Texas Andersons

It was an awful week- a client let me know she thought her car was keyed while here at the house/studio; Evan whined constantly; Ben was awful at school, on the bus, and at home; my consultant let me know she was quitting; Evan removed his diaper, tee-teed on the floor, and played around in the mess; the rain ruined some plans; Evan tracked Sophie’s poop through the house after he stepped in it in the backyard.  Plus more!  I swear, this week was the perfect storm for a mental breakdown or a great TV comedy.

But the weekend was wonderful…

We left Saturday to head to Orange Grove for my cousin Lora’s wedding.  Short and sweet ceremony, we were then off to the reception.  I was thrilled to finally take my boys to the Rifle Club.  And they enjoyed it just as much as I thought they would.  They ran around the dance floor, playing with the other kids.  We ate.  We got to visit with family we hadn’t seen in years.  Ben got to participate in his first grand march.    It was so much fun!  Then we drove out to the Pioneer RV Resort in Port A for a much-needed vacation!

Sunday we hit the beach with my parents.  We built a sandcastle, played in the water, walked the shoreline, and looked for treasures.  Our “finds” included the usual seashells, but we also caught shrimp, crabs, sea slugs, and even a rock fish!  Incredible!  After lunch and nap, we then headed to the pool for some fun in the water.  And then (thanks to Granmom and Papa), Nathan and I got to go out for dinner by ourselves!!!  (the fried shrimp at Charlotte Plummer’s were fabulous… all ten of them!!!)

We kept the vacation going today with beach and pool time in the morning.  Then we headed to my grandparents’.  We got to visit with them and Angie, and the boys got to drive around their property, enjoying the mule and checking out all the corn fields.

We had two fun Cub Scouts meetings lately…

Last week, in preparation for Mother’s Day, all the boys put on hair nets and decorated their own little cakes… frosting and sprinkles.  They had so much fun!

And this week, with an “In the Spotlight” theme, the boys put on a magic show.  Ben performed a few coin tricks.  Not only did he do great with the tricks, but he’s also such a fantastic showman!

And in Curington’s bike rodeo, Ben got 2nd place out of all the first grade boys!  First, thanks to the Bicycle Shack, he got lots of points for having his bicycle in good and safe working condition.  And he got more points for performing so well in all the tests.  (he actually had one of the best/slowest times in the one balance test!)

He was awarded his medal on Monday and was so proud!

God won’t ask what kind of car you drove.  He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

God won’t ask the square footage of your house.  He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet.  He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

God won’t ask what your highest salary was.  He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

God won’t ask what your job title was.  He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

God won’t ask how many friends you had.  He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived.  He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

God won’t ask about the color of your skin.  He’ll ask about the content of your character.

I’m not one for getting all caught up in the greeting card holidays.  But I love Mother’s Day.  If they didn’t have a day set aside for us hard-working moms, would we ever be celebrated and appreciated? 

I worked hard all week- walked the neighborhood every morning, ran errands, saw several appointments, worked on clients’ orders, met and talked to two more home builders, worked in the gardens, cleaned house, and mowed… all so I could have today free.

This morning we had sausage and homemade (by Nathan) cranberry scones.  Then it was off to the lake with my parents!  We toughed out the cold and waited on the mist to enjoy a wonderful day of play, canoeing, and a great lunch (thanks to Dad).  We made it home to rest and thaw out for a couple of hours.  I even got a hot bubble bath!  And then we went out to eat at Welfare Cafe.  The weather was perfect to eat outside, the food was delicious, and the animals on the farm were so fun to watch.

And gifts?  Yes, there were gifts!  The boys picked out a package of chocolate-covered apple slices.  And I got a tent!!!  Fingers crossed that we can take it out to the lot in a couple of weekends. 

I’m so lucky to have had such a wonderful day.  And I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

10- I love my mom because she reads me a story
9- I love my mom because she helps me do my homework
8- I love my mom when she makes me laugh by telling me and Evan jokes
7- I love my mom because she taught me how to ride a bike
6- I love to hear my mom sing
5- I love my mom because she finds time to let me go to my friends’ houses
4- I know my mom cares because she gives me a bandage
3- I know my mom is smart because she calls me for dinner
2- I love my mom because she works so hard at kids’ pictures
1- I love my mom because she’s the BEST MOM EVER!

