Costa Rican Re-union!


Our very good friends from Costa Rica visited Texas and made the drive down here to see us.

Maria and Alfredo were our neighbors in our first apartment in Austin. Ironically we had just been to Costa Rica for our honeymoon. They had only lived in the states a few months when we met and they learned fluent English super fast. Now they are living back on Maria's parents coffee farm and have just build their first home. Their beautiful daughter Cristina was like a live Dora to my girls. They fell in love with her . We hope to make a trip there in the next few summers to sit on their porch and take in the Costan Rican mountain air. Being with them really grounds me. They remind me that life is mostly about being the best you can be for your family first.

Spring Break Begins


We began Spring Break wonderfully. Kirby toted the kids to the beach while I cleaned the house for Guest. I got done in time to even have some suntan time in the back yard. When the kids returned completely wiped out they took a nap on the swing. ( only Race really slept) This was the best Spring Break I've had in ages. It was like College all over again. Kirby had some days off, we had two different sets of guest and then me and the kids traveled to houston and then Lousiana. Okay not exactly like a college spring break i.e minivan, toting around snacks, and still needing to think about what to feed people, but it was something different from the norm, and we needed that. More pics to come!

Wake up Daddy, it's Spring Break!

Gwen's Turn

Gwen had a LoneStar Stampede at school. Here she is Two-Stepping with her partner. She was very serious about getting the moves right, and it was completely adorable to watch her. Everything Gwen tries, she tries to perfection. The fancy Red Cowgirl boots were her Good Behavior Prize. She had been hinting that some of her friends get prizes at the end of each week for Good Behavior at school. I told her I expected Good Behavior and prizes from me came unexpectedly or for something outstsanding, "Well how long have we been in school," she asked. " About 7 months." I said. Then I realized 7 months of perfect behavior at school, is pretty outstanding!

Is she cute or What???

Today was Western Day at Claire's school. She took her stick horse, Flicka, and we added some freckles to her face, which she totally loved, since it meant she had make- up on her face.
This girl is just a hoot. Everyone needs someone in their life that can make them "bust out" and Claire is that person for me. Sometimes when I'm not paying good attention to her and she says one of her funny things , she'll say " Mom why are you not Busting out like regular?" I do regularly laugh with this girl and her funny sayings. Most recently what I can remember off hand went something like this:
Mom: " Claire when are you going to stop wearing Pull Ups at night and go to the potty like a big girl."
Claire: " Mom, a Pull up is a potty."
So there. Guess I better just get rid of the comfy sleep-in pottys she has so graciously being wearing for almost 4 years!

Looking for something different?


Does your cake decorating need a little zip? Well Mariah's Cakes will spice up any occassion. There are many options available. Featured here is the best seller " Playing Ball with Jock Itch" And don't worry about getting that so very annoying smooth icing , there is a guarranted "Iced by a child" look every cake has. You can learn more about Mariah's cakes by going to www.kcjane.wordpress.com
( bites taken out of the cake on request only , as seen below)
ps. I love you Mariah because you are soo darn REAL!

Girls and Horses................


Well I had no idea "horse fever" could last so long! My girls are in no way getting over their love for horses any time soon. 2 weeks ago I was able to take the girls to visit Gwen's friend , Victoria and her horse named Flash. Victoria's sweet Mom instructed the girls on the proper way to brush, feed and lead Flash. Even for a person who doesn't know a thing about horses it was clear this horse was a prize possession. Shiny and clean, Flash was a delight for my girls to brush , rub and even ride (very briefly) bareback. Race had fun just kicking back, as usual.
The trip to this beautiful farm gave the girls and little bit more of a clue of why our backyard is not fit for horses. They still strongly argue that a miniature pony would be fine. Gwen thinks I'm stifling her dreams but I just told her I'm helping her really appreciate the pony she can get when she has her own money and farm!

So I walked into Gwen's room last weekend and found a mock photo shoot in progress. I had to let Gwen use a real camara when I saw the effort being put forth from both of the girls. Claire was soo happy to have a good reason to wear her very fav. dress and Gwen loved dictating her every move. Claire loves this dress so much she wore it with jeans and a sweater to a birthday party last weekend.

So my friend Crissy said it was cool to do a top ten or something on tuesdays. So I'll do a top 5 wacky Reed occurances for Wednesday

5) my hubby bought a truck. and 86 toyota 4-runner. It's very beachy because the cab comes off and it's like a truck/Jeep. He's already named it Beach Tar. I'll let me him post pics.

4) I thought we would say bye bye to old blue civic boy when Beach Tar arrived but unbeknown to me, men have a hard time letting go of vehicles they have bonded with. So Blue Civic Boy meet your new brother Beach Tar. However girls like black trucks better than little blue cars so you'll be on the b list with us. We all do appreciate all that Blue Boy has enabled us to do. ( no car - payment allows room for spending in other areas) Crissy I know you can completely relate!

