Seasons

They always say that if you don't like the current season, or weather, in Texas, just stick around 15 minutes or so. It will change.

Since I last posted, we had ANOTHER day of snow/ice (though we went to school in it) and another round of bitter cold temperatures. We survived a few frozen pipes and one round of flooding through the house that required the purchase of a new shop-vac. MAYBE we have made it through the worst of the winter weather, because yesterday was lovely, and today is BEAUTIFUL. Like it is forecast to be 70 degrees beautiful! I can't wait - I hope to sneak in a run sometime between church, basketball practice, and choir practice... Those kids-o-mine keep me so busy...

This has also been the season of Luke's parents' rapidly declining health... I have now lost count of how many times they have been in and out of the hospital. They are both currently in the hospital again. I need prayers for wise and prudent decision making ability for the entire family, as I think the time is swiftly approaching that we will have to make some important decisions concerning their health and care.

Basketball season is quickly coming to an end, as well. The girls have one more weekend of regular season play, before Kate plans to join a special "tournament" team of all 6th grade girls for extra practice and fun. She is really excited about this. I know it will be a season of fun for her!

I guess it's the "seasonings" in life that make it the most flavorful! ;-)

Happy Sunday!

Snow Day #4

Yes, that's right. You heard correctly. We have been at home for FOUR DAYS because of the weather. The first round was only sleet and ice, but finally last night we got some SNOW!! And, I will admit, it is BEAUTIFUL. The girls are out in it, right now, and they say that they are going to build a snowman... I don't know if that will happen or not, because it is really powdery. But, if they do, I will try and snap a picture of it.It has been BITTERLY cold. It has not been above freezing since Monday, and it is now Friday. It is so hard on the animals! Trixie (our dog), has been in and out of the house, but you can just see it on her face. She was B.O.R.E.D. She was ONE HAPPY DOG when the girls finally came out to play today! She just could not contain her excitement! She rolled around in the snow over and over again with them! If she could have spoken, she would have been saying, "Play with me! Play with me! Play with me!!!!!"

The sun is finally out now, so I know the snow will not last long. Hopefully the girls will enjoy it while it is here, and hopefully that sun will warm us up a little... I am DONE with Winter!!

And a few more pictures to get us all caught up!

Here is the whole family after the play that Kate and Abby were in last weekend.Over Thanksgiving, Luke's whole family came to celebrate, including Seamus, the dog. Nobody had more fun than Seamus and Trixie, our dog!
Here are Kate and Abby after the play, The Sound of Music and Cinderella.
Here are the girls on Christmas Eve, 2010.
** Can you tell we have been out of school (and I have been off of work) for the last 3 days?? I have finally had time to catch up on pictures!!!)

A review of the past few months in pictures...

...baby goats have been born on the farm.
And we got to see family at Thanksgiving at Christmas!
Luke took me on the best vacation EVER.

Grace lost her first tooth.
Kate killed her first deer with her bow.
Basketball has started. We spend a lot of time waiting on one girl or another at one gym or another.
Get to spend some wonderful time with some sweet babies. like baby Tayte!!!
Happy 12th birthday Kate!
Grace's fabulous rainbow cake.
Happy 6th birthday Grace!

And because it is the "WEEK 'O THE BIRTHDAY"...

... at Casa de Killian, we celebrated another one today.

My Gracie turned six today, and my heart cracked just a little bit deeper.

I do not want her to get any older. It is just going too damn fast (excuse me, but no other word seemed quite right.)

She had a day that was typical of her - complete with a Chinese food for dinner, and a birthday cake that was a rainbow. (Which, but the way, I TOTALLY copied from my friend, Amy, whose blog you can find on my side bar... her daughter, Kenna Mae, just turned six, and Amy made her a rainbow cake. When Grace saw it on Amy's blog, she HAD to have it. It was a royal pain to make, but it turned out really, really cute.)

When we put her to bed tonight, she said it was the best birthday "ever".

I'm glad, because she's the best Gracie "ever".

Happy birthday, Baby. Please stay my baby, please, just a little while longer.

I'm too young...

... to have a TWELVE YEAR OLD CHILD, but I guess I do, because Miss Kate had a birthday today!

It was a crazy, busy day, full of four different basketball games and a performance of the Sound of Music play for Kate and Abby... We were barely home long enough to blow out the candles and open a few presents, but we got it all done!

Her cast mates in the play surprised her tonight by singing happy birthday to her tonight after the play. It was pretty cute!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Kate. I hope your day was as SPECIAL as you are!!

Ken/Edward Update

So, yesterday we go to Wally-World, and Grace convinces me to buy a pair of pants for her Ken (Edward) doll. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read my last post! ha ha)

I agree to buy Ken/Edward some pants, because, really, no dude should hang around wearing a skirt (not even if you're Scottish! ha!)

When we get home, Grace IMMEDIATELY runs off upstairs and changes the doll out of the skirt and puts on his pants.

And promptly changes his name to James.
Guess he's not Scottish anymore.

I just LOVE that kid!

Ummm...

... I confess. I am a "bloggy-loser". I can't find time to get it done anymore! I try, really I do, but when it comes down to having clean socks for everybody in my house or writing a blog... the socks win every time. I hate stinky feet. And, it's not exactly flip flop season anymore. :-)

So much has happened since I last blogged. So much that I don't even know where to begin! So, I'm not going to try to catch up. Maybe if I don't try, it will just happen. Because, let's be real honest here, "trying" hasn't gotten me very far.

SO... in an effort to not TRY too hard, I thought I'd share a "Gracie" story (just for old time's sake!)

Tonight I'm up stairs with Grace, trying to get her ready for bed. We're picking up the Barbies in her room, when all of a sudden I notice that Ken isn't wearing any pants. In fact, not only is he not wearing pants, he's actually wearing a skirt. So, I say, "Grace, why is Ken wearing a skirt?" She looks at me like I am a TOTAL MORON, and says, "Mom... he's Scottish! And, his name is not Ken. It's Edward."

Oh. I didn't know that. Thanks for correcting me, Grace.

I love that kid!

Adios, 2010...

...and welcome 2011!

And she gave birth to her first born son and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. And in that same region there were shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came before them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. But the angel said to them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly there were with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, Peace, good will to men." -Luke 2:6-14

Peace to you and your families during this blessed Christmas season!