Semadeni Stories

Twice As Good

2012-01-28T19:25:00.000-08:00

Kelley, Beth, Kristin, Susan, and Becky and strange guy in the background!

One of my very favorite things to do in the whole world is to go on a girls' trip. At least once a year, a group of us from High School and some back to Elementary School, get together for a girls' weekend. It is always so much fun and does something for me that nothing else can. I always come home rejuvenated, inspired, and feeling loved...all of these things make me a better wife, mother, daughter, and friend. I insist there is a place in me that only these girls can fill. Before I go any further about this trip, though, I have to mention that Marci was not able to go on this trip, and it just can't be the same without her there. As much fun as we had and as much a part of the trip as we still made her, nothing can replace her actually being there. We missed you, Marci, and we don't want to ever have to go without you again!

This trip was special, in particular, because it was a little longer than normal. We left on a Thursday afternoon and returned Sunday afternoon. Kristin came from Oklahoma, and we all (minus Kelley coming from Austin) met up at Susan's house Thursday, loaded the car, headed to Whole Foods for some snacks and to grab a quick lunch, and then hit the bank before heading toward Austin. We decided we were all a little crazy with the amount of stuff we packed for a three night trip, and Susan and I declared that we are just "bad packers!"

Did we need two cars for the four of us????

We made it as far as West before stopping for Kolaches! Kristin had never had a Kolache, so we had to fix that! West is special place because Susan's mom grew up there, and this is where Susan's father is buried. She lost her dad 1 1/2 years ago, and she misses him everyday. We all miss him. Before getting back on the highway, we drove out to the cemetery where he is. It was an absolutely beautiful and peaceful spot, and it was just nice to share that time together.

Our destination (first one although we thought final at the time) was Lost Pines Resort near Austin. We had a great setup with a living area and two rooms on either side. We headed to a bar/restaurant on the property and ate. Kelley joined us there, and we just talked the night away. Over these three days we covered every subject imaginable and some of them more than once!

Friday was our relaxing day, and we agreed that one of the best parts was knowing that we really had no where that we had to be. How often can we say we really don't have an agenda? Such a treat!!! After more lounging and talking, we headed out on a walk. We weren't exercising, we were just getting outdoors! We had a quick lunch and then headed to our only appointments of the day - the SPA. We spent 4 hours there in robes, getting treatments done, and sitting in the sauna, steam room, and hot tub. We headed back the room, ordered appetizers, pizza, and salad, along with all the snacks we had brought with us! More talking and sharing fun things about our favorite products (I think I have spent more after the trip buying all the cool things I learned about than I actually did on the trip!) Late Friday evening we had an "interesting" phone call from a stranger who appeared to be watching us through the windows of our room. Our sheer draperies were closed, but we didn't realize that the blackout curtains were not pulled. Anyway, a call to security came, and we had all our doors and locks checked. We were all a little freaked out, but not bad enough to pack up our messy room and move somewhere else at 1:00 a.m. It was an eventful end to an otherwise relaxing and perfect day.

Saturday we slept in, talked, and then went our own ways to walk, workout, or just hangout. While we were finally actually getting ready to head into Austin for some shopping and dinner, we made the decision (with a little prodding from Rick) that we should move to another hotel. So, we packed up and headed to the Four Seasons in Austin. After checking in we were back on track and hit some stores. There were a few purchases made, and then we headed to Parkside for a delicious dinner.

After dinner we headed back to our room for our last night of talking. Before we knew it we were packing up and heading down for an amazing outdoor brunch. It was the perfect ending to our time together. We did feel a little sorry for the guy who drew the short stick on having to gather our luggage and take it downstairs...How long were we there again???? Less than 24 hours!!!

We had to leave Kelley at this point since she was practically already home, and the rest of us started our drive back to Dallas. Our only stop was in West again for more Kolaches for our families. We talked some more and listened to some great music. When we went our separate ways from Susan's house, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift of these friendships. I know that God has given us all something special to share together and that even though we live in different areas and have full and busy lives outside of each other, He will always keep us close.

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17

We have a wonderful history and lots of fun times ahead of us. Thank you Becky, Kelley, Kristin, Marci, and Susan for all your love and support. We have a long line of celebrations together, and even though we are growing older and don't know exactly what the future holds, one thing I am sure of is that life with you is half as hard and twice as good.

Fort Worth Stock Show

2012-01-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

Over the long Martin Luther King Day weekend, we had a great time at the Fort Worth Stock Show with Robin, Forty, Jack, and Sophie. For as long as we have lived in this area and as many times as we've been to that area for Museum School and just to visit the Stockyards, we had never been during the Stock Show. It was tons of fun and highlights included seeing, petting, and naming the horses, watching a roper do his tricks, going through the petting zoo, and spending most of our time on the Midway. I learned that Jack does not like scary rides, Caroline is getting more brave, Will is fearless, and Allison is somewhere in the middle. We will have to see about Sophie in a couple of years. After the Stock Show we headed to Chuy's for some delicious Mexican food. It was such a fun day and was planned just a couple of days before. Like Robin said if we had been trying to make it happen, we never would have found a time. So glad it worked out! Here are some pictures from our fun day.

