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!

Fri-yay!

Spring break starts today (well, after this pesky 9am class I have), but yay!

I blogged yesterday about just how crazy life has been the last two weeks.

Between midterms, parenting, Dannika's gymnastics, GYM TIME ( still haven't missed a day!) and everything else in between, it's been hectic.

These last few weeks have really tested my balancing act and time management.

My fellow young and ambitious students always ask me how I find the time to do everything AND still manage to get to bed by 9.

I usually stare blankly at them, and tell them, "I really have no idea!" 

Honestly, I just maximize every single minute of my day.

I suffer from anxiety, and the only way for me to really control it (without medication) is to be able to predict EVERYTHING.

I hate surprises so I run my ship on a tight (predictable) schedule. 

I can honestly say that I do not have a spare minute wasted during my day.

It does make my day a little crazy, but at the end of each and every day, I still have time to cook dinner for my family, bathe the kids, and enjoy an hour of me time before I hit the lights.

It also frees up my weekends to do fun things like hang out with my kids, Nick, and our friends.

Someone once told me that if you treat school like a 9-5, M-F job, you will never have to utilize a weekend to study (except maybe during midterms and finals).

Even with midterms, I did minimal studying on the weekends, because I maximized my week day.

I mean seriously, y'all...

How could I NOT make time for this little fella...

And wine...

And watching this sweet girl play...

The helmet is one used for grappling...courtesy of Nick...

Or beautiful Texas nights on the porch watching TV.

And playing cornhole on a Sunday with the neighbors on the cul de sac.

 Even though he's grumpy in the mornings, his and his sister's faces are my most favorite parts of waking up!

 I'll get to catch up on some blogging this week!

I've missed sharing with y'all all our daily happenings in our family!

We've got some fun things planned for Spring Break, so I'll be excited to share!

Happy Friday, y'all!

I Can Almost Taste It...

SPRING BREAK!!

Unfortunately, I have a class tomorrow morning that my professor refuses to cancel.

Doesn't he understand that it's the Friday before a GLORIOUS week off from academia?!

People keep telling me to stop being a "goody two shoes", and skip the class.

I WOULD, but a percentage of my grade is attendance and he takes attendance every day.

Ok, I lied, I wouldn't skip class even if I could.

I'm a rule follower, and I can't help it.

But seriously y'all...

These last two weeks have been miserable.

I am studied out, "mom'ed" out, and "wife'd" out!

Spring break! We need it in this house!

It's been a rainy few days here in good ole Texas.

It didn't stop us from enjoying it though!

That fabulous Marc Jacobs umbrella is courtesy of the wonderful Karen who works at Texas A&M's Veterans' Services.

Who else is on Spring Break?!

Half Birthdays & Bad Haircuts

I haven't blogged in a while. 

I've honestly just been soaking in the ridiculous amount of time off I've had over the winter break.

Fortunately (maybe unfortunately?), the grind of classes start tomorrow.

The break's been so long (a month!) that I am really looking forward to getting back into a routine again.

My classes are all in the morning, so I'll still get to pick up Dannika from school every day, and do my "motherly duties" of driving her to gymnastics and play dates. 

Luckily, our nanny from last semester will still get to come once a week to watch Mattis, and she gave us a wonderful referral for a new nanny for us this semester from her sorority.

I feel like Mattis will eventually become the Texas A&M Zeta Tau Alpha mascot....lol.

I'm sure he wouldn't mind being surrounded by adorable and young sorority girls.

Other than that, life has been pretty uneventful!

Since Dannika has a Summer birthday, her teacher let her celebrate her 1/2 birthday!

She asked me to bake her cupcakes....

I bake once a year...

For Christmas...

The things we do for our children....

 They turned out great though!

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting from scratch!

 The "half birthday" girl...

Funny how when you ask her how old us is, she always replies "6...AND A HALLLLF!"

Those 6 months towards becoming 7 are such a big deal to kids this age.

I love it.

 Love being this angel's mama.

What else...

Mattis got the worst. haircut. ever. 

 He normally goes with Nick to get a haircut in town, but I was lazy.

So I took him to the barbershop by our house.

Never. Again.

 I PAID FOR THIS MESS!

I really wanted to yell at the poor girl, "You had ONE job. ONE JOB."

But I have a soft spot in my heart for people in customer service.

So I bit the bullet paid for his haircut, and left the barbershop in borderline anger/tears.

Thank goodness he's such a cutie...

Dannika had a special project for school over the weekend.

She had to perform a random act of kindness, and send a photo of her doing it to her teacher.

She chose to take hot coffee to the College Station Police Department on a chilly Saturday afternoon.

She was pretty excited!

Life's been pretty awesome getting to spend so much time with these little ones.

But we are ready for some routine back in our lives!

Happy first day of classes tomorrow to my fellow Ags!

2015 In A Blog

Is it already the last day of 2015?! 

I'm flabbergasted at how fast this year has flown by.

I wish time would slow down, because the slower time goes, the longer I get to be here in this glorious state of mine.

I try not to think about the inevitable move that is coming our way in a few years, but it's tough not to when time just seems to speed by.

But this is the life I chose, and the man I love has a career that he loves that takes us all over the place. 

 

So here are some of my favorite highlights from this year!

There were honestly too many to choose from, but I managed to narrow it down!

 

 This was our very first photo of 2015 as a couple after counting down the clock.

My neighbor Kayla and I right before the New Year.
We've become such great friends this year, and I am so grateful for her friendship.
She's also added a baby to her life since this photo was taken...crazy!

Dannika celebrated the 100th date of school, and had to dress like a 100 year old person/
She pretty much nailed it.

Nick got to chaperone a field trip!

Lots of fishing trips in the Spring

Took Nick to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo!

I celebrated my 31st birthday, and my friend drove all the way down from Dallas to celebrate with me!

Friends since the Marine Corps.

 My sweet Dannika Jane graduated from Kindergarten!

The First Lady of Aggieland came to hang out at our house!

Nick and I took a quick trip to Boston for a commissioning ceremony, and got to see all of our old neighbors and friends!

Dannika brought in SIX with a bang!

Miss Emilee came out to visit and even camped out in the backyard with Dannika!

Nick and I went to Cancun for Nick's 32nd birthday!

 My little man turned 2!

Our family tailgated Aggie football season away, and even got to hit up a few games!

Our first ball in College Station!

Trick or treating on the cul de sac!

BIG NEWS!

I OFFICIALLY got the banner.

I got to chaperone a field trip to the zoo!

OC Ash came to visit us in Aggieland!

Nick dragged me out to go see Star Wars...

I got to spend Christmas with mi familia!

2015 has been full of many blessings.

Too many for me to count. 

I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store.

And for those of you who had a rough 2015, I pray that 2016 is full of life, love, and happiness.

Love,

Us.