Matthew's best friend....

We could've named her Joy

Natalie really could have been named Joy.  I am not going to say she's an angel.  She has her big fits, bigger than some other kid's fits, matter of fact.  But she is happy 99% of the time.  She loves with the biggest heart.  She is still a little girl and I am totally cool with that.  It isn't in a weird way, but she still loves her baby Jenny and playing dress up.  She has plenty of time to be grown up; she can do that then.  Right now, she is still having challenges in school.  It is probably never going to be the easiest of things for her.  But, she goes in with a smile on her face and is eager to learn each and every new thing her teacher shows her.  She adored her teacher last year and sobbed on the last day when she had to say goodbye.  She also had to say good-bye to her Papa Joe that she misses very much.  She says that she will always love mustaches because of her Papa.  She adores her big sister.  They are attached at the hip.  That is, when they are not arguing.  In all seriousness, they will be okay with any other punishment than having to be separated from one another.  This makes my heart sing.  She thinks that teaching new things to her baby brother is a ton of fun, and I think it is cool to see her learning while thinking she is teaching. Always a teacher.  She is healthy.  She is healthy.  I can say that again, she is healthy.  She literally was not sick one school day the entire school year and managed to get the Perfect Attendance Award, as well as the Good Citizen Award, which is only given to one child in each class at the end of the year.  You would never guess where this little girl came from, and I can imagine that most people who meet her would never guess what kind of amazing miracle this girl is to us, what she went through when she was so little.  I just had to include a picture of Natalie and Jenny's new coordinating outfits (I thought she was too old for this, but Meagan wanted one for her and her American Girl too!)  Below, a photo of Natalie and those still stunning blue eyes, at about 4 months,

 

 

 

 

  

****Meagan is reading this.  I want to make sure that everyone out there knows that she is awesome too.  She is actually.  I will have to talk more about this soon.  She has been taking a new dance class and musical theater as well.  Lots of new things to talk about with all three kids, but that will be done soon! 

I love me some Austin Fall!

The dogs haven't had much screen time since, well, since a very long time.  Matter of fact, people might not even recognize poor Peanut, who is now more white than black.  Poor baby.  Charlie is still crazy as always.  She never knew Barni, but I swear she is trying to take her place as master  food thief. 

 

 

 

Like I said, I love, love, love Austin fall.  We aren't really there yet, but this weekend was an awesome tease for the real deal.  The kids played outside for quite a bit and we went to the Domain.  We all ate outside at Gloria's and it was all around awesome.

My sweet almost 8 year old!!!

Enjoying her game of human pinball....

 Looks like Matthew got run over by that pinball!

Wacky Waco

Last weekend we headed to Dallas for the Jackopierce concert that I have been SO excited about for 6 months.  It was pretty awesome.  It was at the Winspear Opera House, which I had never been to and it was beautiful.  We went with Michelle, Eric, and my sorority sister Misti and her husband Jason.  Matthew had an overnight with Aunt Jean and Uncle Steve.  Of course, he was perfect and went right to sleep for them.  :)

Meagan enjoyed her first concert, but Natalie slept through much of it. She said it was very fun, though! On the way home we stopped in Waco at the Mayborn Museum.  I was totally shocked, but it was a great museum!  We all had a great time.  Matthew drove a fire truck.

Meagan became a bus driver. She honked the horn a lot.

The girls got to be anchors at the children's TV stations. 

Well, Natalie did what Natalie does.

We both enjoyed the huge cricket.  We liked the cricket way better than the hissing cockroach that was real.

Misti, Michelle, me, Nati and Meagan at the official party picture place.Meagan had someone interview her with a video camera...there weren't too many kids there, but she got kind of nervous. She said to cross that off. :)

 

The First Week of School Has Come and Gone

The signs might be a bit hard to read, but they say that the girls are in 4th and 2nd grade.  That is so grown up that it is kind of hard for me to process, but they were very excited to start up, get to know their teachers, and see their friends.  Matthew wasn't too excited to take pictures with them, though!

 The day before school started we went down to Mueller to go to the farmer's market there.  The red building in the front of the picture is the new Children's Museum opening in December.  Like I needed another reason to be sad that we live here and not down there.  If the schools were just a bit better and if I wasn't such an advocate for public schools....
This was a photo of the fountain near the old airport hangar that serves as the home for the farmer's market.  It gave a bit of precious relief from the August heat when the wind caught the water droplets just right and misted on us. 

Natalie with her teacher, Ms. Bryant.

Meagan with her teacher, Mr. Bhattcharyya.  This is our first time with a guy teacher and he seems super nice.  The kids are really excited to be in his class, and we are happy that Meagan's friend Makenzie is in the same class again this year, the first time since Kindergarten.

School started well for me.  Very, very hectic, but it has gone relatively smoothly.
Next weekend is the 25th anniversary of Jackopierce concert up in Dallas.  I can not wait.  My girls are going, but Matthew is staying with Aunt Jean and Uncle Steve.  3 isn't quite appropriate yet for a concert.  Michelle and her husband Eric are coming, as well as my sorority sister, Misti and her husband.  The concert is at the Winspear Opera House which should be incredible!!!