Catch All Post

2012-01-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the longest I've gone without a post, and I am going to try to summarize the end of our summer and fall in one long post here. For Ray's Christmas gift, I surprised him and had all of our posts turned into four volumes of books. That is something that has been on my list for a very long time, and I'm so glad to have it done. Doing that and seeing what I've created in print has inspired me to start blogging again. It's just the best way I've found to document the big and little events in our lives.

So, I'll start with our beach trip to Gulf Shores this summer. We had an amazing time just hanging out at the beach and enjoying reading and playing games in our little summer home for the week!

Will turned 7....

Caroline turned 9...

and Allison turned 11....

We had the first day of school...Allison 5th (Eubanks Intermediate!!!), Caroline 3rd, and Will 1st!

Ray rode in the 100 mile bike ride - Hotter than Hell...

We celebrated Gram's birthday!

Allison played select Solar soccer....

Will played soccer...

and flag football...

and karate...

Caroline did gymnastics and soccer....

We had a fun Halloween!

We played at the park...

and in the leaves...

I worked at the Arboretum 2 days a week taking pictures....

We walked for a cure for Diabetes...

Caroline received her 3rd Grade Bible at White's Chapel United Methodist Church....

We played with Landry...

We helped cheer the Dragons onto a State Championship...

Made two road trips to Waco to watch and celebrate Baylor Bear victories....

Caroline performed in Bugs Christmas...

And we had a wonderful Christmas with our families!

Swinging in the New Year!

2012-01-16T08:30:00.000-08:00

When I saw this week's theme for the I Heart Faces contest, I knew that I wanted to enter this photo. We had a family outing to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo this weekend, and this is a picture of two of my kids and my husband on the swings at the Midway. These three LOVE adventure and the higher and faster it goes, the better! It was such a fun day, and we made some lasting memories.

Camp Thurman!!!

2011-09-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't be summer without Camp Thurman....

Six Flags

2011-09-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

Ray took a day off this summer, and we had a fun day at Six Flags. It was terribly hot, but still had a good time, and the lines weren't too bad! Caroline is a little "shy" with the rides and does not like anything scary. It's funny because she's so competitive, but she doesn't like being adventureous. We did get her on a few of the little roller coasters, and I did not mind staying back with her on some of the others. It was a great family day!

4th of July

2011-09-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

We had a great time over the fourth this year. Following our annual tradition we headed to the Town Center for fireworks on the 3rd. The kids loved it, and Ray and I did, too!

2nd Annual Camp Aurora

2011-08-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

For the 2nd summer, Allison and her friend Kate attended the day camp that Cook Children's puts on for kids with Type 1 Diabetes in the community. Allison loves to go - partly to spend time with Kate, but also for all the fun activities and being around others with Type 1. Allison does so great with handling everything, but I think it's wonderful for her to be around a huge group of people who go through the same things she does every day. This year Allison's big accomplishment during camp was to start giving her own shots. This has given her so much for responsibility, control, and freedom. We could not be more proud of her!!!

Just a picture...

2011-08-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

that I love of Will and me taken by Will while he was playing around with the camera on my MAC. He could play here taking photos and videos for hours....

A trip to Cincy

2011-08-17T20:27:00.000-07:00

Ray has taken the girls each once to go and visit his mom, and this year he took Will with him for Brigitte's 70th birthday. They had a great time visiting Miami of Ohio, hanging with his mom and cousin, Dominic, and going out to eat to celebrate his mom's birthday. I was a little concerned because Will came back a Miami Redhawk fan over Baylor. I have some damage control to do now that they are back! Also, I can't forget the multiple trips they made to eat at Skyline Chili during their weekend there!

Father's Day 2011

2011-08-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

We spent Father's Day morning at Caroline's indoor soccer game, and then we headed to Fuzzy's in Roanoke with my parents and Katherine and Libby. The kids had a great time playing, and then we came back here to swim. It was a great family day, and even though Ray didn't get to relax much, hopefully he enjoyed his day. We think he is the greatest!!!

my dad and me Father's Day 1969

Lucky 13

2011-08-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

Ray and I celebrated our 13th anniversary with a wonderful dinner out. We spent much of our time talking about and deciding what event was the highlight of each year of our marriage. Some years it was hard to come up with one big thing. I guess life is like that. There are those mountain-top times and events, but so much of our lives are spent in the everyday. When we look at those everyday events as blessings, we spend our lives filled with gratitude. I can't think of anyone else I would rather be spending my big and small moments with! Happy Anniversary, Ray Semadeni.

Camo Belt

2011-08-16T21:22:00.001-07:00

Will is just loving Karate, and he spent a week in Karate Camp after VBS at the beginning of summer. He ended up coming out of the camp with a new Camo Belt. He worked very hard, and we are so proud of him!

Graham and Will - Great Friends!

