Thankfulness

We are almost there! This week is my favorite week of the year. It's festive and filled with family. It's ramping up to Thanksgiving Day. IT'S THANKSGIVING PREP WEEK! I love Thanksgiving because it means we have Christmas still to look forward to. Even though life as a church worker is extremely hectic during the holidays, I still love it. Most folks look to this season to catch a break from the office. Me and my co-workers are shifting it into high gear. Sometimes (a lot of times) that means extra hours at work. I often ask myself if "its all worth it". I know that it is! I love that I work with people who proclaim "I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people". Just like the angel on that very first Christmas. We have been called to shout that message out for all to hear. So, in the spirit of being thankful- here are a few things I am thankful for!

1. God our Heavenly Father that has blessed me beyond measure.
2. My sweet husband, Nathan. He partners with me in all my craziness so I can do the work I love to do. Things that will bless us and our life, I hope.

3. My most favorite 4 year old on earth. Gosh- I love this little girl!

4. Good health. This year has been so rough for my mom as she's struggled with many health issues. She has spent half of this year with pretty much a large area of her lower leg, calf and shin with an open wound. She has finally found an excellent wound care specialist that has her on the road to recovery. She still works even though she'd love to retire. The scheduled routine of work does keep her busy and active, though. She's the strongest, most amazing woman I know. Filled with integrity, love and compassion. I love you, Mom!

Fall Fun

This Fall has been filled with so much fun! Amelia is loving "the big school" and she even wants to PLAY school when she's not at school. Her class has been studying Native Americans and their culture. We had a special day last week...."INDIAN DAY". Many people have asked, "Do they really still call it that?"

It was such cute day!

Her Indian Name is Swift River. They painted their own Indian shirts and Indian blankets. Moms and Dads were in charge of face painting. Nathan did a great job!

Below- Mom, "Swift River" and Dad

 The kids rotated to 10 different stations. Below is her Buffalo hunting station. They are eating Buffalo meat around the camp fire. Oddly, the meat tasted very much like Oscar Meyer hot dogs! Hmmmm....

Tomahawk hunting a buffalo. 

 Amelia is seriously focused while at the beading station. 

 Love him! Dad is reading to our little Indians.

 Below is Amelia's favorite station. They planted crops using real sardines. Smelled to high heaven!

 Amelia and friends with our amazing principal, Mrs. McBee.

Birthday Back Up

My sweet Amelia is FOUR! Saturday, August 24th we celebrated with a Rapunzel gymnastics party. She's been in gymnastics since February and she LOVES it! She's learned how to do mule kicks, forward rolls, backwards rolls, cartwheels, and dips on the balance beam. Currently, her class is mastering some bar work where they pump their legs while keeping upper body still. Not sure what that's called.

Her party was complete with friends, family and a real princess! Thankful for this precious person God has given to us to love and care for. We love you so much, sweet Princess!

Roller Coaster Love

First, I never blog anymore! I wish I did! So many cute, fun things to share. I must get better and get back at it! The desire is there but I'm not holding my breath!

Saturday we had a great day celebrating Amelia's BFF's 5th birthday. We went to pump it up and let her jump and play till her cheeks were red and rosey!

After pump it up, we headed over to Six Flags Fiesta Texas for USAA's IT Family Fun Day. It was reserved for just us so...no lines! We discovered something. Our little girls has a passion for thrill and excitement! She went on her first big (to her) roller coaster. She'd done the baby ones for quite some time but this time she did a BIGGER one. The Road Runner Express.

 It was a fun day! If she hadn't had shoes on, she wouldn't have been tall enough. Now, she's got her eye on the Iron Rattler!

Election Day 2012

Today, November 6th, 2012, is Election Day! President Obama or Gov. Mitt Romney? Well, in our house, we do have a presidential candidate preference but whatever the outcome, we pray for a bright future for our daughter and our country.

This Fall has been filled with lots of fun. We've gone to pumpkin patches, Fall Festivals, baked all kinds of pumpkin goodies and enjoyed a couple of hay rides. Our maintenance director, every year, does a hayride for the kids. Amelia and her friends had a nice time on a cold morning riding around Concordia's campus on the Concordia Hayride.

Finally, here are a few pictures of Concordiafest. It was a perfect weather day and Amelia tried 2 new things this year....HAMSTER BALLS....

...and the BIG slide....

 Some of her old favorites were the caterpillar and the ponies.

 Happy Fall, Y'all!

Halloween 2012

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

Yesterday we celebrated Halloween and Amelia dressed up as RAPUNZEL. 

She had the shiny purple dress, purple flowery flip flops, the long golden hair and even a Rapunzel crown. She was pure royalty. I was off from work, well, mostly. I had a meeting in the morning and then we went to our "Mommy and Me" music class. After music class, I dropped Amelia off at school for lunch, nap and playtime so I could run a few errands. I picked her up around 3:30 and headed to HEB. While we were shopping we encountered a special person she just couldn't take her eyes off of. He was a young man, mid twenties and he had no legs. He was impressively zipping through HEB in his wheelchair and pushing his cart as he acquired all the items on his list. At first sight, Amelia got really still and whispered to me, "Mommy, he has no legs." She was very sweet and discreet about her observation. I explained to her that it was okay and that everyone is different. We saw him several times during our shopping. I also explained to her that I thought he was a hero. Being so young and with his "high and tight" hair cut, I assumed he was a wounded warrior. I told her that God makes everyone different and I assured her that he was a regular person just like us. I think that's all she needs to comprehend in her 3 year old little mind. I'm glad we had that encounter.

We had planned to go Trick-or-Treating at Morgan's Wonderland- "A Place Where Everyone Can Play". 

We brought a canned good for each of us and that was our admission to all the Halloween fun last night! 

Here's our beautiful Rapunzel

We rode the Carousel.  

We scored in the candy department with all of their "Trick-or-Treating" stations. 

We satisfied our sweet tooth! 

I felt so bad for this poor kids. He had to have been so HOT in that parka of a costume! Yuck!

 We got to swing. A Lot. Thankfully, Amelia's daddy never gets tired of pushing her on the swings. 

Here's Amelia posing with some cool friends. 

Amelia and Nathan looking super cute!

Pirate island playground. Very cool!

We rode the train that takes you all around the park.

This is the "Taking Flight" bronze sculpture and its the first thing you see when you walk into the park. 

All done! Whew. We were tired. Amelia is concentrating on eating a piece of candy!

Happy Harvest to everyone from the Carmines Family!