McCurdy McMemos

Look Who's Talking...and Clapping!

2012-01-16T20:29:00.000-08:00

Anna officially said her first word....we think. She told Dave "Hi!" and she also clapped for herself, unprompted. Two very exciting milestones! Check out the video below to see for yourself. :)

11 months!

2012-01-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

Anna turned eleven months today! For all of you math whizzes out there, that is one month away from being one year old! What in the world?!! Where did this past year go, and how did it go so quickly? Here are the 11 month pictures, and some videos of the progress our Anna is making in her mobility (crawling, pulling up, cruising all happened within a couple weeks--I couldn't blog fast enough!). Enjoy!

Anna

Katelyn

Sweet Smiles. Sweet Sisters.

Crawling

Pulling Up

Cruising

BFFs

2012-01-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

Bethany, Jenny, and I have been friends since our freshman year of college at Baylor (15 years ago!!). Through many miles and kids, we have remained friends and always cherish the time we have together. We all got together for dinner when Bethany and her family came for a holiday visit from Bellingham, WA. Although dinner was awesome, my favorite time was the "girls night out coffee date" after the dads put the kids to bed! We figured that it had been at least five years (when Jenny had the first baby of the group) since the three of us sat down to chat...uninterrupted. Looking forward to the next reunion!

Bethany, Jenny, and me

The kiddos: Micah, Levi, Karis, Jordi, Katelyn, Anna, and Taylor

I'll be home for Christmas...kind of.

2012-01-02T18:43:00.000-08:00

This was our first year since we've been married to wake up in our own home on Christmas morning. Though we have enjoyed our time traveling each year, there was also something special about waking up with the girls in our own home this Christmas. Also worth mentioning, for one of my Christmas presents this year, Dave made Christmas dinner! What a treat!

Twas the night before Christmas....

Granny (Dave's mom) got Katelyn this awesome princess bike! Although Granny gave it to Katelyn a few days before Christmas, Katelyn didn't see it all put together (thanks to Daddy's hard work!) and ready to ride until Christmas morning.

The aftermath...now I know why I didn't get more pictures than I did!

Enjoying her new bike

Daddy helping her ride over the bridge

Sign her up for the Tour de France!

Christmas dinner courtesy of Dave-beef wellington, mashed potatoes, and steamed spinach. Yummy!

Katelyn's Preschool Christmas Program

2012-01-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed Katelyn's Christmas program again this year! We hope you do too as you look at the pictures and click on the video below to view a small portion of it.

Group shot (2's, 3's, and 4's)

Katelyn (in middle)

Proud little sister

Class picture

Celebrating at Freddy's Frozen Custard after the performance

A Very Merry Skype Christmas

2011-12-19T19:35:00.000-08:00

We just took a little trip to Austin and Waco to do an early Christmas with our families. Both visits were fun, but our time in Austin was made especially memorable because we "skyped in" my sister Brittany who has been working in Hawaii since September, is continuing her nanny work in Malaysia (leaving tomorrow), and will be back to Texas in mid-Feb. So it was like she was there, but not. The only thing we missed more than her sweet face on the computer was the ability to give her a big hug! I did not take a single picture or video of our time in Austin or Waco, but I'll link you to my sister's blog, who documented her end of the skype experience! Enjoy!

http://itsthelittlethingsinlife.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/a-skype-christmas/

Family Pictures!

2011-12-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

We had family pictures made in October and had a great time! If you are in the DFW area, we would definitely recommend this photographer. Visit her website at www.chera25.com. For a mini session (15 minutes), she charges $30 and you get 10 edited pictures to download and keep for yourself!

Just-for-Fun Pictures!

2011-12-14T13:26:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures last week just for fun....Katelyn wore the same Santa outfit when she was a baby (from my grandmother).

Katelyn wearing this same outfit (she was a few months younger than Anna when she wore it)...

10 months

2011-12-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Festivities!

2011-12-02T14:16:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Thanksgiving this year! We decided to see what it was like to have Thanksgiving at our house, and although we missed being with our relatives, we did enjoy giving thanks with each other!

To start the Thanksgiving holiday off, Katelyn's preschool had a Thanksgiving Feast and performance. In case you're wondering what a preschool "feast" consists of: chicken nuggets, apple slices, carrot sticks, a chocolate chip cookie, and fruit punch....a little on the non-traditional side, but a preschooler's dream lunch nonetheless. Dave was in China, so I invited my friend Rose to come watch the performance with me. We had a great time! See pictures below...

On Thanksgiving Day, we watched the Macy's parade on T.V. that morning and then hosted our friends, Michael and Sue, for dinner that evening. This was my first Thanksgiving dinner to cook by myself (except when we were in China, and that was just different altogether), and it turned out pretty well! Since Michael and Sue are from China, we shared a little about the Thanksgiving story and made turkeys with our handprints. To top off the evening, we enjoyed Cheesecake Factory pumpkin cheesecake (thank you Sam's Club!).

So much to be thankful for indeed!

9 months!

2011-11-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

Well, Anna has officially been in this world as long as she was in my tummy! I'm hoping she's enjoying this side of things a little more! Happy 9 months!

Anna

Katelyn

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

For the second year in a row, we walked up to the Fall Festival at a neighborhood park. After enjoying free hot dogs, an inflatable slide, a train ride, and lots of candy, we trick-or-treated our way home! Thanks to the Highland Village police department for providing trick or treat bags at the event since I accidentally forgot Katelyn's at home!

Our little fairy princess and cupcake (thanks to Aunt Brittany for Anna's costume!)

On our way to the festival--We told Katelyn she was riding in her "princess carriage."

Riding the "train"

A ball of pink coming down the inflatable slide

Having so much fun!

Playing at the park

Let's Ride!

2011-10-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

When our friends the Caudles headed off to missionary training school in Hawaii (along with my sister Brittany who is nannying for their youngest daughter), they gave us their bike trailer to hold onto. We gave it a spin this past weekend on a family bike ride to the park. It was really fun...for most of us. Anna is still getting the hang of it. :)

In other bike-related news, Dave's mom ("Granny" to the girls) gave Katelyn her first tricycle for Christmas last year and during a visit this month, she also gave her a fun Hot Wheels bike! In an effort to enjoy these sweet new modes of transportation, Dave had the girls riding around on both of them and having lots of fun...

Katelyn's First Field Trip!

2011-10-26T18:18:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Fall Decor!

2011-10-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

I just made this for our front porch, and it's my new favorite piece of fall decor! Simple and inexpensive...also two of my favorites!

8 months!

2011-10-26T18:00:00.001-07:00

My sister just reminded me that I didn't post Anna's 8 month picture! Here it is (and Katelyn's too!).

Our Little Pumpkins!

2011-10-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

We went to Calloway's Nursery last weekend and found some really cute photo ops! I love this time of year!