Rough Riders

2011-08-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

For Christmas Forty, Robin, Jack, and Sophie gave us a gift certificate to use toward a Rough Rider game in the spring or summer. It was fun for the kids to see the stadium and experience their first minor league game. There was not a bad seat in Dr. Pepper Ballpark. It was especially fun because Robin, Forty, and Jack were able to join us at the game. My kids really have a great time with Jack, and he has the best personality. The highlight of the nights was when one of the players tossed a game ball up to Allison. She was so proud! Of course, there was a lot of focus on the food that night, too! Thanks, Robin and Forty, for a great gift of time together.

Earlier that day the Dunbars were in town and stopped by for a couple of hours. It was great getting to visit with Jami, and the kids had so much fun playing!

Dance Recital 2011

2011-08-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

Allison had a lot of fun in her dance recital this year. Her jazz song was "Rock God". She had several friends from school in a different class, and they had fun posing for pictures together. We love Lifesong, and it has been such a blessing for our family.

"Lifesong"

Empty hands held high

Such small sacrifice

If not joined with my life

I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day

Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You

Lord I give my life

A living sacrifice

To reach a world in need

To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Hallelujah

Let my lifesong sing to You

More Pictures...

2011-08-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures my cousin, Wendy, from California, took at the services.

Wendy, Bob, and Kim

Debbie, Bill, and Ruth

Ruth and Newman

Caelia, Wendy, and Julianna

Kim and Cynthia

Lunch between the services

Service Pictures

2011-08-15T20:42:00.001-07:00

The service for my grandmother was a beautiful tribute to her life. There was a burial in the morning at Restland, and then a Memorial Service at Faith United Presbyterian Church (formerly Covenant Presbyterian Church) that afternoon. There was a slide show of pictures playing at the service and huge display of pictures in the room from various stages of her life. Many people came to her service, and I, personally felt so supported by many of my amazing friends. We also had relatives from California in town. After the service, Bill and Kristen had us over to Royal Oaks Country Club where my parents treated everyone to a time of swimming and dinner. It was the perfect way to end the day, and the kids had a great time playing with cousins. Here are some pictures to capture the day.

Caroline, Katherine, Allison, and Will

Allison, Julianna, and Caelia

Faith United Presbyterian Church

Marci, Becky, Beth, Lynn, Susan, and Ruthann

My Grandmother

2011-08-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

Beth with Gobby and Da...my mom in the background!

Gobby and Beth...December 1968

Along with all the emotions of the last day of school, my grandmother, Pauline Keeton Mitchel Smith, passed away at the age of 103 on June 2, 2011. As the first grandchild, I named her Gobby, and she has always been a huge part of my life. Although it was horribly sad to know that I would not see her again in this life, I celebrated the fact that she was now with Jesus and with my grandfather. She lived a wonderful life and had so many experiences and was always surrounded by family and friends. She had a huge influence on my faith and always had a blind love for me. She was loved immensely and will be greatly missed.

My brother, Bill, gave the Eulogy at her service on June 8, 2011, and did an amazing job preparing and delivering the story of her life. Below are his words. I know she would have been so pleased.

Good Afternoon. My name is Bill Howell. I was, according to my grandmother, Pauline Smith’s favorite grandson - a distinction I didn’t realize until my early 20s was not as special as one might think, given that I am her only grandson.

While my career does allow me some opportunities to speak in public, I am not the grizzled veteran of public speaking that my wife is. I also know that if I don’t say something funny early, I will lose the attention of my children quickly. So, to help me ease into this, I begin with a story that the minister at my church told our congregation a few months ago. A friend of his was running late to a very important job interview in downtown Ft. Worth and had pulled into a parking lot next to the downtown building where the interview was to take place. After circling the lot a couple of times, unable to find a parking spot and growing ever more anxious, he looked upward and said “God, if you will just help me find a parking spot now I promise to attend church every Sunday for the next year and to live a more virtuous life.” At that moment as he rounded the corner, he saw a car pulling out of a spot near the front entrance of the building. Relieved, he quickly pulled into the spot and as he turned off the ignition and grabbed his briefcase, he looked up again and said “Nevermind, God. I found a spot on my own.”

On behalf of my family, Pauline’s daughter and my mother, Linda Howell, Pauline’s son, Newman Smith, her granddaughter, Beth Semadeni, her five great grandchildren, Allison, Katherine, Caroline, Will and Libby, and her extended family, I want to extend our gratitude for your prayers and your presence. For a woman whose peers have been gone on average more than 20 years, it’s tempting to say that I’m overwhelmed by the number of people here today and the outpouring of support we have received. However, I knew my grandmother and her wide network of friends and admirers and her ability to draw people toward her too well to be surprised. It was 17 years ago when my grandfather and Pauline’s husband, Newman Smith, passed away. I was in college at the time and I remember distinctly the feeling of immense pride at the gathering of people there to celebrate his life. I feel again that same pride today.

