Wordless Wednesday

Splash Day!!

Today was Splash Day at school! Brenley and her class had a lot of fun and I had a lot of fun with my class of 3-4 yr olds! Let's just say I was a main target for a lot of the water guns!! I was soaked, in my clothes, but I took one for the team. ;)

Only one workday and two more days of school and Summer is here! yippee!!!

Here are some pics of Brenley and her cutie-patootie friends!

Just a day at home...

Today was one of those days we just stated home...all day! And I loved it! Brenley slept til 9:00am and we played outside pretty much all morning. We had some lunch, went down for a nap while I worked and then we won't back outside until dinner time and Daddy got home!

It was a great day and I would not trade days like this with my girl for anything!!

Mother's Day 2012

I am so blessed and honor to be a Mommy! There are some days that are challenging, but most days are filled with joy and excitement as I see my girl learn and say new things (and hear the things she comes up with!). :)

This years Mother's Day was so fun because we were able to spend it with both sides of our family. I have a great Mom and Mother-in-law so it was fun to see them!

My Mother's Day really started on Saturday when Bobby's parents offered to take Brenley to go see Bobby's Nana in Canton. So they picked her up at 3pm and we were kid-free from 3-10:15pm! It was nice to have some long interruped time together! We ate at El Fenix and then went to Pottery Barn, Northpark, McDonalds for ice cream and Target. :) It was fun!

Sunday I woke up to a card and candy from Bobby and a card from Brenley and Polo, complete with Bren's handprint and Polo's paw print. :) 

 Me and my girl on Sunday morning!

Sunday afternoon we had Bobby's family over for lunch and some relaxing time on the patio!

   

And of course, Brenley had fun playing!

Then we headed over to my parent's house! Here are the 4 Generations!

And all of the cousins!

And the big kids!

We had fun at my parents eating hamburgers and playing freeze tag! :) It was a fun Mother's day weekend and we were all ready to hit the bed last night. So thankful for my family!

Girls Getaway Weekend

When I was about 18 months old my family moved to Oklahoma City for my dad to serve at a church. My parents met some great friends in that church, including some that they still friends with almost 30 years later! Two of those friends are the Thompsons and the Coxs. Debbie and her daughter, Shara and Kelly and her daughter Kristen. My mom, Debbie and Kelly were in the same stage of life we are now when they met - young thirty-something yr old moms with young kids.

We lived in OK for about 9 years. Shara, Kristen, and I were best friends during those years going to MDO and elementary school together! When I moved away Shara and I were "pen buddy" for a while and we all have kept in touch more recently through Facebook! And our moms have too!

So when Shara came up with the idea to have a girls weekend and include the moms we were all so excited!!! Kelly and Kristen still live in OK, Shara lives in Houston and her mom lives in AZ. It was decided to have the weekend in Dallas and the new Omni downtown was the hotel that seemed fun! And of course we knew the Spa had to be included!!!

We started out the weekend with my Mom and I picking up Shara and her mom from the airport and we headed to the hotel and went to get a bite to eat. Kristen and her mom drove in from OK and met us at the hotel. After some much needed catch up talk, we got ready and headed to dinner at Luna de Noche. After dinner we headed to the movies to see The Lucky One! So good!

Saturday we slept in, ate a buffet breakfast (mmmm) and then headed to the pool! Then it was Spa time!!!All I can say is "AMAZING!" :)

That night we got dressed up and herby to dinner at Del Friscos. So nice! When we got back to the hotel we had more chats and then watched some OLD videos of us girls when we were in kindergarten and the first grade talent show! We had LOTS of laughs!!

The amazing pool!!

Shara and I out at the pool!

All the moms and daughters

We did a belated Birthday surprise at dinner for my mom!

Sunday it was time to say goodbye! We had such a great time!! It was hard to go back to reality but I did miss Bobby and my girl! Speaking of, Bobby was a great daddy and took great care Brenley and the house while I was gone! The bed was even made when I got home!! ;)

(Had to throw this one in there of Kristen and I when we were 5) :)

It was a great weekend and we are already counting down the days til the next one!

