Fall Festivities

It is hard to believe its fall again. Time sure does fly!

The most exciting news we have is the birth of our adorable nephew/cousin James Tripp (he told us he would like to go by Tripp). He arrived on Wednesday, November 19. He is such a cutie pie and he has been adjusting well to his new life. It has been special to see Blake and Katy as proud parents. They are doing a wonderful job! The girls are elated to have a new cousin.

This made me almost want another one!

Avery getting in some sweet cuddle time.

The girls are interested in doing their own thing rather than taking a cute cousin picture.

Yes, I know I am good lookin'!

Two of their other cousins, Mylen and Aivlyn, celebrated their birthdays recently. Mylen turned 4 and Aivlyn celebrated her very first birthday. The girls always have a ball playing with their cousins and celebrating their birthdays. It will be even more fun when Aivlyn and Tripp get a little older and can hold their own around the older cousins.

I am a big one year old now!

Help me do this, mom!


I am so excited about my cake! (Janet, you always make the most amazing cakes!)

We took advantage of our fall festivities around the Grayson area. We hit the Sherman Fall Festival, Denison Fall Festival, and the Grayson County Fair.

Halloween brought along fun events such as our annual preschool fall festival, Avery's kindergarten Halloween party, and the Sherman Halloween Festival. Like most of you, we now have tons of candy. The girls didn't even notice when I took a big bag of it to share with the middle school girls I shared a cabin with on our middle school retreat this past weekend. Thanks girls!

Our little angel (most of the time).


Avery is the glittery witch on the cake walk. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture of her in her costume. I will have to have her get dressed up again and do that. Oooops! That is what happens when you are trying to get pictures of your kids as well as your preschool students.



Abby's preschool class at the Fall Festival.


Wes and I and our wonderful middle schoolers on the retreat. Wish I had their energy!

Avery got her first report card, all E's (yipee!) and an E in citizenship. They have an awards ceremony every nine weeks when report cards go out. She got all the possible awards that a student could get. A reading award, citizen award, worker award, attendance award, and A Honor Roll. She has already done some state testing (kind of sad that kindergarten students have to take state assessment tests already). She got 100 percent on 7 of the 9 areas tested and between 92-99 percentile on the areas of the other test. We are quite proud! I hope and pray her joy in learning continues through out all her education years. I volunteer some at her school helping kids take reading tests, going on field trips, or helping the teachers with different projects from time to time.

Abby is doing well. She enjoys preschool and misses her sister while she is at school. She is our most affectionate child and I occasionally like to hold her while she falls asleep. She constantly cracks us up with her made up songs and dances. She is not shy! She has the sweetest prayers and most interesting ones too. She likes to pray for friends when they are sick, which melts my heart. The other day she prayed, "God, please give us the power!" Ha!

Our family has made the local paper 3 times. No, we don't have any friends on the staff, we just happen to be at the right spot at the right time, I guess.

Avery on the first day of school.


Our family at Open House at Avery's school. Yes, Wes is looking at his phone!


Our family is in top right hand corner watching the monkey show.

Avery got to participate in a mock vote at school.

Who should I vote for? I don't even know who these guys are?????

Can you tell me who to vote for?

Gotta love this smile!