Super Mom
Mom does laundry, tucks me into bed, plays with me, buys me toys.  Mom is caring, loving, fun, nice, beautiful, helpful.

Two months late?  Yep.

I was waiting on the right clothes; I’ve been trying to figure out the right location; we’ve been waiting for some free time.

So I put his session on the calendar for last night and we headed out.

A couple of outfit changes, several poses, lots of smiles, and 30 minutes later… voila!  We walked away with a good handful of great images.

 So “Cheers!” to Ben.  And “Happy birthday!” two months late.   

We did it again!  Five years and counting… we walked in the Race for the Cure and helped to raise money for breast cancer research, awareness, and treatment.

The weather was gorgeous.  The crowd was big.

Ben rode his scooter and did great.  And Evan rode in the stroller or on my shoulders or walked all by himself.  (And he was just tickled to do all that walking by himself!)

But Komen’s need is not over.  If anyone would still like to donate in our name in the next few weeks, you can still use this link to our page.

We will end breast cancer!

Since last time… we ran errands, we had fun, we took naps, we bathed Sophie, we cleaned house, I mowed, we walked, we scrubbed my truck.  And…

We met with a home builder!  Exciting and scary, all rolled into one! 

We spent a weekend at Thousand Trails on the Medina Lake with the Cub Scouts… and had a great time!

We had a fun pack meeting, where Ben got to bring his friend Reagan to introduce him to scouting.  (He’s really hoping that Reagan joins.)

The first graders had a field trip to the hike and bike trail, where we looked for the wildflowers that we spread earlier in the spring.  And a second field trip was to the Witte Museum, where Nathan and Ben got to explore, learn, and even dig for dinosaur bones.

We all went to the Movie in the Plaza event Friday night.  We watched Charlotte’s Web in the comfort of our camping chairs, under the stars with friends, all while enjoying snowcones and popcorn.  It was a wonderful evening.

I finally got Ben’s 7-year portraits done this weekend.  Yay!  It took all of 30 minutes, and we came away with several gorgeous images.

We attended KLRN’s Writers Contest celebration.  And although Ben did not win for his grade group, I am very proud of his cute story about Sophie the Pilot. 

My truck hit 100,000 miles!  Other than my marriage, she has been my longest relationship.  And she has been so good to me.  I love my Chevy Silverado!

And, in celebration of Lemonade Day, Ben had his first-ever lemonade stand this afternoon.  From making the sign, to setting up the table, to waving cars over, he did all the work.  In less than 2 hours he had sold three pitchers-full and made $6.75.  He was so excited!!!

It was a few big days for Ben and the scouts:

Saturday we headed out to Thousand Trails at Medina Lake for a family campout.  With everyone invited, we filled an entire campsite with probably a dozen tents and lots of parents and siblings for the whole weekend.  The boys got to play on the playground, go swimming, enjoy an ice cream social, go on a nature hike, and take part in three-legged and sack races.  We also walked the trails to do a clean-up.  And there was a fireside advancement ceremony…

All boys were honored for their achievements.  They all moved up in rank.  We got to present the boys with their new neckerchiefs, caps, belts, and handbooks.

Ben is now a Wolf Cub! 

And today was a pack meeting, with lots of fun and games.  Ben earned a couple of ribbons and a couple of new patches.  And he got to introduce his good friend Reagan who he brought along for Bring a Friend Night.

After the meeting we presented Ben with a blanket I had made for him, to congratulate him on his accomplishments.  It is a scout fabric, with all of the scout qualities listed on it: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, Reverent.  It’s stitched with a little Cub Scout boy along with Ben’s name and pack number.  And I added a bunch of patches that he’s earned.  He was really surprised! 

Usually Nathan and I are thrilled if people even remember our birthdays, if we have the money to just go out to eat.  Real celebrating and gifts are usually not in the cards for us.