Family Movie Night

2011-10-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

We have established a new tradition in the McCurdy household--Family Movie Night. October will be our fifth month to have it, so I think that counts as a tradition. The last Friday night of each month, we let Katelyn choose a movie (parent-approved, of course!), and we pop popcorn and stay up "late" to watch it as a family (at this season of our lives, this means we actually start the movie after Anna goes to bed, but she'll get to participate eventually). I figure if we start traditions like this when the girls are young, they will be accustomed to it and look forward to it as they get older. Katelyn's movie picks so far have been The Tale of Desperaux, Snoopy Come Home, Toy Story 3, and The Lion King. Upcoming selections consist of The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, and Mary Poppins....looking forward to some fun family memories!

Just Because...

2011-10-04T20:31:00.001-07:00

These are a couple of pictures that I just really love.

My sister took the one of Anna. A girl (and also a friend of Brittany's) on the church shuttle bus took the other one, and I had no idea she was taking it (because she was sneaky and used her phone). Those are sometimes the best ones. The sweet thing about the bus picture is that Dave left the day before to go on his week-long sailing trip to the Apostle Islands (he'll have to do a separate post about that once he gets his pictures uploaded), so the girls and I had been on our own and actually managed to get ready for church that morning in time to ride the bus (it's one of Katelyn's favorite Sunday morning events). That picture is one of many sweet mother/daughter moments we shared while daddy was away (though we did miss him dearly!).

Who's a Happy Helper?

2011-10-04T20:24:00.001-07:00

I recently saw a really cute "happy helper" chart (read: chore chart) that one of my friends made for her daughters, and for once in my life, I thought, "I can do that!" ....and actually did it! The project was super easy and cheap (less than $10)--two qualifications for anything I set out to accomplish. It's a little hard to see in the pictures, but the left-hand column of the chart is the "to do" column. The middle column is the chore that needs to be done. The right-hand column is the "ta da!" column. When she does a chore, she gets to move the cupcake magnet from the "to do" column to the "ta da!" column, and while doing so, we say "TA DA!" with lots of energy and excitement! My happy helper loves it, and so do I. :)

7 months

2011-09-09T18:55:00.001-07:00

Here is Anna's 7 month picture (and Katelyn's too!). She's working on her 4th tooth and laughing a lot...she learns that from her sister! :)

Second 1st day of preschool

2011-09-09T18:49:00.001-07:00

Katelyn started her second year of preschool this Fall, and she is loving it already! We let her choose where she wanted to celebrate her first day and she chose frozen custard at Freddy's (chocolate with marshmallow topping)! Lots of fun (and calories) had by all!

Katelyn and her best buddy Reese (they were in the same class last year too)

For comparison sake, this is Katelyn and Reese on their first day of preschool last Fall

Katelyn enjoying her sundae!

Happy 4th Birthday Katelyn!

2011-08-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

We had a joint birthday party this year with one of Katelyn's best friends, Reese. It was a pool party at a friend's house, and it was lots of fun (and lots of hot!). Instead of collecting gifts, we requested that everyone bring a donation (puzzle or card game) for Children's Medical Center. The girls went this week to deliver the donations and had a great time doing it!

The party....

Delivering donations...

Birthday at home (on her actual birthday, August 24th)...

We had a few of our neighbors over for ice cream sandwiches that evening. Katelyn loved eating hers!

Look how I've grown!

3 years old

4 years old

It's Packing Time!

2011-08-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

We went to Austin for the weekend earlier this month, and I decided that Katelyn could handle packing her own bag (with a little assistance--see below). It worked! I hope this picture is self-explanatory, but if you need any clarification on my artwork (or lack thereof), just ask!

Anna is....

2011-08-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

Anna is lots of things these days, but most of all, she is eating and jumping (not at the same time!). Enjoy!

6 months!

2011-08-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

Anna (if you look closely you can see her two bottom teeth!)

Katelyn

A Visit from Great Granny, Great Todd, and Great Toni

2011-08-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Last month, we had the privilege of hosting my Granny (mom's step mom), my Uncle Todd (mom's half brother), and Aunt Toni for a visit (known to Katelyn and Anna as Great Granny, Great Todd, and Great Toni). We had a great time, and one of the highlights of our weekend was a trip to Cabela's. If you have never been, you should get there! It is like an indoor zoo (but the animals are stuffed instead of alive...but they look very real!). We got there in time for the fish feeding (every day at 1 p.m. except Wed.), shot a few rounds of ammo (not real though) and even enjoyed some free fudge samples! Indoor, air conditioned, and free....can't beat it!

Rainbow Time!

2011-08-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

We have recently established a fun new part of our evening routine....rainbow time! Our front door has a glass design in it, so when the sun sets in the evenings, it hits the glass just right so as to act as prism and cast rainbows all over the playroom. We anxiously anticipate the rainbows after dinner each evening, and Katelyn especially likes to count them. Here are a few pictures of the fun....

Fun in Waco!

2011-07-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

We went to Waco two weekends ago and, as always, had a blast!

New swing set in front of Granny's house (thanks Granny!)

Daddy and his girls

Katelyn loves great grandmother's walker! She asks us to take her on rides when we visit.

The girls with great grandmother

Granny and Anna

Fun at the spray park!

5 months!

2011-07-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures of Katelyn and Anna at 5 months. Enjoy!

A Day in Shreveport

2011-07-14T19:08:00.001-07:00

We (Katelyn, Anna, my sister Brittany, and I) took a day trip to Shreveport a couple weeks ago to see my Great Aunt Anne who lives in a nursing home there. She hadn't met Anna yet, so we piled in the car, headed east, and stopped just short of the casinos. :) We had a great time, and because we didn't tell my Aunt Anne that we were coming, she was really surprised and excited to see us! We played bingo, and although we were not eligible to win (apparently you have to be a resident at the nursing home to win a quarter), this is always the highlight of Katelyn's time in Shreveport. While playing bingo, we got a sweet surprise! The kitchen staff served up bowls of Blue Bell ice cream (cookies and cream to be exact--my favorite!).

Katelyn playing Bingo (you'll notice that she thinks she has every number that is called)

Swim Class!

2011-07-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Katelyn took a beginner swim class this summer at our community pool. It lasted a week and a half, and she loved it! She learned to kick her legs, stroke with her arms, wear goggles and flippers, sing fun songs, and lots more! Here are some videos and pictures...

Using goggles to find and pick up pennies off the top step

Floating on her back (with teacher)

"Super Katelyn!" exercise

Her class

Goggles secure? Check.

Super Katelyn!

"Three Little Speckled Frogs" song

Swimming!

Blue Hangar Cafe

2011-07-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

We recently visited a neat, unique, hole-in-the-wall restaurant called the Blue Hangar Cafe. Located in Roanoke, TX (just a few miles west of our home in Highland Village), it is a small regional airport where little planes land and take off. We went for breakfast (only served on Saturdays) because we heard they had yummy, cheap pancakes (this was confirmed by my stomach and my bank account). We still need to try their burgers for lunch sometime, so we hope to get out there again maybe once the weather cools off a little!

