It's my DADDY'S birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!  My dad's b-day was on May 27th and we were all together in Kerrville to celebrate with him.  His birthday usually falls right around Memorial Day.  This year, his birthday was Sunday and Memorial Day was the following Monday, so it was nice to have the time and extra day together.  Since we were in Kerrville, he got to spend most of his birthday weekend relaxing down at our ranch in Comfort.  My brother didn't go with us this trip, so it was just my dad and Cody down at the place this time.  They had a ball though!  They did a little bit of hunting, a lot of relaxing, and also spent some down down on the river.  The Guadalupe River runs through our place, and it is breathtakingly beautiful.  The Hill Country has gotten quite a bit of rain as of late, so the river was actually up since last summer when we had that terrible drought.  We did a lot of eating that weekend at some of our favorite places in Kerrville as well as the little towns near Kerrville.  When the boys came in on Sunday (my dad's b-day), it was time to head to lunch and my dad had already chosen his favorite Mexican food restaurant to celebrate his birthday at.  So, we loaded up and went to Acapulco for lunch.  All of our food was so good and we left that placed more than full!  But...we had a birthday cake to cut into when we got home...so we saved a little bit of room for a slice!  Dad's favorite cake is German chocolate, and that's just what we got him!  We put some really cute "Happy Birthday" candles in the cake, sang Happy Birthday to him, and then had some cake!  Soon after that, we loaded up and headed back to Abilene.  When we got home, we all unpacked, loved on our four legged babies, and then headed out to a birthday celebration dinner.  But first...we had to give him his present!  He has been DYING for a Kindle for so long, so we all went in together and got him just that.  He is loving it too!  One of his favorite things to do is read, so now he can have all his favorite books in one handy little tablet.  After he opened his present, we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner.  Since none of us had to work the next day, we all got a couple of drinks along with dinner...everything was so good!  It's been ages since any of us had eaten there, so it was a yummy treat!  After dinner, we headed back to our house to sit on the back porch to watch some TV.  Dad, mom, and Michael went home first and picked up their dogs to come over for a play date with ours, then headed over.  We sat outside for a couple of hours and just enjoyed the cool night breeze and the five doggies playing up a storm!  It was a fun birthday...I'm pretty sure he really enjoyed it!!!  Happy Birthday Daddy...love you so much!!!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is always a special day.  Our moms sacrifice so much for us throughout the years, and so this is one day set aside to truly celebrate the women that have been so influential in our lives.  This year was a fun mother's day because my Mimi was in town for my graduation.  So, we got to spend mother's day with my mom, Mimi, and Cody's mom.  Cody's sister and her family were also in town, so we got to see them for a split second before they headed back home to Del Rio.  All the moms in our family were celebrated...and deserved even more than we could ever possibly give them!

That morning, my parents, brother, and Mimi went with us to church.  We go to Beltway...and LOVE it!  So, every chance we get we are bringing anyone who isn't already a member there or bringing them with us if they have come in town to visit.  The church service was amazing...as always.  The worship music was wonderful and is such a great way to worship our awesome God as well as get ready for David's message.  It's wonderful to have your family sitting all around you at church!  It's also such a wonderful experience to feel God move throughout the service and truly feel his presence in such an amazing way.

