit everyone else who is there. We had a great time! Mamie's surprise party was planned for the Saturday we were there so we had a diversion on Friday night to make her think that was her "party". We went to a Japanese restaurant and Ben was amazed by the flames, etc. It was great.


Occupying his time in the truck....


Grandmammy, Ben, me and Grandaddy
(We got to visit with them while we were in Kentucky for Mamie's party.)


Watching the flames at the Japanses restaurant
Macie May (Mom's dog) and Maggie Mae (Aunt Denise's dog)
I'll try to get more pictures up soon, hopefully the internet will cooperate.... hopefully!

Post Full of Pics

Since I've been so terrible keeping up the blog this summer, I'll just post some pictures. They say a pictures is worth 1,000 words... right? The one bad thing is that I'm always the photographer so I'm rarely in the pictures.

Dinner out one Friday night

Wearing Daddy's shooting gear

Lunch at Red Robbin

First time to color

First time to climb on a table (first of many)

First time meeting baby McKenna... he wasn't so sure about her

Bad lighting... good friends!

Checking out the fish at Bass Pro

No trip to Bass Pro is complete without driving the boats

Mr. and Mrs. James Flanagan

Jenny and James' wedding was beautiful! He's a picture of Jason and I with the newlyweds!

I'll get up more later, but as for now, I'm all blogged out! Have a great day!!