If you want to go, here is all the info. you need:

Blue Hangar Cafe
700 Boeing Way
Roanoke, TX 76262-5893
817-491-8283
Open weekdays 10:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.; Saturdays 7:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Summer Treasure Chest

2011-07-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

In Katelyn's preschool class, as a reward each week, the students drew a prize (ie: candy, small toy, etc) out of a treasure chest. She would always look forward to Thursdays and ask, "Mommy, is today treasure chest day?" So when school was over and Katelyn understandably still wanted to choose a prize out of a treasure chest, I decided to create a special "summer treasure chest" for her! She chose fun outings/events that she wanted to do this summer, we wrote them on pieces of paper and threw them in a shoebox she decorated.....It has been so fun drawing one out each week and checking fun things off our list!

Things done:

Eat at Corner Bakery Cafe
Invite Kate and Watson to our house for play date
Invite Reese to come over and swim
Get popcorn and Coke at Target snack bar
Go to read books at kid's section of Barnes and Noble
Go to the fountains at nearby shopping area

Things still to do:

Make something from kids cookbook
Go to community water park
Go to mall play area
Get slushy from Target snack bar
Go to Cabela's outdoor store (amazing indoor "zoo" display)

Who wants to play dress up?

2011-07-07T20:22:00.001-07:00

I just ran across these cute pictures today and couldn't help myself. This is what I get for leaving Anna and Katelyn alone in the playroom together! Katelyn believes that you are never too young to play dress up!

1st year of preschool complete!

2011-06-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

Katelyn finished her first year of preschool and boy did it go by fast! Here is a picture of us at her "last day of school" class party. I also included the link to a video of one of the songs they sang at their closing program. She is on the front row, far right (looking at the screen).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S75MgZbNZb8

Just for comparison sake: Katelyn on her first day of preschool

Lots to Celebrate!

2011-06-18T18:15:00.001-07:00

From May 8-June 19, we had five major events to celebrate:

1) May 8-Mother's Day
2) May 17-8th wedding anniversary
3) May 30-My 33rd birthday
4) June 9-Dave's 34th birthday
5) June 19-Father's Day

With this in mind, Dave and I decided it would be a good idea for us to get away together each year to celebrate all of those things! Last year, we tagged our getaway onto a conference Dave had in San Diego. This year, my parents so graciously offered to watch the girls, so we dropped them off in Austin as quick as we could (before they had time to change their minds!), and headed a little further south to Gruene (pronounced "Green"), Texas. We played in the Comal River, shopped, ate out, two-stepped at Gruene Hall, napped, slept in, etc. It was awesome! Below you will find a smattering of pictures from some of the events above. Enjoy!

Balloon Katelyn picked out for Mommy's birthday

Flowers Dave picked out (and arranged!) for my birthday

Homeade "banner" for Dave's birthday

Enjoying our Bed and Breakfast (Accents of Gruene-get there!)

Our "neighbors" at the B&B

Out to our anniversary dinner at the River House Tea Room-delicious!

4 months!

2011-06-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

Once again, one of my favorite blog entries to create! Anna's 4 month picture and Katelyn's 4 month picture...

Reunion

2011-06-16T19:29:00.001-07:00

We just had our annual reunion of my two college roommates and their families, and it was such a blast! Seven kids between the three families made it extra crazy, but so much fun. Thank you, Flints, for always making a way to include us as part of your Texas trip itinerary!

Summer, here we come!

2011-05-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

I bought the girls new swimsuits the other day, and I couldn't resist taking a picture of how cute they looked!

First Road Trip!

2011-05-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

We took our first road trip with two kiddos the weekend of May 14. We went to Austin for my cousin's wedding (which we drove to San Antonio for), and we had a great time! Here are a few pictures from the trip...

On the road!

Katelyn enjoying the DJ's music selection

Anna and Daddy hanging out

Family pic

Me and Dave (and Anna)

My sister Jessica and her husband Evan

My mom and dad....could they be any cuter?!

Katelyn and her uncle Evan (or as she calls him, "Ev")

Just another day...

2011-05-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

I met a friend for dinner one night a couple weeks ago, and she requested that I bring some recent pictures of Katelyn and Anna (she apparently doesn't follow the blog). So before I left the house, I snapped these pictures really quick...

Welcome to life with the McCurdys. Thankful for every minute of it.

Anna at 3 months!

2011-05-09T19:44:00.001-07:00

Anna at 3 months

Katelyn at 3 months

Anna and bis sis Katelyn

Peepaw to the Rescue!

2011-05-09T19:22:00.001-07:00

Dave recently went on a business trip to Atlanta for a week, and my dad came up to help me out while he was gone. He actually gave me a "homework" assignment even before he came...to get a list together of the things I wanted him to cook, places I wanted to go (by myself!), activities he could do with the girls, and what their schedules were! Twist my arm. :) So needless to say, my dad is amazing. He planned meals. He grocery shopped. He cooked. He did the dishes. He cleaned. He gave Katelyn baths and brushed her teeth. He made her lunch and got her ready for school. He fixed her hair. He held Anna when she was crying (...and crying and crying) and played with her when she wasn't. He encouraged me to rest and take a load off. And so much more....Thank you Peepaw for coming to the rescue. I'm not sure what we would have done without you--definitely not had as much fun, that's for sure.

Katelyn and her Peepaw

Rough day.

My dad is a grill master!

Happy Easter!

2011-05-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

This Easter, Katelyn really started to "get into" the Easter story. It has been really special to teach her the meaning of Easter and watch her learn...at home, at school, at church. It all started with a set of resurrection eggs that I bought a few weeks ago. She loved opening each one and finding a symbol that corresponded with parts of the Easter story (ie: a little donkey figurine symbolized the donkey on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem). Three days before Easter, we sculpted a "tomb" out of playdough. On Easter morning, we rolled the stone away to find the tomb empty! Enjoy the pictures and link to a video of Katelyn below....

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6AJj_p6Kg0

Our tomb scene (complete with big stone in front of tomb and angel)

Rewind

2011-05-09T13:23:00.001-07:00

I was just looking back over our blog posts/pics/videos from the past three months (Katelyn loves to do that!), and in doing so, I realized that I forgot to highlight a very important person and event surrounding Anna's birth! Rewind about three months...

