New Year Resolutions

This year Ryan and I are trying something new for our New Year resolutions   It is called "5 swings a day", which Ryan learned about from John Maxwell.  The theory behind it is when you cut down a tree, it take many, many swings to accomplish the task.  So, in your own life, if you do 5 small  things everyday-- you will eventually form a habit and get the desired results.  Here are our  five swings for the New Year.

Ryan:
1. Read one chapter from one of the 4 gospels everyday
2. Pray for 20 minutes everyday
3. Drink a protein shake everyday
4. Eat a raw fruit or vegetable everyday
5. record a 2 minute commentary for his video blog everyday

Lindsay:
1. Read one chapter from one of the 4 gospels everyday
2. Pray as a family everyday
3. Eat a fruit of vegetable everyday
4. do 100 of either sit-ups, push ups, squats, lunges, or shoulder presses
5. craft for 10 minutes everyday

Wish us luck!

Party!!

Earlier this week we had a party at our house with a bunch of friends.  We didn't have to do much to prepare, just invite over a few friends, make a few appetizers, and clean up the house.  Everyone that came brought over goodies.  We ate, we drank, we sang in the backyard all snuggled up close to one another around the fire.

It was a lot of fun.

I resolve in the new year to have more parties.

Christmas

This Christmas was a little different that any in the past.  It kinda snuck up on us seeing as we were all slightly consumed with illness.  My family fought off the flu, strep throat, and a virus while my dad was hospitalized and had to get his gall bladder removed just 5 days before Christmas. Nevertheless Christmas came on time and we all were able to enjoy this very memorable day.

The kids were ecstatic about all the presents they received.  Malia got lots of girly things and the boys spent the morning putting together Legos.

I got a very cool chalk board from my brother's girlfriend, Sarah.

Sarah joined us for Christmas this year.... she is pretty cool.  We like her!!!

Another memorable moment is when Scott opened up this very disturbing velvet painting of Hulk Hogan that Jon had found by a dumpster!!  Needless to say he loved it!

The kids spent the morning playing, while the adults slept, ate  and tried to relaxed amongst all the chaos.

My parents got us Season passes for Sea World this year-- so we will be hitting up San Antonio a lot this summer.  They also announced that they got a place down on Jamaica Beach in Galveston.  We were all thrilled about this and were immediately planning out our visits.

I think it is funny that even with all the cool and fancy new things out there to buy that some of the classics are still the favorites in most families.  The boys playing Operation, Malia treating her stuffed animal like a baby, and Ryan and Emma working on Madlibs together.... We don't need fancy gadgets and gizmos... just the basics and lots of time together.

Merry Christmas Everyone. 

Middle Child syndrome

Andrew is a middle child.  He is usually a good sport about it, but it sometimes makes me sad when I realize he is the victim of middle child syndrome.... for example, when his mom forgets to blog about his birthday.

We went out to Burroughs park to celebrate this magnificent kid turning 4!!

He had a pinata!

He had an awesome cake.

He got lots of cool presents.

And there was this random kid who was fishing and he let the boys watch-- which they did for a really long time.

It was a very fun, very relaxing party.

We love you Andrew!!!!

Doyle Christmas Party

This past Sunday we celebrated Christmas with my Father's side of the family.

One of my favorite parts of the party is the caroling.  Not many people can sing, but we all try.

The kids always enjoy the presents.  

 Malia got a doll with a puppy that she absolutely adores.

Andrew got a cool hippopotamus adventure set, which he has played with every day since.

Emma and Coleman got Nerf guns that they terrorized my children with at the party... because mean old mom wouldn't let them get theirs out!!

Kai got a cool lego set, which he immediately got home and started building.

The adults participate in a white elephant gift exchange. There was a lot of stealing and strategizing this year, which always makes for a fun exchange.

Here are a few more of my favorite pictures from the evening!!

Pinteresting again....

Here is my latest Pinterest project.

Ryan is slightly addicted to instagram.  He takes more pictures with that app, than he ever has with our good quality camera.  He finally got a bunch of instragram pics developed and told me to create something.  After doing a little research, this is what I came up with.

It is a picture of all the things I love, so I thought what better arrangement than a heart.

I think it is pretty cool!!

Malia is two

Guess who is two!!!!

This girl is!!!!!!

We had a party at our home.  

Her is Malia and her friends playing on the trampoline.

She did a great job blowing out her birthday candles.

And did an even better job destroying her cup cake!!

She got lots of fun girly toys to play with.

Which she instantly opened and shared with her friends.

By the end of the night.... this is how she looked.

I think it is time for someone to go to bed.

Happy Birthday Malia.  We love you!!!

Catch up!

Ok... I have 10 days to do twenty posts to keep my 40 posts a year trend going..... can I do it?  I doubt it, but I will try.

I have been a horrible blogger lately because life, as always, has been changing in the Robert's house hold.

I started back teaching in November.  I am working part time at Schultz Elementary, teaching resource math and reading to 3rd and 4th graders.  I work everyday from 8:00-11:30.  It is a pretty sweet set up and I am enjoying it very much.  However, I have never taught elementary before, so coming up with curriculum and fun lessons has been slightly consuming.

Along with new kids and a new school came new germs.  I got wiped out for a full week with a deadly flu/ strep throat combo.  Luckily I quarantined myself well enough that no one else got it, but I am just now starting to feel like myself again.

Just as I was starting to feel better, my dad started feeling horrible.  He went into the hospital and ended up having to get his gallbladder removed.  The doctor said he has been living with the pain for about a year... so hopefully we will be seeing a much happier pawpaw soon!!

Ok, well that is a start.  I will update you on each kid and Ryan later.... they each deserve their own post.... after that I will only have 15 more posts to go!!

Happy Halloween

This year our camera decided to stop working on Halloween.  Thanks to my mom, we got a few shots.  Unfortunately the kids were too excited to stand still for photos.

Here are some boys showing some brotherly love.

Here is Mommy and her little ballerina.

Ryan and I love dressing up as well.  My neighbor just happened to have a knight costume for Ryan, and this dress, from my Aunt Linda, is one that she wore about 50 years ago.  I got many compliments on it.

We finally got the Karate kid to strike a pose!!  We weren't as lucky with Andrew... you will just have to trust me that he was a ninja-- hey, maybe that is why we couldn't get a picture of him.  He is a good ninja!!

Mom and Dad were in charge of the candy while we took the kids out.  Malia has not yet mastered "Trick or Treat", but she has the sweetest "thank you" ever!!

Pawpaw is a sucker for his little grandbaby!!

It was a fun evening with the family.  We started the night with our youth group at Chick-fil-a, walked around the block and got way too much candy for three little kids, and we ended the night watching Monsters Inc while they devoured candy.

Happy Halloween!!!