2011

My new years resolution is to try to be more patient with those around me.

I think I am going to need it this year.

Christmas 2010

Because of the new addition to the family, Christmas seemed very low key this year. We usually travel all over Texas visiting family and friends and then spend the night at my parents house on Christmas Eve and wait for Santa's arrival with my entire side of the family. This year we didn't do any of that.

Instead we joined my parents for dinner on Christmas Eve, attended a very good church service at Klein UMC, and then went home and put all three kids to bed.

Christmas morning we opened presents at home and then headed back over to Mom and Dad's house to to have Christmas with them.

Here are the boys with a few of their top gifts.

It was a nice and easy Christmas this year. Thanks be to God!!

Malia Nicole Roberts

Miss Malia was born on December 7, 2010 at 6:04 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 19.5 inches long. She has a head full of dark brown hair, grey eyes, and goes back and forth between looking like each of her brothers with each passing moment.

She was a super easy delivery. I was induced starting at 9am. I hit 10 centimeters around 5:30 and had her out in 5 contractions.

She passed all of her tests with flying colors and our first 24 hours passed with visits from friends and family and a lot of poking a prodding from nurses in the middle of the night--- why they have to draw blood at 3:30 in the morning is beyond me!!!

The doctors let us come home a day early-- since we are old pros in the baby department!!!

So we loaded her up and took her home.

Daddy is amazed at how little she is. He is already playing his guitar for her and singing her songs. He doesn't stand a chance against her.

Andrew was the one I was really worried about. Kai is a great big brother. He is patient and kind and sweet. Andrew, on the other hand, is a total momma boys and is very headstrong. He has not warmed up to her completely, but I think he will eventually love his little "Mia"

She is already completely spoiled, not wanting to stay in her crib and insisting on being held 24 hours a day and is already exhibiting a pretty silly personality.

I think she is going to fit in with our crew just fine!!!

We love you Malia!

Laughter

This year I am thankful for youthful laughter. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I have never heard so much laughter and fun being had from all the children (and a lot of the adults) in our family. Here are a few of my favorite pictures that captured these moments...

"A laugh is a smile that bursts"~Mary H. Waldrip

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter" ~E.E. Cummings

"Laughter is an instant vacation." ~Milton Berle

"All you need in the world is love and laughter." August Wilson

"Remember, men need laughter sometimes more than food." ~Anna Fellows Johnston

"Laughter is the closest distance between two people" Victor Borge

"Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection. "~Yakov Smirnoff

"A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks."~ Charles Gordy

"I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful."~ Author Unknown

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."~Phyllis Diller

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Warrior DASH!!!!!!

Okay so I got to experience my first Warrior Dash today and it was awesome. By awesome I mean, it kicked my butt.

If you wanted to see a detailed map of the obstacles and race click this link

http://www.warriordash.com/register2010_central_texas.php

The map doesn't do it justice because there was NOT 100 meters of this 3.2 mile race that wasn't a steep hill or slippery decent. I ran well and helped up a few people along the way.

The hardest part was the river run, which was a 100 yards of ankle deep to chest deep to ankle deep running. The other obstacles were fun and challenging. They including jumping over 6 cars, crossing planks, 15 feet of hay, nets galore, slides of mud, 40 yards of tires, and cactus fields.

The video and pictures are the very end of the run where you jumped over 2 fire pits and went under barbed wire (watch video). After you finish you get a medal, a banana, a beer, and a South American style riot hose down.

I ran in the vibrams, but there is a charity that people donate there shoes to after the race. The shoes get cleaned up and shipped over seas to kids without access or money for shoes.

We (Lindsay and I) are doing another Warrior Dash in Conroe in March. Hopefully you are motivated to look into it and join us.

By the way, we have a warrior in training......

Skillet and Toby Mac

Last night Ryan and I went to the Toby Mac/ Skillet concert, accompanied by some of the finest youth around-- and a few brave parents.

Ryan thought it would be wise to get them all hopped up on Monster Energy drinks before the show and craziness soon ensued.

During intermission cotton candy replenished the sugar high-- and no they could not just eat it, they had to play with it too. And yes, Ryan did eat the cotton candy after it came out of his nose and ears!!

After the show, they somehow still had energy, and felt the need to show off all of their break dancing moves outside the Berry Center.

All the late night dancing paid off though, because we hung around long enough for ShonLock to walk out and sign some autographs for the guys!!

It was an awesome night and I hoped that everyone had a memorable time!! We love those kids!!