I may periodically slip between referring to my grandmother as Pauline and Gobby. You see my sister, just learning to talk and unable to enunciate Grandma, began to call Pauline “Gobby” as a small child. For some reason it stuck, and it has been her name to our entire family and many of her friends for some 40 years now. I don’t know whether my grandmother liked the name or not - she certainly never complained about it or tried to change it - but I suspect she always felt a little bit like her husband, who my sister named Da, got the raw end of the deal.

Born in 1907, Gobby lived to be 103 1/2. For most of us, this kind of longevity is almost unimaginable. During her lifetime, she saw two world wars, the Great Depression, numerous stock market and real estate booms and busts, 26 presidential elections, the launch of man into space and man’s first step on the moon, the desegregation of our public schools, the formation and subsequent fall of the Soviet Union and the expansion of our union from 46 states to 50 states. I could go on forever about the history she saw, the changes in technology during her lifetime and the world events that shaped her generation. But I think what is even more compelling is her personal story and the impact that she had on those around her.

Death is obviously an emotional subject. I believe death evokes different feelings in different people depending on the circumstances. The loss of a child can make us angry and overwhelmed with grief. The death of a life partner can leave us feeling empty and sad. And although we are clearly sad at the loss of Pauline, I believe the death of someone who has lived such a long and full life leaves us reflective - reflective on our own lives and the impact we are having on the lives of others and what we want our legacies to be. I’d like to share with you today how I believe my grandmother would have wanted us to remember her and her legacy.

First, Pauline was a geography junky and a world traveler. She was fascinated by different cultures and peoples. She travelled to more than 85 countries on 6 continents in addition to extensive travels in the US and multiple cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska. Well into her 100s, my grandmother could remember details about each trip and the sights she saw like she had returned from her travels the week before. In the home she shared with my grandfather for more than 30 years, dozens and dozens of souvenir plates lined the walls of her kitchen and breakfast room; and with every plate came a story of a different destination that she could recount without hesitation. I remember waiting for her to return from each trip, anxiously anticipating her stories and the small souvenirs she would bring us. Her love of new things and her willingness to explore outside her comfort zone, generated a lifetime of memories and stories that can be passed along to my children and beyond.

Gobby was also strong willed and feisty. I think to live until the age of 103, you have to be a little fiery. Although only 5’2” and extremely petite, she was never short of something to talk about and she could debate with the best of them. She battled obstacles and afflictions, including breast cancer in her 80s, with an aggressive spirit and will to overcome. But most impressive to me was her insistence that blindness would not detract from her life experiences. Declared legally blind in 1973, she spent the last almost 40 years of her life learning to cope with the darkness and finding new ways to appreciate her surroundings and her loved ones. She even continued to be a voracious reader up until her death through a book on tape program run by the public library system. Her strength of mind, body and character shaped the woman she was and her impact on those around her.

Pauline was an educator at heart. She taught English and Spanish classes at various public schools in Texas for more than 20 years. Education was a passion she shared with Newman and passed along to her children and grandchildren. I believe she was most proud of the incredible honor bestowed on her husband when, in 1975 the Carrollton/Farmers Branch school district named its newest high school Newman Smith High School. Then, in 1988, the high school further honored our family and named its new theater the Pauline Keeton Smith Performing Arts Center. Her affiliation with the school was a great source of pride for her and our family and she continued to follow its successes and challenges late into her life. Her commitment to education and her belief in its importance to our society are foundations for our family that I believe will be passed along for generations to come.

Pauline was a dedicated and loyal member of her faith family. She was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church for almost 50 years, and served as an elder of the church during many of those years. Her church was for her a social outlet, a conduit for community service, a moral compass and a place of worship. Even in her later years, when she became unable to attend services, it was members of the church - some of them 20 or 30 years her junior - that continued to provide her with great pleasure through their weekly visits. Her deep commitment to her faith family is an important and lasting part of her legacy.

But what I believe my grandmother would have said should be her most important legacy was her abiding commitment to family. She firmly believed that family was the material that held the fabric of our society together. I remember distinctly her telling me when I got engaged in 1997 that life was meant to be lived two by two. Believe me when I say that I know, as we all do, that marriage and parenting are hard. But Gobby’s values, learned by the example that she and my grandfather set during their 58 years of marriage, have instilled in me and the rest of our family the confidence and trust that by sticking together and putting family and God first, all things can be accomplished.

For those of you who knew Pauline the last 20 years or so, you know that, although her short-term memory sometimes lapsed, she remembered vividly details from years past. And she loved to tell stories (loved to tell stories) - over and over and over again. One of her favorite stories to tell was how my sister and I would come to visit them and argue over who got to sit next to my grandfather at the dinner table. Being younger than my sister - much younger mind you - I usually won that argument and got my way. As Gobby told the story, she would comfort my sister by telling her that sitting next to her was not a bad consolation prize. I am confident that my grandmother today sits with my grandfather at a grand and glorious table; and I hope she saves me a seat right next to her because that is one consolation prize that I would be honored to win.

Thank you.

