Summer's Princess

Kennedy had a BUSY summer!  It started with her very first dance recital.  She was SO excited and looked absolutely adorable!  She had two whole rows full of spectators!  Even though I'm a little bit biased, she was definitely the most beautiful ballerina out there!  Unfortunately, towards the end, she tripped, but she even fell with poise and grace!

Then it was her birthday.  I can't believe she's already 7!  She's growing up SO fast!  She LOVES the Wizard of Oz, so we went to see "Wicked" in Dallas...my all-time FAVORITE musical!  My favorite part was when Glinda says something about "Dodo," and Kennedy shouted out, "His name is TOTO!"  Too cute!

No Oz birthday is complete without a yellow brick road and ruby slippers!

Her sister was even sweet enough to wear a matching outfit!

We had the kids most of the month of July, which was really fun!  We spent a lot of time in the pool, relaxing around the house, and went to Dallas (to be detailed in a later blog post).  Our month of "kid time" culminated with Kennedy and I going to church camp...which almost didn't happen!  Kennedy was registered for camp, but couldn't go unless I was there to monitor her blood sugar overnight.  Unfortunately, I wasn't needed as a counselor this summer, so that put us between a rock and a hard place.  We met with Pastor Karen, and Kennedy was allowed to go as a day camper Thursday and Friday.  I am so glad she was able to go...she had SO much fun!  She really wants to be able to go for the whole camp next year...I hope we can work something out!

Look at me!  I'm a fish!

Playing in the mud pit!

Me, Kennedy, and her new BFF, Ella

Fathers' Day

Although I didn't actually get to see my dad on Fathers' Day this year, the weekend was really nice.  Scott and I went to Ruth's Chris on Friday night to celebrate both Fathers' Day and our anniversary.  We were seated in the wine room, and had the room entirely to ourselves.  Both the steak and the ambience were FABULOUS!  After dinner, we went to join my parents for drinks at the Four Seasons.  It was really neat to spend time listening time to the jazz band and drinking champagne...just like we had done together almost a year earlier!  On Saturday night, we took both of my grandfathers (and one of my grandmothers) to the Salt Lick for some BBQ.

It was really neat getting to spend time with them in honor of Fathers' Day, and I think they enjoyed each other's company!  At church on Sunday morning, all the fathers were given a backscratcher (VERY useful, Pastor Joe!), and that evening, Don, J.D. and Megan, and the kids all came over for fajitas and quality family time.  I am truely blessed with a family full of AMAZING men!

Mothers' Day

I never realized how difficut managing holidays could be.  I had always spent them with my parents, and sometimes my grandparents.  That's just the way it was...the way it's supposed to be.  I remember the first holiday I spent away from them.  It was Easter, I was in graduate school and working, and couldn't take off to go home for the weekend.  Although I spent that Easter with family, it didn't seem right...I wasn't with my parents.  I remember my mom calling in tears, and I just felt so horrible!

Fast forward to the present:  married life.  Now, two sets of parents have to be in balance!  CRAZY!  But, wait....there's more!  Being a step-family means that there are four sets of "parents" to please!  Holidays can be almost as hectic as a circus in our family, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

But, somehow, on Mothers' Day, all of the planets seemed to be in alignment, and I got to spend the day with most of the mothers in my life.  The kids were with us that weekend, so I woke up to sweet homemade cards and gifts, and then their Mimi picked them up from church so they could spend the majority of the day with their actual mother.  After church, we went to see my grandma at the nursing home, and then went out to lunch with my parents.  For dinner, we celebrated with all the in-town mothers on Scott's side of the family: his mom, grandma, aunt, and expectant mother sister-in-law.  I was so blessed to have such an amazing day!

Mothers' Day 2010

Mothers' Day 2009

Mothers' Day 2008

Stepmom Stories

So Saturday was the first meeting of my stepmom small group, and it was FABULOUS!  We are reading an amazing book (see image), and I think the other moms in the group are going to be my friends for life!  I learned that although being a stepmom is difficult at times, I am truly blessed because my extended blended family is pretty normal (which as it turns out, is abnormal in the blended family world...)  Everyone is civil, and we are all on the same page for the most part.  I left the meeting on cloud nine with great optimism for the future...

