Birthdays!

I love planning my kids' birthday parties. Landon's birthday is close to Halloween so the last two years we have done a Halloween themed party. Last year when he turned 5 we had a costume party complete with dry ice in the punch, decorating pumpkins and mummy wrapping games. This year we headed out to Maxwell's Pumpkin Farm to wonder through the corn maze, ride the cow train, slide down the giant mountain slide, and so much more. The kids--and a few dads--all had a blast! I made a wonderful pumpkin cake that turned out great--I even impressed myself! Upon the birthday boy's request, I made him a birthday balloon! I used to make them for his friends and they have a great time popping the balloon to find what's inside. The place I used to buy the balloons at has closed, and the new party place across the street has bad balloons. I cannot get the balloon stuffed without it popping on me while I stuff it, so my son probably got the last one I will ever make, unless Gracie can convince me otherwise or I find another place to buy balloons.

A special thanks to Aunt Whitney (Wene) for taking all the wonderful pictures of Landon's party!

Landon,

Wow have you grown up this year! It seems like yesterday you were crawling around getting it to trouble and now you are running around but still getting into your share of trouble. You started kindergarten this year, you love playing sports, and hanging out with your friends. Most of all, you love watching Texas Tech with your dad--you really lived it up this football season! Dad and I love you and as Dad has told me several times, "You are a pretty cool kid!" Before we can blink twice you will be off on your own, and I will be remembering your loud drums banging up stairs and the pirates "Going Band from Raiderland" Costume or whatever other costume you found to wear as you ran through the house. Praying for you always~Mom





Now for Miss Gracie's 3rd Birthday Party. Her birthday is just a few days before Christmas so she typically just has a family party on her real birthday, then we have another friend party after the first of the year! She has been really into Tinkerbell this year--she was even Tinkerbell for Halloween, which I made a great costume--so her family party was all about Tinkerbell. However, her friend birthday party will be a Fancy Nancy birthday party, including a special guest to entertain us all. I am waiting until it gets a little warmer to have a fancy little picnic tea party for a few of her friends. I made special cupcakes with huge icing flowers on top. I even found a cute little Tinkerbell doll, the perfect size to stick in Gracie's cupcake. The sugar cookies had "3" on them and after a family dinner featuring Bo's special spaghetti--requested by the birthday girl--and opening presents, Gracie blew out the candles and enjoyed her cupcake.

I took the pictures so they are not as grand as Aunt Whitney's but it works!

Miss Gracie,

You have grown up too! Carrying around all your "stisters" and lip gloss! I feel like you almost skipped being a baby and are all grown up now in the blink of an eye. You sure can tell a wild story, and at times, that temper of yours takes over the sweet girl inside. We deal with it and that precious girl returns. You love your big brother and he loves you, even though he is just figuring out how to push your buttons. Daddy and I love you more and more each day. I know you can not stay little forever, but when you are up and gone one day all too soon, I will always long for the days when you pranced around the house in your high-heal dress-up shoes, or cuddled with me on the couch to watch morning cartoons. Praying for you always~Mom




Happy Birthday kids, I love you both more than you will ever know! Mommy

Wreck 'em Tech

Wow! What a game, what a season! I have been a Red Raider Fan since I met Brandon in 1996. We travelled to Lubbock several times each season to watch football and basketball games while we were at ACU in 1997 and 1998. Then after three semesters at ACU, Christmas break we packed up our dorms and permanently moved to Lubbock for 4 and a half years. Since graduation, we have only missed a few Tech home football games and Brandon wishes that number was none. I even made a road game this season--Tech v. Nevada game. Brandon went to the A&M and OU games, too. Then, both of our families made the trip to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl. My Aunt and Uncle from Baton Rouge even joined us for the Raider Power fun, wore Red and Black, and Got Their Guns Up! The game was not great and our biggest fan (Brandon) got the stomach bug at the game--but we were making memories and the kids had a blast.

