Much Needed Family Time...

This year we decided to do things a little different. We decided to go with my parents for a much needed vacation. Our destination...Arkansas. We loaded up the Durango and my dad's truck early Monday morning and hit the road for an 8 hour (okay maybe a little longer because of potty breaks) car ride ride to Mena, Arkansas. The scenery was spectacular. This was one of the most beautiful areas I have been in for awhile. As we pulled into our campgrounds and crossed the "troll bridge" I knew it was going to be a great week. Monday was filled with unloading the cars, getting settled into our small cottage and stretching our legs as we took in the fresh air and surroundings.

Tuesday came and started off with little sleep and a killer backache thanks to paper thin mattresses. After some much needed caffeine we loaded up in the ATV with our picnic lunch and hit the road.. I mean trail. We had a mission and we were off to find Little Missouri Falls. After what felt like eternity on the rumble seat a.k.a. Ab Ripper, we finally made it to the falls. It was a beautiful sight and the kids immediately wanted to jump in and swim. The water felt like heaven on our hot and dust covered skin. The girls loved every minute and did not want to get out for lunch.

After lunch we loaded back up for the long drive back to the cabin. As we hung out feet out the back of the ATV to dry out our water shoes we talked about what we were going to do that evening and where we would have dinner. Little did we know a huge rock was about to slow down our plans. My dad tried to avoid the rock but did not want to get to close to the edge of the path (it was a LONG way down) the above mentioned "rock" put a nice hole in the side wall of our tire. That meant everyone except my dad and Natalie had to get off and start walking while my dad eased the ATV back towards camp. I told my mom we would laugh about this later as we struggled to go up and down the rough terrain and hills making our way back to camp. But when you are about 5 or miles from camp, in the mountains, wearing water shoes and it is a cool 95 degrees outside you don't think anything will be funny. Finally after walking for about 15 minutes we came across some neighbors from camp. They helped us out and the guy took my dad back to camp on his 4 wheeler to get the truck and trailer so we could load it up once we got to a point where we could get the truck. They were such great people to help us out even though they were on their honeymoon.

That night we grilled hamburgers and sat around talking and enjoying some down time.

Wednesday started off the same as the other days, waking up early with a back ache and need for caffeine. Today we decided to make the trek to Hot Springs to take the kiddos to Magic Springs.I wish we had known ahead of time Olivia was going to get motion sick from all the winding roads because we would have prepared better, but we made it and the kids had a blast.

Natalie rode her first "roller coaster" and Olivia was actually "to tall" to ride some of the kid rides. She was however tall enough for me to pay adult admission. All in all it was a fun filled morning and we soon headed back to meet my mom and dad at the cabin. Dad decided to take Bobby, Olivia and myself up to the ranger station they had found earlier in the day to show us the view now that the tire on the ATV was fixed. After riding 20 miles we found the steps that led the way. The view was breathtaking and pictures do not do it justice.

This little place was amazing and I couldn't believe rangers used to stay up here for long periods of time just to watch the forests and the weather.As we made our way back down to the ATV Olivia noticed the same tire had a small leak. We loaded up and raced against time to get back to the cabin. There was NO way I was going to be walking through the mountains again!! We made it back to the cabin before the air was gone out of the tire and decided that it was time to load it on the trailer. Our trail riding had come to an end.
That night we decided to try out a place for dinner called Papa's Mexican Food. It was a choice we would since second guess once we got our food. We decided since we live closer to the border our expectations were a little higher than this place could meet. We headed back to camp to make the messiest s'mores I have ever eaten.Then it was back to bed to rest up for a long day on Thursday.

Thursday was our last day in Arkansas and we decided to cross the creek one more time to see what we could find.

