Neighborhood Crawfish Boil

This past weekend we had our neighborhood crawfish boil/going away party for us:( It started at 3:30 in the afternoon and the kids all headed over in their swimsuits to start the summer pool season! We sat Emma down immediately and told her that she had to have mommy or daddy with her when she went anywhere near the pool and that she wasn't to even put her toes in without us next to her. Not even 5 minutes later she jumped right in to the deep end and we weren't near her!! Thanks to Mr. Brian who happened to be in the pool and saved our little munchkin for us. That was a great lesson for both Emma and for daddy (who happened to be in charge when it happened). You can't take your eyes off from those kiddos for one millisecond when water is involved.

The rest of the day (and night!) was fun filled with swimming, good food and drinks, and great friends. The neighborhood gang did have a few surprises up their sleeves for us though. First they presented Jay and I each with a gift. Mine was a canvas painted with a Texas star with the names of all the families in the neighborhood and handprints of all of the kids in the neighborhood. The edges of it reads "Good friends are like stars, you don't always see them but you know they're always there." I cried in front of everyone when I opened it (I am such a sap these days!) It was just so thoughtful of all of our friends to make this for us. We really are going to miss our awesome group of friends! Jay's gift was a road sign of Blue Opal Ln. - the street we live on. It will definitely always remind us of the great memories we created in just one short year. Later in the afternoon Mark, the host of the party, told his story of coming home from his families spring break trip to find the For Sale sign in front of our yard. They were extremely disappointed but didn't know who to blame. He said they couldn't blame Jay for wanting to further his career and they couldn't blame me because they all knew how disappointed I was about the move. They decided to blame mother Exxon and pulled out a Tiger pinata for all of the kids to beat with the bat! HOW CUTE!! Jay took a swing at the Tiger and broke the bat and I even got a good swing in. Lets just say that the pinata won and nobody could break it open!

We have one week left so we haven't officially said our goodbye's but I know they are coming. We really have created some special memories in our awesome neighborhood. Enjoy the pics!

Anna breaking out the sun hats for the season

Emma's silly smirk I could seriously take a million swimsuit pictures - they are just too adorable!

Brave Emma holding the crawfish

One cooler of crawfish before the boil

Yum Yum! Lovin Woody's hat!

Jay enjoying some crawfish with Jamie

Avery ready for the pool

Mark presenting the Tiger pinata

Woody getting in a good swing

Kim and I

My canvas sniff, sniff

All the kids playing on the golf cart. Emma is driving - what a scary thought!

Anna all smiles today after lunch

Emma with her tball

Even Emma got a swing at the pinata!

Brave Emma

Emma and I had a dentist appointment this week. She was SO excited to go and have her teeth cleaned. She asked all week if we were going to the dentist that day. Then she would say "I am a big girl. I am going to have my teeth cleaned at the dentist. Sissy's not a big girl. She can't have her teeth cleaned." When we got there I had my teeth done first and she watched me. When it was her turn she immediately said "I am not getting in the chair." She started whimpering and clinging to me. I told her that big girls have to get their teeth cleaned and bribed her with Chik Fil A for lunch. (We had 2 showings on our house that day so we had to be out of it at lunch time anyway. I figured I would use this to my advantage and try a little bribery.) She was VERY nervous but climbed in the chair and proceeded to follow all the directions of the hygienist. She let her clean all of her teeth and then brush them too. It was absolutely hilarious to see the hygienist brush her teeth with the electric brush because Emma couldn't control her tongue and it was following the little brush all around. She did such a good job - a huge improvement from last year when she screamed bloody murder the entire time. My little girl is growing up!!

Check out the cool star sunglasses she got to wear!

We are still alive....and have big news!

