Emerson's Tippy Toes Winter Mini Show

Our little ballerina had a winter show at the school in December that was too adorable.  All of the girls looked cute in their hot pink tutus and matching Tippy Toes shirts.  They all danced to various versions of Frozen songs and you could tell that they were all loving it, well most of them. :) Emerson did her very best to stay in step and was having a good time during her class's performance. As she danced she was scanning the audience finding us and when she would find me she had the happiest smile on her face that just melted my heart.. every time.  I love that sweet little girl.  I know she was so happy we were there to watch her perform! Afterwards, Frank had a mini bouquet that he gave to Emerson.  Such a sweet dad.  We really appreciate my mom, dad, Amanda (my sis) and John Paul (my brother) for joining Frank, Cameron and I.  Here are some pictures from the performance!

Getting a picture before it started.

On "stage"!

This is her class ready to perform

Emerson and Daddy with the flowers

Family Pictures- Fall 2014

This Fall we took some really great family pictures that I LOVE!  I wanted pictures for our Christmas card as well as just to have.  It went so well and was the first time ever that it went completely smoothly.  Completely in the sense that while there was a mini meltdown from Cameron, we recovered!  :)  We had fun this time and didn't try to rush things, which I think helped us all just relax and be "us".  I even had a few props, as you will see!  Our favorite photographer, Alecia Adams, was there to capture it all and do her magic.  If you happen to see this post and need a photographer, check her out:  http://sloanadamsphotography.com

Here are my favorite pictures from the session!  :)

Fall 2014 Memories

We had a pretty busy and fun-filled Fall!  Frank and I were able to go to a couple of A&M games... one at Texas Stadium where we BTHO Arkansas and then we went to Aggieland to watch the Ole Miss game, which did not go well for us, unfortunately.  Still, it was great to be back in College Station to look around and enjoy the Aggie hospitality all around us. :)

We made our annual visit to the State Fair of Texas despite the concerns of the Ebola crisis that we felt was impending.  I can't deny that I was concerned and mentally thought out a plan of action should an outbreak actually occur. :) I mean, goodness, the patient was in Dallas!  But when reading the facts on the disease it seemed extremely unlikely we would have anything to worry about and we went to the fair as planned.  The kids really enjoyed it this year since they had rides their size.  The weather was so nice as well.  And we love getting a Fletcher's corn dog!  After the fair the kids went to a carnival at their school and that night we celebrated my mom's birthday with everyone at our house.  It was such a fun family day!

For Halloween, I originally planned this super fun party, but due to my getting the stomach virus I had to cancel it.  I was sooooo sad as I think many of my friends were... so maybe next year??!!  I had already made Cameron's costume, which was a Kristoff costume.  It turned out so cute, I think anyway.  And Emerson was Anna, from Frozen, of course.  :)  Emerson is especially gaga over anything Frozen.  It was fun trick-or-treating on Halloween night.  They both ran up to doors to get their candy and were thrilled with the whole night.  My family came over and we had a party, of sorts, which was fun.  You can't go wrong when you have chili dogs, queso, meatballs and little smokies!  

I went to visit Glenn and Sarah in Myrtle Beach by myself while Dorthy watched the kids.  I enjoyed a few days seeing the sights... I especially enjoyed the quaint feel that Conway had with the old buildings and beautiful fall leaves on the trees.  It's was beautiful scenery.  I appreciate Glenn & Sarah showing me around as my personal expert tour guides.  I also enjoyed seeing their new house and look forward to seeing the final result of all of the remodeling!

We enjoyed Thanksgiving in Austin this year and the kids and I spent a week just visiting with Dorthy, and shopping around.  :)  For most of the week the weather was so pretty and the kids enjoyed going outside.  Frank came up for Thanksgiving and we had some family time together.  On Thanksgiving Day we got some great pictures of Dorthy and the kids as well.  

At the Ole Miss game

Hey, Big Tex!

Emerson trying to pop those balloons!

Could she be any happier riding that plane ride??

Happy kids!

A short video of them reading together.

A slightly tired Kristoff

Anna of Arendelle!

About to head out to trick-or-treat!

