Ironman 2012

Luke has been training for a YEAR for his full Ironman race, which 140.6 miles in one day. It was amazing to watch the race, which was in Panama City, FL. But, he did it!! Luke Killian, you ARE an Ironman!!

Camp

Our family took a little "leap of faith" this summer and let our girls go away to camp. The big girls went for two weeks and Gracie girl went for one week. I was a nervous wreck about sending them, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions ever. Camp Balcones Springs in Marble Falls is beautiful, and the Christian atmosphere was just what we were looking for for our girls. They made some great friends, and got to do some wonderful fun activities. They can't wait to go back next year! Here are some pictures of the girls from the summer with their new friends. :-)

Still catching up from summer!

The next "big event" that happened for our family was that Kate won the All American Cheerleader award at summer camp! We were so proud for her. It also meant that she qualified to be in the Houston Thanksgiving Day parade this year, as an UCA All American. So we are off to cheer BIG in Houston this November! :-)

Playing catch up...

Ok, so maybe I WILL try to document a few things we did over the summer, even though it will have to be off my phone... If I load pics from my real camera onto my computer, I am quite sure it will crash it!!!

So... Family vacation in June was to Roatan, Honduras. Paradise.

The Shock...

...of you actually realizing that I am posting might just be TOO MUCH, I know, since I have not posted since JUNE, but try and hold it together, internets... try and hold it together.

My computer is on the verge of death, and will die any day, I feel certain, and my internet service is so slow it will barely allow me to do anything... "Country -fried Internet" does not even describe it anymore.  I must find a new solution soon, but we have had a FEW other things to get done first.  We have a LIST, people, a LIST.  And, really, the computer and the internet DO STILL WORK... SORTA...

The last time I posted was the first weekend of summer, and this is the 2nd weekend after school has started... Wow.  We had QUITE THE SUMMER.  We went to Honduras, built a swimming pool, sent the girls away to camp for the first time, and had all sorts of other assorted fun.  More than I could ever hope to even describe in one post... Maybe I will attempt to play catch up one post at a time, or maybe I won't, and we will just describe this as "the lost summer" and leave it at that...

Kate is running cross country, playing volleyball and basketball, playing in the band, and cheering at the moment.  We are a little busy.  Abby is gearing up for soccer, and Grace is begging me to start gymnastics, though I am not quite sure how to squeeze that in... I guess I will try.  Luke is training for his first full Ironman Triathlon, which is in Florida in early November.  I am juggling everyone else's schedules.  :-)

Maybe this will be a return to blogger for me, and maybe it won't... We'll see... I make no promises, since my life has as much certainty as a lit birthday candle in a windstorm these days!  :-)

Kid Triathlon 2012

This past Saturday was the annual Kid Tri here in our town.  It is such a fun event!  Kate and Abby have both competed in years past, but this was Grace's first year to "Tri" it out... We might have even bribed her a little bit to get her to give it a shot!  And... She actually liked the experience!!  Here is a visual of her reaction when she found out that she won 3rd place in her age group!

 We actually had three winners in the Killian household... Grace won 3rd in the 7-8 year old division, Abby won 2nd in the 9-10 year old division, and Kate won first in the 13-14 year old division, and she was also the overall winner, with the fastest time of all competitors, including boys and girls.  Here is a pic of our 3 winners on the medal podium.  We were so super proud of them for giving it their all!!!

Happy 50th Anniversary

Friday was my mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary. In true mom and dad understated style, they did not want anyone to make a "big deal" out of their big day... So they celebrated quietly at home. Just another day, like the many that have come before. So, happy 50th, mom and dad. I love you both, and am so proud of you both!

Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was our 18th wedding anniversary. :-). 18 years later, I still love him as much as ever, and we are still as goofy as ever. Thanks for making me laugh EVERY. SINGLE. DAY, babe. I love you! Happy 18th!

Spring Band Concert

Last night was Kate's 7th grade Spring Band Concert. We were lucky that Nana and PaPaw got to attend, as well. :-)

End of Year Music Program

Each year the fantastic music teacher at our school puts together the most fantastic programs. Today was one of those... It was all about summer vacation! Grace's class members were little frogs, and Abby's class members were baseball players. Then after the program they went around to stations that were themed to match the "summer vacation" theme. One of the stations was a Fishing station. They practiced casting with a rod and reel, and they looked at different types of bait, one of which was live worms. The kids loved them!! Here are my two little fishermen, all excited about the worms. :-)

Family Pics

We had our family pics made on Sunday by the amazing Elizabeth Marquess, and she has posted ONE for me to see... So far I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!! We took them out here on our land. Can't WAIT to see more!!

Diva Dash

This past weekend I went to Austin with a group of my BFF's to run in the Diva Dash. It was a 3 mile run that was filled with obstacles like balance beams, tires to run through with big bouncy balls hanging in front of them, a maze, a spider web of stretchy cords, hurdles (which we slowly crawled over!), a bubble tent to run through, a log to carry up and down a hill, water obstacles in the lake to go over, another lake experience that had us putting on an inner tube and walking out waist deep around a buoy, and finally a cargo net "wall" to go up and over! It was one of the funniest races I have ever done!