After church we went out to eat at Olive Garden.  This place is my Mimi's most favorite place, and we hadn't been there in awhile, so this was the perfect day to go to exactly where she wanted to go.  It was a pretty long wait...2 hours to be exact!  But, the food was good and the company was even better, so it was completely worth every second!  After lunch, we headed back to our house to give my mom and Mimi their mother's day present.  We gave my mom a gift card to Coldwater Creek...her favorite store and gave my Mimi a Madam Alexander doll and some flowers.  They loved them!  I helped my mom use her gift card not too long ago on some really cute clothes...so I know she enjoyed the gift card!  Her birthday was in April...and we got her a Keurig...so she's been indulged these past few months!  Rightly so...she deserves to be spoiled with all she's sacrificed for us.  We stayed at our house and visited for awhile and Brittany came by for a little bit while we were there to wish my mom and Mimi a happy mother's day too...sweet girl!  After we had visited a bit, my Mimi decided to head home.  So, we said our goodbyes and then headed over to Cody's mom's house to spend some time with her and his sister.  We almost missed Chrissy...they were driving down Cody's mom's street as we rounded the corner...so we caught them just in time!  She loves Pier One, so we  got her a cute little decorative bowl and filled it with some glass decorative balls.  It's always good to see them...we don't get to enough.  After we talked to them for a bit, they headed out of town and we headed the rest of the way to Cody's mom's house.  We started a charm bracelet for Cody's mom a few years ago,  so every birthday and mother's day we usually buy her a charm to add to her bracelet.  This year, we bought her a charm from James Avery that said "MOM."  Pretty fitting I think!  Our moms and grandmother's are such special ladies...they don't get thank enough for all they do!  So, we had fun getting to spend some quality time with each and every one of them this year.

That night, we had so many leftovers from the celebration party after graduation, so we asked my parents to come over and help us eat some of them!  I laid all the sandwich stuff out along with all the fixins.  Mom and dad brought their doggies over to have a play date with ours, and they had a ball!  We ate together and visited for a little bit, then headed outside to sit and play with the dogs.  It was such a great day and an even better weekend.  I'm so thankful for all that God has done in my life and for blessing me with an amazing mom, grandmothers, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law!  Love you all so very much!!!

Graduation Day!!!

I officially have my M.e.d!!!  I cannot believe that after two years I am completely done with school.  I feel like it went by so fast while at the same time takin so long!  I also think that probably depends on which class I was in at the time.  If I liked the class and was enjoying the research I was doing, the papers I was writing, and the assignments that had to be completed, then it went by fast and was fairly enjoyable.  On the other hand, if it was the opposite, those seven weeks seemed like two years in themselves!  But I am DONE and I had the best time celebrating with friends and family after graduation was over.

Since there was so much going on in town that weekend, and I wanted all of our friends and family to come and celebrate with me, we decided to have a get together at our house after the ceremony was over.  My sweet Mimi came down from  Hamilton...the same Mimi that I always take Faith to go see with my mom.  And my Grandma and cousing came down from Kerrville, and then her neice, I call her "Aunt Kay" (even though she's not really my aunt!) and her daughter-in-law and two granddaughters came from San Angelo to see my graduate and come over afterwards.  My Aunt Kay's daughter, that lives in Abilene, her husband and son came over too!  I'm named after my Aunt Kay...so she holds a special place in my heart and it was so fun to have her there!  My parents, Cody's parents, and his sister and her sweet family were also there too.  We also had our family (our friends that we call family) come over to celebrate too...Jake, Leah and Sydney, Brent, Bria, and Jansen, Tony, Julie, Logan, and Drew, Erica and Adam, Michael's girlfriend, Brittany and her parents It was so much fun being with everyone and just eating, talking, and enjoying each other for the night!

The graduation ceremony went off without a hitch!  Which I was super thankful for because I was terrified that I was going to fall somehow.  I guess that's what I get for wearing 5-inch heels...but I wouldn't wear anything else!!!  I never even teeter on them, but I had so many nerves that I just knew something was going to happen.  But, I didn't fall or even have a slight slip-up!  It was weird getting my Master's because it's just so different than when I got my Bachelor's.  The gowns are different and you walk in carrying the hood.  Then, you actually get "hooded" by the dean of the department from which you're graduating from individually.  When you get your bachelor's, the person you choose to hood you does it and you get hooded all at once by the person you chose instead of the dean of the department.  So, when getting your Master's, you are more in the spotlight.  There is so much work that goes into getting a Master's, so now looking back, it seems deserving to be hooded invidiually by the dean of the department...it's kinda like you're own little moment in the spotlight!  But, I was nervous about it.  When you're standing up there, you have time to really look at how many people are there to watch their loved ones graduate as well as look at all the other graduates that are about to walk that stage after you.  I really tried to soak it all in because I knew (more than likely) that this would be my last time walking across the stage.  It was so surreal.  I felt a little bit like I was in a dream...a good dream though!  For so long I had awaited the moment when I would walk across that stage and be completely done with my Master's degree, that for that moment, it almost didn't feel real.  But it was!  And after the ceremony, I found my sweet family that came from all over to watch, took some pictures, and headed home for the real celebration!

