Because I'm a Texan, That's Why

Did you know the official state flower of Texas is the bluebonnet?! Well, now you know!

The bluebonnet is a seasonal wildflower that blooms in Texas for just a few weeks each Spring. Every Spring, you'll see people pulled over on the side of the highway (very dangerous) taking photos of their kids nestled in the beautiful bluebonnet patches that grow wild everywhere! I also should mention, people have literally been killed on the side of highways taking bluebonnet photos....seriously y'all...don't take bluebonnet photos next to 70MPG traffic....it's not a good idea! ANYWAY...bluebonnet photos are basically a Texas tradition. If you're a native Texan, and do not have photos of you as a child in a bluebonnet field, then you're Texan card is revoked!

In our little family, I am the ONLY true born and bred Texan. Nick is a southern boy from Alabama, but he is a Texan convert (thanks to yours truly). Dannika is my SoCal princess (born in Orange County, CA) and Mattis is my New England "masshole" (born in Newton, MA). But as a Texan, I demanded my kids take bluebonnet photos, and I am not ashamed to admit that I used Starbursts as bribery to get them to participate in this age old Texas tradition. I dusted off my ol' DSLR, and headed out to the George Bush Library to get some bluebonnet photos last week! Here is what I came up with...

Because no photo sesh is complete without an "Gig 'em" photo...

For an amateur photographer (me), I'd say they turned out ok!

I've Kinda Been Sucking...

At blogging.

School, kids, and life....

I feel like my life is pretty well documented on Instagram (@domesticatedcombatboots) and on Facebook.

But it is nice to get on the old blog and explain things better.

I'm actually thinking about changing the name of my blog. 

When I first got out of the Marine Corps, I really wanted to blog about my life as a former Marine turned Marine spouse.

That's how the name "Domesticated Combat Boots" was born.

The transition phase was tough for me, and I had a lot to blog about.

I mean going from "war fighter" to "Marine spouse/stay at home mom" was not the easiest thing.

I feel like I am finally done "transitioning" out of the Marine Corps, and I have somewhat adjusted back into the civilian population (somewhat....haha).

I also don't feel so "domestic" anymore since I am in school full time.

Ask me the last time I baked....I don't remember.

So I'm thinking of a title more fitted to where my life is right now.

ANYWAY,

Did anyone else find it weird to have Easter in March?! 

I feel a little cheated because my Easter decorations didn't get to stay up as long.

 

I managed to snap some photos of the kids in their Easter attire.

I didn't get any good ones of them together because Mattis refuses to cooperate because he hates me.

This shot was taken totally randomly, by accident, and he ends up looking like a dang J.Crew model.

I know I have said many many times about how awesome our cul-de-sac is.

But here is just another reason why it's so awesome.

On Easter Sunday, the entire street collectively put together an Easter egg hunt for all the kids.

It just so happens that we have a College Station Firefighter that lives on our street, and he just happened to be on duty that day.

So he brought his fire truck on our little cul-de-sac for the kids to see and play on!

The "Easter Bunny" brought Dannika a new bike!

We had an activity table for the kids...

Our "cul-de-sac mafia"

Confetti eggs (cascarones) were a big hit!

It's so sad to think that we only have another year and a half left here in this wonderful town.

I seriously can not imagine my life being anywhere else, but...

I fell in love with a guy who fell in love with a job that uproots our family and takes us all over the world every three(ish) years.

But I will be forever grateful to God for letting us live in "heaven" for just a little while on this wild ride called the "Marine Corps".

Fall Photos

There are a few times throughout the year that put a lot of stress on our marriage.

Hanging new stuff on the wall...

It's usually poor Nick on a ladder with a hammer and nail while I change my mind a million times how I want one dang picture frame to be hung.

Look behind anything hanging on our wall in our home, and there is guaranteed to be at least 3 holes behind it.

It usually ends up in an argument.

Hanging up Christmas lights...

Again...

Nick on a ladder, but this time much higher in the air with a string of lights while I impatiently yell at him from the ground on how he is hanging them up ALL WRONG.

BTW, I am usually enjoying a glass of wine while my poor husband is sweating profusely (in 40 degree weather) trying to hang Christmas lights on our super slanted roof.

