Eleven years ago today...

...I looked like this..

...because I was surrounded by this...

...and realized I would get to be with this guy forever and ever...

Clay (with the help of Josh & Erin...thanks, guys!) set up a scavenger hunt all around campus (A&M) that led me in front of the Systems Building where 14 friends were waiting with 14 roses for the 14 months we had dated.  I collected the roses and turned the corner to see a Ross Volunteer sabre arch with Clay waiting at the top.  And come to find out, about 60 of our friends were hiding in the bushes to congratulate us.  I can still remember most of the details about that night, but as I went to bed that night - at 21 years old - I remember thinking that I was literally the luckiest girl in the world to have Clay.  And now, 11 years later, I KNOW how blessed I am to have Clay.  He still cracks me up and he still teaches me new things every day.  He is not complacent and I am so thankful for that.  He is incredibly loyal and loves us all unconditionally.  And for the record, I think he has aged very well.  And yesterday he impressed me all over again.  A few weeks ago the worship committee at church asked him if he wanted to lead singing on Sunday morning.  I'm so thankful I'm not a man because I probably would have run and hid if they had asked me that.  But of course he didn't even hesitate before saying yes.  So, the bulletin yesterday morning looked like this:

Of course he did great and even peppered a few jokes in there...true Clay Starr form.  Words can't express how thankful I am for the example Clay sets for Ethan...and for me.  Love you babe - happy engagement day!

multiple costumealities

The kids started talking Halloween costumes around the fourth of July, and we went through MANY different options.  We had a few different opportunties to wear costumes this year (trunk-or-treat, school, birthday parties, trick-or-treat, etc.), and I don't think we were all ever in the same combination of costumes.  So, here is a brief look at the SFB's multiple costumealities of 2010 (minus Ethan's WAY too small Spiderman costume that he wore to a birthday party - trust me, you didn't want to see that):

Costume day at kindergarten - Ethan with his BFF, Connor

Costume day at preschool - Rachel said she wanted us to match, and thankfully Kelly had this costume handy for me

Trunk-or-Treat at church...50s (yes, that is Clay's authentic/now vintage high school letter jacket), Snow White and Super E

Before a birthday party

Trick-or-Treating

And, of course, the pumpkin patch attire

Labor day putt-putt

Putt-putt is quickly becoming one of the kids' (okay fine, mine too!) favorite activities.  Since Clay was in Germany on Labor Day, my parents were gracious enough to entertain us for the day and take us to play putt-putt.  Highlight of the day - watching Rachel perfect her own unique putt-putt stance.  Low point of the day - the slush machine was broken at the concession stand.  The day reminded me a lot of our annual family vacation to Florida.  My parents would rent a beach house and we would go to Navarre Beach for a week.  And then one or two nights we would go in to Destin and play putt-putt and eat dinner.  If I had a little more energy right now I would dig through those albums and scan in a picture of myself at eight years old in Destin with my brother and parents, and then I would post it next to this picture:

...but I don't have the energy to do that right now so you'll just have to use your imagination.

My mom worked really hard to show Rachel the correct putting stance...

...but every time she ended up looking like this

Just the 3 of us

And in true Poppa form, he bought tickets for the kids to ride some of the carnival rides

Thanks, Mom & Dad, for making the day fun for us!

Feeding the obsession

As we speak, my children are snuggled up on sprawled all over the couch watching Toy Story 2 ... again.  I'm sure it's just a phase.  I remember a couple of summers ago when I'm pretty sure Ethan watched Cars once a day for 37 days in a row.

So, to feed the Toy Story obsession, we took the kids to see TS3 again, but this time at the drive-in on the 4th of July.  We left evening church and drove about 45 minutes to the Galaxy Drive-In and had one of our best family nights ever.  My aunt, uncle and cousin happened to be in town that day so they got to go with us, too.

The movie started around 9:00, so we played putt-putt until showtime.

When the sun went down we got cozy in the car, put the big red speakers in the windows, enjoyed the summer breeze, and just relaxed.  Well, the kids and I practiced our scared faces first.

Rachel and I went for a snack run to the concession stand (I think the large drink was $1.50 - I love this place!), and then we settled in.  Definitely a night we'll never forget (probably doesn't hurt that the kids ask me at least 6 times a day when we're going back).

New sleeping quarters

I had a fabulous mother's day...really a fabulous weekend.  Clay had a couple of tricks up his sleeve like taking the kids to Michael's Saturday morning to make mother's day cards, taking me to lunch on Saturday, I got little potted plants from the kids, and the best part of all was that he spent the entire day yesterday painting, working, moving furniture, cleaning light fixtures, etc. in our bedroom!  After just a few years in this house we finally have a real-person bedroom.  No more scuffs on the wall, no more nail holes in the wall, no more two-tone light switches, no more unhappy Lisa every time I walked in there.  Thank you, babe, for a great gift - I love it!

Thankfully this....




...turned into this...



(Mom - this means I'll be hitting you up for curtains soon!)

Speaking of Mom, a couple of weekends ago we got the fam together to celebrate my Mom's birthday at Central Market.  The weather was perfect and we all had a great time.  I love this picture of the kids gathered around Nana watching her open presents

Unfortunately, Rachel was a little too busy for the picture


We did get a good one of Nana and her grands


And then Bryan and I got photobombed by Addi while trying to get one with Mom


Happy Mother's Day to my Mom and to my mother-in-law!  Clay and I are both very thankful for you and your love. 

Easter was a hoppin'

We had a great Easter this year and did a lot of fun things.  The much anticipated preschool egg hunt was a hit for both kids.  It worked out that Clay could even be there since he had jury duty that day and was released early.


The kids woke up Sunday morning to see what the Easter bunny had left them



Easter Sunday is the one day of the year that I like to coordinate all of our clothes for church (I'm really not sure why I enjoy this so much!)






After church we went to my parents' house for Easter lunch with my brother and his family



Nana and Poppa did not diasappoint with great Easter treats



We hid a ton of eggs in the backyard and had fun watching the kids figure out how to get to all of them (never have an Easter egg hunt where Clay and Bryan are hiding the eggs)



The kids spent the rest of the afternoon playing outside with their cousins and it was a wonderful day - we are truly blessed