And The Winner of the Anniversary Vote Is...

***HOTEL PALOMAR ***

Reservations - check!, reservations at restaurant Central 214 (for restaurant week - LOVE that this falls on our anniversary every year) - check!  YEA!!! 

Can't wait to relax in this:)

Reserved us one of these little guys too:)  They even offered for me to name it so it could have a nametag when we arrived, I had NO idea:)  What would you name a goldfish that's your pet just for the weekend?  

And you can be sure we'll get some pics in these - ha ha!

Stay tuned for more pics of our FUN getaway - lots more exciting activities planned around this hotel;)

Upcoming Anniversary VOTE!

Our 11th anniversary is coming up soon.  I've narrowed it down but maybe you can help me vote on the final place for us to go...

*Belmont Hotel

This is the Belmont Hotel located in the Oak Cliff area, very modern, which is our style, it has dive in movies in its outdoor pool, an awesome view of the skyline, a restaurant called "Smoke", and a health club.

*The Ashton

This is the Ashton in downtown Ft. Worth, close to the stockyards, sundance square, and the majestic theater.  It has a restaurant called Six 10 Grille - which supposedly is one of the best in Ft. Worth. 

*Hotel Palomar

And this is Hotel Palomar in Dallas - it has an amazing pool, modern decor, zebra robes (those of you who know me KNOW I LOVE this!!!), goldfish on request - how FUN!, restaurant central 214 - which is famous - I think there was a show about it at one time, a spa where you can get outdoor massages, across from Mockingbird Station, and by the Angelika theater

So...what's YOUR vote???

Kaden's Leggo Swim Party - 7 years old!

Kaden had his birthday party this last weekend!  It was a Leggo Swim party at our house!  He enjoyed swimming with all his friends!

We all sang "Happy Birthday" and had cupcakes and ice cream!

Then he opened his presents!  

We saved the big present for the end - a bike from Curt and I!  This is his first reaction:)

Here he is admiring his new ride, the other boys thought it was pretty cool too!

I totally forgot to take pics of all the decorations and I'm so sad because they were cute - but here's a leftover cupcake!

And I had to show you these cool leggos Curtis made to hang in the archways!  FUN!  It was a wonderful celebration - we did exactly what he wanted to do and covered all his wishes - so cute!

7 Years

This is my sweet boy at about 9 months old.

And this is my baby boy today!  7 years old!!!

Donuts for breakfast this morning with Ipod in tow!  Pre-birthday haircut!

And with his packages that came in the mail today!  Sweet and excited birthday boy!

I can't believe you are seven today Kaden!  It seems like yesterday we were going to the hospital to have you!  You are the sweetest little man ever!  You love movies, laugh at all things that are typical "boy" humor, love to build things with leggos - especially star wars stuff, love to set up "scenes" with all your army men and superhero characters, love your Wii, are soooo super smart - scary smart even - we think you might have a photgraphic memory!  

It has been a joy watching you grow, I have loved observing your inquisitive mind, learning how to play the Wii with you, watching every single Star Wars movie ever made with you, and I have especially loved watching you grow to LOVE the Lord - boldly, with passion and innocent trust!  I pray you only continue to grow stronger in HIM each day!  Happy Birthday precious boy!  We love you!

Top Ten Memories with Kaden (these past 7 years):

1.  Having a version to deliver you - you were breech - still very strongheaded:)

2.  When you used to say, "I wanna waaa wiwige" -"I wanna watch wiggles" - oh yeah, you LOVED them, yep TONS of blackmail videos for when you are older of you dancing and singing to their songs:)

3.  When you fell out of the cart at Marshalls and we had to rush you to the emergency room 8 days before Christmas - when we got there you looked up at the painted ceiling tiles and laughed because there was an octopus painted on there like the one on Wiggles;) - then you wanted a popscicle!

4.  Taking you and Kinsley to Disneyland

5.  Your preschool years and how you wow'd your teachers with all you knew already!

6.  Watching you walk into Kindergarten full of confidence and already talking the girls ears off!

7.  Cuddling on the couch during countless hours of Star Wars

8.  When we bought this house, and your first day in the pool

9.  Playing hours of Wii with you and laughing when you'd get so mad I didn't know how to do it like you did!

10.  Talking about God and Jesus with you and all the questions that come with that!!!

LIFE VERSES!

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner (see my link on the side) is hosting a "Show Us Your Life" event about favorite Bible verses.  I'm not sure I've ever shared mine on here before but I figured this is a GREAT way to get scripture out there, funny, we actually just talked about this in Bible Study this past week!  I am doing Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed by Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur - I urge you, if you have not taken this study to BEG your church to let your group do it next - it is AMAZING, LIFE-CHANGING, etc.  

In other news, I have recently had the desire to paint more pics with scripture on them, so I'd love to know your fave verses too!  Here's mine!

Colossians 1:9-12 (New International Version)

 ⁹For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[a] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

and Jeremiah 29:11 (from memory)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope!

