Fun with the Gholston's

My how time flies!  One year ago I was snapping newborn pictures of Baby Arran and now he's about to turn 1!  So that means time for more pictures.  We got together with the Gholston's for a playdate.  The girls got to play while the boys went to work on photos.

It's hard to believe this little guy is already 1!

Gymnastics Olympic Dedication

For Mayfest at gymnastics this year they did a dedication to the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  Here's their routine.  Brenna's the one with the pink tights!

The End of Soccer

We had a great soccer season!  While me and Jacob were glad to see it come to a close, Brenna was disappointed.  She's already counting down to when soccer starts back in the Fall.  After a whole bunch of practices, 8 games, 6 goals, and a countless number of goal saves, she turned out to be a pretty good little athlete!  She's fast, coordinated, and hussels hard!  We were so proud of her.  The last couple of games were in the heat of the day and while others gave out, she powered through.  The coach called her our little Energizer Bunny!  It was even tough on the parents.  This last time I spent that long on a ball field in that kind of heat, I was the one playing!  Kinda gives me a whole new appreciation for all the hours my parents logged in the stands.

I added one more notch to my mommy belt, since I served as Team Mom for the season.  After the kids worked so hard, I thought they deserved some fun time, so we gave them a End of Season Soccer Celebration at the local McDonald's.  Here's some shots from her last game, the soccer party, and team photos.  It was a great season Los Angeles!

Last Game

Memorial Day Weekend

We spent our entire Memorial Day Weekend playing with friends all over; in our backyard, in their backyard, in the sprinklers, in the pool.  It was a fun and exhausting weekend, but it made me appreciate our happy little street.

Battle of the Sexes!

Brenna's Preschool Graduation

I can't believe she's old enough to graduate from anything!  We're so proud of her!  I cried and laughed through most of the graduation.  Preschool was a fantastic experience for her and she's already excited about Kindergarten.  I just hope her enthusiasm lasts through the summer!

Last Week of Preschool

Last week was our last week of preschool.  Its hard to believe that the year has come and gone, especially since this was our one and only year of preschool.  Brenna enjoyed it so much and made some great friends.  They wrapped up the last week with some fun in the sun for the kids.  Tuesday was Field Day and Thursday was Water Day.

On Field Day, the kids rotated through all kinds of games, activities, and races.  Of course I volunteered and enjoyed taking part in some of the fun myself.  Here's some pics from the day.

Piglet and Roo's Honey Cakes

A couple of weeks back we spent the morning playing with friends.  We were on our way home when we decided on a whim to stop off by one of our favorite book stores.  It's called the Book Worm and its a resale book store tucked away in a small shop thats busting at the seams with books.  They have a really fun children's section with little couches and chairs to smuggle up in and read.  We usually read several books while we're there and then since their resale, we'll pick up a cheap book or two to take home.

This time Brenna picked a Hundred Acre Woods book called Honey Cake.  The book is about how Kanga leaves little Roo and Piglet to make Honey Cake for the Hundred Acre Wood Picnic.  Well, Roo and Piglet had some trouble following the instructions, so their cake was a flop.  Brenna loved the story and guess what was at the end of the book?  The recipe!  So how could I say no when she asked "Please, please Mama, can we make Honey Cakes?"

The Butterfly Museum

Some friends invited us along for a trip to the Butterfly Museum at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.  We've never been to the Museum of Natural Science and this was a nice starter trip for us.  After the great experience we had at the Butterfly Museum, we're super excited to return later this Summer and hit more exhibits.

Knock You Naked Brownies

So, I'm "That Mom" at Brenna's school.  You know the one I'm talking about.  The mom who volunteers every time, who buys and sells for every fundraiser, and who gives gifts to teachers and directors for every occasion.  I've logged enough hours at that school that I should be on the payroll.  Not that I'm complaining, because I love it!  The school has been a blessing for both Brenna and me and I enjoy spending time with these ladies.  Her teachers and the Director and Director's Assistant are real sweet hearts.  So, I've passed along little "happys" for each of them on every occasion.  That's alot of occasions;  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, Easter, and of course Teacher Appreciation Day.   By the time I got to Teach Appreciation, I was out of "happy" ideas.  So, I did what all Southerns do and I made a desert.  Southerns fix food for all major holidays, birthdays, weddings, births, and funerals.  Everybody likes to eat, so you can't go wrong.

The desert I made is something wonderful!  Oh Yes!  These brownies are amazing, truly a chocolate gift from God!  So with my little helper by my side, we got busy on some Knock You Naked Brownies.

These brownies took the better part of a day to make because of all the different layers and all the waiting.

Spring has Sprung......Right into Summer

Another Spring, which lasted all of about 2 weeks according to the thermostat, is in the books and we've been busy kicking off Summer.   I'll be rolling out some fun stuff over the next week.  Until then, here's our school Spring picture!

The McAlister's Take Disney - Part 1

Oh my!  Where to begin?  This was a vacation like no other!  We got together with Jacob's twin brother and his family for a McAlister Family Vacation.  Brenna enjoyed all Disney World had to offer with her two cousins Ella and Leah.  The kids had a fantastic time!

Planning was fun and alittle frantic.  There's alot that goes into a Disney Vacation; hotel, tickets, flights, dining reservations, tours, and just managing what to fit into your time there and what to leave for next time.  As part of our vacation celebration, I put together goody bags for the girls.  They were filled with fun stuff that I thought might come in handy while we were at the parks.  Mickey Mouse ear hats, light sticks, flash lights, portable fans, princess jewelry, water bottles, bubble necklaces, princess chap stick, princess bath wash, activity books, and finally I made personalized autograph books so the girls could collect the signatures of their favorite characters.

The McAlister's Take Disney - Part 2

Day 2 Continued:  We stayed at the Disney Contemporary Resort in Magic Kingdom.  The monorail runs right through the lobby, which made things very convenient.  The hotel was beautifully designed, with A-frame supports that allowed for wide open space throughout.  Here's a few shots around the hotel.

This was the view from our balcony

The McAlister's Take Disney - Part 3

Day 3 Continued:  After breakfast at Chef Mickey's and a quick bus ride, we walked through the gates of Animal Kingdom and headed straight to Africa for an African Safari.

The McAlister's Take Disney - Part 4

Day 4: We visited Dinsey's Hollywood Studios. We got there shortly after the park opened and got lucky enough to walk straight in to Disney Junior Live! Disney Junior characters are some of Brenna's very favorite. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is the only reason she got interested in Disney World to begin with. The puppet stage show included 4 her of favorite tv series; Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

The McAlister's Take Disney - Part 5

Day 5:  We're Magic Kingdom bound to finish up where we left off.  They had Extra Magic Hours, so we were able to hit a few rides before our breakfast at Crystal Palace.  The kids had been dying to drive the cars, so off to the Speedway we go. After they got their adrenaline rush we headed off for breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and the 100-Acre Wood crew.