His Eyes

2011-08-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

This week's I Heart Faces Photo Challenge is Eyes! All three of my kids have been blessed with my husband's eyes, and Will gets complimented ALL the time on his beautiful eyes. They are a blueish green, and he has the longest eyelashes of any boy I have ever seen. Here is a recent picture of my newly seven year old boy and his amazing eyes!

www.iheartfaces.com/

Last Day Festivities

2011-07-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

The last day of school was a whirlwind day consisting of telling Nurse Tobie good-bye (soooo sad), visiting Will's room for the last time, watching 4th grade clap-out, and taking pictures at the 4th grade end of year swim party. Clap out is an annual tradition where the 4th graders start in their hall and walk through the school with everyone lining the halls and clapping until they make their way out of the building. Ms. Wagnon stands at the exit of the door, and the parents are all outside waiting. It's a very special and emotional time!

last day of Kindergarten...:(((

clap-out

allie and aubrey

Mrs. Anderson, Allison's first grade teacher was there!

Mrs. Fielder

Mrs. Willingham

end of year party!

4th Grade Graduation - Allison

2011-07-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Allison followed after Will, and it was a special time, but it was sad in a way, too. I'm so excited for her new adventure starting Intermediate school, but it is bittersweet to have her leaving Carroll Elementary. It has been such an awesome place for her, and we will never forgot her time here.

Allison and Mrs. Fielder

Mrs. George, Ms. Wagnon, and Allison

Allison very emotional during the ceremony

Ms. Wagnon talking to the outgoing 4th grade class

Kindergarten Graduation - Will

2011-07-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

June 1st was a big day in our family. Will graduated from Kindergarten, and Allison graduated from 4th grade. Both of the ceremonies were so nice, and I had lots of picture taking opportunities. Because of the construction on-site at our school, they moved graduations to a nearby church, and it worked out really well. They sang some really cute songs, and then each teacher talked and presented every member of their class for graduation. After the group activities, each class went to their own room where their teacher got to talk to them, and then the parents got to present the infamous Kindergarten scrapbook albums. Hours were spent on these albums, but they documented their entire year with all the wonderful pictures that were taken by Ms. Small and each parent. Here are some pictures of my boy on his big day!

happy to get a good pic!

book I made for Shari about our year...

last page of the book....

Pie in the Face

2011-07-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the pictures from Allison getting a pie thrown in her face by her teacher, Mrs. Fielder. Apparently, Allison wanted this to happen, and begged that she really did actually lose the bet! I'm still not sure exactly what happened, but these girls sure did have fun!

Will's 7th Summer Birthday

2011-07-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

Since Will has a summer birthday and never got to celebrate at school, we got a celebration in just in time the last week of school. He requested chocolate donuts with sprinkles on top. They had beach day at school that day, so everyone was already spread out with their towels on the floor. Will had a great time being sung to, getting his picture made, and, of course, eating donuts!

Caroline's Author's Tea

2011-07-24T18:43:00.001-07:00

The 2nd Grade class always ends the year writing and illustrating their own auto-biography. They then host an Author's Tea where parents are able to come and read the books and sign their thoughts in the back of the book. Caroline named her book Caroline's Cool Life, and she did an awesome job telling about her family, friends, and activities. They also hosting the end-of-the-year awards during this time, and Caroline was recognized for the character quality of Humility. Way to go Caroline. We are so proud of you. You are ready for 3rd Grade now!

Volleyball Fun

2011-07-19T19:53:00.000-07:00

For the CES auction several of us went in together and won the bid for the annual Playing with the Principal and PE teachers. It was held on a Friday afternoon, and the girls, moms, and teachers had so much fun! Somehow a bet was lost and the girls got a pie thrown in their face the next week by their teacher. That's another post!

Crazy Hair Day

2011-07-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

One of Will's favorite events of the year at school was Crazy Hair Day! He talked non-stop about it for a week, and planned out exactly how he was going to spray his hair. He could hardly wait for me to take him to the store to by the crazy spray. He wanted 5 or 6 different colors, but I put a limit of 2 on him. Choices can be so hard, but he finally decided on blue and green. He was so proud of the way he looked this day!

Snorkel Cruise

2011-07-19T11:51:00.000-07:00

Our last full day there we went on a snorkel cruise! I always love being out on the water, and the boat we went on was big and nice. We had a big treat on our way out to our snorkel spot. We spotted a bunch of whales playing in the water. They were fascinating to watch! We snorkeled at a place called Turtle Rock and saw tons of fish, coral life, and one very large turtle. They had a delicious lunch for us, and then we all had fun jumping off the side of the boat! Our last day in Hawaii was spent lounging around at the resort on the beach and at the pool. We had a delicious dinner on the beach right during the sunset before heading to the airport. It was the perfect way to end an amazing vacation!