Landon lived it up this season. Brandon took him to an ESPN College Gameday taping when they came to Tech for the Texas game and as you can see in the video above, they dared the field after the win against Texas. He met several reporters, players and even took home a pair of Player's gloves. Yes, the reports are right, I did cry after this exciting game. The emotions still get to me. This was a season that any Tech fan dreamed of and even though it could have been better--the Robertsons had a blast! Thanks Coach Leach and all the Red Raider Football players, staff and coaches for an incredible season.

Home at Last!

Brandon and I just spent the last 12 days travelling with his parents around Nevada and California. His sister came up to keep the kids--thanks a million, Whit! Twelve days is a long time to be away, especially from the kids. Mike and Becky gave us this trip for Christmas last year.

We left Friday morning flying into Reno for the Nevada v. Texas Tech football game on Saturday. It was HOT! I have been to both Austin and College Station for Tech games and this was definitely comparable. Before the game Saturday morning, Brandon and Mike rode their bikes from Reno to a little historical town, Virginia City, NV, where the western show, Bonanza was filmed years ago. Becky and I hung out at the hotel, worked out in the fitness center, and ate breakfast while the guys were gone. We did the Tech game, not a great game but it was interesting. We headed to San Franscisco via a trip through Napa Valley for lunch and a wine tasting. I could have spent the whole day or maybe two there. They had little shops including a few antique stores, neat restaurants and the fields of grapes were beautiful. San Franscisco was a busy town. We spent Sunday night through Thursday morning at the beautiful Park 55 Hotel in downtown seeing it all on foot. We went through Union Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge and Park, Market Street, rode a Trolly car, Peir 29 and Alcatraz--anything and just about everything San Francisco has to offer, we saw. We bought the kids all kinds of souveniers. The weather was cool but comfortable most of the time; I enjoyed seeing someplace I had never been before. Thursday morning, we headed back to Reno to pick up Mike and Brandon's bicycles before the MS 150 ride Saturday morning. We spent the rest of the weekend at the Northstar Resort near Lake Tahoe. Mike and Brandon rode the bike ride Saturday and Sunday, then we headed to Virginia City, NV to sightsee. It was a neat town with plenty to do and see in a day, too bad we only had a few hours. We packed up and headed back Tuesday afternoon, so ready to see our kids!

This slide show took several tries and though it does not have the Tech v. Nevada game pics--enjoy, we did!

Pre-K Grad, On to the Big K

Landon finished PreSchool in May. He graduated from Kid University at our church. He absolutely loved going to KU and all of his teachers made our experience so special over the last four years. The friendships he's made every Tuesday and Thursday, I pray, last a lifetime.

Landon is now a big Kindergartner. He had a fun first week, which included only a few minor lessons in listening carefully and following all directions. I asked Landon after I picked him up on the first day of school how his first day was. He replied, "Good, I didn't even have to go to the principals office!" I guess we made a slight impression by showing him the office and stating that we better not get a call that he is in the principal's office. He ate chicken nuggets in the cafeteria one day. Landon thirves on the extra responsibilities of "being a big kid." He was so excited to start Kindergarten making it so much easier on mom and dad. Brandon did decide to lead a family prayer for Landon just before we headed to school on the first day, during which both mom and dad left teary eyed--it was so sweet though. His life is already such an amazing "God Glorified" story that I sit on the edge of my chair "patiently" waiting to see what God does next in our family.

We have had two weddings and many trips to the pool, a few bike races and triahlons, in between PreK graduation and the first day of Kindergarten. Both my sister (July) and Brandon's sister (June) got married this summer. Brandon raced in his second half Ironman in Lubbock as well as a sprint tri here and Landon finished his first triathlon, too. We are so proud of him. I added these things to this post because while I wanted to share pictures and every detail of of each event, I want to go forward with posting rather than back to our incredibly busy summer.

Vacation Time!