When we got home, it was time to set out all the food and get everything ready for people to come over, hang out, and eat!  Mom and I had bought all the food earlier in the week and had it all prepared before we left for the ceremony so we didn't have to do anything but set it out when we got home.  We decided upon sandwhiches, a fruit tray, veggie tray, sausage balls, little smokies, chips, and a big cake to serve!  It was all so yummy...but we had more fun all being under one roof and spending time together.  Most of the boys went outside and watched tv out there while the girls stayed inside and gabbed...so typical!  My grandma and cousin left pretty early because they were driving back to Kerrville that night.  And my parents and Mimi left along with our other family members a little while later.  Our friends stayed for quite a bit longer and we just stayed up talking and loving on the sweet babies that have been brought into our tight little circle.  We always have so much fun together no matter where we are or what we're doing!  It's a once in a lifetime blessing to have friends that you really do consider family.  We have been so blessed to have amazing parents, brothers, and sisters...I don't know what I would do without them and the example that they have shown me growing up and even as an adult.  I know I wouldnt' be where I am today if it weren't for them and their support.  I also have to brag so much on Cody.  I know throughout these past two years there have been times when I have been so stressed out and really just a bundle of nerves, emotions, and anxiety.  He was, my shoulder to cry on, my support, my encourager, the person I vented too, and my rock.  I am so blessed  to have him as my husband.  I know that God made him just for me and I thank him  everyday that Cody is who I get to spend everyday with and go through the best times and also the worst times.  I love you so much babe!!!  My parents were also there for me every step of the way.  They always gave me words of encouragment when I didn't think I could push any more, they knew just what to say to help get me focused and continue on.  My family and friends were so supportive and I know that each and everyone of them played such a big role in helping me to complete this degree with confidence...and a 4.0!!!  I love each and everyone of you so, so much!!!

This is the grand finale!!!  This was my graduation present from Cody, my parents, Cody's parents,and my Mimi.  It's the Tag Heuer Aquaracer!!!  I was completely taken aback when I opened up the bag and saw the box sitting inside.  Cody put this together all by himself!  He coordinated with everyone and picked it out.  He said he wanted me to have s omething that I will always have and remember getting for completing my Master's.  He is amazing!!!

Quality Time with My Sis!

This post is so, so late!  But better late than never so I say!  The last weekend in April I got to see someone very near and dear to my heart.  Well...two people actually!  My sweet friend...and big sis Amie and her precious little boy, Gavin, and I got to spend a whole Saturday together playing in Southlake Town Square!  I normally go and stay with Amie, Ryan, and Gavin for a few days during the summer.  But these past two years, I have gotten to go down and see Amie, and now Gavin for a quick visit on the last Saturday in April.  My Mimi has a huge doll collection and is in the process of selling the ones that she no longer likes. Well...Grapevine has this doll show the last weekend in April where vendors can come and set-up and sell some of their collectibles.  Amie and Ryan live in the metroplex, so while my mom and Mimi are selling dolls...Amie and I go shopping!  This time was no different!

Let me just tell you...Amie and I can do some serious shopping!  We have been known to tackle Northpark in an entire day...and get our Starbuck's fix while doing so!!!  Since these visits are shorter, we go to Southlake Town Square since it's close and has amazing shops and great places to eat.  Since Amie had Gavin last summer, he now gets to come with us and I get to love on him throughout the day...LOVE!!!  So, Amie picked me up at the Grapevine Convention Center and we headed off to start our day.  On this particular Saturday, the shopping center was having an art show/fair and so we walked around that for a bit before our tummies told us it was time to eat.  We decided on Corner Bakery...which never disappoints and then headed on to do some shopping!  It was such a beautiful day and it was so much fun walking around, shopping, and hanging out with each other and Gavin.  We got some cute things for us and for Gavin too!  Soon...we decided that we needed to get our gelato fix.  See, here's the thing with us two.  We love our Starbucks, gelato...and just food in general!  Plus, we work up such an appetite with all of our shopping we have to reward ourselves with delicious goodies!  Might as well treat ourselves all the way around!!!