Argument ensues...

Annual family photos...

I am a teeny tiny bit of a control freak.

I start stressing about what we're all going to wear, if it matches, if it's TOO "matchy matchy", is Nick gonna gel his hair, what bow is going in Dannika's hair, and how the hell are we gonna get Mattis to freaking smile for once?!

This year was no different...

However, thanks to Michelle of Michelle Voigt Photography, she made the whole photoshoot smooth, quick, and painless.

Just how we like it.

Here are a few of the amazing shots she got!

I am keeping the one I chose for our Christmas cards a secret until after Thanksgiving.

So y'all will just have to wait!

And lastly...

Who doesn't love an awkward school yearbook photo????

Here she is, folks!

Dannika Jane's 1st grade yearbook photo.

"Isn't she lovely...." 

I surely can not be the only person who struggles with things like Christmas lights in a marriage?!

Right?!?!

Last Week of Summer Sesh

You know what's exciting?!

Summer sesh is over this week for Nick and me!!!

In less than a week, we will be sitting on a white sandy beach in México with no kids!

We love our kids dearly, but towards the end of Summer, we are all pretty worn out.

We're ready for D to start school, and we're ready for our nanny to be back to watch Mattis throughout the week.

The summer seemed to have flown by, and this is the first summer since 2011 that Nick has been home with the family.

Last year, he was at OCS as a candidate, the year before that he was at OCS as a Sgt Instructor, the year before THAT, he was at OCS again as a Sgt Instructor, and the year before THAT, I was stationed in California, and he was in Boston....

Whew...that's a lotta summers without my main squeeze...the marshmallow on my s'more...you get it...lol.

I can confidently say this has been the BEST SUMMER EVER, and it's not even over yet!

We've really enjoyed the late summer nights playing outside when the weather cools down, and of course hanging out with our neighbors.

It is Texas, after all, and we have temps that are upwards of 100 degrees, so we usually wait until 7-8ish to go outside and play (even then, it's still like 95 degrees!).

The littlest Texas Aggie in our home

I finally got D in on some photo action last night.

Her olive skin and her hazelish light brown eyes make her so photogenic.

I'm a little jealous, not gonna lie!

Last night, we waited till the sun went down (which isn't until like 830!), to do s'mores in our new fire pit that Nick built.

 We've really enjoyed our summer so far, but this mama is ready to have kids back in school!

Awkward

Not trying to toot my own horn here or anything, but I think I took some pretty decent school photos when I was a kid.

Judge for yourself...

 I believe the above is Pre-K and the below is Kindergarten.

I will admit that I also took some pretty bad school photos too...which is why I'm not posting them on my blog.

Most of my bad photos came during the awkward stage of my life.

I think ALL kids (regardless of how gorgeous your children are) go through a totally awkward phase.

I think kids between the ages of 9-14 are just that....awkward.

Of course I know some adults who never got out of the phase...bless your heart.

So Dannika took her first official school photo, and....

Totally awkward.

Her smile is totally forced...

And this, ladies and gents, is why I love school photos, and bad photography. 

Oh, and don't mind the tooth paste on the left corner of her dress that I could not get out for the life of me...

However, I will cherish and love this first school photo for as long as I live because I can still see her baby face in this photo.

 

But seriously...this girl takes photos like this...

I'm pretty sure I take better photos than these school photographers, and I am FAR from professional.

And just cause I'm a good sport, here's a photo of my sister and I from the Houston Livestock show and rodeo from my "awkward years"...

fanny pack and all.....

I Need an Agent

For my daughter....

My daughter LOVES being in front of the camera. 

She knows how to pose, make different faces...

Honestly, I have no idea where she gets it from.

I tell her we're gonna take photos with mama's nice camera, and she goes into "model mode".

I don't pose her or tell her what to do.

She just kinda does her own thing.

On Sunday, I decided to take some photos of her in her party dress that I bought her for her birthday party on Saturday.

Her birthday is not till July, but since Nick won't be here for it, we are having an early birthday party for her before he takes off for OCS.

Judge for yourself...

She can "smeyes" better than most of those models on "America's Next Top Model".

Eat your heart out Tyra Banks....