A New Tradition

This year the kids each wanted to buy for each other. So one by one, we took all four of them shopping to buy the other three gifts. It was interesting to see them put thought into what the others would want. I think they began to understand the idea of 'giving'. This morning is that last time (before Christmas) that we will have them all together before they go do Christmas with their other parents. So we started a new tradition that on the morning of Christmas Eve, they would be allowed to open presents from each other. It was fun to see them excited and thankful to each other (for once).

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas is about Family!!

Over the past two days, we have spent each night celebrating Christmas with various family members. We have created memories and traditions to last a lifetime. Because of our busy schedules and many extended families, we started Christmas week with Mimi (my mom) and then with my dad.

My four kids and my sister's two kids celebrating with Mimi!

The girls and my dad!

Preparing for Christmas

We have skipped a lot of things going on...but obviously our family is buzzing with excitment as we prepare for Christmas. The girls had their parties at school today so they decided to be decked out with the Christmas shirts. They looked so cute, so as we were leaving the house this morning, I had to take their picture.

These were a couple of pictures from when we decorated our Christmas tree. The kids wanted to be ornaments also!

Fall Happenings

Fall is a time of many fun things. Our family has experienced Fall Fun with

1) Football

2) Birthday parties

Clara turned 6 !!!

3) Pumpkin Farms

We went to the pumpkin farm with some friends of our on the hottest day in October. We didn't last too long but we did find the biggest pumpkin ever!

and

4) Pumpkin Carving

Clara was not too fond of the inner parts of the pumpkin.

We are Family!

My sisters and I all lead very crazy busy lives, but we were able to all come together with our families and spouses to celebrate our uncle's 60th birthday a couple of weeks ago. My mom and stepdad were even there to hang out with us. We had a blast hamming it up for the camera, dancing, and laughing at the good ole times! I hope that as we get older, times will begin to slow down (yeah right) and we can schedule more time to spend together and enjoy each other's company. It was truly the best evening I have had in a while!

Clara's Growing Up!

Clara has officially hit being a 'big girl'! She has lost her first tooth! Although it was great that the tooth fairy left $2.00 (inflation has even hit the tooth fairy), she is saddened that her tooth is missing. She has even contemplated putting the $2.00 back under her pillow to attempt to get her tooth back. Ah, the innocense of childhood. I can't believe my little girl is toothless with many more. She already has two others loose. By Christmas time, she really will be singing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!"

Ashley's 4th Birthday!

I can't believe that 4 years have already gone by and our baby is already 4 years old. We celebrated at our house with lots of her friends from school and family. We had a blast with the water slide and playing (destroying) the play room. She is such a blessing and really allowing her personality to shine. I pray that she continues to build her own personality and not try to be like anyone except herself.

How 'Bout them COWBOYS !!!

I love the fall and all the outside events. I have never been much of a football fan but for those of you who grew up in or around Irving, as I did, you know that we love our Dallas Cowboys. Well, I have a new found favorite Cowboy player and I think he is absolutely the best!!!!!!! He is destined to be the next Emmitt Smith, especially since he is #22. A new legend in the making. Check out these pictures I took...
The last one is the final score of the first game of the season - WE WON!

First Days of School

The first day of school is a big deal at our house. Full of big breakfasts, special clothes, and of course, pictures. This year was also full of tears as we have hit the milestone...first day of Kindergarten. I am not sure who it was worse for, me or Clara. I can't believe that 5 years have gone by and my oldest little girl has started school. She looked so big as she sat in her seat waiting to begin her journey. It caught me off guard how time has flown by and now she is no longer a little girl. I was even more caught off guard at how nervous she was because she physically made herself sick. We spent the morning running to the toilet and talking about what she was scared about and trying to calm those fears.

Today was just as hard for Ashley, as she was at day care 'all alone' as she put it. This was her first experience without Clara at day care with her so it was equally traumatic for her.

Richard, on the other hand, being a boy has had no trouble getting off to school. He leaves with two neighbor boys at 6:30 to catch the bus at 6:50 and doesn't even blink an eye. 5th grade is going to be a snap, so he thinks!

Here are some pictures of how we will remember our first year of Intermediate school, Kindergarten, and day care '08...enjoy!

School Hair Cuts

The girls went for their official 'Back to School' haircuts and I can't believe how cute they turned out. Not to mention how old they are beginning to look. So we are back to school tomorrow (Clara on Tuesday). It's all over but the crying. By the way look for the teary-eyed pictures of her first day of Kindergarten later this week.

APPROVED!!!!!

For those of you following my blog, I am ecstatic to inform you that I have been approved. My thesis that is. I recieved my confirmation this past Thursday that the University of Phoenix approved my thesis for completion...meaning...I will actually receive my degree without having any further revisions of my thesis. Here is the email that my professor sent to me....


Hi,

I have some great news, which should improve your weekend. Your ARP has been accepted. Your only deductions were details, while important, you don't need to resubmit. You should be very proud of this work.

Yippee - you are done - Congratulations : )


Thank you for your support and continued thoughts througout this process. I have three more classes to take and then it's on to Phoenix to receive my papers.

