Happy Birthday Lucy!

Our Lucy girl is 4 today!

In honor of her special day here is a.... What's it called when you list things about someone by the letters of their first name?  You know what I am talking about. Hold on, let me google it. Ahhhhh...
An acrostic poem. That's it! Here we go!

Loves her family.
Uses her princess plate and fork whenever clean.
Can't stop talking.
Yep, loves the color purple. (I know that's a big reach.
    But Y is hard)

Hilarious. Keeps us laughing.
Excited about...fill in the blank. She is up for anything!
Laughs constantly
Eats chocolate whenever possible.
Needs her blankie, baby, twilight turtle and
    tinker bell night light.
Asks to read 100 stories at night. "Just one more"!

Dances all over the house. All the time. Always.
Especially likes to play with Hayes
Asks to wear a princess dress every day.
Never wants to leave the party.

And now, some pictures from the last year.

3rd birthday celebration at school

Princesses on Ice - March

St. Louis Zoo - March

Cinco de Mayo - July. Just kidding. May

Port Aransas - May

Last day of Preschool - May

Michigan - July

Driving through Michigan - July

1st Ballet Class - September

Main Street Theatre - October

Doughnuts with Dad / Uncle Cody - October

Playing in Gramma's desk - November

Family Pictures - November

Watching the Cotton Bowl - January

New Leotard - January

Houston Half Marathon - Riggity Riggity Recap

Ran the Houston Half Marathon.
It was cold.
It rained.
I finished.
The end.

Just jokes! That's not much of a recap. Although all those things did happen.

Anna was nice enough to let us stay with her the night before the race. Which was a huge bonus because she lives about 5 minutes from the George R. Brown. We parked outside the convention center about 5:40 and made the very chilly walk, that turned into a  run, to the building. Once we got inside we sat down, drank our water, went tee-tee, etc.

At about 6:45 we made our way to the starting line where we waited in the cold. And the wind. And the rain. And the cold. Oh, and it was sprinkling. In all honesty it was pretty miserable. The emcee kept counting down the minutes until the start. More than one person shouted, "everyone is here, let's get started". I may or may not have been one of those people. Thank goodness Anna had the brains to suggest hand warmers. They are the only thing that kept me from waiting in the port-potti.

And then, the gun! Hooray! Shortly after we began walking we turned a corner and the wind was cut in half. Hooray for downtown wind tunnels. As we took off we noticed that it looked like it was raining ahead of us. But we didn't feel any rain? Curious! And then we ran into it.

We normally chat, chat, chat when we run, but I don't think either of us said more than 10 words until Mile Marker 4. Then we started talking and the rest of the race went by fairly quickly.

At Mile 9, the race turns. After that, I really felt great.

Let's be honest, after the BCS Half debacle, I was just glad to be in the game.

The race finishes through downtown Houston and it is a fun last couple miles. Right before you enter downtown, you run under a large American flag. Feels like you are in a movie.

I am alway glad to see the maker for Mile 13. And this year I was really glad that the post race was inside.

Special side note: I was adjusting my hat, felt my pony tail and thought, "I don't remember putting my hair in a bun". Nope! I didn't! It was just that matted and tangled from the wind and rain. Puuuuuuuuurty!

All done

This is how we did it

We are trying to balance. Picture included so you
could see my beautiful rat's nest.

Feeling super. And SUPER glad it was over!

And then there was December

December as told in pictures...

Watching Johnny Football win the Heisman.
Also known as the night before the race that wasn't.

How I left the BCS Half Marathon the race

that wasn't. Don't worry, everything is fine.
Rumor has it you shouldn't try and run through
a very bad chest cold. Allegedly.

Going to see Johnny Heisman. 

Hayes-manziel practicing his scramble. 

Will NOT look at the camera. 

Hayes' school program. 

Hayes protesting his school program. 

Elfing around. Anyone else have an
abundance of Benjamin Knox?

Decorating cookies. "Cheft" Lucy in her "chefting" hat. 

Hanging out at The Woodlands Children's Museum.
I promise he has other shirts. 

Making gingerbread houses at the museum. 

Okay, you got us...they are graham crackers .

Lucy is super proud. 

Notice Hayes' house is more of an adobe style.
Poor roof couldn't handle his delicate decorating. 

