Where do I start, guys?
We have done so much since Gung Gung and Paw Paw arrived a couple of weeks ago
We have tried to do something fun EVERYDAY.
I know one day you guys went to see ICE at the Gaylord Resort. We go just about every year. This year's theme was Frosty the Snow Man

Another day, I dropped you guys off at the Movies.
We even had a chance to see the AT&T Stadium. That's right, where the cowboys play!
What a cool field. Its a mecca of an arena

Of course, this week was Thanksgiving. We surely have a lot to be thankful for. Its not the norm to see Paw Paw and Gung Gung during this holiday. But this year, they came down.
And the weather has been working out too. It was a good day. LOTS OF COOKING
But then lots of eating, and still eating left overs... 4 days later.
Our friends Toni, Mike, Ansley and Cody came over to share this day with us. As did Uncle Jack
We are surely very lucky

We were sure to hit some of the stores for Xmas shopping too
And then even took advantage of the warmer weather and went to the see the MAIN STREET xmas decorations in downtown Grapevine.
They changed it quite a bit.
It was pretty this year...as opposed to more juvenile. They moved the singing tree but then they added stuff. See?

We had fun...
We even stopped by the library to get new books.
We always make sure you guys get your reading time in
and look what we found there!

LOL...
Life is better in Grapevine... Maybe so.

It amazes me just how considerate you are, CJ.
You are so sensitive to others around you, even if it isn't obvious.
You helped me make mommy and daddy's bed yesterday.
And then went on to help me do the laundry. ON YOUR OWN.
You do have a fascination w/ the machine. LOL
But you asked if all the color sorting was right.

And then you watched as your load got started.

Your favorite part was the pouring of laundry detergent
Always has been
Just still catches me off guard to see a 7 year old so willing to help.
You're one of a kind, love.
MUAH!

Guess Who's here?! Yep! Paw Paw and Gung Gung
So there's the smell of chinese food in the air and lots of laughing.
Just lots of extra noise. LOL

I see you guys growing up so fast! Your school pix came and you both just look so grown up. It is CRAZY. Kaylie you look like a little lady and CJ you look so big too! Like I can see your adult faces coming through.

And Kaylie your personality is changing so much. Even though you are still very much a little girl, your level of conversation w/ me is very different.
When we crank up the music in the car, it is like a concert in there. We jam out hard don't we Kaylie?
So fun!!!
Along that note, it's so weird to see you want to get on the phone w/ your friends and just want to say hi. That really brings me back to when I was a teenager. Just wanting to be on the phone but saying nothing. You had that moment w/ AVA, your friend, last week. So weird. But what was funny was that you said NOTHING. You just said HI. And then were more in awe that you used a phone for TALKING. NOT playing games. LOL

One night this week, I was in the office working and you just set up shop next to me w/ your own office going. I let you use my iPad and my wireless keyboard. You were pretty excited. We sat side by side just working...

It was so cold last week. I picked you guys up early just to get you home to have hot chocolate and warm cookies. It was fun! It was nice to just take a break from the chaos and take a moment to be together. Of course, there was lots of goofing around. It made for good pix!
But CJ you asked me this week WHY mother nature has winter. IN COMPLETE SERIOUSNESS. But then you went on to say, WHY does she do it during the week, when you have to go to school.
That is complete innocence.

You both are very much into Soccer. Daddy even got you guys an XBOX game of soccer that CJ you can't get enough of

And you love to play with daddy

But to watch you both sit and play is like watching a famous scene from one of Daddy's favorite movies, FORREST GUMP.

you'll have to watch it one day to know what I mean

Gotta get ready for work.
Hope you have a great day

It's Thursday, November 13, 2014
We went for Kaylie's 9 year old WELL visit today

Kaylie, here are your stats:

• You are 58 pounds- 27th percentile- you gained about 5 pounds in 1 year
• You are 52 inches - 40th percentile- You grew 2 inches since last November

NO SHOTS! You are always so concerned about that

You have 2 more years to go... and then we can prepare you.

You did great

You are growing beautifully... INSIDE and out. 

It's late Sunday night...and the entire house is asleep BUT me
My favorite time to get things done.
But it was a BIG weekend so I wanted to be sure to capture some of the milestones.

First our sweet Kaylie turned 9 this week... but the party circuit didn't start until Friday night. BOY did these 3rd graders know how to party. They were loud, crazy but they had fun!

The theme was MINECRAFT. Boy do the kids love this game. I don't understand the fetish. But I'm old.

We played Laser Tag and then invited a few girls back (3) to our house for a sleep over. It made for a very long day but a very happy child - We slept under a tent in the playroom, watched movies, and painted nails.

But I made sure we were all quietly asleep by 11. THAT was no easy feat. Lots of quiet chuckles, bursts of laughter, blaming each other for not being quiet... and then silence... .and ALL night. A very different experience from about 2 years ago. Nine is a good age for a sleep over...
Everyone was out by 9a the next morning.

The rest of Saturday didn't let up either. CJ was a part of a 3 day soccer tournament. This world of sports was new to me. I was never athletic. So I don't understand the passion and commitment to a sport. But I must say, i do love watching them play.
CJ's team went on to win 2 of 3 of the play off games which advanced his team to the last day against the other top team. They took 2nd... Frustrating because they were winning until the last 7 minutes of the game, when the other team scored 2 goals.

It's ok. We can't always win. Another life lesson.  Man, did they play HARD!

We wrapped up the weekend with more birthday celebrating. We have our "Family away from home" here and we hadn't and the chance to celebrate w/ them yet. So we met up for dinner. Kaylie should definitely feel loved.

She is actually adored. The little kids just love her as much as she loves them.

It is  honestly days and weekends like this that honestly make me question moving home, back to NY
We really do love it here.
It feels like home
And its all good until we go home... and have to come back to TEXAS, without our support system, away from old friends and everything we know...
So curious to see...how OPERATION home plays out.

Thanks for reading.
Let me know you were here. XO