Here is our team, BS2. (Betsy, Shelley, Brisgette, and Shelly.). Between us we have 12 daughters, and 1 lone boy. Baker's dozen!!

No more metal mouth!

Kate has has braces (her second set) for almost a year now, but yesterday was the day she has been waiting for... The day they come off!!

Here are the "before and after" shots... She looks great, and was super excited to be free!

Now for the retainers... :-)

The results are In...

... and she made it! Kate's an HJH cheerleader again.Way to go, babe! Super proud of you! :-)

Rah! Rah!

Tomorrow is the big day... My Kate will try out for Jr. High Cheerleader again. Here is a pic of her from last year... Awww.. She looks so cute!!I think she is going to do GREAT, and I hope everything goes well for her. Good Luck, Babe. I am proud of you!! :-)

Happy Easter

Christ the Lord is risen today! Alleluia!!

Happy Easter 2012 from our family to yours!

Kate's New Room

For Christmas, Kate got a new bed, and then for her January birthday she got the matching dresser and nightstand to go with it. I had planned to paint her room for her birthday as well, but I just now got around to it... (yes, I know it is March... Don't judge me, peeps! Ha Ha!!) anyway, my parents came up for Abby's birthday, and so my mom and I started painting Monday morning. We THOUGHT it would take us a day. Well... Three days later... We finally finished! Ugh!! The pink was hard to cover, even with good paint that had primer in it! It took 2 coats all over, and THEN when we took up the painters tape, the paint had bled ALL under the tape and was ALL. OVER. THE. BASEBOARDS. I almost cried!! I did not know if we would ever get it off! (we have natural pine baseboards...) we had to scrape it all off with a razor blade!! But it finally came off. THEN, when we pulled the tape off from around the ceiling, we had a lovely pink line left!! We had to go BACK and edge it AGAIN to get rid of the line!! But, it is finally done, and the pink is gone, and Kate loves her teenage room. (It's a good thing, because I am never painting it again!!)

Happy 10th Birthday, Abby!

Ten years ago today I had just delivered the biggest, most beautiful baby girl... At 8 lbs, 5 oz, she was a roly-poly baby, and nobody would have ever guessed that she would grow up into the tiny wisp of a girl that she is today!

She is sweet, kind, honest, brilliant, and beautiful, and I am the luckiest mom in the world, because I get to call her my daughter. I could not be more proud of her.

Abigail Ann, today on your 10th birthday, I wish you love, happiness, and joy. I hope you have had a wonderful birthday! I love you to the moon and back. Happy Birthday!!

Spring Break has already Sprung...

...and I never got around to posting! Oh well... Thus is my life right now!

We had a great time visiting with Nana and Papaw and the rest of the fam for a few days in McAllen. The rest of the break was spent at home. We finally got around to having a b-day party for Miss Grace (whose b-day was in January... Don't judge, my peeps...) and the party was a lot of fun. We went pottery painting and to Chuck e cheese's. Kid a palooza!! :-). I will try to put some pics up of her party, but no promises... I am still figuring out the mobile blogger!! :-)

Rex

Meet our new puppy, Rex!
We got him in January, and he is so fun... He is a mini Australian Shepherd. We had planned to name him Baylor, but it just did NOT fit his personality... He is spunky and funny and wild... MUCH more of a Rex than a Baylor! He has already become a member of the family!

First Attempt: Mobile Blog!

Well, since I cannot seem to find time to update the old blog any other way, I thought maybe if I loaded the ole' blogger app to my phone, I might get it done that way! Who knows?!?! But I shall give it a try!

Here's a pic of me with the girls holding some of our baby bunnies. Yes, we have baby bunnies, but that's a WHOLE other post! Ha ha

Hope this works, and hope I now will update more often! :-)

Happy Birthday, Grace!

Because it is the "week o' the birthday" at our house, we get to celebrate another special girl today!
Today Grace turned 7 years old. SEVEN!!! How did that happen?!?! I swear, she was just born yesterday, and all of a sudden she's seven... I think she grew up when I wasn't looking...

Grace is the perfect completion to our family. She is an original, and she keeps us on our toes around here EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. She is witty and smart and downright funny! She is also sweet and empathetic and loving, and I am so thankful EVERY DAY that God gave me this baby to love. Because no matter how big she gets, be it 7 or 37, she will always be MY baby.

I love you, Gracie Lou. Happy Birthday, baby!

Happy Birthday Kate!

Today is a special day around our house. Today, THIS young lady turns 13!I am so proud of the person she is becoming, and can't wait to see what the future holds for her.

"LOVE" doesn't seem like a big enough word for the way I feel about her. She made me a Mom, and she continues to amaze me and make me proud every single day.

Happy 13th, Kate. I hope it is memorable!