Opening presents at Gramma and Granddad's house

Christmas morning with the beautiful Aurora. 

Q: How long does it take an almost
2 year old to destroy a new train table?
A: 1.5 seconds

We had some friends over and the kids turned it into
a slumber party. Come over any time Lees!

If I sit in the tub, mommy can't put Christmas away. 

Family Pictures 2012

I was waiting to post these pictures until our Christmas cards went out. Because, you know, people sit by their mailboxes anxiously waiting for our family Christmas cards and I wouldn't dreeeeeeaaam of ruining their fun.

Or something less ridiculous and conceited.

This year we had our pictures taken by the fabulous Ellen Enger. She is so easy to work with and was great with our kiddos. Read: she brought smarties so Hayes would stop being Señor Cranky Pants and take a picture already.

Seriously, our little dude was in a mood. He kept turning his back on the camera or walking away and facing the shrubbery. Oh well! She got some good ones.

Here are some of my favorites.

Typical

Our favorite guy

Fancy and me

A small moment of cooperation.
Pretty sure he had a Smartie in his mouth.

Our best girl

A rare photo of the 2 of us

It was that kind of day

The boys

Drew really wanted this picture. He was right. I love it and
just ordered it for my mantle. 

What? Hayes isn't standing up straight and cooperating?
SHOCKER!

Sweet picture of Pam and Warren. 

Dancing Queen

Ever since Lucy started ballet / tap in September she had been anxiously awaiting her first performance.  For  months and months she toiled away at something called the Marshmallow Dance. Although she loved to talk about it she was very hush hush regarding the details. When I would ask her to tell me about it she would say, "you'll have to wait and seeeeeeee". She wanted me to know, but didn't want me to know. She is a complicated little lady.

The day finally came in early December and it was awesome. I told her that she wouldn't be able to see us (her cheering section - Aunt Anna, Aunt Molly, Gramma, Granddad, Fancy, Mommy, and Daddy) but we would sure be able to see her. From the moment she walked out I could tell she was looking for us. Actually everyone could because she waved and waved and waved.

However once the music started she was all tap business. She did most of the steps, but more importantly she had a lot of fun.

Side note: I had NEVER in my life heard the song Marshmallow World before that day. I heard it no less than 98 times during the Christmas season.

There was no photography or video allowed during the performances, but I did get some pictures after of the dancing star receiving her flowers.

Purpler roses from Daddy and Hayes

Could get her to look at the camera. 

More flowers from Fancy

Halloween

Halloween was a blast! We had a really great time getting to know our new neighbors.

Hayes had a great time...for about 2 blocks. Then he was done. Like sat down in the middle of the sidewalk done.

Lucy on the other hand wanted to party all night. "One more street", was her constant battle cry.

Fancy, Gramma and Granddad were on hand for the festivities and were sure were glad they came!

Carving Pumpkins. Not her costume, princess
dresses are every day attire around these parts. 

Curtseying with Gramma

Hayes and our buddy, Sophia

I take this picture every year. 

Getting ready to go!

Spidey-Hayes ready for action. 

My Kids are Awesome

Also known as, funny things my kids do and say.

Also known as, things I want to remember.

When walking in the mall in response to Fancy asking her to stay close,
"Fancy, I've got enough problems".

While putting on a skirt with built in shorts, Lucy got both her legs stuck in one leg hole. She muttered to herself, "Well this is a situation".

If Lucy wants something plain, cereal without milk for example, she asks for it "real".

Hayes thinks a "minky" (binky) lives in every pocket. He'll walk up to you randomly saying, "minky, minky, minky" searching for your pockets.

While telling Fancy an elaborate story about a princess and she said she "had to go home and get organized for the ball". Get organized! Ha! I have no idea where she gets it.

If Lucy wakes up first and hears Hayes waking up in his room she will go in and say, "Good morning big boy"!

Hayes jumps all over my living room. Jump = saying jump and throwing his hands up.

Last weekend Hayes went with me to CVS to get Lucy some medicine. He was still wearing his pi's but insisted on wearing his boots. He proudly strutted through the store saying "Hiiiiiiiiiiii" and then pointed to his foot, "Boot" to everyone he passed. Then he would stick his foot out and wait for a comment.