The Right Attitude!

Suzanna, my sweet sweet angel, had the opportunity to experience great disappointment in me her mother this past Saturday night. As it was her time to dance with her ballet class at Christmas at the Park. As we had navigated traffic and finally hopped a curb to find parking and then walked a long distance to the basketball courts where she was to line up ready to dance, she heard her music for her dance playing and sure enough dancing for the audience was all her ballerina friends with out Suzanna. I was crushed! I was so upset at myself for not having it more together and for not being the RESPONSIBLE ADULT knowing when, where, etc. to be. Suzanna looked at me and said, "Oh well Mom, let's go get the cookies and hot chocolate and walk around looking at the Christmas lights!" I was ready to cry. I felt so sad for Suzanna, but she was just fine! What a lesson I learned on how to let disappointment roll right off your back and focus on what you do have.....why let's just get hot chocolate and cookies! What an attitude! I was so incredibly impressed. I was incredibly grateful for her heart and her attitude!

Thanksgiving has come and gone

Suzanna and Mimi ( my mother) watching television at the ranch on Thanksgiving Eve.
Suzanna enjoying the rings on the ranch swing set. Cowboy, our rescue Katrina dog, loves the wide open range. He is the best dog in the world! Such a wise old soul!
After a long day of ranching, Doyle still has to feed the cattle range cubes. I decided to go along for the ride since usually I pass on the ranching, but this was a surprise to me. Doyle lets the kiddos drive as he works off the back of the truck feeding range cubes. Yes, that is a seven year old driving a Dodge dully truck in the pasture. I have decided I must go on more adventures with them to see what else he lets them do when Mom is not present!

Barn Coats! Last Christmas my father purchased everyone barn coats. Here they all are wearing their coats.
My mom joins in minus the barn coat.
Doyle's mother, Nana, eats with us and Suzanna and Blaine have made Thanksgiving table decorations for all.
Suzanna and Cowboy loving the cooler weather.
Blaine gets a new air pump rifle from his Papa. I felt like screaming when I'd see him take it out to the pasture, " Run birds Run!" Although please know he did not kill a thing.

(Below) Blaine's class... Reader's Theater on 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving.

(Above)Suzanna's class play from 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving.

We celebrated Thanksgiving at my parents ranch. We had a great time relaxing and just truly enjoyed each other. It was nice to leave our house where laundry always awaits and closets to be cleaned stare at me because it forces me to really play and enjoy the kiddos. We watched Narnia: the Lion and The Witch and the Wardrobe, did puzzles, played on the swing set, had a family game of kick ball, did all the ranch things you could think of involving trucks, cattle and tractors, read aloud Harry Potter, played cards and made Thanksgiving table decorations. They spent a day with Doyle's mother at the park, Ci Ci's pizza and playing Frisbee Golf. It was hard to get up and rejoin the working force today. The kiddos put our Christmas tree up yesterday and Clementine the Christmas Tree loving vat has already found her new home under the tree. Angel the kitten thinks she should be the angel at the top as she has attempted to climb it several times in one day. I want to spend this season reflecting on who Christ is in our lives not the rushing. We hide a nail at the bottom of our tree each year which represents the tree Christ was crucified on for us so we can always keep in mind this Christmas what the hoop la is for. Blaine this year got to hang the cross as we reflecting as a family of WHO Christ is and what the nail means hidden in the beautiful Christmas tree.

Dance Revolution

SUZANNA at Dance Revolution in Dallas, Texas

Suzanna and her dear best friend Emma and one of my dear friends Katie ( Emma's mother) all went to spend the weekend in Dallas for a weekend full of ballerinas and the Lord. The Dance Revolution is a dance company that teaches dance for a weekend while sharing their belief in Jesus Christ. Sunday morning we watch a performance done by the company that shocks you scared into living for Jesus. Not that we are not already living for Jesus, but it is just an impactful morning making you reevaluate how you are choosing to live life when you know you have a God who has a plan and purpose for your life. It rekindles that fire we should always have ignited.

Suzanna is not so much about dance as she likes to make up her own moves and do her own thing. I took her really for the spiritual side to see role models living for Jesus and to make a peer group that has the same beliefs we do as a family. It is just one more experience under her belt where she hears Jesus. I really missed our precious former ballet teacher /beloved friend and second Mom to my kiddos Stephanie. I felt a huge void not having her with us.