I love this precious girl to pieces!  We have been so close ever since college when she was my big sis when I pledged Ko Jo Kai.  When we both got married, for a few months we both lived in the same townhouse neighborhood in Abilene and worked out together nearly everyday and also got together and visited at least once a week.  Now that she's in the metroplex, we try to see each other as often as we can.  So, this is always a good time to get a quick visit in before our annual girls get together in the summer.  Oh...we're also both teachers so there's lots of visiting throughout those months!  And this year, Gavin turns one!!!  I'm not sure where the time went, but I can't wait to get to celebrate his first birthday with this sweet family!  This precious little boy is so much fun to be around and every time I'm with them, I just fall more in love with the little guy!  He is so much fun and Amie is such a good mom!  The whole day we were shopping, he just chilled in his stroller, some of the time with his shades on!  I also got to sneak in some snuggle time when he was wanting to be held...he's just so sweet and fun!  Cody and I are so blessed to have friends in our lives that we call family, and this sweet family is definitely part of our family of friends!  Love you sis...can't wait for our summer get together!!!

I LOVE this little boy!  I could love on him for hours!!!

My sis, me, and G.  Love these two so, so much!!!

One cool dude!!!

Love this face!!!  This was at our gelato stop...he was having a ball!!!

We were in very deep conversation!  He was contemplating on chocolate or coffee gelato...it's a big decision for anyone to make!

Precious G!!!  This is one of my favorite faces he makes!!!  Love him and his sweet momma!!!

Last Fling Before the Ring...

Abbie and Josh are gettin' hitched!!!!!  These two are such precious people...and they are such a wonderful couple!  We are SO excited for their wedding day!!!  But first...we had to celebrate them as a bachelorette and bachelor before the big day!!!  Abbie's bachelorette weekend was so much fun.  It was a weekend full of laughter, catching up, and celebrating the beautiful bride-to-be.  There were about 20 girls that traveled to Ft. Worth to spend the weekend with Abbie and just kick back, relax, and have fun!!!  Abbie's future sister-in-law found this amazing weekend house that was right on the lake.  I say house...it was a huge mansion!  It had tons of rooms, a huge living room and kitchen, and a beautiful boat dock that we went and layed out on on Saturday afternoon.  It was gorgeous and the perfect place to celebrate the future Mrs. Harrison!!!

The fun began on Friday night after everyone arrived to the house.  That was the night of the lingerie shower!!!  But first...us girls had to get some food in our bellies!!!  Jenna and Kayley brought taquitos, enchiladas, and chips for dinner and Kayley made her famous corn dip to top off the delicious Mexican food.  All of it was so good!!!  There were also lots of tasty cocktails to go around.  Jenn (Abbie's almost sister-in-law) made a yummy drink mixed with Crystal Light pink lemonade and rum...it was delish!  And of course...there were margaritas!  You can't have Mexican food without margaritas...especially when it's at a bachelorette party!!!  After we ate, it was time for Abbie to open up all her goodies!!!  She got TONS of super cute stuff and we had so much fun watching her open everything up!  Oh...Jenn had also filmed Justin (Josh and Jenn's oldest brother) asking Josh questions about him and Abbie.  It was hilarious!!!  We talked and laughed for the rest of the night and finally went to bed around 12:30.  There was a full day ahead of us on Saturday...we had to get some beauty rest!!!