Zip-Lining

2011-07-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

The thing that Ray most wanted to do, and the thing I was most nervous about was zip-lining. I decided I was going to face my fears and do this thing! To sum it up I would say that I'm so glad I did it, but I probably don't need to do it again. It was the perfect place to zip line, and the views were beyond amazing. The tour started off with an off road trek in an open army type jeep, and that was an adventure in itself, and I felt lucky to make it to our destination still in the truck! There were a total of 8 zip lines, and each one got progressively a little higher/longer - translate - scarier. Each of us had names on our helmets, and we all had fun calling each other by our new names during the day. The highlights of the zip lining were going over a waterfall, seeing the ocean, and "jumping" off a cliff.

breakfast at the resort before heading out...not a bad view!

1st zip line - bunny slope!

There was also a "walk" over a suspension bridge!

This is SO fun!

not sure I could be holding on any tighter!

our amazing and very funny guides for the day!

ATV Tour

2011-07-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Our first activity was going on an ATV Tour through the sugarcane fields and along the coastline. The views were amazing, and the ATV was very fun to drive. I did have a problem with a cap on my ATV popping off and spraying hot oil all over me. They got me a new ATV, but I got filthy in the process with dirt spraying all over me and sticking to the oil. Everyone was laughing at me, and it made for a really fun story. It was definitely an adventure and was probably my favorite activity of the trip!

Hawaii 2011

2011-07-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

Ray won an award trip for having an outstanding year at work, and we were fortunate to have the opportunity to go to Kona, Hawaii, for 6 nights in May. It was an amazing trip in every way, and I cannot say enough good things about the Four Seasons Resort, the activities, the food, and the people. It was the trip of a lifetime, and once I made it through the long plane trip, I was a very happy person! Here are some pictures of the resort and us just hanging out there! I'll do more posts on some of our fun activities. A HUGE thanks to my parents for watching and taking such good care of the kids while we were gone.

view from our room

Field Day 2011

2011-07-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

Field Day is always such a fun day, and even though there was lots of rain around this time, we ended up with a warm, beautiful day for our field day. This was a big year for Allison because as a 4th grader, she got to "work" at one of the stations. She was very proud of her responsibility and enjoyed having Will come visit her and play her game! This year Mister Softy came as a treat for the kids, and that was a huge hit. This was Will's very first Field Day, and I think the pictures show that he had a blast!!!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-07-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

We had a fun Mother's Day that started with church and then Allison's performance at STARS. We met Gram and Grandpa for a quick dinner, and then my family was nice enough to go out back behind our house and let me take some pictures (and yes, Allison still has makeup on from the show!). Here are some captured during our day!

Real Life

2011-07-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

I wanted to capture this on the blog because it's a site I see almost every night. Caroline has a beautiful room, but the girls always want to sleep together. We are somewhat strict about them sleeping in their own beds during the school week, but on the weekends and in the summer, this is how you will find them. I love that they have each other!

Through the Looking Glass

2011-07-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Allison tried a new activity this spring and performed with the STARS group in the musical Through the Looking Glass. She had a great time, and we loved watching her perform. They did 6 performances over a period of two weekend and whole week worth of rehearsals leading up to the first weekend. I think her favorite part might have been getting to wear the makeup! She had some good friends from school that were in there, too, which made it extra fun!

Girl's Weekend - Overnight

2011-07-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

We couldn't pull off an entire weekend together, but we did manage a wonderful 24 hours. We left Friday morning and headed to Canton for the day. It's always fun to go there when I haven't been in awhile - lots of new stuff to look at. We headed back to Plano and checked into the Marriott Legacy and then headed to wonderful restaurant nearby for dinner. I can't for the life of me remember the name of it now, but it was good! Then the best part of the came when we went back to the hotel and just sat and talked for hours. It's what we do best, and there never seems to be enough time together. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these girls!!!

Marci, Becky, Beth, and Kristin...Susan joined us in the hotel room after dinner, and we definitely missed Kelley who had to stay in Austin for her son's prom night!

Yellow Belt

2011-07-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

Wil and his friend, Graham, got their yellow belt in Karate testing. It's so much fun to see them progressing, learning, and having fun!

Field Trip to the Zoo

2011-07-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

The Kindergarteners got to take a second field trip this year for the first time. This outing was to the Fort Worth Zoo, and parents were invited to go! The weather was absolutely perfect that day, and we all had such a good time. It will definitely go down as one of my very favorite memories from this school year. It was special in many ways, and I tried to capture the day in a poem that I gave to Will's teacher.

One of the best days of the year made a memory brand new
When we all took a field trip to the Fort Worth Zoo.

Walking together and sharing the sights,
Eating lunch as a group, the day just felt right.

The weather was perfect, and the animals played
And when our time was over, I wish we could have stayed.

The pictures will remind us of this day we were given
A blessing for sure and a fun part of liven'.

An Easter Photoshoot

2011-07-10T21:05:00.000-07:00

After we got back from Dallas on Easter, I ran the kids by parent's house and took some photos in back of their house in the greenbelt where the grass/weeks had gotten really long. My kids were complaining about it itching them, but I made them press on in the name of pictures! Here are a few of my favorites.