I had a great time spending time with my friend Katie as now that life moves at such a rapid pace I do not have the time I would like to dedicate to friends. The girls had a ball being together too. Katie took the most pictures so once she sends them to me I will post oodles more. I seem to be more into video these days that pictures for some reason.

Dance Revolution

Suzanna dancing away with Mary Beth, Dance Revolution Apprentice teacher.
Emma and Suzanna decide that swimming would be a fantastic thing to do when the temperature is in the low 60's with a mighty wind gust blowing. The pool was heated but probably heated around 75 to 80 degrees. Suzanna came out with purple lips!
Suzanna and two of her older ballerina friends. I am so grateful for the influence these girls have on Suzanna's life. Just to see high school students who are walking the walk and loving the Lord makes a huge impact on me. Suzanna cherishes them.
Suzanna and Mary Beth( the Dance Revolution teacher) who spent a great deal of time with Suzanna this weekend. Mary Beth is amazing. She discussed with the girls how they were God's princess and what would a princess act like and what would the King think of them. She was wonderful to watch and I was so grateful that Suzanna was able to see Mary Beth's example.

Suzanna trying to imitate her dance teacher, but as you can see many times Suzanna does her own thing!

Western Sing a Long

Suzanna and I are about to head to Dance Revolution in Dallas,Texas for a christian dance workshop for her with our precious friends Katie and Emma. Before I left I wanted to upload some photos of Blaine being a leader at the Western Sing A Long. I will upload Suzanna dancing on Monday. We are going too fast these days. Some days I feel like the hamster in the wheel just spinning and spinning faster and faster. Some days I wish I had a pause button and could just pause everything to catch my breathe. At least I know when I get to heaven I would not have wasted one minute here on earth!

Enjoy Blaine..... Suzanna will be coming after we dance the weekend away =)!

A Saturday Afternoon and more

This Saturday was just Blaine and I as Suzanna and Doyle had gone camping with the Indian Princesses. Having Blaine time was wonderful as I always find myself with Suzanna doing the girl thing, so to have time with just Blaine was unusual. We headed to the park where Blaine found a group of neighborhood children gathered their playing football. Of course, Blaine joined in the fun. As I watched him boldly jump in the game, I saw the fun of living in a neighborhood where kids are not to far as it did really feel like we were part of a community. Blaine recognized some from school or from previous years at our neighborhood school. I captured several movies of Blaine in action you can watch.
Spiritually this past week, God has taught me a great deal about complete reliance on Him and allowing him to go before us. It was a great lesson on realizing where our help really does come from! This world will always, always, always fail us, but he is the one who will never leave us and forsake us. What a mighty God we serve. Sometimes though you must take a stand for what God puts on your heart which causes you to look different and of course with that comes some form of persecution ......although nothing like many experience. It was so wonderful to see God work in each of those situations this week. A friend commented to me, ' Sara, you lost the battle but you won the war!' that is just what Jesus did. It would appear to many he lost the battle, but in the end he won the war which was our gift of salvation. I am not comparing myself to Jesus at ALL , but many times we are called to be the face of Jesus regardless the cost. What I learned is God shows up on our behalf and amazes us after we have suffered or been persecuted!
Blaine is doing better and better each day as a Second Grader with reading and writing. I am so grateful for that! It is hard to believe that we are to November!!!!!!

Enjoy the neighborhood football game clips.....

Happy Happy Halloween

This week was filled with many Halloween events which I have posted a variety of photos to share! Blaine went as a Dallas Cowboy with real football pads and cleats and Suzanna went as a beautiful mermaid. The kiddos love the excitement and anticipation of costumes, creepy crawly things and all the child like excitement that comes on Halloween night.

Out trick or treating we saw many creepy and unusual things around the neighborhood, but this was one that took the prize.
Doyle carved two pumpkins with the kiddos. The BOO was their favorite.

The kick off to the party happened at an annual Halloween party where we had more testosterone than we knew what to do with with all these super football players.
Doyle helped Suzanna's class carve pumpkins at the school Halloween party.
Blaine and his student teacher make skeletons in Halloween centers.
Blaine finds a talking pirate along the way trick or treating.
Suzanna anxiously awaits trick or treaters to give out too!

All the Moms at the Kick Off Party. Some dressed up for fun. I of course was a party pooper.
Suzanna and dear friend Dottie at the party.
Blaine enjoys a caramel apple.
Football games begin!

Below, a quick snip it of them trick or treating Halloween night.