Saturday began pretty early...due to our internal alarm clocks!  I woke up around 7:30 and heard Jenn, Abbie, and Abbie's sister, Amber talking downstairs.  So, I headed downstairs to join my fellow early risers!  They had been up since around 7:00...so we just laid around in the master bedroom until everyone else started waking up a little bit later.  Misty had been up even earlier than the rest of us and had gone to the store to get some goodies for later that night...and make a McDonald's run!  All of us are pretty much all alike...we wake up hungry and need coffee in our systems ASAP!!!  Around 9:00, Jenn and Abbie's moms came by with the breakfast goodies...and coffee!!!  It was such a delicious spread of yummy treats and the coffee was to die for!  They brought us sausage balls, a breakfast casserole, muffins, scones, danishes, fruit, a frozen fruit slush to drink and Dunkin' Donuts coffee with Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer.  Holy yum!!!  I'm a huge coffee drinker...so as soon as I got back to Abilene, I made a run to the store for some DD coffee and Italian Sweet Cream coffee creamer...my mornings are just so much better now that I have that to drink...thank you Sandra!!!  After breakfast, the weather was warming up, so we headed out on the boat dock to relax and lay out a bit.  Sandra and Connie came out with us for a little bit and then headed back home to get ready for that night and leave us girls to our crazy selves!  The weather was supposed to be a little chilly...so some of us (me included) came unprepared to lay out.  So we had to lay out in just whatever while the other smarty pants had their cute little swimsuits on!  Oh well...bras and panties work just as well as a bikini!!!  Plus it was all girls...so no big deal anyways!  We laid out for awhile and about 3ish we headed back in to get ready to go out that night.  Jenn had made dinner reservations at Reata, a delicious steakhouse in Ft. Worth.  Before dinner, Josh and Abbie's parents came to pick everyone up and took us all downtown to hang out a bit before dinner.  There are lots of fun things to do and see in downtown Ft. Worth...so we made the most out of it and had a blast!  Dinner was amazing and we may or may not have played some really fun games!  After dinner, we headed out to celebrate the bride-to-be and give a toast (or a few toasts) to her pretty self and her upcoming wedding!  Saturday was a blast!!!

Sunday morning was pretty close to Saturday morning...early risers just can't ever really sleep in!  Sandra had brought over these delicious cinnamon buns on Saturday morning that were for breakfast on Sunday morning.  I'll tell you something...I love Abilene...but it holds no candle to the amazing eating places that the Metroplex has to offer!  They were amazing...like melt in your mouth amazing.  I've never had a cinnamon bun like this one.  It was coated in cinnamon and sugar instead of the sweet icing on most traditional cinnamon buns.  I'm debating copy catting that recipe...that may be my first summer food project!  The sweet mommies came over again with our survival drink...coffee!!!  Coffee and cinnamon buns...it was a delicious Sunday morning!  I have to say that Sandra and Connie are two of the sweetest ladies that I know.  They are so loving and caring and are like surrogate moms to all of us when us when we're with them.  It was wonderful to have them there with us those two mornings!  We had to pack-up, clean-up, and be out of the house by 11:00.  So after we ate, we did just that.  It was sad to say goodbye to such sweet girls after such a fun filled weekend full of laughter, gabbing, and celebrating a precious friend who is about to be one of the most beautiful brides!  We love you Abbie...can't wait to watch you walk down the aisle and become Mrs. Harrison on June 9th!!!

The Thompson Trio!!!

Meet Hadee McCall Thompson!  Already gettin' her guns up!!!