Zebra Cupcakes!!!

We had a great day at home today!  Mostly cleaning and getting ready for Kaden's birthday party, but  Kinsley got this adorable gift for her birthday from her friends Adam and Sarah!  My friend Angie is their mom, and her mom Denise made the apron!  Such a neat alternative to toys, which neither one of my kids need ANY MORE of!!!

Here she is sporting the apron and showing off the zebra cupcake kit!  Funny story...I had also bought her a zebra print apron at Hobby Lobby to give her for this VERY SAME birthday - great minds think alike!!!  (She actually has the one I gave her underneath the one Angie, Adam, and Sarah gave her here;))

Here's my little Suzy Homemaker making the cupcakes!  She LOVES to help in the kitchen - especially when its baking:)

Ta-da!!!  Zebra cupcakes for everyone!!!  I helped make a few and Kinsley made a few!  We had them tonight as dessert after our lasagna and green beans, and they were SUPER yummy!!!  SO FUN!

I'm curious...what gifts have your children received from friends, other than toys, that you thought were neat and different?

Party in the USA! Happy Fourth of July!!!!

We celebrated a little last night with my family. We went to see the North Richland Hills fireworks, which, much to my surprise were pretty good!!!

Kinsley, Kai, and Kaden were dressed to the nines in their red, white, and blue! Kai had an outfit that belonged to Kinsley when she was that age, it had me reminiscing a little...precious!

Oh man, we had some good food!!! Brisket, homemade mac & cheese, chicken tenders, grilled corn, mashed new potatoes, corn and black bean dip, cupcakes, key lime pie, and ice cream! I literally stuffed myself right into misery...but it was oh sooooo good!

My little cupcakes - got the idea off of playhouse disney's website one day when Kins was playing on there - ha ha!

My sweet dad, me and mom - right after this we had a huge tournament of mexican train dominoes while it rained!

Jae, Mom, and me - in case you're wondering, that's spilt milk on my shirt from Kai's sippy cup, obviously I didn't cry over it:)

Curt and his clone watching the fireworks!

Mom with the kids - believe me, despite this pic, they were THRILLED!

We had a super fun day! Oh, and a little side note: I went to cycle class Sat morning and my cycle instructor had all patriotic-ish music for us to cycle to like "Party in the USA" (hence the title of this post), we even cooled down to "Proud to Be An American"! It was so cute cause he has a foreign accent - not sure where he's from...and there was a little asian guy in the class with us who sang the words as he cycled too - I almost got a little misty-eyed! I am truly thankful to live in this great country - thanks to all of you who serve to make all these freedoms possible - and may GOD BLESS AMERICA!

A Visit from the Tooth Fairy!

Breaking News in our family...Kaden lost his first tooth! He was SUPER excited to leave it under his pillow for the tooth fairy to find! Can you see it? He has teeny tiny teeth (like cat teeth we say:)). And find it she did! The next morning he came running down to our room and said, "Mom, the tooth fairy came!!!" "And she left a dollar in the exact same spot where my tooth was!" Awesome.

This would be his toothless grin but he already has two permanent teeth coming in on the bottom! Poor baby, I think he inherited my teeth, of which some had to be pulled still when I was 13 and getting my braces on!:) Anyway...it is a milestone, and just another reminder that my baby boy is growing up.

Besides...I'm wondering...what IS the going rate for teeth these days??? What does YOUR tooth fairy leave for your kids? Any comments would be appreciated, we want to make sure OUR tooth fairy isn't ripping us off:)

Crazy Dinner!!!

Got my batteries....so... had to show this one! My sister Jayna and her family live in Colorado so we beg her every summer to let us have the kids a for a few weeks of mischief! We like to fill the two to three weeks we have with them with lots of fun and exciting activities. I'm not sure who's idea this was... but one night we had a "Crazy Dinner" where we all dressed up crazy and ate out of crazy things like huge pots, serving utensils as silverware, and drank out of funny containers like measuring cups, etc. It was super fun and we laughed and laughed!!! We also prayed a little that no one could see into mom's almost all glass house;)! From L-R back row: Mom, Madison, Kai, Makenna, Jae, Me; front row: Kinsley, Kaden hidden behind her, and Colton

Trust me...it's NEVER a dull moment in my family:) And...I wouldn't have it any other way!

I need batteries...

So I haven't blogged in awhile, wanna know why????? Cause I need batteries for my camera, and haven't been to the store in about 2 months, not really, but I HATE going to the store, can I get an amen?!

Isn't that sad, first of all that I need batteries for my camera, do cameras that take batteries still even exist?

And then the fact I haven't been to the store in 2 months - and that I actually even drove to CVS yesterday to avoid having to go to the store...

and that I saw batteries there...and Kaden kept saying,"Mom, get these, we need batteries". And I said, "Nah, I'll wait to get them when we go to the store".

Don't laugh, it's really, really sad!

Hope to post again soon - there's so many good posts in my head, be back shortly, going to the store to get batteries:)