Easter 2011

2011-07-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

Easter was a lot of fun this year. The kids hunted Easter Eggs inside the house in the morning, and then we went to Church for an amazing service. Ken Nelson sang Oh Happy Day at the very end of the service, and there wasn't a person in the sanctuary that wasn't singing and clapping. It was an amazing experience in itself and absolutely perfect for Easter morning. It is definitely a happy day! After church we stopped by to visit Gobby, and then we headed to Royal Oaks Country Club to meet Bill, Kristen, Katherine, Libby, and my parents for an Easter Egg Hunt and brunch.

First Swim

2011-07-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

The kids got in the water in April this year. It was waaaaay too cold for me, but they didn't seem to mind. Landry would only go as far as the first step. That changed dramatically over the next few weeks! :))))

Art in the Square

2011-07-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

So proud of Will for having his artwork chosen to be displayed during the annual Art in the Square!

Kindergarten Fun Night

2011-07-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

In the Carroll County Fair Auction, I won one of the two Kindergarten Fun Nights. Caroline had done it her year, and I was determined Will was getting it, too! He had such a fun time playing outside, dancing on the tables, screaming in the halls, doing arts and crafts, games in the gym, silly pictures, and eating pizza and ice cream. There are four kids that go from each K class, and it is really special night. Here is a picture from drop-off that evening.

And my favorite picture from the year of Shari and Will taken earlier that day during Will's turn to do the morning announcements!

Beth's 43rd Birthday

2011-07-09T21:09:00.000-07:00

I had a great birthday with family and friends....My family, including my parents, took me to a Hibachi restaurant. The kids had never been to one before and had a great time, especially Will!!! Then we came back home and had a delicious cake that Gram made - my favorite - yellow cake with chocolate icing! A couple of nights later a group of great friends from Southlake took me out to Mi Cocina. Heather brought a Texas Star cake...It was amazing! I have the greatest friends and family anyone could ever ask for!

Beach Club

2011-07-09T20:58:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest blessings at CES is Beach Club that is hosted for six weeks in the fall and six weeks in the spring. It is led by 121 Community Church and is held in the cafeteria after school on Wednesdays. The program is for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders, but this year I volunteered as a group leader, so Will was able to go, too. It is such a special time for the kids and they have so much fun learning the Bible lessons, eating snacks, and playing games to go along with the lessons. Singing and memorizing Bible verses for Beach Bucks are also highlights of the time. It is really amazing to see the administration at school supporting and endorsing Beach Club. Ms. Wagnon comes in almost every week and prays for all the kids. I couldn't ask for my kids to be at a better school.

These pictures were taken on the last Beach Club of the spring. The 4th graders graduated and everyone that participates receives a medal, and the 4th graders get a Bible. This year Mister Softy, the Ice Cream Man, came, too!

Ms. Wagnon praying with the outgoing 4th Graders

Caroline Watchin' Some TV

2011-07-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

Caroline often watches TV in strange positions, but this is one of the stranger ones that we've found her in....

Beautiful Bluebonnets

2011-07-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

I used to take the kids each year to have pictures made in the bluebonnets, but I had not done it in a few years. I saw a friend's pictures from this spot in a field nearby us and had to go. We had lots of fun playing around and capturing a few pictures....

Carroll County Fair

2011-07-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

The girls left on an Indian Princess Campout, and I took Will to the Carroll County Fair. He had a blast. While he ran around playing games, I waited in the line over an hour so he could do the bounce thing. I think from the look on his face it was worth the time in line!

two goldfish came home with us, but sadly, they did not last long...

Baylor Spirit

2011-07-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

Just a fun picture taken at school of Will with Ms. Small and Ms. Wagnon on the day of a Baylor versus A&M Women's Basketball game. I won't mention who won the game....

Spring Sports

2011-07-09T19:19:00.000-07:00

Spring it always such a busy time, and this year seemed particularly busy, and I got VERY behind on my blog. I did not forget about it though, and I'm determined to get caught up over the next couple of weeks. One of the things I was most busy doing was watching my kids in their spring sports. It's so much fun to watch them try new things, get better at something, and be part of a team. Here are some of my favorite pics from this spring...

Just a few of the girls at the soccer fields!

SWAT Man!!!

2011-04-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Will studied Community Helpers at school and to end the unit, they got to come to school dressed up like what they thought they might want to be when they grew up. Will didn't even hesitate and said he wanted to be a policeman - a SWAT Policeman! This is an old Halloween costume with just a few of the pieces missing!

First Presbyterian Church of Bonham, TX

2011-04-09T13:12:00.000-07:00

On the way home from our trip to Oklahoma, I was driving, and Ray was sleeping, so I made a little detour off the highway to drive down main street in Bonham looking for the church where my grandparents, Newman and Pauline Smith, were married on September 6, 1935. I had seen pictures of the church but had never been there in person. Once I saw it, I knew immediately that was it. It was so much fun to be there and imagine them there all those years ago. It was also the church my grandmother grew up attending. I was able to get some pictures of the church and of my kids in front of the church. The only hitch in my plan was when I stayed back to take a few more pictures and Landry somehow jumped out of the car when the kids were getting back in. It was a 30 minutes fiasco resulting in her running up and down main street and me standing in the middle of the road stopping traffic. It's a good thing we were in a small town...I don't think people would have been so kind and patient with us in the big city. When it was all said and done and we were back on the road, it was definitely worth it to see and get pictures of the church.