I volunteered to host my sister Brittany's 25th birthday party at our house (or maybe she asked me and I agreed...either way, I was happy to do it!). Her birthday was Tuesday, February 1st, and she decided to have the party on her actual birthday (smart thinking Britt!). However, if you live in the Dallas area, you may remember the crazy snow/ice storm we had that week, so the party was canceled and rescheduled for the following Tuesday, Feb. 8. I called Brittany that morning, and I think my exact words were something like, "Brittany, you probably need to plan on packing your overnight bag to stay with Katelyn tonight....and maybe the night after that. I haven't been to my doctor's appointment yet this morning, but I think today's the day!" She arrived at our house that afternoon, and since my contractions were still not very consistent and I wasn't in a noticeable amount of pain, we decided to start preparing for her "make your own pizza" party! People started arriving around 7ish, and although my contractions were getting stronger, they still weren't a consistent amount of time apart (30 minutes here, 15 minutes there...). I just excused myself when I felt one coming on, and then back to the party I went! Everyone had left the party by 10ish and Dave and I followed shortly after. We checked in to the hospital a little after midnight (right before another ice/snow storm hit) and Anna was born at 3:24 a.m. So....we started out the night celebrating one birthday, and when all was said and done, ended up celebrating two!

Brittany, please accept this long overdue "Thank You!" for the sweet way that you cared for Katelyn (in so many ways!) during this big transition in her life and in our family. You love us well, and we are thankful.

The birthday girl!

Let the good times roll!

Last picture as a family of three!

Birthday girl #2!

A Special Guest!

2011-04-11T18:29:00.001-07:00

Although we love it when Granny (Dave's mom) comes to visit, we enjoyed it double this time because she brought her mom this past weekend! Thank you grandmother for making the trip from Waco to Dallas and giving us (and our girls!) some very special memories with their great grandmother! Here are a few pictures....

Granny's girls!

And just for kicks....below is a picture of Anna at 2 months old (on April 9) and Katelyn at 2 months old. We are amazed at how much they look alike!

A Family of Four!

2011-03-19T12:37:00.001-07:00

Just had some family pictures taken and thought I would post some of my favorites! A link to the complete set is below:

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2BZNmLds1YsV6

Enjoy!

Cute Pics!

2011-02-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

A few of my favorite pictures over the last couple weeks...

Who turned 3 1/2??

Just relaxing...

My mom came to visit/help for the weekend

Katelyn and Mamaw (my mom) playing dress up

Sweet Anna

Peepaw came to visit/help for the weekend...I forgot to take any pictures while he was here, so I made him get one with Anna right before he left

Sweet sister cuddle time!

Daddy's girls

My sister Jessica came to visit/help for the weekend....

Not pictured: Granny (Dave's mom) and my sister Brittany. I'm not sure how I managed to not have any pictures of these two very important people and the time they spent with us...could be that my camera was the farthest thing from my mind.

Pics of our sweet new addition!

2011-02-14T10:42:00.001-08:00

Enjoy the link below with pictures of our sweet new addition....

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2BZNmLds1YsVY

My all time favorite video (so far!) of Katelyn and her little sister

Anna Grace McCurdy is Here!

2011-02-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

At 3:24 a.m. on Wednesday, February 9th, sweet Anna Grace McCurdy, weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz and measuring 20 in. long, blessed us with her arrival! Here's one picture, but certainly more are to come!

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

2011-02-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

The snowstorm last week was crazy, but we managed to make lots of fun memories! Here are a few pictures and video! You will notice that I am not in any of these pictures, as I was the self-designated photographer! :)

BEFORE

DURING

Katelyn sledding down our front yard in the laundry basket

Dave's turn!

AFTER

Katelyn's First Sleepover!

2011-01-31T20:16:00.001-08:00

Katelyn hosted her first sleepover this past Friday night! Her best friend Reese came over, and they had a blast! I didn't get pictures of everything, but a few highlights were:

1) Playing at the park
2) Eating ice cream for a treat after dinner!
3) Putting on jammies and cuddling up on the couch to watch Veggie Tales
4) Reading and praying at bedtime
5) Giggling, giggling, and more giggling before, during, and after bedtime!
6) Enjoying chocolate sprinkled donuts for a morning treat!

Reading time!

Say Cheese!!

A video I took of the girls reading to each other...caught when they weren't looking!

Sleepover interview (the morning after)

38 weeks and goin' strong!

2011-01-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics at 38 weeks! Due date is still on target for Feb. 10, and we finally decided on a name: Anna Grace McCurdy. A few factors we took into consideration when choosing the name (in no particular order of importance):

1) Easy to say
2) Easy to spell
3) Initials didn't spell something crazy
4) Luke 2:36-38 Anna was a prophetess in the Bible who worshiped God day and night. We pray this will be a defining characteristic in her life.
5) My mom's name is Anita, so this name was a way to honor her
6) Middle name "Grace" because it is by the Lord's grace that we will have her in our lives.... grace, by definition, is the receiving of a gift that we do not deserve.

We look forward to meeting her and welcoming her to our family!

Me and Anna

Candid, just-for-fun shot my sister took!

Me, Dave, and Anna

34 weeks!

2011-01-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

Every week I get these e-mails from BabyCenter.com sharing a little about our baby girl at each stage of pregnancy. They always compare her weight to some fruit or vegetable and this week, she is the size of a cantaloupe! So, for those interested in learning more about a 34-week old fetus, I included the e-mail I received this week below.

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers-which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born-are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever.

Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Christmas!

2011-01-04T15:07:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas in Austin and Waco! We spent the three days before Christmas in Austin and headed to Waco on Christmas Eve. One of Katelyn's favorite gifts she received (along with a baby doll from my parents) was a bright, shiny Red Rider tricycle from Dave's mom.

During our time in Austin, we hung out with my dad on his days off and went to play at the Arboretum. They have (since I was a little girl) had these cows made out of marble that you can sit on. Katelyn loved it!

Also, a special tradition our family enjoyed again this year was putting symbols on and reading corresponding devotionals for our Advent Tree. Katelyn looked forward to it each night, and it was compact enough to pack and take with us out-of-town.

Big Girl Bed!

2010-12-20T13:24:00.001-08:00

We (read: Dave) set up Katelyn's "big girl bed" yesterday so the room is now officially arranged to accommodate baby sister (still in the market for a name). I love being able to lay down and cuddle with Katelyn in her very own bed now. She is making the transition nicely, and we love seeing her so excited about it! She got to open two of her Christmas presents early--a fitted sheet and a flat sheet!! :)

Katelyn's Preschool Christmas Program

2010-12-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday evening was Katelyn's preschool Christmas program, and she did a fantastic job (along with the other kiddos, of course!). Here are a few pictures and a little video snippit!

Katelyn is on the front row, second from the right

Katelyn in her classroom after the performance

Katelyn with her teacher, Mrs. Andrea

Katelyn with her best buddy, Reese

Enjoying ice cream at Braum's with her friends after the performance

....and enjoying her daddy!

Click on the play arrow to view the video! Don't worry grandparents, we ordered a copy of the full performance on DVD for you to watch when we come visit over the holidays!

Run Dave Run!

2010-12-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

I am so proud of Dave for completing his first half marathon! He trained hard for the White Rock Half Marathon which took place this past Sunday. Katelyn, Brittany, and I went out to support him along with our good friends the Hills! Way to go Dave!