Merry Christmas from the Sotos!

What a great year this has been! God has blessed up tremendously this year with our health, our jobs and our family!

Just a little recap of our year -- Bobby continues to work at DBU as the Director of Undergraduate Admissions, as well as teaching a Freshman Foundations course. I am still teaching Hillcrest Child Development Center, two days a week, where Brenley also attends school. We love it and love the people I work with! I also, just recently, started working for DBU, part time, from home for DBU's Online Education Department. It was truly a blessing and answered prayer to be given this job! Brenley continues to keep us busy as she is now entering her TWOs! :) She is full of energy, personality and laughter, which keeps us busy, amazed and laughing as well! I feel super lucky and blessed to be able to stay home with her and am so thankful for God's provision this year.

Excited about what's to come in 2012!

Merry Christmas from the Sotos!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Brenley!

Yesterday my baby turned TWO! I cannot believe it! I mean, how can this be? I still remember every detail of her delivery and here we are two years later with a little toddler on our hands!

We had a great time celebrating Brenley basically over the course of a week and a half! :) It started with her school party last Thursday! There are 3 kids in her class with December birthdays. It actually turned out to not be a great day to have the party, but we had to move forward with it since we were providing lunch. Joshua ended up being sick so he didnt get to celebrate with us and then Jae's mom ended up not getting to come due to a family emergency, so I was the lone mom trying to get pictures of Brenley and her BFF, Jae Beth!

Love these little girls!!

Then last weekend we celebrated with a birthday party with her friends. We had the party at Nova Gymnastics and the kids had a blast!!!

Here she is with her friend Joshua who couldn't make the school party! He was all better by the weekend.

This girl sang every word to herself! I think we had been practicing for about 3 months. :)

The party decor

Cupcakes by Aunt Kara

Bren and Momma dancing -- she looks scared! ;)

The parachute was so fun!

But the trampoline was her favorite!!!!

Then we had an "after-party" at our house with family!! More presents!

Then this past Saturday we hung out at my Nanny's house and she got to open one gift! She loves her singing Minnie :)

Oh and she had to have an Elmo balloon! :)

Candles in Ice cream!!

Then on her real birthday (yesterday) she woke up to more gifts! :)

She was a pro by this point.

Then we had to go out for Hamburgers for her Birthday lunch -- and of couse top it off with ice cream! This girl loves her ice cream!

We love this sweet TWO YEAR OLD!!!

Sweet Brenley,

It's hard to believe how fast these two years have gone by, but they have been so fun and I wouldn't trade them for the world! You have learned so much and sometimes your Dad and I just look at eachother in amazement at some of the things you remember, do and say! You are talking so much and remember things that I didn't even know you heard me say! Just tonight you pointed at a triangle on the computer and said "Triangle!" You are so smart. Your Daddy loves to teach you things and is constantly quizzing you, counting with you or saying your ABC's. Speaking of, today at the store, you sang the ABC song over and over! It was so cute!

You are such a good eater! Every meal we sit down to, you eat like you have never eaten before, especially if it is Mexican or Italian. You love beans and rice!! You also use a little spoon and fork like a pro!

Your favorite thing to say right now is "Brenley do it!" or "No, momma, I do it!" You love to put on your own shoes, zip up your pjs, and brush your teeth! You are so good at putting on your socks and shoes. I can even tell you to go get them out of the closet and put them on and you will! Miss Independent!

I love getting your bear hugs and kisses and you are now asking to be held a lot. And all of a sudden you are attached to your blanket and want to have it draped over my shoulder to put your head on it when I rock you. You also love your baby dolls and you have quite a collection now after your birthday!

You are so fun and full of life! You truly make your Daddy and I so happy and we love you so much!! You are Daddy's "pumpkin" and Momma's "Doodle-bug".

Love,

Momma