Prayer request!!!

I have a prayer request that I am asking for because I know my faithful and supportive family and friends will help me!

I am in my final stages of my thesis for my master's program and am feeling the stress. My thesis is due next week and with the chaos of starting back to school for me and the kids, I am really feeling the pressure. I just pray that God will guide me through this fire into the triumph successfully and the thesis will get finished on time (just in time for school to start).

Thank you for your support and thoughts! I couldn't do this without the support of my family, especially my amazing husband who has spent COUNTLESS hours being a 'single dad' during the last year and a half so that I can work on bettering my eductaion. He is fabulous and I owe more than half of this degree to him!
Thanks Babe!!!!!

Summer!!!!!!!!

We have been super busy over this summer, hence the reason for me being slow to catch up on the blogging. We have been swimming almost everyday for the last month with the exception of the week we spent in San Antonio going to Sea World. I take that back, we did take a dive in the hotel pool each night we were there. I have tried to keep the kids busy, and out of my hair. We even had a visitor stay with us. Bless her!!!!! Keith's cousin's daughter came to stay a week with us. She is 10, same age as Richard, and was the best live-in babysitter I have ever had (the only live-in babysitter too). It was amazing. While she was here, we took in a game of putt-putt, some bowling, of course the water park and several other things. It was the BEST! I have attached yet another slide show, because there are way too many pictures to add onto just one post!



I hope you enjoy our summer fun as we wind down the summer. Yes, you read that right. Our summer is already coming to a close. I have already started doing some things around the school and attending a couple of meetings. Before you know it, we will be back in school mode full force with two do to homework now. I can't wait!

Dance Costume Pictures

Today I took my girls for a 'photo shoot'. You would have thought the died and went to heaven. They were in their element, for sure. It is amazing how they have grown up. It goes by so fast.
Enjoy these pictures...I know they enjoyed making them.

Check out my Slide Show!

Lots has happened since I last posted.
**Richard graduated 4th grade and elementary school. He is on to Intermediate school.
**Clara graduated preschool and is onto Kindergarten/Elementary school.
In the fall everyone will be in a new situation because Clara and Richard are both going to a new 'big' school and that leaves Ashley in day care all by herself for the first time (tear, tear).
**Ashley and Clara had their dance recital. Clara rocked the house as most two year veterans do. Ashley enjoyed the spotlight since it was her first dance recital. She even got a little carried away with tap dancing, slipped, and fell. All I can say is "MEMORIES"!

Other than this, we have just been enjoying many things as a family. Hanging out with friends at the house, going to the water park (Mimi bought us NRH2O season passes for Christmas), going to do things together as a family, and hanging out at the family. Take a look at the pics!

Make the Most of Your 'Dash'

Today I had to attend a funeral for a long time mentor and friend, Ms. Pat Terrill. Ms. Terrill, as I always referred to her, was a teacher at Townley Elementary when I was a student there 22 - 24 years ago. When I started teaching 8 years ago, she was a big mentor to me. YES, she was still teaching there. She lived her life to the fullest and gave everything she had to those around her. At her funeral today, the pastor proposed the message. He said that Ms. Terrill had made the most of her 'dash'. The dash is the time between your birth date and your death date. This hit home to me and really made me wonder, if I was making the most of my dash. Have I given as much as I can to those around me? Have I made a change in the students that I work with daily? Have I raised my kids so they reflect God's love and mercy? I was not able to answer an absolute yes to any of these (and other) questions so I vow to walk the walk and talk the talk and to live the way God has called us to live.

So to honor my dear mentor and friend Ms. Pat Terrill, I ask you, are you making the most of your dash?


May Ms. Terrill rest in peace with her Lord and Savior. She will dearly be missed!

"I am my beloved, and my beloved is mine"

This was the theme for my youngest sister's wedding that we had last weekend. I am not sure what is worse...knowing that I am old enough to have both my sister's married OR that my kids were just so cute and old enough to be a part of the wedding. We had a blast being a part and the kids were fabulous. I remembered what a blessing it is to have someone to spend your life with. Have you told those you love how much you love them? Being surrounded by family that weekend in that little country chapel, reminded me how special my famiy (and friends) are to me. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the wedding.

We're Back

Well, it has been a long time, but the O'Briant's have come back around to report.

We have been busy the last 8 weeks since Christmas. So many things, normal daily life things, going on to report. Most importantly two great things have happened. Keith and I found time (by the grace of my mom - THANKS A LOT MOM) to go on a cruise together. We had a BLAST !!!! We flew to New Orleans and sailed out with a group from Keith's corporate office to Cozymel, Mexico. We spent our days doing WHATEVER we wanted - laying out by the pool, eating what we wanted, and most importantly - sleeping as late as we wanted. The weather was beautiful. I even got a sunburn - imagine that - but in February. - WOW!!!!

Then today, like many other families in NorthWest DFW, we enjoyed a winter storm. After fighting a normal 15 - 20 minute drive home, which today took 45 minutes, we played out in the snow and loved every minute of it. Our front yard easily received 4 -5 inches of snow. Real snow..not just the slushy, wet stuff.