Broken Bow - A Photo Shoot

2011-04-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

Because I knew we would have lots of beautiful scenery, I planned a little photo shoot into our trip. The kids weren't too excited ahead of time, but once we got out there, they cooperated pretty well.

I am super excited about my new blog design, done by Designer Blogs, mainly because it allows me

to post larger pictures...And we all know how much I love my pictures!!!

Broken Bow Spring Break 2011

2011-04-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

We spent most of Spring Break at home, but we headed to Broken Bow, Oklahoma for two nights and stayed in a cabin in Beaver Bend State Park. We had great weather and a wonderful time. We got to go on lots of hikes and even did some paddle boating. Landry got to come with us, and she had a ball. Other highlights were roasting marshmallows, relaxing in the hot tub, and learning to play dominoes. It was a great time to just get away from all of our schedules and be outdoors!

Just Will

2011-04-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

One day recently on the way to drop off Will at my parents, I swung by the barn in their neighborhood and snapped a few shots of him. He is just so much fun to be around right now - even if he NEVER stops talking!!!

Spring Fling

2011-04-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

I had such a special treat to get to be with my lifelong friends for a night this spring. The girls and moms got together at Becky's house for dinner and fellowship. I don't remember laughing that much in such a long time. I will never get over the privilege and comfort of being with these girls and moms. We have something so special, and it will always be one of my greatest gifts.

Marci, Beth, Susan, and Becky

Open House 2011

2011-04-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

I have always loved Open House as a child, and it is no different now that I have kids. They held it during the day this year and staggered the times because of the construction at the school, so I got to spend the day up there with my kids in each of their classrooms. In Kindergarten they featured their unit on Dinosaurs. It was adorable!

In 2nd Grade, they featured their Famous American unit and had their Famous American Museum day. Caroline chose Laura Ingalls Wilder for her project and dressed up like her for Open House. All the kids stood frozen in the room and had a button on their hand. When a spectator went up and pushed a button, the Famous American would come to like and tell you a little bit about themselves. I was so impressed with all the costumes and presentations.

Allison's class showed off artwork and had the parents take some "tests". Let's just say I was glad that Grandpa was there for some of the Geometry questions. They were already a little over my head!

Western Girls

2011-04-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

Here are my cute girls all dressed up for Western Day for Dragon Pride!

A Night Out

2011-04-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

We don't use sitters very often besides Gram and Grandpa, but when we do, Allie Small is always our first choice. Allie is Shari's daughter, and we all just adore her. The kids have so much fun with her. Their favorite things to do are drawing, watching movies, doing hair, and putting on concerts. We are super lucky to have Allie in our lives. Here are few pictures I grabbed the last time she came over.

Upward Basketball

2011-04-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

I mentioned back in January that Caroline and Will played Upward Basketball this winter at Southlake Boulevard Presbyterian Church and loved it! This was Will's first season and Caroline's 2nd. It is such a great program both with teaching the fundamentals of basketball and making it a Christ centered time. We had a lot of fun each week watching their games and seeing them receive "stars" after the game for everything from strong offensive performance to best effort to most Christ-like. Here are some photos that highlight the season. I'm still working on getting good photos in a gym with poor lighting and lots of movement!

Ms. Small's Birthday

2011-04-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Will got to have two class parties in one week - Valentine's and his favorite teacher's birthday. We had a great time celebrating with her. All three kids made her a card, and Caroline brought in a bouquet of tulips, and Will brought her gerber daisies. Shari put them together and a made a beautiful arrangement. The class party mom, Lisa, brought great decorations and and had purchased a card and several gift certificates to some of Shari's favorite places. The kids celebrated with donuts, singing, and lots of fun pictures. Happy Birthday to my friend and the best Kindergarten teacher in the world!!!

takin' the first bite!

just the boys!

Love is in the Air

2011-04-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

Valentine's Day is always such a fun day at school for the kids. We didn't do anything fancy this year for their friend's cards, but was had a fun afternoon making them. Will got lots of practice writing out all of his friend's names. We did take a picture during the ice days that I used to make a Valentine's card for family and close friends. I used I Photo to make the card, and they turned out really cute.

Ray and I had a fun date night the Saturday before Valentine's with two other couples. Here is part of our dessert plate....

I think my favorite picture taken as part of Valentine's Day was this one taken before school with the kids holding their boxes that they made for their friends to deliver their Valentine's....Will was being very silly, and this was annoying Allison. I just happened to capture it all on camera complete with Caroline being unaware in the "middle". I love this because it is the reality of our real life so many mornings!

I had such a great time attending all of their parties at school. Kindergarten is such a fun age, and they are all so excited to share the day with their parents. It made me kind of sad to be at Allison's party because it was her last class party in Elementary School. :(((

He's a little off mark since the target is straight in front of him!