But not this year, not for Nathan!  Still riding high on the excitement of purchasing our lot out by the Guadalupe River… I decided to buy us a canoe!

It all started a couple of weeks ago when I came up with the idea.  My parents and I carefully crafted the plan and got to work.  A large Old Town canoe was recommended for our family, life jackets were picked out, and a canoe trip was set.

On Thursday (his birthday) we surprised him with some homemade drawings and a card from the boys.  And I fried some venison backstrap along with some home-made mashed potatoes and corn.  He was excited about all of that, but he had no idea what was in store for him on Friday.

The next day, my parents showed up with the canoe, and I finally got to unveil the surprise to him (and Ben!).  Looks of astonishment and a few screams later… and a day of rain on Saturday… we finally got to take it to the lake today.

And what a fantastic day today was!!!  First, I got to sleep in until 8:30  (which I desperately needed).  Then we packed up and headed out to Boerne Lake.  We spent the next four hours canoeing around the lake, eating lunch along the shore, watching ducks and turtles, throwing rocks, and playing on the playground.  (Evan even got a nap in during our first lap of the lake!).  It was peaceful, it was fun, it was a great workout.  And I can’t wait to go out again!

Our trees, plants, herbs, and veggies are growing beautifully!  And the bluebonnets?  Gorgeous!  It is a thrill to be outside enjoying God’s handywork and all of my hard work.

We have already found catepillars on the fennel and dill.  And one has been brought into the house to make himself at home in our butterfly habitat.  We have also been alerted by noisy chirping to three new baby birds in one of our bird houses.

And thanks to the beautiful days and a new jogging stroller, we’ve been able to go for a walk around the neighborhood just about every evening.  It feels great to get out and get excercise.  It feels even better to see my numbers on the scale dropping! 

(With blog are some favorite pics- of Ben and Evan in our bluebonnets and my weight chart on the wii fit plus!  That’s right.  I’m posting it. I’m finally proud of it.)

 What’s been going on with the boys?  Evan and I enjoyed a MOPS playdate at the park last week.  And he is now counting, recognizes lots of letters, and is constantly talking.  (He is quite a chatter-box on his phone, saying “Hi.  Hello.  How doin’?”)    Ben just spent this past weekend in Corpus to spend the night on the USS Lexington and to visit my grandparents.  And he’s busy reading, building with his legos, and playing the wii.  He also just wrote and illustrated a short story for klrn’s writing contest.  They both really love to drive around the backyard in the power wheels, swing on the swings, or play “swords” with their light sabers. 

And Nathan and I are busy taking notes on home builders and what we’re looking for in our new home.  What a scary and exciting process!!!

Things we want to start noting, to share with possible builders…

EXTERIOR/ STRUCTURE/ LAYOUT:
one story
must be over 1600 square feet (we just don’t fit in this current house!!!); maybe up to 3000
rock, siding, or a combo of both; with several dimensions, not a flat front
tin roof’; with several different pitches, not flat
rain catchment system
lots of windows (for great breezes!)
sky lights for rooms that don’t have windows?
french doors (dark wood) and large porch in the front
french doors from both our bedroom and a living space to the backyard/ patio or deck
driveway- nothing decided
garage on west side (so that is the hottest spot in the afternoon)
walk into kitchen/dining from garage (so that it’s easy to get groceries from vehicles to pantry and fridge)
living space in center
bedrooms, bathrooms, etc on east side
washer/dryer room near bedrooms (so I don’t have to carry laundry through entire house)
studio room somewhere in the mix