You can tell by my blog that we have been busy--in the last two weeks, I finshed two posts that I started in December (yes, Kyle, this has been more than slightly ignored). It may not slow down either. We have done everything from a trip to Florida for Brandon's first half Ironman distance triathlon and family vacation, 2 weddings, and now shopping for school. I love being busy, but this summer has been a bit too much. I have neglected so many things because of this busy summer--my house, the laundry, my friends, my house, just to mention a few. Yes, I did mean to mention "my house" twice; it is so overwhelming that I do not want to do any of it. I know I am not the only one who feels it has come and gone way too fast!

These are pictures from our vacation to Florida with my family. Brandon and I went a few days early and he raced in his first Half Ironman Distance triathlon in Panama City Beach. The weather was weird, the waves were dangerous--so dangerous they considered cancelling the swim, then the clouds broke and the heat and humidity beat down. I am so impressed by all the triathletes, somewhat jealous I suppose. I can not believe the amount of time and hardwork that Brandon has put into training and competing. He has come a long way this year and I can only imagine what next year will bring. Great job this season, Brandon, the kids and I are your biggest fans!

We spent the week following the tri relaxing with family on the beach in Destin, FL--no better vacation spot! This year was cooler than most years that we have been there. We have been going with my aunt and uncle and her two kids for about 20 years, every few summers. Now, we are all finally married (Shawna and Zane, finally!) and have our own kids. It makes for a big party and the kids had a blast playing with Counsins Kate and Addison. We missed Coast Guard Cousin Joey, Tia and Emma this year! The best part about a vacation together--I love making memories with my kids!

Gracie Girl is 2!!

Gracie Girl,

I wish you a very special day and year to come! You have become quite the little girl from the baby you were this time last year and God blesses our family with you everyday. May we always recognize those blessings and make them forever memories--I love you bunches, mommy

Our sweet baby girl is growing up too fast! Gracie's second birthday party has been in the works for a while now. I was talking through our plans for the month of December--considering the wedding and Christmas and her second brithday in between--with a good friend one day over the phone and her party quickly evolved into a tutu (2-2) tea party for all her little friends. I shared this idea with another friend and she took the idea and ran with it. Jamie at the English Rose created a whole party room based on this idea and others she had been thinking through for a while. Therefore, we had a family party on her actual birthday and then the tutu party in January at the English Rose with Jamie (thanks Jamie, we had a blast). It is so much fun to watch your children grow into each new phase of their life and I pray that I never take those days for granted. As you can see I started this post on her birthday and never finished it. The tutu picture was taken by my sister-in-law, Whitney Hodges, and she did a great job capturing all the little girls in their jewels and tutus. I wish I could post more of the pictures. Gracie is not smiling in many of them because she was on some pretty strong medicines getting over a cold, and you can see the misery in her eyes. The party was too special to cancel or move and maybe someday we can do it again.

December ~ A Month of Memories

This has been a very busy month for our family. We, like most families have had all the business of a typical December with Christmas parties, gift buying, not to mention normal everyday crazy life.

Though, last weekend was a very special weekend for the Robertsons. Landon had his last Christmas program at KU, which is emotional enough to think about. Then we headed to Lubbock for my brother-in-laws wedding. Friday was busy, busy and busy as we decorated the church for the wedding and rehearsal dinner. The picuture above is our only "family" picture this holiday season so far, which means that no one will get Christmas cards this year from us. We spent Friday evening "practicing" the wedding and enjoying the company of some very sweet people who drove to Lubbock to help us get ready and make sure that everything was perfect--right down to our hair and eyebrows (thanks so much Tana)! Saturday morning, we woke up to an ice storm much like today! The highway from Amarillo to Lubbock was almost solid ice, which gave the groom pretty low spirits. Within hours, the church was filling up with dear, sweet people that braved the storm to be there for Brian and Meagan.

The ceremony was wonderful--Mike did a great job. I cried through most of it, as I get teary-eyed now just thinking about it. Landon and his Uncle Brian have a very special relationship. Landon adores him. He played his quitar as Mike, Brian and Brandon all came in the chapel.

What a wonderful way to spend some precious time with family and friends, despite the weather. Meagan, welcome to this family--congrats and we love you both!