And then Satan decided to test me.

Kennedy had two birthday parties to go to this weekend.  One overlapped with the small group, so Scott and Harrison took her, but she made it pretty clear to them that they were not welcome at the party.  So, I got there as quickly as I could to relieve the boys from a "girls only" party (even though there were several other dads and a couple other brothers there...)  I made some great conversation with some really nice women, until they asked who's mom I was.  I answered that I was Kennedy's stepmom, and everything changed.  It's amazing what those four small letters can do!  All of a sudden, it was like a "mommy club" had formed, and I was not invited, because since I didn't give birth to her, I was not worthy of their conversation.  I was really confused, and kind of hurt, but then Kennedy came over and gave me a hug and a kiss, and everything was all better.  I didn't need to be part of a mommy club to know that she loved me.  I shouldn't doubt myself because of four silly little letters in a word!

But he continues...

I'd like to say that I wasn't a difficult teenager, that my mom and I had a good relationship through everything, but that's probably not true.  At least we had a million childhood memories to think about and share when the relationship got rocky.  But what happens when you enter someone's life right before those teen years?  When you cherish the 10 days a month you get to spend with them... but the 10 becomes 6 because she has something better to do, and the 6 becomes 2 because she rarely comes out of her room?  When your heart breaks because you're at the same event, but your presence isn't acknowledged (not even a smile, wave, or hello...)?  What do you do then?  I know, I'm just the stepmom, she doesn't have to love me...but she used to...or at least I thought she did!  All I can do is look at the wonderful relationship I have with my mom, and hope and pray that eventually we might end up close again...I miss that.

Being a stepmom isn't easy!  I have learned to put four other people before myself daily.  Satan continually tries to drag me down, but I have a great support system in my faith, my family, and my friends.  If I could do it all over again, I would... I am one lucky lady!  My life isn't perfect...but it's perfect for me!

Winter Wonderland

Yes, I live in Austin.  Yes, it is February.  Yes, it did snow!  And yes, I have proof:

Texas vs. Nebraska take 2

UT offers discounted basketball tickets to groups of 10 or more...and since Santa Claus loves a discount, he included some when he was stuffing stockings this year!  So, on February 13, our family joined the Guerrero family for some Longhorn basketball.

If you've ever read the book Flat Stanley, this is Austin's take!  A popular country DJ, Bama Brown, has turned himself into "Flat Bama."  We thought he would like his beautiful multi-colored striped pants made by Kennedy, and the fact that we waited and took his picture with the Texas Pom instead of the actual basketball players!

I have never been at a school where I have felt comfortable around the principal, much less spent time with their family outside of school, so this is such a great change!  She always talks about how CD Fulkes faculty is a family, and I really do think I am blessed to have two wonderful families!

Sunny California

So much for my New Year's resolution of keeping up with my blog!  There seriously needs to be more hours in the day, so that I can get done what I WANT to get done, instead of feeling like i can't even get done what I NEED to get done!

So, Scott and my Christmas presents to each other was a trip to the National Championship game.  Although the results didn't turn out the way we had hoped, the trip (and the weather) was still spectacular!

We arrived in LA late Tuesday night, so the festivities started on Wednesday.  We went to Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and did all the fun touristy things like the Chinese Theatre and Rodeo Drive.  I learned that even though I don't have Bette Davis eyes, I DO have Bette Davis hands! :-)

Thursday was devoted to the game.  We arrived at the stadium early, but were still concerned about parking.  Luckily Aubrey had his cane, and we had a handicapped parking sticker, so we parked like rock stars!  We tailgated with 10, 000 of our closest friends under a bright sunny skies and prepared for the game of our lives.  The heartache and what ifs still linger, but we still had an awesome time.

Friday was our day of culture!  We went to the Getty estate and museum.  I have never seen so many items from Greek antiquity in one place before (but then again, I've never been to Greece, so...).  The wine, food, and view were spectacular...and the company wasn't too bad, either! ;-)  On Saturday, we walked along a couple of beaches before heading back home.

Although I wish the results of the game had been different, it was nice to get off work a few extra days, especially to go somewhere with such BEAUTIFUL weather!  I could really get used to this "honeymoon" in California every six months....