It's Been a While...

So, it's been a while since my last post. It's not because nothing is happening though. It's actually because too much is happening. Life has been so busy!!

Lainey is so close to walking...I'm thinking it may happen before she turns one. She's starting to say hi every time I walk into the room. She's such a happy girl!

Kaylea is just keeping us entertained. She's had a great first half of Soaring Eagles. Her teacher has had great things to say about her always.

Ashton is almost finished with school! (Woo Hoo!!) And I've just started my Master's degree. I just finished up my first class and really enjoyed it!

So needless to say...Life is pretty busy! I wanted to post of few pictures of everything that has been going on. I will be posting something after the Christmas holiday as well.

The whole family....

Kaylea's beautiful cookie at Thanksgiving

Kaylea's Thanksgiving Feast
Kaylea saying the prayer at her Christmas Party

Sweet Sisters...ready for Christmas!!

The Girls with their Great-grandparents

Sweet Girls

"I'm not wearing the giant bow!"

Cousins at Papa's Annual Christmas Party

Don't let the presents get in the way of HIS PRESENCE this holiday season!!! Merry Christmas!!

Last Game & Fun Times

So we've been pretty busy with life lately. Ashton's just about finished with school and I just started back getting my master's degree.

Kaylea had her last soccer game last weekend. It was a good game...even though Kaylea didn't want to play in it. We enjoyed cheering on the rest of the team. We followed the game with our end of season celebration where Coach Brian and Coach Scott passed out the trophies.

My favorite Kansas City Fox!

The Kansas City Foxes

We decided to continue our end of season celebration at Dewberry Farms with the Smyers Family. Kaylea and Lainey had a great time!!








There were so many things to do there, that we decided we'd have to come back again soon!

Kaylea's 4th Brithday/Halloween 2011

Last weekend was a super busy weekend for the Wall Family. We had a 4th birthday party to pull off. That right....Kaylea (my baby) turned FOUR!!!! We celebrated with a Cheerleader birthday party. The 8th grade cheerleaders from my school came to teach the girls a cheer. They LOVED learning their cheer and playing with the cheerleaders.

Kaylea worked hard to learn the cheer!

Go, Eagles, Go!

SBS 8th Grade Cheerleaders
(these were my students last year...Love these girls!)

We also had TWO fall festivals to attend as well. Kaylea played lots of games and got lots of candy!

Kaylea knocked down the soldier in two throws (that was 3 less than the boy ahead of her.)

She also did a little bowling.

My little cheerleaders

Halloween 2011

Lainey's first Halloween!

We had a great weekend! Now that I'm a little rested I'm starting to plan a FIRST birthday! They grow up way too fast.

Texas Fall

Texas Fall....high of 85 instead of 95. Football. Leaves changing...not in TX, but at least the pictures of changing leaves in other states is nice to look at.

One of my favorite times of year is the fall...once the weather starts changing. I also love taking the girls to the pumpkin patch. This year was Lainey's first pumpkin experience! She loved checking out the pumpkins with Kaylea and Kaylea loved picking out the "perfect" pumpkin. (I put "perfect" in quotes for two reasons: 1. that's Kaylea new thing. She uses air quotes all the time now! 2. her idea of a "perfect" pumpkin was one that had warts all over it!)

My Girls!
(Lainey's learning how to clap!)

Sweet Lainey with her first pumpkin!

Kaylea with her "perfect" pumpkin.

We had a great time choosing pumpkins. We did end up finding a pumpkin that we can carve so I will be posting pictures of that soon! In the mean time....Happy Fall, Y'all!!

Kaylea's First Soccer Game!

Kaylea had a great first soccer game! She and her fellow Kansas City Foxes dominated the field! They won their game 7-2! Kaylea got in the game and played hard. I am so proud of her and I know she is going to have a great first season of soccer.

Kaylea and her teammates were waiting to start the game.

Kaylea was working the ball! She's learning how to control the ball really well.
Doesn't she look so big in her uniform??

It's break time.

Kaylea was exhausted after her game.

Lainey sure did enjoy the game! She loved cheering on her big sister!

SOCCER SEASON!!!

Kaylea just started her first season of soccer. Ashton and I wanted her to try something new so this was her choice....#2 to cheerleading which she is too young for at most gyms. Kaylea is on a team with two of her best friends, Avery and Georgia. Our good friend, Kari, has a picture taking disorder....actually she's a FANTASTIC photographer that has graciously taken and shared pictures of the girls at their first soccer practice. I thought I'd share a couple as well.

Kaylea, Georgia and Avery

Kaylea kicking the ball

Taking a break (one of MANY!)

GO KANSAS CITY FOXES!!!

Kaylea's first game is on Saturday, Sept. 24th....I'm sure I'll have more pictures to post from that!

Happenings.....

So I started this blog with the intention of posting updated at least once a week. Obviously, that hasn't happened, but it hasn't been too long....yet.

Lainey is officially crawling!! She's not moving too fast yet so we have a little bit of time to baby proof everything, but I know that will need to happen soon! She also has TWO teeth coming in. The bottom two teeth right in front. She seems to be doing ok with the teething, which is just like her sister.

Speaking of sister, Kaylea is doing GREAT at school. Her teacher says she's just so smart and helps the other students. We're gearing up for her 4th birthday party. It's not until the end of October, but I have to start planning. She's also getting ready to start her first soccer season! I will definitely post pictures of that as soon as it begins!

We spent some time earlier today taking some pictures of Kaylea in her cheerleading uniform for her birthday invitations. (Her birthday is a cheer party....including official SBS cheerleaders!!) While taking pictures, I had to get a couple of BOTH my girls.