3) I started getting up at 6am again to read bible, pray and make my list for the day and now realize why life has been so wacky for awhile. I really have to do that, to make it sanely through the day.

2) Gwen has made plans and begun work on a book, a jewlery design company and a map of the United States. This girl takes her free time seriously!

1) Tomorrow begins the first of Free Thursdays! Free for me at least. Race is going to a home day care one day a week so I can "find myself" or just take a nap.

Feeling Very Blessed Lately,

My neighbors, Jen and Blue. It's wonderful when God brings people in your life that feel like family from the get go.














Christmas eve with the family. Kirby hanging with his boy. My sister and her husband looking great. And my daughgter shooting an real bow and and arrow. She is really good!
And these are just the pics I had access to. I fell asleep last night thinking about how blessed I am and laughing about how I thought nothing could beat college. God has given me soo much in friends and family that I can barely take it all in. So this week I just decided to soak it all up. I realized while reading the girls to sleep, that in about 10 years they may not even be home at 7pm and moments of them laying on each arm dozing off will be rare and far between. Right now it's a nightly ritual. So soak soak soak that's what 'm doing right now.

Publish Post

Backing up to Christmas eve...

Whit and Jason came down as tradition and we baked our little hearts out. Jason and Whit are expert bakers and the most awesome Aunt and Uncle ever! The girls made snowmen with my sandtart dough (which sadly melted into a huge heap once in the oven) Race cried because we barricaded him from the kitchen and me, well I was jut in it for the coffee.........

Bringing in the New Year with some Sparkly
Kirby brought home sparklers tonight and the kids had a ball with them. I was nervous Claire's beloved feet pajamas were about to catch fire, but Gwen managed to give her some distance. Claire did ask what I thought she would like on fire. What?
I adore these pics of the girls. Gwen said Claire looked so cute in her feet pajamas that she just had to hug her! This after days of being home together and near death experiences due to scratching and strangling( yes our kids do that too!)
Race missed most of the fire action but he was around for a little bit to say " Oh Wow" in that cute 1yr old way.

A Few of My Favorite Things................this Christmas season

Kirby taking the kids to the beach while Gwen and I made cookies. Just the fact that they CAN go to the beach in December is awesome!

The girls in their dresses


Claire actually singing at her program, after telling me for a month that she was going to run off the stage.





Dancing with my sister in the street

Gwen's Dance Recital



And a reason to get fancy!

more to come.................

Kirby, Kirby and more Kirby......

While in Houston Kirby met another Kirby who just about freaked me out with how much like my Kirby he is. Who in the world is similar to Kirby? Well evidently the name carries unique qualities and interest with it. Seriously ,this dude ( friend of my sister's) pulled up in his truck wearing converse and asking me if I wanted to try some weird juice he was drinking! Come On, if you know my Kirby you know that is just uncanny.
Well with all this, on the way to church we see this sign. So my husband just had to come back and take pictures. My Mom ( always the "on the spot photographer") is delighted and Kirby #2 happily obliges. He named the the photo session " Kirby Unplugged". I cannot tell you how hard I was laughing at these two who had only known each other for minutes.

Happy Reunion!!!

What fun it is to see good friends and feel like no time has passed at all. We crammed in the van, and Kirby chauffeured us to Taco Bueno, Starbucks and then the Zoo. The hours went by way to0 fast, but better something than nothin! Mariah and I almost hightailed it out of there when Kirby dropped us off to run in Starbucks and he had all the kids in the van. We decided that would just be wrong,........ in every way!

Here she is with her big 6 yr old self and her much awaited HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL back- pack. She wanted this back-pack so bad when school started but I made her wait until her birthday so it wouldn't loose it's novelty in seconds. Claire gave her some Hannah Montana hair bands which added to her excitement. This is her class after eating chocolate cupcakes to celebrate with Gwen. I absolutely love this age. Gwen loves Kindergarten and has become such a super helper around the house. She really wants to do what is right and I adore that. My favorite quote of late from Gwen was this, " Mom, even if Santa doesn't bring me the stuff I really want, I"ll be okay and rememer that it isn't about the presents it's about Christmas. " How sweet is that!

Over Thanksgiving break we went to the bookstore. Claire has been in a "bag lady" stage for quite some time now and often carries a suitcase wher ever she goes. When I came out of the bathroom I found her doing this. Is she planning on leaving us?

More New Braunfels pics.

My parents long time friends Jeff and Lynn came to visit and they were hilarious playing with us.
Here's Whit enjoying her java and Claire-Bear in her tiger mask. Gwen and my mom were the referres of the races and Gwen could not stop laughing at Mom's hilarious commentary on the racers.