INTERIOR:
Garage- much bigger so that we can fit both of our vehicles; room for Nathan’s workshop; garage door facing the side of the house, not the front
Kitchen- white cabinets, yellow walls, silver appliances; bigger than we have now; lots more cabinet and counter space; island with sink (making area easy to clean); large pantry; desk area?
Dining room- yellow walls; larger than we have now
Living room- brown walls; fireplace; larger than we have now
Entry way- bigger closet than we have now
Ben’s bedroom- I think he wants UT orange walls!    about the same size he has now
Evan’s bedroom- blue walls; about the same size he has now
Little girl’s?/guest bedroom/office- ?????
Main bathroom- sage green walls, white cabinets and details; much bigger than current bathroom; need a linen closet!
Playroom (which we’ve never had before!!!)- ? walls; plenty of room for shelves of toys, wii play, and treadmill?
Utility room- must bigger than we have now (room for washer/dryer, storage, cleaning supplies, etc
Our bedroom- ? walls; just a little bigger than our current
Our bathroom- turquoise walls, white cabinets and details; free-standing tub; tiled shower; separate toilet area; BIG closet!!!
Studio- white walls; bigger than current (20′x20′); must have own bathroom
Hard wood throughout; tile in bathrooms and utility room

So, do you have a builder you were thrilled with in the Boerne area?  Do you love or hate a certain feature of your home?  Please recommend, make suggestions.  We’d appreciate any input that will make this process go smoothly and will result in the perfect home for us. 

More pics and notes… click here.

What a wonderful Easter holiday!

Friday, we started off with Evan’s gymnastics class.  He jumped on the trampoline, he swung on the rings, he played on the slide, he walked the balance beam… all while talking, singing, and having a blast.  Then we headed to Fiesta Texas for a trip on the train and to enjoy a few other rides.  Both boys had a great time but couldn’t wait for our next stop.  Because we were then off to pick up the Easter bunnies for portraits.  (there was giggling and squealing all the way home as Ben held a bunny in his lap for both of them to pet!)

Yesterday I worked non-stop (Shutter-Happy offered FREE Easter sessions every half hour)!  It was exhausting, but it was so much fun to work with so many adorable kids in their Easter best!

This morning we headed out to the lot for play time, a picnic, and an Easter egg hunt.  The boys hunted for 100+ eggs filled with candy and the big prize (a big chocolate rabbit!).  Then we headed home for another egg hunt since the Easter bunny had forgotten to hide the cascarones out at the lot.    After the confetti subsided, we had a great bbq steak dinner… and that chocolate rabbit for dessert!

Saturday morning started with a HUGE Easter event at Rainbow Play Systems.  I set up a booth for Shutter-Happy at 9:30 and was bombarded with families until 2:00!  Emily (my new publicity/marketing lady) and I handed out eggs filled with candy and our logo’d balloons; we stuck cute Shutter-Happy stickers on every child there; we had parents sign up for our mailing list to win some awesome prizes.

And while I was working, Nathan was busy with the boys playing putt-putt and letting them enjoy the playgrounds and bounce houses.

And then Nathan and I were off to the Boerne Education Foundation’s fundraising gala.  This year, we purchased a table and had a great place to sit and hang out with Alice (my consultant) and her husband Don.  The food was incredible; our auction item raised quite a bit of money for our schools; the band was great!

Today I was once again up-and-at-em, heading into San Antonio for a portrait session.  Then we made the trip out to the city park for the city Easter egg hunt and play time on the playground.  Then another session.  And it ended with a walk through some of our future neighborhood.

Busy, busy, busy!  Might need an early bedtime tonight to catch up on sleep that I missed out on.  And I sure hope the scale is good to me tomorrow since I barely had time to have a decent meal. 

We were surprised and disappointed with the weather yesterday.  Rain, cold, and high winds ruined our plans of having an outdoor party, of having a moonbounce.  Oh well… we had a blast!!!

The “outerspace” party started with food- bbq sandwiches, hot dogs, meatballs, chips, fruit, astronaut ice cream, etc.  Yum!

Then we moved on to games.  The kids competed to drop the most clothes pins into a milk bottle.  The studio was filled with loud pops and giggles as the kids tried to bust dozens of blown balloons.  Then the race was on to find the most eggs in our Easter egg hunt throughout the house.  After, we brought the kids back into the studio for a round of musical chairs.

Then cake (another gorgeous and yummy cake from Nadler’s).  And then Ben got to open presents.  He was thrilled with every gift and spent last night and today going through each toy, game, and book that he got. 

For those of you who were here celebrating with us, THANKS SO MUCH for joining us and making last night such a wonderful time!!!  And thank you for the great gifts!!

Slideshow I made of his last seven years…