The morning after candy trading... well, sort of.  Emerson was being a sneaky big sister.  :)

Myrtle Beach

Just getting some pics of the kids

Love this sweetheart!

Playing outside at MomMom's on a beautiful day!

Big Frank would enjoy this a lot, I think!

MomMom and the kiddos on Thanksgiving Day 2014

Recap of Summer 2014

Oh dear, I have had a hiatus from my blogging and it has been almost 6 months since I posted anything (note, I backdated the publish date).  Woah, that went by so fast! So much has happened during the second half of summer so I will just do a highlights sort of thing to cover it all!

• My family (Chandler Family) went on a vacation to Oahu!  It was just an adult trip, so no littles.  It was a fun family vacation to a beautiful place!  We were able to all enjoy amazing views from the rental on the lanai, watched surfers try to ride the waves, had lots of good food, went to a neat luau, shopped, saw Waikiki, snorkeled Hanauma Bay, went to the Dole Plantation, searched for and finally found a sea turtle on the North Shore, visited Pearl Harbor and  Frank and I wrapped up the trip with some couple time alone at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore.  There we relaxed more, played some golf, and Frank enjoyed the water slides.  :)
• A few days after we returned home, our dear Virginia, known as GG, passed away.  We were very sad for the loss of such a sweet and wonderful woman.  She loved Emerson and Cameron as if they were her own.  We miss her so much.  
• July 23 was Frank and I's 9th anniversary.  I am so thankful for him.  He is the calm when I am the crazy.  Much has changed in our lives since the day we said "I do."  Our lives are so different than they were from the early days when we met in College Station.  We both look at our kids and just really don't have the words... these beautiful little people that we somehow created together.  Sometimes things can happen and make you feel unlucky, or at least  I have felt that way at times, but looking at the sum of the blessings in our marriage and our lives I know that is anything but the case.  We are more than lucky, we are blessed beyond measure.  Thank you, God, for our paths crossing and bringing the wonderful man that Frank is into my life.  

As always, I have pictures to share!  The first grouping is Hawaii, then some other pics from the summer.

Such a beautiful view from the house!

I just loved those rocks!

Lucky us... a double rainbow with an ocean view. 

Love this guy...

Hiking Diamond Head!

Pearl Harbor

Frank played golf at Turtle Bay

The big kid on a water slide!  :)

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Sweet Virginia... this was the picture used as her portrait.  An edited version of a picture I took of her when she, Dorthy and Big Frank visited when Cameron was just a little baby.  Cameron was obviously cropped out, but in the original photo she is holding baby Cam.  Such a happy day and visit that weekend.  

Before the funeral services the kids walked around the garden.  

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Big Cam learning to ride a tricycle... we need to work on this more still!!

Fourth of July Fun and Fireworks!

Fourth of July this year was a busy and fun weekend for us.  We started it out in Dallas with our neighborhood parade.  It was fun for us to decorate Emerson's car and the wagon for the kids to ride in for the parade.  The weather was great as we all gathered at the starting point for the parade.  Once the fire engine arrived it was time to start.  Frank pulled the wagon and I was walking along with Emerson as she drove her car.  At first she was pushing the pedal so it would move, but she would stop and then look back to see the gigantic fire engine coming up behind her.  This seemed to terrify her a bit and she just froze in her tracks.  So, the fun decorated car was no longer a good idea.  :)  As sweet Emerson cried, Daddy took the car to the house and I pulled both kids in the wagon to the area for the games and treats.  There Emerson was able to hold a fire hose as water sprayed out like a real fireman.  She thought it was pretty neat.  :)  Afterwards we loaded into the car to go to Austin.  We wanted to visit with GG, who was in the rehab hospital, before the fireworks that night.  After arriving in Austin we went to see GG, and had a really nice visit with her.  Then we headed to the grocery store before heading to the house. I needed to get supplies to make some banana pudding.  We enjoyed the fireworks with Carl, Barbara, Dorthy, Haley and friends and Milena.  The next day we stopped in Duncanville to have some good 4th of July food with my parents at their house.

This is the banana pudding I made (thanks Stef for the recipe!)

My little sweetheart!  (not sure why her cheek is so red in this pic)