I realize it has been FOREVER since my last post, but we have been extremely busy. Jay and I recently found out that he has been transferred (AGAIN) to Fairfax, Virginia. We haven't even been in this house for one year, so it came as a little bit of a surprise. ExxonMobil doesn't give much time for their relocations either. He found out in the middle of March of the transfer and his effective date is April 15!! Needless to say we have been super busy getting our current house on the market and traveling to Virginia trying to find a new home. The weekend after we heard the news our flight was booked for Jay and I to fly to Fairfax on a home hunting trip. Grandma flew down here to watch the girls while we were gone (Thank Goodness! I can't imagine having 2 kiddos tagging along trying to find a home.) It was an extremely stressful weekend and to make matters short, after a price increase, looking a bit further away from work than first anticipated, and a bidding war we have a contract on a house. It is 25 years old with very outdated bathrooms and kitchen appliances. It does, however, have updated granite counters in the kitchen and was immaculate throughout. Anyone who knows me knows that I like clean!! (On a sidenote, we were both appalled at how utterly filthy many of the homes that we went through were..GROSS!) It has a very nice back deck and we love the neighborhood. It is a master planned community with a couple pools we will be able to use this summer. We just had the inspection this past Friday and everything turned out pretty good. I will post pictures of it once we move in. We did get a extra day to spend with Grandma while she was here visiting. We took the girls to the Houston Livestock show and rodeo with our neighbors Kim, Lexie and Chase. The kids had a great time seeing the animals, in the petting zoo, riding the rides, and of course eating junk food! Emma was extremely scared of the cows at first because they were just sooo big to her. She quickly warmed up to all the animals and had a GREAT time. The very next weekend Nana and Papa came into town to watch the girls for a trip Jay and I had planned for a long time to visit our best friends in Milwaukee. It was BAD timing that we had to leave two weekends in a row, and I never spend a minute away from the girls. I missed them lots but we had a GREAT time as always with our buds. I was super excited to meet their newest addition, Owen, for the first time and of course to see their oldest son Ben again! We even got to go out for dinner and drinks kidless one night while Jay's cousin Laura babysat! She lives in Milwaukee now too and we had fun seeing her new apartment and hanging out with her as well. It is always so nice to spend time with Phil and Aimee ( and their growing family)! We are already talking about a possible trip next winter....maybe to Key West again since we had so much fun there last time! Since we have been home we have been busy planning all the details of our move and being kicked out of our house for a lot of showings (A good thing overall - but a pain nonetheless!). Looks like we have 10 days without our stuff once the movers come at the end of the month so we have decided to ship both cars to Virginia and just fly home to Michigan for a week. Much easier than traveling across the country with two little ones and staying in hotels every night. At least the girls will be able to take naps and see family in the interim. Jay and I will then fly to Virginia to close on the new house and unpack for a couple days before Grandma and Grandpa drive the girls to their new home. (Seriously, how did we work such an awesome deal!! We don't even have to drive the 10 hours with the kids. Thank you Lord for Grandparents!!) The next couple weeks here are going to be nonstop busy. We have lots of last minute doctor/dentist appointments. Emma is going to have an early birthday party here with all of her friends (since she didn't get one last year because we were moving at the same time!!) and we have a couple neighborhood gatherings - a fun crawfish boil, Bunco and an Easter egg hunt. I am actually very happy that we will be so busy because I don't want to dwell on the fact that we are moving:( We love Katy and our awesome neighborhood and friends and I am very sad to be moving so soon!! I know once we get to Fairfax we will most likely love it, but it is so hard to leave! Enjoy the pics below......it may be a while before I post again!

Anna is sitting up all by herself. 7 months already!!

Sweet Anna enjoying the sunshine Emma playing in the fountains

Emma and her sweet friend Avery. They were absolutely ADORABLE in matching outfits - unfortunately I didn't get a good picture

Our new home. Yes - that is as close as they let you get to the White House. As my friend said best, we are working on kicking the current squatters out!

Jay and I in front of the Capitol

Grandma trying to tell Emma that the cows aren't scary

Emma intently watching a new baby chick coming out of its shell

Got Milk?

OK Emma - it is a petting zoo. Not sure if you are really supposed to hug the sheep!!

Emma and her pal Lexie having a great time on the rides

Emma and Grammy on the Carousel

Mommy with Anna - looks like she enjoyed the rodeo too!

Nana and Papa with the girls

Baby Owen

How sweet! Ben giving Owen a kiss!

Cousin Laura with Ben and Owen

Aimee, Laura, Owen and I

Emma trying to roll down a hill at the rodeo. It was quite funny to watch.

Running in the fountains.