Dave and his good friend Brian after their run

Dave and our good friends James and Dangela Hill (who braved the traffic and cold weather with all three of their kids to come support Dave--we love you Hills!)

Dave and Katelyn after the race

Katelyn and Brittany waiting at mile 13 (the home stretch!) of the race route. Sadly, we somehow missed Dave as he was running, but thankfully, we were able to reunite with him after the race!

Thanksgiving!

2010-12-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

We had a really fun Thanksgiving in Austin! See for yourself....

Katelyn found Mamaw's sun glasses and reading glasses

Katelyn and Aunt Jessie (Katelyn modeling the apron my mom bought for her. Thanks mom!)

Katelyn learning how to play Candy Land

Katelyn reading with her great grandmother

Watching lots of football

Group picture (from left to right): My grandparents, my uncle, my cousin and her fiance, my sisters, my parents, and us (minus Katelyn who was taking a nap!)

Me and my grandfather

Our Blessing Tree

2010-12-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea in a magazine and thought it was so cute! We found the perfect branch, sat down as a family and took turns saying what we were thankful for, and wrote them on "leaves" to tape on the tree! Simple, fun, and free! Now that's something to be thankful for...

29 Weeks!

2010-12-01T19:01:00.001-08:00

February 10 is right around the corner!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

This is the first year we have "officially" taken Katelyn trick or treating, so it was quite fun! Only now I'm a little worried that she will start knocking on random doors any day of the week and expect to get candy. Joined by our sweet friends, Kyle, Jill, and Brodie Scott, we walked up to the neighborhood fall carnival at the park and then trick or treated our merry way home! Here are some pictures of the fun:

Patiently waiting for Brodie to arrive

We're ready! Let's get this party started!

Katelyn on the blow-up slide (her favorite part of the carnival)

Enjoying the fire truck

"Trick or Treat!"

Back home...Katelyn out of her costume and enjoying Brodie's!

A Trip to Dallas Heritage Village

2010-11-01T18:34:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Katelyn and I went with my sister and my good friend Rose to visit the Dallas Heritage Village, a unique museum just south of downtown Dallas dedicated to preserving and teaching the history of Dallas and North Central Texas. Every third Sunday from 12-4, you can get in FREE! Go see for yourself! Here are some pictures of our visit:

Katelyn getting her supplies ready to make a "family scrapbook"

Playing a "old time" children's game

Looking in the outdoor pantry of preserves

At the train depot

Watching lady spin wool--funny story about this picture...

Lady: I'm spinning this wool to make a hat and mittens.

Me: Oh, Katelyn! You have a hat and mittens at home!

Lady: (to Katelyn) Who made your hat and mittens?

Katelyn: God did!

Brittany and Katelyn taking a little break from all of the fun!

Movin' Right Along!

2010-10-20T18:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry its been awhile....Here are a couple of pregnancy progress pics for you to enjoy! Baby McCurdy is quite the mover/kicker (much more so than Katelyn ever was). I know I've heard the saying, "I'm eating for two," but is it safe to say "I'm sleeping for two?" (or at least I wish I was!) My energy level isn't quite what it used to be, and it's all I can do to keep up with Katelyn these days! Her energy level is enough for the both of us!

19 weeks

23 weeks

And did I mention that Katelyn is growing so fast too?! She is dressed up to attend her first official tea party for a friend's birthday!

We're Having A.....

2010-09-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

GIRL! I had my sonogram this morning and ask the technician to write "boy" or "girl" on a piece of paper and put it in the envelope I brought so we could open it as a family tonight. And that we did....well, kindof...

We headed over to the Nestle Toll House Cafe by our house, and I gave the envelope to the girl working (whose name happened to be Kaitlin!), told her the situation, and asked her to open the envelope and write "B" or "G" in icing on one (out of six) of the chocolate chip cookies we ordered. While we waited for the cookie to be presented, we interviewed Katelyn one last time about her prediction. Click on the link below to see that interview...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD7QidR8_JI

Back to the cookie presentation, cookie artist Kaitlin actually brought the cookie out in a box of its own, and here's a video of the excitement and scrambling to see what letter was on the cookie...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CtaiukkARM

Might I add that no sooner did we get a glimpse of the "G" on that cookie, Katelyn had her hands all in the frosting and half the cookie was in her mouth. Good thing we looked when we did!

Family pic after all was said and done (and eaten)!

Note from sonogram technician

Katelyn's First Day of Preschool!

2010-09-07T18:06:00.001-07:00

Katelyn started preschool on August 31st! She is going on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Lakeland Christian Academy, and she loves it! Her teacher's name is Mrs. Andrea, and one of her best friends, Reese, is in her class too! It has been more of an adjustment for me than I thought, but I'm getting used to the time to myself and really starting to enjoy it!

Happy 3rd Birthday Katelyn!

2010-09-07T14:51:00.001-07:00

We had a fun time celebrating Katelyn's birthday party at Going Bonkers this year! My mom, dad, and sister were able to come up from Austin for the festivities which made the event even more fun! Instead of gifts, we collected boxes of markers and Spanish children's books to donate to Children's Medical Center. These are just a couple of the many things that they are in need of.

Daddy and Katelyn going bonkers!

Video clip of the kids singing Happy Birthday to Katelyn (most of the song, at least!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24e6U5Sy9ts

On Katelyn's actual birthday (Tuesday, August 24) we started off celebrating as a family by eating cinnamon rolls and fruit salad. We put a little candle in her cinnamon roll and sang "Happy Birthday!" That afternoon we made our weekly visit to the nursing home to join in their monthly birthday celebration (it just happened to fall on Katelyn's birthday this year!). Dave was able to go with us and see some of Katelyn's "special friends." That evening we invited a few of our neighbors over for a popsicle party!

Video clip of Katelyn on the morning of her birthday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1m8n9CbGL8

Blue Bell...the Best Ice Cream in the Country!

2010-09-07T14:31:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know, my husband has a mild obsession with Blue Bell ice cream. When it goes on sale, the McCurdy family makes an event out of going to the store and choosing which kind(s) we will purchase. It's the little things in life....

So, when one of my friends texted me last month (thanks Kimberly!) and told me that the local Blue Bell distribution center was partnering with a Christian radio station to give out free Blue Bell ice cream treats along with tours of their freezers, I knew it would be a fun time for the whole family! And I was right! We stepped out of the hot Texas weather and into a - 20 F ice cream wonderland (aka freezer). Although they told us, "Take your time and stay in there as long as you want," we were ready for the heat again after a couple of cold minutes. :)

Here are some pics....

Enjoying our ice cream treat--Katelyn with her "push up" popsicle and Dave with his "bomb pop."

Dave and Katelyn with one of the Blue Bell employees

Katelyn taking her place on the ice cream distribution truck

The freezer! This was only a small portion of the ice cream we saw. I'm so proud of Dave for not bringing our ice chest and trying to sneak some home.

Katelyn saying "Burrr!" in the freezer

Family Vacation!

