Leakey Tx Family Vacation

Last week, 15 of us gathered down at the Host Reserve in Leakey, Tx and enjoyed some family time with my side of the family. We have decided to make this an annual vacation and this was our second time enjoying this beautiful property.

We even got to see Angel again. She must have known we were coming back.

Mason was so happy to see her again, he couldn't stop hugging her.

The kids made sure to get plenty of cuddle time with their Aunt Taylor (she is actually my cousin, but is more like a sister)

The guys made sure to take advantage of the golf range right outside our door. We had the entire property to ourselves for a week. Adam's brother and his wife joined us for a few days.

My mom is about to try her first ever Chicken Fried Bacon. Thankfully, she shared because it was so yummy.

I had a whole week to spend with one of my favorite people. 



Can you tell how much Taylor adores her Granddad

We got to sit on the porch and watch the sunset. One night we had everyone out doing some star gazing.

Every house should have a wrap around porch like this.

The Barn. This is where half of the group stayed. It's also Mason's favorite place on earth.

You can't spend a week in the country without a little target practice. Next year, Taylor gets to sit in Granddad's lap and shoot a few rounds.





Aunt Emily & Taylor. I wish I could write out how Taylor says Emily. I hope it sticks because it is darn cute.

Ready to go to the river.



The last day we went to the river, Taylor wanted to make sure I got a picture of her pig tails and her bathing suit.

It wouldn't be a family vacation without atleast one of the kids getting upset. I couldn't help but get a picture of this face.



Mason picked these sunglasses out for Taylor. He said  they make him think of her.

Our only attempt at a family photo.

It was a fantastic week of relaxation. It really is Mason & Taylor's favorite place on earth. We made some wonderful memories.

How I spent my Memorial Day Weekend

The hardest part about leaving Bakersfield, was saying goodbye to some of the best people and friends I have ever known. I knew that I couldn't wait too long before going back for a visit. Adam was kind enough to give the okay to plan a solo trip out to see my girls. It worked out perfectly with our friend Rachel's baby shower. The only people that knew I was coming were Marissa & Jayme.

 I seriously couldn't get enough cuddle time with the Mooney kids. They are family and I miss them so much. Here I am with Braden right before his last wrestling tournament of the season.

 Madison & I before she went to cheer that afternoon. I got really sunburned watching her, but it was worth it to see her so happy and doing her thing.

 With the Luke, aka "birthday boy!" He warmed my heart so much and kept talking about his wife, Taylor, and how he couldn't wait to come to Mason's house this summer.

 Besties and of course Luke had to be in the picture. It was his birthday after all.

 Celebrating 4 years!

 Marissa did a great job planning Rachel's shower.

 Our friend Jamie P. made these yummy chocolate covered strawberries.

 With Rachel. She had no idea I would be there until I surprised her at church that morning. All of our kids are the same age and we have been pregnant at the same time with each pregnancy (except I was still in Houston while pregnant with Mason)

Rachel being showered with love. We can't wait to meet Abigail in July.

 With two of my favorite people Marissa & Jayme. This was after Jayme and I sat on the couch having an ugly cry over how much we missed each other and the direction our lives have taken us this past year.

 The group. These are the girls that made it so hard to say goodbye to Bakersfield. A piece of my heart will forever be in Bakersfield due to them.

Right before Marissa & Jayme drove me to the airport. Adam asked if we were wearing sunglasses because we had been crying and I laughed and said that would have been a good reason. Instead we just figured it would make for a better picture. We're cool like that.



Adam's Memorial Day Weekend

For a few months now, I've had a trip scheduled over Memorial Day Weekend. Originally, Adam planned on staying in town with the kids. This is the first time he has had all the kids to himself for three days straight. Finally, I convinced him to travel four hours by himself with the kids down to Houston to see our families. It would make for a fun weekend and allow him to have a little help.

From what I was told, everyone had a great time. One of the mornings, Adam met up with his parents and took the kids and our niece, Faith to one of our favorite parks. My MIL took several pictures of the kids playing.

 At the end of the day, Taylor called it an early night and went to bed. Adam decided to take Mason for cookies and even shared a coke with him.

Impromptu trip to Houston

Last week, I made a last minute decision to head down to Houston. Within two hours, I called my mom to let her know we were coming, packed our bags and hit the road. Adam has been traveling, so I thought that kids would enjoy some time down in Katy. We found out once we arrived in Katy that Adam wouldn't have to travel this week. We still agree that we made the right decision.

Last time we were in town, my mom was extremely sick with a stomach virus, so we didn't get to see her at all. We ended up staying in a hotel to bypass the germs. Both my mom and kids were disappointed they didn't get to see each other, but it was for the best.

My mom was scheduled to have surgery on Thursday and I knew she wouldn't be able to hold the kids for a very long time. A trip to see my family is exactly what everyone needed. We tried to soak up every minute we could with her before her surgery.

The day of her surgery, I loaded the kids in the car and we headed up to the hospital to wait with my dad. Much to our surprise, my mom's sisters and my grandmother came up to the hospital as well. It was so great to see everyone and to know they were there to support my mom. The kids enjoyed visiting with family that they don't get to see very often.

The hospital was fairly new and had a nice waiting area with an additional waiting area for the kids in the back. The space had toys for the kids to play with. The surgery went well, but the recovery is going to be a very long road. Yesterday she was able to come home from the hospital and my aunt came down from Plano to help take care of her for the first week. I wish I could post pictures, but I packed so quickly that I forgot my camera.