6 months old

Lainey just turned 6 months old! It's hard to believe that she's already half a year old! Time has flown by!

Lainey is starting to sit up on her own now! She still needs a little assistance every now and then, but she's almost got it! She's happy all the time also. She loves to laugh, but only at her big sister! It's so cute to see how they have bonded. Lainey is also getting up on all fours and is so close to crawling. It's only a matter of time! She wants to keep up with her big sister for sure!

At her 6 month check-up, she weighed in at 16 lbs 10 oz, which is in the 78%, and her height was 25 inches, which is in the 40%.

She's eating LOTS of fruit and some veggies...she doesn't really like green beans, but everything else she enjoys. Fruits are definitely her favorite though!

She has been such a joy and Kaylea has been such a great big sister. Before you know we'll be planning her first birthday!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school at Second Baptist. Kaylea is in Soaring Eagles. She has a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Jobe. I am so excited for her this year and can't wait to see what she's going to learn.


Kaylea's cousin, Caroline, also started Kindergarten today!



When Kaylea got home, she wanted to share with us what she learned today at school.

I'm so proud of her! She's going to have the best year!

Laughing Lainey

Just thought you all may enjoy this!

For My Daddy

So...many of my posts will probably have song lyrics in them. That because I LOVE music! I hear songs and they make me remember the things I was doing when I heard them or they remind me of someone special. Usually, I'll remember songs from my past while I'm putting Lainey down because I love singing her to sleep. This song is a song that I haven't sung in a while, but it's one that my Dad used to sing to me. It's called "Goodnight Kiss" by Steve and Annie Chapman.

Goodnight Kiss

I count it as a privilege
I count it cause for praise
to kiss my children goodnight
at the close of everyday
for I know too soon they're off and gone
and walkin' out the door
and I'll never have a child to kiss
goodnight anymore

It's very strange how times have changed
from the present to the past
when did they grow so quickly
the time has flown so fast
for it seems that only yesterday
I helped him with his shirt
or pat my baby on the back
or kissed away a hurt

tell the story read a book
wipe a nose or tie a shoe
they never ask me to rub their back
the way they used to do
once it was a bother
just a troublesome kind of chore
now I would give anything
to do it just once more

mommy bounce me on your knee
daddy flip me in the air
throw a rubber ball to me
and help me comb my hair
mommy tickle my tummy
daddy hold me high
let's go outside for awhile
or make a kite to fly

I count it as a privilege
I count it cause for praise
to kiss my children goodnight
at the close of everyday
for I know too soon they're off and gone
and walkin' out the door
and I'll never have a child to kiss
goodnight anymore

It's amazing how fast kids grow up! Now, with two of my own, this song takes on a whole new meaning. I am blessed everyday by my girls and can't thank God enough for them.

The Float Test

Kaylea has been taking swim lessons this summer at Houston Swim Club. (If you want your child to learn how to be safe in the water and learn to swim, this is the place to go!) There are different levels and each session is 2 weeks long. She went from a Guppy to a Goldfish and is now a Dolphin. Usually, before they move on to Dolphin, they have to take a float test. It is a three day test where she is basically thrown into the water and has to float to the side of the pool or for 5 minutes, whichever happens first, without assistance. Each day she had to wear regular clothing. The purpose of this test is to make sure that if she were to accidentally fall into water, she would know what to do and how to be safe.

The first day it was just a t-shirt and shorts with tennis shoes.



The second day was cotton pants, t-shirt and tennis shoes.



The last day she had to wear jeans, long sleeves, sock and tennis shoes.

(At the beginning of this video, it looks like Kaylea is struggling. She was actually trying to give her teacher her"chip." Before she goes into the pool area every day she has to get a "chip" that tells the lifeguards what teacher she's supposed to be with. Each chip is a different color. When they get to their teacher, they usually put their chip in a little bucket and get in the water. This day, she forgot to put it in the bucket and still had it when she started the float test. She wanted to make sure Mr. Alex got her chip before she started floating.)



Kaylea did a great job!! At the end of the test, she got a certificate, a bell (because every time she completed a test, they would ring a bell and all the instructors would cheer) and a t-shirt.

I am so proud of how brave she was!

Weekend Project

Ashton is always trying to think of things to do in the yard on the weekends. He loves being outdoors. This past weekend, Ashton built a gate for our dog, Lucas. He worked very hard on getting things just right and making sure everything was perfect. I am so proud of what a great job he did!

Ashton was working very hard at getting the gate just right!

His battle wound


Kaylea even helped out...she loved using her tools!

The FINISHED product!!!

So proud!

Whirlwind Weekend

So we had quite an eventful weekend this past weekend! First we got to go to the circus....Kaylea's first circus experience! She had a great time! I don't think I've ever seen her sit so still since she was born. She's always so busy and constantly going....opposite of Lainey. Lainey is so laid back and chill. I'm not sure if she'll stay that way, but I know her daddy hopes so ;)

Clearly...Kaylea was thrilled to get her picture taken in front of the circus sign.

Kaylea chose this (creepy looking) clown cup for her sno cone.

The elephants were magnificent!

Anyway, after the circus, we got in the car and Lainey went on her first road trip to Dallas! This is a trip we will make many times so we have to get her used to it! While in Dallas, we decided to take the girls to the Fort Worth Zoo! It was such a great zoo! The animals were so beautiful! Kaylea had a great time telling Lainey all about the animals. Nana got the girls an awesome wagon that they rode in! They had a great time!

Kaylea and Lainey enjoying their awesome wagon from Nana!

Nana and the girls

My sweet Lainey....always smiling!

It was an interesting, eventful weekend! Road trips are different with TWO kids, but making the memories is well worth it!!