2010-08-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a little family vacation this summer! My mom has told me that when we were little, many of our family vacations consisted of going to visit.....family! Imagine that! Accommodations....free. Meals.....free. Help with the kids....free. It's a brilliant idea, really. In addition to visiting family on our vacation, though, we also threw in a trip to Sea World because, you guessed it, kids under three are FREE (love that!). Since Katelyn was due to turn three on August 24, off to San Antonio we went! Below was our schedule o' fun for our week-long family vacation:

Friday, July 23-Monday, July 26: Destination Waco

Our fun times in Waco with Dave's family included taking his mom and grandmother out to eat at Outback Steakhouse and taking Katelyn to a local spray park.

Yummy lunch at Outback Steakhouse

Katelyn playing at the spray park

Katelyn lovin' some time with her Granny!

Monday, July 26-Tuesday, July 27: Destination Sea World-San Antonio

We enjoyed the water park, shows, roller coasters, food....you name it, we did it! Katelyn LOVED every bit of it, and if you click on the link below, she will be happy to tell you all about it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i7jTbgGTvc

Below are more pictures from our Sea World experience!

Sea Lion show

Katelyn barely met the kiddie roller coaster height requirement, but that didn't stop her from being completely fearless! She rode this coaster three times!

Katelyn and I are seated in the car at the far left. This coaster was even a little scary for me!

Shamu show

Shamu jumping out of the water

Chillin' with daddy

Down the kiddie water slide with daddy!

Wednesday, July 28-Friday, July 29: Destination Austin

Our fun times in Austin with my family included quality time with my parents, sister, and brother-in-law. Another highlight was a side trip to Krause Springs--a natural-fed spring pool with waterfalls, rope swings, a butterfly garden, and lots of wind chimes (which Katelyn has really been into lately)...a very magical place just outside of Austin in Spicewood, TX! I actually went there quite a few times growing up and have very fond memories! I even had my birthday party there when I was in high school! :) We had a blast!

And the Fruit of the Spirit is....

2010-07-25T14:08:00.001-07:00

As we were getting ready to go on a family walk this morning, I was putting my shoes on and Katelyn was sitting next to me. She began to sing this sweet song about the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It is on one of her CD's that we listen to, but we haven't heard this particular song in quite some time. What is so fun about this song/CD is that it is a kid's CD that I bought for myself when I was in college to help me memorize scripture (it worked!), and now it is one of Katelyn's favorites! I love how the Lord sows truth into our hearts (and the hearts of our children) in such special ways. He is good!

In case you can't understand the words she is singing. below are the "lyrics" to follow along with the video. Click here to view the video!

And the fruit of the Spirit is joy
And the fruit of the Spirit is love
And the fruit of the Spirit is peace and patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness......gentleness and self control.

Katelyn's First Bowl!

2010-07-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

No, Katelyn is not just now eating out of a bowl, but she did just have her first bowling experience at her friend Brodie's 4th birthday party!! She was such a cute little bowler, and she actually managed to hit a few pins while she was at it!

Don't worry, the balls were pretty light, and Katelyn is pretty strong!

They had this awesome "ramp" that little ones could hold the ball at the top of and send it rolling down the lane. Katelyn was a big fan of "the ramp."

And down the lane it goes...no gutter balls at this party, bumper pads all the way! Gotta love that!

Surprisingly, she was very patient when it came to waiting her turn. :)

Again, patiently waiting her turn...

3rd Annual Great-Granny-A-Thon!

2010-07-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

We had another successful Great-Granny-A-Thon this year! As a reminder, this is a trip that involves me, Katelyn, and both of my sisters going to visit our grandparents in Beaumont and Houston (Katelyn's great grandparents...thus the name Great-Granny-A-Thon). Below are a few pictures as well as links to more pictures from the trip! Thank you Mom and Pop and Granny for hosting us again!

First stop--Beaumont to see Mom and Pop (my dad's parents)!

Katelyn loved pushing this little gardening stool around the back porch...

Next stop--Houston (Pearland to be exact) to see my Granny (my mom's stepmom)!

We went to play and have dinner at the home of one of my Granny's friends. She fixed a wonderful steak dinner and her pool/backyard was so fun and relaxing (with lots of water toys for Katelyn to play with)!

We also went out a boat in Galveston Bay (belonging to another one of Granny's friends!) to have dinner, watch the sunset, and enjoy an awesome fireworks display!

Links to more pictures:

My pics: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2BZNmLds1YsTi
Brittany's pics: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0UYtnLRmyZuQA

Katelyn's New Shirt!

2010-07-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Katelyn proudly displaying her new shirt!

Due date: February 13! So....Happy Valentine's Day to us! :)

Happy Father's Day Dave!

2010-07-08T12:53:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a little behind on this post, but better late than never, right? We had a great Father's Day! Dave's mom was in Arlington for some training, so we drove down to meet her at her hotel and headed over to Texas Land and Cattle for dinner! What a treat that was! We went back to the hotel after dinner and enjoyed walking around the hotel grounds. Thank you Granny for a yummy Father's Day dinner, and thank you Dave for being a wonderful father to Katelyn! We love you!

Dancing with Daddy

2010-07-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

I've been dying to post this precious video! A spontaneous, pre-bedtime dance to one of Daddy's favorite songs....

*Just click on the play arrow at the bottom left of the video

Family Pictures!

2010-06-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

We had family pictures taken this month, and it was such a fun experience! We hadn't had them taken since Katelyn was nine months old, and those were done in a portrait studio. This photo session we opted for something a little more non-traditional. Our photographer, Chera, was wonderful! She was a recommendation from a friend, and we really enjoyed working with her! We met her at the Frisco Heritage Museum for our session, and she did quick, wonderful work! For any of you who are looking for professional, low-cost pictures, shoot her an e-mail! I included her contact information and package details at the end of this post (we did the mini photo session). A few of my favorite pics are below along with a link to the full set.

http://flickr.com/gp/33511885@N00/jSHhvo

Chera25 Photography

http://chera25.com
mrs_smokey25@yahoo.com

Full session (50 pix/ approx. 1hr.) (with TX state sales tax = $150.00)

You will receive a Sneak Peek within 1-2 days & an online link in about 2 weeks. At that time, I will mail a CD with all full-size edited images.

Half session (25 pix/ approx. 30min.) (with TX state sales tax = $75.00)

You will receive a Sneak Peek within 1-2 days & an online link in a week or so. At that time, I will mail a CD with all full-size edited images.

Mini session (10 pix/ approx. 15min.) (with TX state sales tax = $30.00)

You will receive an online link within a week & an online Flickr album with all full-size edited images to download to print as you wish. *This is the package that we chose*

Miss Patty Cake in Concert!