We headed up yet another mountain to th e Wilhellmina State Park and hotel at the top of the mountain. It was a "scenic drive" that had some amazing views. We stopped at every little spot along the way to take our picture with the mountains in the background. We thought we would never reach the top but once we did it was spectacular. The hotel was beautiful inside and out and we stopped at the gift shop for a little shopping. Right down the road we stopped and let the girls ride the miniature train and have an ice cream come and we looked at pictures of bears and other wildlife that have been spotted in the area. Then it was time to head back down the mountain and back to the cabin. We needed to start getting things ready to load in the car and look for a "good" place to have dinner one last time. If you want to know the best place to eat you definietly need to ask the locals. We asked the guy who ran the campgrounds if he had any place he would recommend for dinner and he did not disappoint. Mena Cafe is a little piece of heaven in the mountains. We were so full when we left we did not get to pack the cars up that evening. We just sat outside on the swings and watched the girls dance around and catch fireflies (Natalie's first time). It was so good to see that and get to share it with my parents.

Friday came and it was a day the girls had been waiting for. We were headed to Grapevine to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. I must say this place is unreal. I was a stunned as the kids to see such a beautiful hotel. I was ready to put my stuff in a room and get my swimsuit on and join the kids in the waterpark. We spent a couple of hours just playing at the inddor waterpark and riding the water slides. Natalie cried saturday morning beacuse she did not want to leave the hotel. As soon as the flat tire (yes, i said FLAT TIRE) on my Durango was fixed we said good bye to my parents (they were heading back to Alvin) and we set off for Dublin. We had not been here in 2 years and did not know we were about to show up to the 120th birthday celebration. This small town was packed and ready to party. We had fun walking around for a little bit and enjoying everything they had to offer.

It was soon time for us to hed back home. Vacation with family is such a fun and exciting time and as much as you don't want it to end it is eventually time to get back to reality and that evil thing called work. I hope we can do more things throughout the summer and make many more memories for the kids.

Back in the saddle...

It has been so long since i have updated this thing that I almost forgot i had it. This year has been a rollercoaster ride that at times I wish my family could get off of. We are trying so hard to live life as it was before but it is so hard when a simple song on the radio reminds you of a lost loved one or simply passing by his street makes you tear up. We miss him so much everyday and I hope in time it will get easier on my family.







As life goes on and we get back in the saddle I am overjoyed seeing my kids accomplish everything they have this year. Olivia competed in UIL Music Memory in January and took 4th place in Music Memory. That was a hard and joyous day. Her uncle had passed away early that morning and we did not want to distract her with the news and keep her from doing her best on something she had worked so hard for. I cried during the awards ceremony when they called her name and I could see her smile from the top of the bleachers in the gym. Today was her awards ceremony at school and she brought home a trophy for reading 16 bluebonnet books, 2 medals for getting commended on reading and Math TAKS tests, and 10 certificates in which she received one for all "A" honor roll and one for being accepted to Honor Choir for next school year. I feel she has a guardian angel on her shoulder now.







Natalie is my little DIVA who i feel is already acting as if she is 16 and not 4. She is in love with her teacher at school and for that I am so grateful. She has accomplished so much at school that i would have never expected her to do and is quite the ballerina these days. I can't wait to see what the future holds for my babies as they grow up.

My love of photography has been so great at letting me express myself and meet new people. I can't wait to share some of the new photos I take on here.

Busy Bee....

WOW it has been forever it feels like since i have been on here. Things get crazy when school starts. Soccer season is now in full force and girl scouts will be starting here shortly. Olivia will also be going to choir on thursday mornings. Not to mention fundraisers and everything else a mommy has to do. Don't get me wrong I love it all but sometimes it makes you a little tired.

A step in a new direction

A lot has been going on these past few weeks and I am finally able to step back and take a deep breath. With a few encouraging words from true friends I have decided to finally take the steps I need to start venturing out on the photography path. It is not going to be some lucrative business and I don't expect to get rich from it but it is something I love to do and apparently others see it too. I am so excited about the future.

