Cavin begins basketball.

Cavin loves most sports, but spends a lot of time watching basketball. He wanted to play this winter season with some friends, so I signed him up at the YMCA. He is playing with his friend Cody Wharton on the Celtics team with Coach Rob Morris.

His first game he had a lot of cheerleaders as our whole family was there, his Aunt Daphne, and Oma and Opa. 

He is playing at the middle school where I played when I was younger, Atascocita Middle School. It is strange walking down the same halls I did as a child.

He was a little tentative to begin with, but towards the end of the game he was pretty comfortable and had some great plays and shots.

I love his desire to try new things. He really enjoys most sports and has a great time competing.

Channing's Ballet Performance

Channing began ballet this year and was really excited to be in the performance of "The Chronicles of Narnia" at Charles Bender Performing Arts. Her class was the beaver kids, and they sure were cute!!

She is in class with her best friend Avery Howington.

I love their cute painted faces and beaver buns (ears)!

Thankfully Avery's mom, Holly, helped me with the makeup, as that is not something I am good at!

She is ready for the show! She was super excited!

There were no cameras allowed, so this is them at the end bowing after their performance!

Ella came to the show with me and Grandma Speers and Natalie. Grandma was nice enough to buy Channing flowers, and Ella used her own money to buy her the ballerina monkey. I thought that was super sweet of her!

She did a great job on her two shows! After the first one we met the rest of the family and Grandpa to eat at Hippo Burgers down the street which was actually pretty good! I'm excited to see how Channing develops as a dancer!

Thanksgiving Break

We had a nice Thanksgiving and we were lucky to get to have a visit from my sister Marisa and her family. We got to play with cousins several times and go to a Rockets game together.

The three youngest of my siblings. My brother, Chris, me, and Marisa.

Ragnar was kind enough to get us seats together to watch the game. 

A lot of cousins enjoyed cheering on the Rockets!

We had a great Thanksgiving day at my parents, which sadly, I didn't get any pictures of. We played games and played outside and then my sister Marisa, mom, and I went black Friday shopping which was successful. 
The day after Thanksgiving we went to the University of Houston football game. We had great seats and the weather was perfect!

We had a great break and I loved the time with my sister.  I wish we could see her more often.

A House Remodel!

Ragnar and I have been talking about extending our back patio for a while. We enjoy sitting outside and watching the kids play, but we never really had a space to do that in. Due to an unexpected bonus this year, Ragnar and I decided to spend some of the money we always put in savings and build a patio. We got a few quotes and decided to go with a man named Bernardo Sibaja-Torres. He is a man that several of our neighbors used and recommended. Here are the beginning to end photos.

This is what we had before. This tiny patch of concrete.

It begins...

My peeping tom pictures of them working as I sent updates to Ragnar at work.

Stamping the concrete.

 Bottom finished..on to the cover.

He FINALLY finished!! He told us it would take 3-5 days. On day 20 he was finished. I tried to be patient because his brother died and he had to take care of business there with his family, but when he didn't come back hardly at all for another week I was very frustrated. I am so glad it's done and there are no more workers at our house!!! I am excited to put some furniture out there and play games and BBQ together!!

Family Pictures 2017

I love getting new pictures of the family each year. It is the gift I ask Ragnar to give me every Christmas. I love getting pictures done to update our house and for Christmas cards. I however, don't love the stress of the impending pictures. I hate having the outfits consume you, the worrying about the weather, the hairdos, the scheduling, the praying everyone is rested and happy with no bumps on their face ;) This year we got lucky and it was the one cooler day of the Fall we have had so that helped.

My favorite one.

I have some beautiful children that I am pretty fond of. 

Deacon is at one of my favorite ages. He is such a cute kid. He is a ball of energy. He loves to be running and playing with balls and is a sweet kid.

Channing loves to pose! She loves to get her picture taken and she is adorable!

Cavin we always call our gentle giant. He is a shy but strong kid. I love his big toothed happy smile.

Ella is a joy. She is so innocent and carefree and I love the example she is to our home. 

I have two very different but wonderful girls.

Three amazing boys in my life.

I love this picture or Ragnar. I feel like it's his true smile and I love it.

I thank Heavenly Father every day for the family that I have been given.