2010-06-17T20:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight we attended a long-awaited, highly-anticipated event in the life of our daughter. Katelyn attended a Miss Patty Cake concert. If you've never heard of Miss Patty Cake, let me encourage you to visit her website. In short, the Lord has gifted her in a very special way to share the Gospel with children through song and dance! Some of our friends in China (thanks Wickershams!) sent us the DVD 3-pack when we moved back to the States three years ago, and Katelyn has LOVED watching them as long as I can remember!

Anyways, I randomly decided to visit Miss Patty Cake's website one day (they advertise it at the beginning of all her videos) to see what I could find out about this cool lady, and I noticed that she was coming to perform at a church in our area! I about wet my pants (and Katelyn is the one who just finished potty training!). I quickly ordered tickets (can you beat $5 a piece!!???), and invited Reese, one of Katelyn's best buddies/fellow Miss Patty Cake groupie, and her mom Jessica (who also happens to be one of my best buddies!) to join in the fun! We started out with Chick-Fil-A. Between the chicken nuggets, the play area, and ice cream cones, it wasn't for certain that the night could get any better. It did. We drove over to the concert, and walked inside the sanctuary. The girls had both been so excited all day about the show, so watching them enjoy it was just about as much of a treat as the show itself! At the end, Miss Patty Cake took a short break and then took her seat in the foyer to take pictures and give hugs to each child in line. She does this at all the shows, and it was so sweet to watch! What a fun memory tonight was!

Asleep at the Door

2010-06-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

Katelyn has had trouble lately staying in her bed once she is down for bedtime. Common excuses are "I need to go pee pee! I need a drink of water! Pat my back! Rock me! Sing 'Away in a Manger!'" The list could go on. I can't tell you how many times an evening we say, "Katelyn, get back in your bed." So, at first, when she stopped coming out, we assumed that she had gotten back in her bed and gone to sleep. Lesson learned: don't assume. On more occasions than we can count, we have found our sweet, tired daughter asleep at her door (and sometimes even in the hallway outside her door). Not quite brave enough to come out and take on mom and dad one more time, but too tired to get back in her bed....

Painted like a Princess!

2010-06-17T19:53:00.001-07:00

This past week, we went to a local outdoor concert, and much to my surprise, they had free face painting for the kids! We waited in a super long line, and I even had to gently ask some kids who cut in line to step to the back. I guess they thought the back of the line meant just somewhere in the back of the line, so they cut in front of some different people. Then their grandma stepped in and not-so-gently showed them where the true back of the line was. Awesome! Anyways, I was preparing myself that once it was Katelyn's turn, she could possibly flip out and not want her face painted anymore. However, she did fantastic!! She stayed so still while the lady painted her "princess face." So, in case you're wondering, here is what a princess face on an already princess looks like...

Happy Birthdays!

2010-06-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last updated our blog! Yikes! Over the course of the last month, I turned 32 and Dave turned 33!

My birthday: We went out for a family dinner at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Dave and Katelyn bought me roses and made me a card, and I met some of my close girlfriends for lunch at Souper Salad (one of my favorite restaurants!). Fun times had by all!

Dave's birthday: Dave took the day off, we had some good family time, he went on a motorcycle ride, I made him a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, Katelyn made him a card, and we went out for a family dinner at Chili's. Again, fun times had by all!

Family dinner at Chili's

Yummy chocolate cake my mom bought us when we passed through Austin at the end of this month (thanks mom and dad for watching Katelyn while we retreated to San Antonio!).

Mother's Day

2010-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

This picture wasn't taken on Mother's Day, but it was too cute not to include with this post!

I had such a fun Mother's Day! Below are a few things that made it fun:

1) I went with my sister Brittany to get a pedicure and out to lunch (thanks for lunch Britt!)

2) Katelyn and I snuggled up and took a nap together on the couch! She hasn't been napping very well lately, so for her to take a nap was a gift in itself, and the fact that she was snuggled up with me while she was taking it, was just icing on the cake! Wish I had a picture of it, but I was too busy enjoying my nap!

3) Dave was Mr. Mom for the day (and what a great mom he was!), and I had the day "off."

4) We ate a yummy dinner at Pei Wei as a family that evening--moms ate free on Mother's Day!!

We Moved!

2010-05-11T11:56:00.001-07:00

We bought our first (and hopefully last!) home and moved to Highland Village (still in the DFW area, just north of where we were renting) on April 30! Of the three of us, Katelyn has done the best at adjusting to our new place. From the first night in her new room, she hasn't missed a beat! Below is a link to before/after pictures of the house. Come by and see us if you are in the neighborhood, and let us know if you need our new address!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2BZNmLds1YsSm

Anniversary Trip to San Diego!

2010-05-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

Dave had a conference in San Diego at the end of April, so we decided to make an anniversary trip out of it! The day his conference ended, I dropped Katelyn off in Waco to stay with Granny (Dave's mom), and then I flew out to meet Dave in San Diego! We had such a great time, and although our 7th wedding anniversary isn't until May 17, we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to celebrate early! We went to Balboa Park, Hotel del Coronado, and the Cabrillo Monument and National Park (all of which are beautiful and FREE, I might add!!). Katelyn had a wonderful time with Granny too! Here is the link to our pictures, and below are a couple of my favorites!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2BZNmLds1YsTA

A Worthy Loss

2010-04-12T18:11:00.000-07:00

In honor of my sweet mom, who successfully fought the battle against breast cancer last year, I (and my two younger sisters) have all been growing our hair out the last few months in an effort to have 8 inches to donate to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths hair donation program (like Locks of Love, but for adults with hair loss due to cancer). When all was said and done, we measured our ponytails before we mailed them in and we all ended up getting 11 inches cut off! Not quite sure how that happened, but you can't ever have hair too short when preparing for a hot Texas summer, right?! Here are the before and after pics.....

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our Easter weekend!

Having fun at Molly Hill's Easter-themed 4th birthday party!

Easter morning

I just love this picture of my two favorite people!

Family pic!

Congratulations Evan!

2010-03-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law just got a new job, and during our time in Austin last week, we were able to celebrate with him! Way to go Evan!

This trophy has been passed around my immediate family for as long as I can remember. Anytime someone in the family did something "praiseworthy," (ie: good report card, dance recital, good basketball game, etc), that person was awarded the trophy with a personalized message congratulating his/her accomplishment. Evan was the honored recipient this time!

Spring is Here!

2010-03-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Our little spring flower....in full bloom!

Who says you only need an umbrella if it's raining??

Hilarious!

2010-03-04T12:42:00.000-08:00

I just found this video as I was organizing our pictures from the last couple months, and I couldn't help but smile! If you need a good laugh, it's definitely worth the 45 seconds it takes to watch it...Not sure why the video is black below (at least it is on my computer), but just click the play button and it will start.

Valentine's Day!

2010-03-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Katelyn and I made cookies for our neighbors for Valentine's Day and had lots of fun doing it!

She kept "accidentally" getting frosting on her fingers

A Fun Breakfast!

2010-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

We also recently met our friend, Michael, for breakfast. He had just returned from a month-long trip to China to see his family. We enjoyed hearing all about it, and he even brought back a gift for Katelyn (see below).

