At the Vickery's

Our friends, the Vickery's(Marisa, Kellen and Tomsen) had a Halloween play date the other day. It was a fun time. All the kids were to dress up in costumes(I put the kids in old costumes). I taught with Marisa before kids and our kids are close to the same age and it is always fun to see them. They live on 5 acres in Dripping Springs, so the kids like going to their house "in the country" to play and run around. There were lots of kids to play with and lots of good food. It was a fun day for us all.

Kellen and Tomsen's daddy is a fireman and this is an old mask of his.The big boys spinning the girls aroundSkylar and Brooklyn have had enough spinningHaving fun!A nice look don't you think?

Barrett on the 4 wheeler-he loves this!!Our friend, Kellen

Brooklyn playing in the woods

Tagged...

Here's the rules:Grab the nearest book.
Open the book to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post the text of the next two to five sentences in your blog along with these instructions.

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
Tag five other people to do the same.

Here is mine- from Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood
(This is regarding an experiment where a parent pays attention to what a child loves and says something specific about the child's interests 3 times during a week to show a child that we notice interests and not judge whether good or bad)
They also comment that their children are typically more compliant when they have been using this tool. Why is this so? When children feel that their parents notice and value their interests, they are always more happier and more cooperative.

I tag Kellee, Kara, and Chesley

Some Favorite Products

Here is a list of some of my faves I have at home that I really like to use or have.1. Method Best In Glass Cleaner- It is window cleaner, but I use it on a variety of surfaces. It has a great mint smell. It contains no chemicals either. I buy this at Target.

2.MorningStar Farms Veggie Bits Spinach & ArtichokeThese are a great snack or meal. My kids even like them. All you have to do is pop them in the oven and they are done! They have a variety of snacks like these that are good too, but these are my favorite! I get at HEB in the frozen section.

3.Mary Kay TimeWise Skin Care-I am starting to see and feel the effects of my age. I really like these products and feel like they work and make my skin smooth. I get these from Casey who sells Mary Kay.
4. IPOD speakers and remote. It works with any kind of Ipod, which is good since Derek and I have different kinds. The sound is great, but the speakers are small and take up very little space and is easily portable. I got ours at Overstock a few years back, but see them at alot of places.

5. Nutella- it is a chocolate hazelnut spread. Derek and I got really addicted to this after our honeymoon. It is so yummy and goes on anything from french toast and pancakes to strawberries and pretzels.

6.Capri Blue Volcano No. 6 Candle- I love how this smells. Several people I know have this and everytime I use it or I go to someones house that has it burning, the whole places smells wonderful. It really fills the whole house. They also have an Aloha scent that smells really good too. I have seen them at Anthropologie and Francesa's .

7. Epicurean cutting board- these are made from an environmental friendly wood composite. It is great, doesn't dull knives and it not porous, so no room for bacteria growth. You can get at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

8. Lollia Bubble Bath- I have the Evening Bubble Bath and it is divine! It smells so good and a little goes a long way. It is made with natural ingredients. Such a treat!

So, what are some things that you have or use on a frequent basis that you love? I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Birthday Derek!

Today is Derek's birthday and he is halfway around the world at a conference. I think he is having a fun time, but I wish we were together to celebrate. I guess, at least it draws his birthday out a little longer.

I officially met Derek when I was 15, but we both knew of each other a few years before that. I think it is so neat to have known each other so long and have been a part of each others lives and history for almost half of our lives. It is amazing to think of all the changes we have gone through.

Derek is awesome. He is truly my other half, the half that makes me whole. He loves me and our kids so much. The is such an unselfish person. He is a hard worker. He puts others ahead of himself. He is smart, has common sense and takes care of us well. He is just a big kid and knows how to relax and have fun! He is laid back and stays calm. He is a huge blessing in my life. I am so lucky to be his wife and journey through this life with him.

So, Happy Birthday Derek! We love you and miss you!

Derek and some high school buddiesPicking blackberries with BFishing in Islamorada with his dadPlaying at the pool with BrooklynBird hunting with David

Painting Pumpkins

A few weeks ago we bought some mini pumpkins and the kids painted them. Here is them working on their masterpieces and the final results.

Lanai, Hawaii

Derek and I just returned from our trip to Hawaii. It was a wonderful time for us. We stayed at the Four Seasons at Manele Bay. It was lush and beautiful. Lanai is a small island, home to about 3000 people in all. There are 2 resorts and 1 small hotel on the entire island. Our resort was very tropical, but the other part of the island had a different feel- there were tall pine trees and it was about 10 degrees cooler. We enjoyed some time shopping on the square and hanging at the other resort, The Lodge at Koehle. We had a supplier lunch with the execs from Derek's client. We got to play some traditional Hawaiian games like lawn bowling, croquet, and spear throwing(as you can imagine, Derek was better at this one than me). Most of the trip was spent at our resort area. We spent time relaxing by the pool, laying by the beach, reading, snorkeling, hiking, golf for Derek, eating LOTS of delicious food. We had some events at night and those were a blast. It was a great vacation and Derek and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We were happy to see the kids when we returned. They were in great hands while we were gone. my mom and Derek's dad each took a shift and came and watched the kids. They seemed to have had a fun time. Here are some pictures of our vacation.

Sunrise picture taken from our balcony.Derek throwing a bamboo spear into a tree. He did pretty good. Derek on the grounds of the resort.
Happy in paradise!

Dinner in the resturaunt at The Lodge at Koehle. The food was great- lobster tail, scallops and souffles!Beautiful coastline. We hiked up this and it was a gorgeous view.Standing in front of the beautiful blue seaDerek enjoying listening to the waves crashing.Dressed for our theme night- Rock and Roll vs. Country. We listened to a battle of the bands and had a fun time dancing.

Early morning sun over the water.

Pine trees in Lanai City

In the town, by the original island hotel. We shopped on the town square.

Derek after a morning of snorkeling

Lunch over looking the ocean-awesome!

We're Outta Here

bathing suits- check

flip flops- check

sundresses-check

lots of books- check

gossip magazines- check

Ipod loaded with music- check

2 plane tickets to Hawaii- check

2 excited and happy people- check

Tommorrow, Derek and I leave for the island of Lanai, Hawaii. We will be there until Thursday. I am so excited! I know we will have an awesome time! I am looking forward to days of relaxing at the pool and beach, having drinks with little umbrellas in them, reading several books, and hanging with my awesome husband. And did I mention- it is free! Yeah! Can't wait ! I'll leave you with a picture of the pool that I will be hanging out at next week.