What a crazy week it has been

Last friday I felt very weird pulling up to the hospital knowing I was going in for surgery. Last time I pulled up to the hospital for surgery I was pregnant with Natalie and knew I was coming home with my sweet angel in return. This time was different. I thought I might feel nervous sitting there in day surgery waiting for them to come and get me but strangely I felt a sense of calm. The only problem I had was the almost 2 hour wait for everything to be final and the nurse to come by with the hospital bed and tell me to hop on so we can go upstairs. It felt strange because that morning I was not in pain and here I am walking over and getting on the bed to be wheeled upstairs and then laying there waiting for anesthesia to come run my IV and epidural. I remember being taken nito the OR and hearing everyone talking to me and then I awoke in the recovery room. I am trying to take it slow and keep my pain levels down with medication but I want so bad to get back into my old routine. I am not allowed to drive or lift anything heavy for 2 weeks and I thank God everyday for all the support I am receiving from friends and family. Natalie is also ready for our routine to fall back into place. This morning we were both overjoyed when we got to wake up and sit on the couch eating pop-tarts and watch cartoons. She had a smile from ear to ear and that made me smile too. Last night I made it to meet the teacher at Passmore. Olivia was so excited to go and I wanted to be there for her so I slowly made my way through the school with her. I am glad that the surgery went smooth and ready for my life to get back to normal.

Surgery is in my future

I went back on monday for a follow-up ultrasound to see if this cyst has gotten any smaller. Of course it hasnot and my doctor scheduled me to go in on August 14th to have it removed. I am so thankful for everyone who has offered to help. My mother unknowingly took the 14th off from work to have some "me" time and has now offered to watch the kiddos while Bobby takes me to have surgery. Sheila has offered up her house for me to stay at until I can get up the stairs to our apartment and has offered the services of her two teenagers to help me take care of the kids until I am recovered enough to do it alone. The kids would have offered anyway they are like my siblings and I love them so much. Hopefully after next friday things can go back to the way they were before and I can get rid of this pain.

A test from God...

I have put off blogging about this experience until now because I have been filled with such emotion regarding it. Last month when I went in for my yearly woman exam I told my doctor about my bad cramps (something every woman can realte too) and how my abdomen was sore for a week afterwards. He gave me some medicine for pain/cramps and said if the meds didn't work to call back and he would schedule a diagnostic laparoscopy because I might have endemetriosis. Well that sounded like a plan to me. Then comes last monday when I start my cycle and the pain. I took the meds I was given and they seemed to help some. Bobby and I decided to have a date night and I called my BFF Dawn to come babysit. During dinner I started having some more pain and I brushed it off thinking my meds were wearing off and I would take more when we got home. At Cinemark we sat in the first row going up so I could put my feet up and relax hoping to help some of the pain. This worked until the movie was over and I stood up. That is when the pain hit me. I slowly made my way out to the truck and climbed in. On the way home I knew this was not my regular pain and didn't know what else it could be. By the time we reached the front door I was in a lot of paina dnwent in to take some vicodine and a muscle relaxer to take some of the edge off the pain. I know from experience that a hot shower helps relax me so I figured what the heck lets try that. Not a good idea, when Bobby helped me out of the shower the pain had doubled. I called my 2nd mom Sheila who is an OB/Gyn nurse and asked her what I should do. She told me to head to the Emergency Room. After sitting at the ER for 6 hours and having 2 ultrasounds and a shot of pain meds in the butt they sent me home with a prescription and a diagnosis of pelvic pain. When I called my OB the next day to schedule a follow-up and fin out what was going on I found out he was out of the country for the week. I made an appointment for the following monday and the nurse told me she would look up my chart from the ER and call me back to let me know what the ultrasound said. When she told me the ultrasound showed cysts I was in shock. That is not what I was expecting. I waited patiently until the next monday to get in to see the doctor. The when my appointment came he told me I still have 2 large cysts on my ovaries. One is 7cm in diameter and the other is slightly smaller. His plan of attack is to wait 2 weeks and do a follow-up ultrasound to see if they are resolving on their own. If not then we will do a laparoscopy to drain them or see if they need to be removed. I held it together until half way home. I had to stop at my Aunt Tracy's house because I needed a shoulder to cry on. She kept telling me we have to believe that they will go away on their own and that the Lord will help you through this. I hope so