Tent Time!

2010-02-12T14:32:00.000-08:00

Dave had to go work at a client site one day recently so he had the car all day AND it was raining. So, desperate times call for creative measures. I put together (yes, you read right, I, Kristen, put together..) a kid-size tent we had in the garage, and it saved the day! We read books in it, had a picnic lunch in it (in the middle of the living room floor, not outside in the rain), put all her stuffed "friends" down for a nap in it....we had a blast! We kept it up for a few days, so daddy could have some fun in it too!

Katelyn having fun in the tent!

Katelyn laying down for a "nap" with all of her stuffed friends--only after putting them all down for a nap too, of course!

Happy 24th Birthday Brittany!

2010-02-12T14:27:00.000-08:00

Again, this post is way overdue, but HAPPY 24TH BIRTHDAY BRITTANY! My youngest sister just turned 24 on Feb. 1st, and we (along with many of her other good friends) enjoyed celebrating her at a fun birthday dinner in her honor! We love you Brittany and are so glad you were born!

Free Bagel and Christmas Pics/Video!

2010-02-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

My sister just posted a coupon for a free bagel and cream cheese at Einstein Bros. Bagels and some awesome pictures and videos (videos are from our annual karaoke/dance competition) from Christmas! Enjoy!

www.getreadyeurope.blogspot.com

Happy 2010!

2010-01-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

OK-so I know this post is WAY overdue, but here goes....

For New Year's Eve, we celebrated with the 3rd annual Hill/McCurdy slumber party! They have two little girls, Molly and Piper, and Katelyn always has a blast playing with them. The slumber party consisted of eating pizza (because what's a slumber party without pizza??), constructing a gingerbread house, watching the ball drop, sleeping, eating monkey bread for breakfast, playing at the park, and most of all, just enjoying each others company! Here are some pictures to recap...Thank you Hills, yet again, for such fun memories!!

Decorating the gingerbread house

Fully decorated gingerbread house!

It's dress up time!

Princess Katelyn and Princess Molly--ready for the New Year's Eve ball!

Breakfast!!

Christmas Cruise to Cozumel!

2010-01-12T14:08:00.000-08:00

We had a very eventful Christmas holiday, with one of the highlights being a cruise to Cozumel Dec. 17-21st! This past summer, my Granny (my mom's stepmom) sent out an e-mail inviting a big group of family to consider going....and we said "Yes!" In addition to my immediate family (minus my middle sister Jessica and her husband Evan--we missed you!), Dave's mom was also able to come along with Callie (my sister's friend), two of my uncles and their families from Houston, and my aunt and her family from California (she has a 4 year old daughter that Katelyn loooooved playing with!). Enjoy the pictures below! For more pictures, you can visit http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2BZNmLds1YsQu.

Katelyn enjoying the view from our room

Each day our cabin steward (Carlos) would leave a fun animal-shaped towel on our bed (this one is wearing Dave's sunglasses)! Katelyn loved it!

Katelyn loved seeing our cabin steward Carlos each day!

Us!

Our group (minus all my aunts and uncles)

Katelyn and her Great Granny

Katelyn and I enjoying the view

My family

Dave and his mom

Us and our boat!

They had this Christmas tree in the town square of the Cozumel port

Katelyn loved watching these guys play

Katelyn conked out during dinner one night

Brittany and Callie

Me, Ms. Pammie (Dave's mom), and Katelyn

Katelyn trying on Brittany's flip flops

Katelyn playing with Callie

Katelyn and Daddy

Chickfest 2009

2009-12-15T11:27:00.000-08:00

Chickfest is a tradition that originated about seven years ago with the four "chicks" you see below. Although it has evolved over time as some have moved and had kids, the purpose has remained the same....to get together at the Christmas holidays and have a weekend filled with some sweet girly fellowship! Total chickfest participants this year: 4 moms, 3 husbands, and 7 kids. See pictures below to experience the fun for yourself....

Dedicated Chickfesters (from left to right: Dayna, Carrie, Dangela, and me)

The group--From left to right: Four Hills, Three McCurdys, Two Lampmans (husband and other two sons had to stay behind in Baltimore), Five Ebelings, and a partridge in a pear tree!

We included the husbands and kids (at least those who could be there) this year...here is a picture of a few of them lounging around (from left to right: Dangela's husband James and dog Bunker; Dayna's son Luke, husband Jeremiah, and twin sons Hayden and Taylor).

We went to a Breakfast with Santa hosted by the preschool Dangela teaches at. This was Katelyn's first encounter with Santa and did great!

Molly, Katelyn, and Piper at Breakfast with Santa

A Quick Trip to Austin

2009-12-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Dave went to Atlanta on business last week so Katelyn and I took off on a trip of our own to Austin. We left Wednesday and came back Saturday. It was great to spend time with my parents and my sister Jessica. See below for pictures and details...

I had coffee with two of my girlfriends from high school--Erin and Roxy. It was so great to catch up and have some much-needed girl time!

We (me, Katelyn, and my mom) got together with my sister, her mother-in-law, and a friend to make "Turtles." This is two pecan halves pressed and held together with caramel and dipped in a combination of melted milk/dark chocolate (see pictures below)! Be still my heart!

My mom bought Katelyn this super cute "Time to Cook" apron to wear for our turtle-making party

She loved wearing it!

Me, Katelyn, and MaMaw in front of the Christmas tree at Breakfast with Santa pancake breakfast at the church where I grew up and got married in Austin and where my mom still attends (Bethany United Methodist Church). We didn't see Santa (the line was too long, and both mommy and Katelyn were too impatient to wait), but Katelyn did make some cute crafts (see pictures below).

MaMaw and Katelyn in front of the Christmas tree

Coloring a Christmas card for Daddy

A snowman to stick on the fridge!

Christmas Fun!

2009-11-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....We got back from our Thanksgiving travels late Saturday afternoon and decided to go up to a local shopping center called The Shops at Highland Village to enjoy a family dinner at Corner Bakery Cafe, a free horse-drawn carriage ride around the square, and lots of Christmas decor (including a huge Christmas tree)!

Katelyn in front of the Christmas tree

Katelyn doing the "one-finger touch" on the Christmas ornament hanging from the tree. She practices the "one-finger touch" on our tree at home A LOT!

Family pic

Horse-drawn carriage

A quick picture of Katelyn and Dave before "dismounting"

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Waco for Thanksgiving! See the pictures below for just a taste of those gifts we have for which to be grateful...

Although Katelyn thoroughly enjoyed her Thanksgiving holiday in Waco, she couldn't help but get excited about Easter! We use this Easter basket at Granny's house to hold Katelyn's toys, but apparently, she thought it would be much more fun if the basket held her instead of her toys. She cracks me up!

Granny and Katelyn

Great Grandmother and Katelyn

Snuggle time with Daddy

Picnic lunch at Granny's house