Our precious friends, Mark and Jacki Thompson, brought a beautiful little girl into this world on April 22nd.  Hadee McCall Thompson was born early that morning around 5:00 am and has been such a blessing to this amazing couple.  She is such a beautiful little girl...but I knew she would be!  These two are so full of life and love and Hadee couldn't be more lucky to have them as parents.  I have known Jacki since college.  She was a sweet little NuNu pledge my senior year and I got to know her through club and we have been friends ever since.  I first met Mark when Cody and I started dating, and he has been such an amazing friend to both of us throughout the years.  These two met at Perini's one night when we went out to eat with everyone for Josh's going away dinner.  Josh is now back in Abilene and he and his precious fiance, Abbie, are getting married on June 9th!!!  But, Josh had moved to Abilene for a short stint back in 2007-2008 and then moved to Austin for a job.  Anyways, we went to Perini's to eat because he was moving to Austin, and Mark was with us...of course!  Jacki was actually our waitress that night...I think she was a junior that year.  Since Jacki and I knew each other, we talked throughout the night and she made quick friends with everyone at our table.  There was someone that she especially hit it off with...Mark!  By the end of the night, they had exchanged phone numbers and it's history from there!  I think that their first date was actually to our wedding!  Mark was a groomsmen and Jacki came with Mark and sat several other Kojie girls during the ceremony.  We have had so much fun with these two and it has been so fun to watch her cute little belly grow!  I remember when they first told us they were pregnant back in August.  It was such exciting news and Cody and I were thrilled for them!  Jacki and I have both been finishing up our Master's degree this year...so when I see her every Friday morning for Body Pump...we always talk about how much closer we are to being done.  We also got to start talking about how many more months, weeks, and days were left for Hadee to be here!  What's been really neat is to see the anticipation that Mark has had for his sweet baby girl to be here.  He has wanted to have kids for awhile now and when Jacki found out she was pregnant, I know he couldn't have been more ecstatic!  These two are amazing people.  They have such a love for the Lord and will raise Hadee to be a faithful Christian little girl and woman.  Mark and Jacki are the kind of people that would give you the shirts of their own backs if that's all they had to give.  They are such amazing friends in every way imaginable.  We love them so much and can't wait to watch Hadee grow-up!!!

Beautiful Jacki!!!  She is absolutely glowing and so ready for Hadee to make her debut!!!

Sweet and beautiful mommy with her gorgeous baby girl!!!

Look at this guy!!!  His smile couldn't get any bigger!!!

Hadee already sporting her camo!  Gotta teach these babies from an early age that hunting is a way of life!!!

This seriously melts my heart!  So precious!!!  She has already got her daddy wrapped around every finger and toe!  He is so proud of her and I know Jacki is one proud little momma herself!

The Thompson Trio!!!  Precious couple and their perfect baby girl!  We love ya'll!!!

Baby Hay #2!

Welcome to the world Drew Kevin Hay!!!

Drew Kevin Hay is finally here!!! Drew was born on April 18th and weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 19 and 3/4 inches long.  He is a handsome little guy with a head FULL of hair!  It is the cutest thing...and so dark too!  I went up to the hospital to see them the next day and it was just little Drew, Julie, and Tony in the room.  Logan, their two and half year old was on his way with Tony's mom.  Let me tell you...he is one proud big brother!  Julie said after Drew was born and they were back in their room and could have visitors, Logan wouldn't let anyone touch or look at Drew while he was holding him.  He was saying, "My Baby!" So cute!!!  Cody got to see him the day he was born and let me know that everyone was healthy and happy.  He was on his way out of town, so he didn't go up there with me the day that I went to see them.  It was so nice to see them and get to visit with them and their new little guy.  All of our friends are having babies and they are so cute and tiny!  It's hard to believe that Logan was once that small and he's already going to be 3 in November!  I remember when Tony and Julie first got their little schnauzer, Maverick.  Cody and I were still dating and he was living in his townhouse that we first lived in when we got married.  We only had Sarge and they brought Maverick over to have a play date with Sarge.  Maverick was just a tiny puppy and Sarge was only 3.  Now, they have a 2 and a half year old, a newborn, and a doggie!  And we have been married for four years and have three four-legged babies of our own!  I really don't know where the time goes...but I can say that I'm so blessed to have been able to have spent these past few years with such an amazing group of friends that we call family.  It's been so much fun to watch couples grow into families and add new tiny little members to our close knit group!  These sweet babies are so much fun to be around and are all so good.  Even though we are all so busy and so many of us have precious little ones to take care of, we all still manage to get together and spend some quality time as one big group.  It's so much fun and we can't wait to watch all these sweet babies grow up and become friends themselves!  The Hay family are the sweetest family of four and Drew could not be more blessed to be a part of this family.  We love you guys!!!

We had a surprise baby shower at our house for this sweet family a couple of weeks before Drew was born!

Sweet Mommy and precious Drew!

All the Hay boys...except Maverick!

Snuggle time!!!

Precious Hay Boys!!!